traction control GMC TERRAIN 2018 User Guide

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-10664916) - 2018 - crc - 9/15/17
Driving and Operating 173
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can drop
off the edge of a road onto the
shoulder while driving. Follow
these tips:1. Ease off the accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the
way, steer the vehicle so that it
straddles the edge of the
pavement.
2. Turn the steering wheel about one-eighth of a turn, until the
right front tire contacts the
pavement edge. 3. Turn the steering wheel to go
straight down the roadway.
Loss of Control
Skidding
There are three types of skids that
correspond to the vehicle's three
control systems:
.Braking Skid —wheels are not
rolling.
. Steering or Cornering Skid —
too much speed or steering in a
curve causes tires to slip and
lose cornering force.
. Acceleration Skid —too much
throttle causes the driving
wheels to spin.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids
by taking reasonable care suited to
existing conditions, and by not
overdriving those conditions. But
skids are always possible.
If the vehicle starts to slide, follow
these suggestions: .
Ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and steer the
way you want the vehicle to go.
The vehicle may straighten out.
Be ready for a second skid if it
occurs.
. Slow down and adjust your
driving according to weather
conditions. Stopping distance
can be longer and vehicle
control can be affected when
traction is reduced by water,
snow, ice, gravel, or other
material on the road. Learn to
recognize warning clues —such
as enough water, ice, or packed
snow on the road to make a
mirrored surface —and slow
down when you have any doubt.
. Try to avoid sudden steering,
acceleration, or braking,
including reducing vehicle speed
by shifting to a lower gear. Any
sudden changes could cause
the tires to slide.
Remember: Antilock brakes help
avoid only the braking skid.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-10664916) - 2018 - crc - 9/15/17
Driving and Operating 175
Environmental Concerns
.Always use established trails,
roads, and areas that have been
set aside for public off-road
recreational driving and obey all
posted regulations.
. Do not damage shrubs, flowers,
trees, or grasses or disturb
wildlife.
. Do not park over things that
burn. See Parking over Things
That Burn 0196.
Driving on Hills
Driving safely on hills requires good
judgment and an understanding of
what the vehicle can and cannot do.
{Warning
Many hills are simply too steep
for any vehicle. Driving up hills
can cause the vehicle to stall.
Driving down hills can cause loss
of control. Driving across hills can
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
cause a rollover. You could be
injured or killed. Do not drive on
steep hills.
Before driving on a hill, assess the
steepness, traction, and
obstructions. If the terrain ahead
cannot be seen, get out of the
vehicle and walk the hill before
driving further.
When driving on hills:
. Use a low gear and keep a firm
grip on the steering wheel.
. Maintain a slow speed.
. When possible, drive straight up
or down the hill.
. Slow down when approaching
the top of the hill.
. Use headlamps even during the
day to make the vehicle more
visible.
{Warning
Driving to the top of a hill at high
speed can cause an accident.
There could be a drop-off,
embankment, cliff, or even
another vehicle. You could be
seriously injured or killed. As you
near the top of a hill, slow down
and stay alert.
. Never go downhill forward or
backward with the transmission
in N (Neutral). The brakes could
overheat and you could lose
control.
. When driving down a hill, keep
the vehicle headed straight
down. Use a low gear because
the engine will work with the
brakes to slow the vehicle and
help keep the vehicle under
control.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-10664916) - 2018 - crc - 9/15/17
Driving and Operating 177
.If an incline must be driven
across, and the vehicle starts to
slide, turn downhill. This should
help straighten out the vehicle
and prevent the side slipping.
{Warning
Getting out of the vehicle on the
downhill side when stopped
across an incline is dangerous.
If the vehicle rolls over, you could
be crushed or killed. Always get
out on the uphill side of the
vehicle and stay well clear of the
rollover path.
Driving in Mud, Sand, Snow,
or Ice
Use a low gear when driving in
mud —the deeper the mud, the
lower the gear. Keep the vehicle
moving to avoid getting stuck.
Traction changes when driving on
sand. On loose sand, such as on
beaches or sand dunes, the tires
tend to sink into the sand. This
affects steering, accelerating, and braking. Drive at a reduced speed
and avoid sharp turns or abrupt
maneuvers.
Traction is reduced on hard packed
snow and ice and it is easy to lose
control. Reduce vehicle speed when
driving on hard packed snow
and ice.
