GMC TERRAIN 2020 Owner's Manual

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13556230) - 2020 - CRC - 9/4/19
158 Climate Controls
Air Vents
Use the louvers located on the air
vents to change the direction of the
airflow.
To open or close off the airflow:
.On the center air vents, move
the slider knobs up or down.
. On the outer and rear air vents,
move the slider knobs right
or left.
Operation Tips
. Clear away any ice, snow,
or leaves from air inlets at the
base of the windshield that could
block the flow of air into the
vehicle.
. Clear snow off the hood to
improve visibility and help
decrease moisture drawn into
the vehicle, which may improve
long term system performance. .
Keep the path under the front
seats clear of objects to help
circulate the air inside of the
vehicle more effectively.
. Use of non-GM approved hood
deflectors can adversely affect
the performance of the system.
Check with your dealer before
adding equipment to the outside
of the vehicle.
. Do not attach any devices to the
air vent slats. This restricts
airflow and may cause damage
to the air vents.
Maintenance
Passenger Compartment
Air Filter
The filter removes dust, pollen, and
other airborne irritants from outside
air that is pulled into the vehicle.
The filter should be replaced as part
of routine scheduled maintenance.
See Maintenance Schedule 0368.
To find out what type of filter to use,
see Maintenance Replacement
Parts 0378.
1. Open the glove box.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13556230) - 2020 - CRC - 9/4/19
Climate Controls 159
2. Disconnect the glove box doordamper (1) from the glove box
door assembly by squeezing
the pivot (2) to release the
damper ring.3. Squeeze both sides of theglove box bin inward to lower
beyond the stops.
4. Remove the two screwssecuring the door.
5. Press the latches on either side of the service door inward to
release. Open the service door
and remove the old filter.
6. Install the new air filter.
7. Close the service door completely.
8. Reverse the steps to reinstall the glove box.
See your dealer if additional
assistance is needed.
Service
All vehicles have a label underhood
that identifies the refrigerant used in
the vehicle. The refrigerant system
should only be serviced by trained
and certified technicians. The air
conditioning evaporator should
never be repaired or replaced by
one from a salvage vehicle.
It should only be replaced by a new
evaporator to ensure proper and
safe operation.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13556230) - 2020 - CRC - 9/4/19
160 Climate Controls
During service, all refrigerants
should be reclaimed with proper
equipment. Venting refrigerants
directly to the atmosphere is harmful
to the environment and may also
create unsafe conditions based on
inhalation, combustion, frostbite,
or other health-based concerns.
The air conditioning system requires
periodic maintenance. See
Maintenance Schedule0368.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13556230) - 2020 - CRC - 9/4/19
Driving and Operating 161
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Driver Behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Driving Environment . . . . . . . . . . 163
Vehicle Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Driving for Better FuelEconomy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Off-Road Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 171
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 172
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 174
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 179
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 181 Stop/Start System . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Winter Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Diesel Particulate Filter
Diesel Particulate Filter . . . . . . . 192
Diesel Exhaust Fluid
Diesel Exhaust Fluid . . . . . . . . . . 195
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 201
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Drive Systems
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . 207
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 209
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Hill Descent Control (HDC) . . . 213
Driver Mode Control . . . . . . . . . . 214
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Adaptive Cruise Control . . . . . . 219
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 230
Assistance Systems for Parking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . 231
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Front Pedestrian Braking (FPB) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13556230) - 2020 - CRC - 9/4/19
162 Driving and Operating
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . 243
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . 245
Fuel
Top Tier Fuel (Gasoline) . . . . . . 248
Top Tier Fuel (Diesel) . . . . . . . . . 248
Recommended Fuel (LYX -1.5L L4 Turbo Engine) . . . . . . 248
Recommended Fuel (LTG - 2.0L L4 Turbo Engine) . . . . . . 249
Prohibited Fuels (Gasoline) . . . 249
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 249
Fuel Additives (Gasoline) . . . . . 250
Fuel Additives (Diesel) . . . . . . . 250
Fuel for Diesel Engines . . . . . . . 250
Biodiesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Cold Weather Operation (Diesel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Water in Fuel (Diesel) . . . . . . . . 252
Running Out of Fuel (Diesel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Fuel Filter Replacement (Diesel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Filling the Tank (Gasoline) . . . . 257
Filling the Tank (Diesel) . . . . . . . 258
Filling a Portable Fuel Container (Gasoline) . . . . . . . . 260
Filling a Portable Fuel Container (Diesel) . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical
Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Driving Information
Driver Behavior
Driving is an important
responsibility. Driver behavior, the
driving environment, and the
vehicle's design all affect how well a
vehicle performs.
Being aware of these factors can
help in understanding how the
vehicle handles and what can be
done to avoid many types of
crashes, including a rollover crash.