{Warning
Driving on frozen lakes, ponds,
or rivers can be dangerous. Ice
conditions vary greatly and the
vehicle could fall through the ice;
you and your passengers could
drown. Drive your vehicle on safe
surfaces only.
Driving in Water
{Warning
Driving through rushing water can
be dangerous. Deep water can
sweep your vehicle downstream
and you and your passengers
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
could drown. If it is only shallow
water, it can still wash away the
ground from under your tires.
Traction could be lost, and the
vehicle could roll over. Do not
drive through rushing water.
Caution
Do not drive through standing
water if it is deep enough to cover
the wheel hubs, axles, or exhaust
pipe. Deep water can damage the
axle and other vehicle parts.
If the standing water is not too deep,
drive through it slowly. At faster
speeds, water can get into the
engine and cause it to stall. Stalling
can occur if the exhaust pipe is
under water. Do not turn off the
ignition when driving through water.
If the exhaust pipe is under water,
the engine will not start. When going

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-10664916) - 2018 - crc - 9/15/17
178 Driving and Operating
through water, the brakes get wet
and it may take longer to stop. See
Driving on Wet Roads0178.
After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that
has collected on the underbody or
chassis, or under the hood. These
accumulations can be a fire hazard.
After operation in mud or sand,
have the brake linings cleaned and
checked. These substances can
cause glazing and uneven braking.
Check the body structure, steering,
suspension, wheels, tires, and
exhaust system for damage and
check the fuel lines and cooling
system for any leakage.
More frequent maintenance service
is required. See the Maintenance
Schedule 0353.
Driving on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce
vehicle traction and affect your
ability to stop and accelerate.
Always drive slower in these types of driving conditions and avoid
driving through large puddles and
deep-standing or flowing water.
{Warning
Wet brakes can cause crashes.
They might not work as well in a
quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large
puddle of water or a car/vehicle
wash, lightly apply the brake
pedal until the brakes work
normally.
Flowing or rushing water creates
strong forces. Driving through
flowing water could cause the
vehicle to be carried away. If this
happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be
very cautious about trying to drive
through flowing water.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water
can build up under the vehicle's
tires so they actually ride on the
water. This can happen if the road is
wet enough and you are going fast
enough. When the vehicle is
hydroplaning, it has little or no
contact with the road.
There is no hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to
slow down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet
weather driving tips include:
.
Allow extra following distance.
. Pass with caution.
. Keep windshield wiping
equipment in good shape.
. Keep the windshield washer fluid
reservoir filled.
. Have good tires with proper
tread depth. See Tires0300.
. Turn off cruise control.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-10664916) - 2018 - crc - 9/15/17
Driving and Operating 179
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. Tips include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
. Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
. Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.
{Warning
Using the brakes to slow the
vehicle on a long downhill slope
can cause brake overheating, can
reduce brake performance, and
could result in a loss of braking.
Shift the transmission to a lower
gear to let the engine assist the
brakes on a steep downhill slope.
{Warning
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. This can cause
overheating of the brakes and
loss of steering assist. Always
have the engine running and the
vehicle in gear.
. Drive at speeds that keep the
vehicle in its own lane. Do not
swing wide or cross the
center line.
. Be alert on top of hills;
something could be in your lane
(e.g., stalled car, accident).
. Pay attention to special road
signs (e.g., falling rocks area,
winding roads, long grades,
passing or no-passing zones)
and take appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Snow or ice between the tires and
the road creates less traction or
grip, so drive carefully. Wet ice can
occur at about 0 °C (32 °F) when
freezing rain begins to fall. Avoid
driving on wet ice or in freezing rain
until roads can be treated.
For Slippery Road Driving:
.Accelerate gently. Accelerating
too quickly causes the wheels to
spin and makes the surface
under the tires slick.
. Turn on Traction Control. See
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0213.
. The Antilock Brake System
(ABS) improves vehicle stability
during hard stops, but the
brakes should be applied sooner
than when on dry pavement.
See Antilock Brake System
(ABS) 0210.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-10664916) - 2018 - crc - 9/15/17
Driving and Operating 181
If stuck too severely for the traction
system to free the vehicle, turn the
traction system off and use the
rocking method. SeeTraction
Control/Electronic Stability Control
0 213.
{Warning
If the vehicle's tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you
or others could be injured. The
vehicle can overheat, causing an
engine compartment fire or other
damage. Spin the wheels as little
as possible and avoid going
above 56 km/h (35 mph).
Rocking the Vehicle to Get
it Out
Turn the steering wheel left and
right to clear the area around the
front wheels. Turn off any traction
system. Shift back and forth
between R (Reverse) and a low
forward gear, spinning the wheels
as little as possible. To prevent
transmission wear, wait until the wheels stop spinning before shifting
gears. Release the accelerator
pedal while shifting, and press
lightly on the accelerator pedal
when the transmission is in gear.
Slowly spinning the wheels in the
forward and reverse directions
causes a rocking motion that could
free the vehicle. If that does not get
the vehicle out after a few tries, it
might need to be towed out. If the
vehicle does need to be towed out,
see
Towing the Vehicle 0337.
Vehicle Load Limits
It is very important to know how
much weight the vehicle can
carry. This weight is called the
vehicle capacity weight and
includes the weight of all
occupants, cargo, and all
nonfactory-installed options.
Two labels on the vehicle may
show how much weight it may
properly carry, the Tire and
Loading Information label and
the Certification/Tire label.
{Warning
Do not load the vehicle any
heavier than the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR), or either the
maximum front or rear Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR).
This can cause systems to
break and change the way the
vehicle handles. This could
cause loss of control and a
crash. Overloading can also
reduce stopping distance,
damage the tires, and shorten
the life of the vehicle.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-10664916) - 2018 - crc - 9/15/17
Driving and Operating 213
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/
Electronic Stability
Control
System Operation
The vehicle has a Traction Control
System (TCS) and StabiliTrak, an
electronic stability control system.
These systems help limit wheel slip
and assist the driver in maintaining
control, especially on slippery road
conditions.
TCS activates if it senses that any
of the drive wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction. When this
happens, TCS applies the brakes to
the spinning wheels and reduces
engine power to limit wheel spin.
StabiliTrak activates when the
vehicle senses a difference between
the intended path and the direction
the vehicle is actually traveling.
StabiliTrak selectively applies
braking pressure to any one of thevehicle wheel brakes to assist the
driver in keeping the vehicle on the
intended path.
If cruise control is being used and
TCS or StabiliTrak begins to limit
wheel spin, cruise control will
disengage. Cruise control may be
turned back on when road
conditions allow.
Both systems come on
automatically when the vehicle is
started and begins to move. The
systems may be heard or felt while
they are operating or while
performing diagnostic checks. This
is normal and does not mean there
is a problem with the vehicle.
It is recommended to leave both
systems on for normal driving
conditions, but it may be necessary
to turn TCS off if the vehicle gets
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
See
If the Vehicle Is Stuck 0180
and “Turning the Systems Off and
On” later in this section.
The indicator light for both systems
is in the instrument cluster. This
light will:
.
Flash when TCS is limiting
wheel spin
. Flash when StabiliTrak is
activated
. Turn on and stay on when either
system is not working
If either system fails to turn on or to
activate, a message displays in the
Driver Information Center (DIC), and
dcomes on and stays on to
indicate that the system is inactive
and is not assisting the driver in
maintaining control. The vehicle is
safe to drive, but driving should be
adjusted accordingly.
If
dcomes on and stays on:
1. Stop the vehicle.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-10664916) - 2018 - crc - 9/15/17
214 Driving and Operating
2. Turn the engine off and wait15 seconds.
3. Start the engine.
Drive the vehicle. If
dcomes on
and stays on, the vehicle may need
more time to diagnose the problem.
If the condition persists, see your
dealer.
Turning the Systems Off and
On (Uplevel Cluster)
Caution
Do not repeatedly brake or
accelerate heavily when TCS is
off. The vehicle driveline could be
damaged.
At speeds of 56 km/h (35 mph) or
above, this ability to turn off or on is
disabled. TCS and StabiliTrak can be turned
off or on using the DIC controls as
follows:
Pressoto access the cluster
applications. Use
worxto scroll
through the list of available
applications.
Press
Vto select the Options
application, then press
pto enter
the Options menu. Use
worxto
scroll through items in the
Options menu. Press
Vto select the Traction and
Stability page, then press
pto
select Traction menu. Use
worx
to select Traction (TCS) or Stability
(StabiliTrak).
To turn TCS off, select Traction,
then press
V. The TCS icon on the
DIC will change from On to Off and
iilluminates in the instrument
cluster.
To turn TCS back on, select
Traction, then press
V. The TCS
icon on the DIC will change from Off
to On and
igoes out in the
instrument cluster. TCS cannot be
on when StabiliTrak is off.
To turn StabiliTrak off, select
Stability, then press
V. The
StabiliTrak icon on the DIC will
change from On to Off. If TCS was
on when StabiliTrak was turned off,
both will turn off and
iandg
illuminate.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-10664916) - 2018 - crc - 9/15/17
Driving and Operating 215
To turn StabiliTrak back on, select
Stability then press
V. The
StabiliTrak icon on the DIC will
change from Off to On and
ggoes
out in the instrument cluster.
To turn both StabiliTrak and TCS
back on, select Traction, then press
V. The StabiliTrak and TCS icons
on the DIC will change from Off to
On and
gandigo out in the
instrument cluster.
Adding accessories can affect the
vehicle performance. See
Accessories and Modifications
0 261.
Turning the Systems Off and
On (Base Level DIC)
Caution
Do not repeatedly brake or
accelerate heavily when TCS is
off. The vehicle driveline could be
damaged. At speeds of 56 km/h (35 mph) or
above, this ability to turn off or on is
disabled.
TCS and StabiliTrak can be turned
off or on using the DIC controls as
follows:
Pressoorpto select VEHICLE
menu, then use
worxto scroll
through the menu items to select
TCS/StabiliTrak.
Press
Vto enter TC/StabiliTrak,
and then use
worxto select TCS
or StabiliTrak. To turn TCS off, select TCS, then
press
V.iwill illuminate in the
instrument cluster.
To turn TCS back on, select TCS,
then press
V.igoes out in the
instrument cluster. TCS cannot be
on when StabiliTrak is off.
To turn StabiliTrak off, select
StabiliTrak, then press
V. If TCS
was on when StabiliTrak was turned
off, both will turn off and
iandg
illuminate in the instrument cluster.
To turn StabiliTrak back on, select
StabiliTrak then press
V.ggoes
out in the instrument cluster.
To turn both StabiliTrak and TCS
back on, select Traction, then press
V.gandigo out in the
instrument cluster.
Adding accessories can affect the
vehicle performance. See
Accessories and Modifications
0 261.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-10664916) - 2018 - crc - 9/15/17
Driving and Operating 217
Driver Mode Control Knobfor AWD
q(Vehicles without AWD) or5(AWD equipped vehicles) Tour
Mode :Use Tour Mode during
normal driving conditions. Tour
Mode either puts the vehicle in
Front-Wheel Drive (AWD vehicles)
or is the normal drive mode (FWD
vehicles). Tour Mode is the most
fuel efficient drive mode. See
Driving for Better Fuel Economy
0 26. When selecting Tour Mode,
the AWD light will flash briefly while
the system disables, and then
stays off.
4AWD Mode : In AWD Mode, the
AWD system delivers power to all
four wheels and the system adjusts
as needed to improve traction.
Selecting AWD Mode will activate
the system. The AWD light will flash
briefly while the system is engaging
and stay on to indicate AWD is
active. AWD Mode will stay selected
until the mode is changed. AWD is
active in Tow/Haul and Off-Road
Modes. AWD Mode is only available
on vehicles equipped with All-Wheel
Drive.
Tow/Haul and Off-Road Modes are
canceled with each ignition cycle
and will return to the Tour Mode.
When using a compact spare tire on
an AWD vehicle, the system
automatically detects the compact
spare and reduces AWD
performance to protect the system.
To restore full AWD operation and
prevent excessive wear on the
system, replace the compact spare
tire with a full-size tire as soon as
possible. See Compact Spare Tire
0 334.6Snow Mode : Snow Mode
improves vehicle acceleration on
snow and ice-covered roads. Snow
Mode is not available on vehicles
equipped with all wheel drive.
7Off-Road Mode : Use Off-Road
Mode for public off-road recreational
driving. See Off-Road Driving 0174.
Off-Road Mode is only available on
vehicles equipped with All-Wheel
Drive.
_Tow/Haul Mode : Tow/Haul
Mode can assist when towing or
hauling a heavy load. It changes
transmission shift patterns, turns on
AWD, if equipped, and increases
trailer sway control assistance.
When Tow/Haul is activated, the
Tow/Haul symbol will come on in the
instrument cluster. See Driving
Characteristics and Towing Tips
0 251. Tow/Haul Mode is only
available on vehicles with the towing
package.