Most serious injuries and fatalities to
unbelted occupants can be reduced
or prevented by the use of seat
belts. In a rollover crash, an
unbelted person is significantly
more likely to die than a person
wearing a seat belt. In addition,
avoiding excessive speed, sudden
or abrupt turns, and drunken or
aggressive driving can help make
trips safer and avoid the possibility
of a crash.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13556230) - 2020 - CRC - 9/4/19
Driving and Operating 163
Driving Environment
Be prepared for driving in inclement
weather, at night, or during other
times where visibility or traction may
be limited, such as on curves,
slippery roads, or hilly terrain.
Unfamiliar surroundings can also
have hidden hazards.
Learn more about driving in different
conditions and off-road driving in
this section.
Vehicle Design
Utility vehicles have a significantly
higher rollover rate than other types
of vehicles. This is because they
have a higher ground clearance and
a narrower track or shorter
wheelbase than passenger cars,
which makes them more capable for
off-road driving. While these design
characteristics provide the driver
with a better view of the road, these
vehicles do have a higher center of
gravity than other types of vehicles.
A utility vehicle does not handle thesame as a vehicle with a lower
center of gravity, like a car, in similar
situations.
Safe driver behavior and
understanding of the environment
can help avoid a rollover crash in
any type of vehicle, including utility
vehicles.
Driving for Better Fuel
Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel
mileage. Here are some driving tips
to get the best fuel economy
possible:
.
Set the climate controls to the
desired temperature after the
engine is started, or turn them
off when not required.
. Avoid fast starts and accelerate
smoothly.
. Brake gradually and avoid
abrupt stops.
. Avoid idling the engine for long
periods of time. .
When road and weather
conditions are appropriate, use
cruise control.
. Always follow posted speed
limits or drive more slowly when
conditions require.
. Keep vehicle tires properly
inflated.
. Combine several trips into a
single trip.
. Replace the vehicle's tires with
the same TPC Spec number
molded into the tire's sidewall
near the size.
. Follow recommended scheduled
maintenance.
Distracted Driving
Distraction comes in many forms
and can take your focus from the
task of driving. Exercise good
judgment and do not let other
activities divert your attention away
from the road. Many local
governments have enacted laws

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13556230) - 2020 - CRC - 9/4/19
164 Driving and Operating
regarding driver distraction. Become
familiar with the local laws in
your area.
To avoid distracted driving, keep
your eyes on the road, keep your
hands on the steering wheel, and
focus your attention on driving.
.Do not use a phone in
demanding driving situations.
Use a hands-free method to
place or receive necessary
phone calls.
. Watch the road. Do not read,
take notes, or look up
information on phones or other
electronic devices.
. Designate a front seat
passenger to handle potential
distractions.
. Become familiar with vehicle
features before driving, such as
programming favorite radio
stations and adjusting climate
control and seat settings.
Program all trip information into
any navigation device prior to
driving. .
Wait until the vehicle is parked
to retrieve items that have fallen
to the floor.
. Stop or park the vehicle to tend
to children.
. Keep pets in an appropriate
carrier or restraint.
. Avoid stressful conversations
while driving, whether with a
passenger or on a cell phone.
{Warning
Taking your eyes off the road too
long or too often could cause a
crash resulting in injury or death.
Focus your attention on driving.
Refer to the infotainment manual for
more information on using that
system and the navigation system,
if equipped, including pairing and
using a cell phone.
Defensive Driving
Defensive driving means “always
expect the unexpected.” The first
step in driving defensively is to wear
the seat belt. See Seat Belts050.
. Assume that other road users
(pedestrians, bicyclists, and
other drivers) are going to be
careless and make mistakes.
Anticipate what they may do and
be ready.
. Allow enough following distance
between you and the driver in
front of you.
. Focus on the task of driving.
Drunk Driving
Death and injury associated with
drinking and driving is a global
tragedy.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13556230) - 2020 - CRC - 9/4/19
Driving and Operating 165
{Warning
Drinking and then driving is very
dangerous. Your reflexes,
perceptions, attentiveness, and
judgment can be affected by even
a small amount of alcohol. You
can have a serious—or even
fatal —collision if you drive after
drinking.
Do not drink and drive or ride with
a driver who has been drinking.
Ride home in a cab; or if you are
with a group, designate a driver
who will not drink.
Control of a Vehicle
Braking, steering, and accelerating
are important factors in helping to
control a vehicle while driving.
Braking
Braking action involves perception
time and reaction time. Deciding to
push the brake pedal is perception
time. Actually doing it is
reaction time.
Average driver reaction time is
about three-quarters of a second. In
that time, a vehicle moving at
100 km/h (60 mph) travels 20 m
(66 ft), which could be a lot of
distance in an emergency.
Helpful braking tips to keep in mind
include:
. Keep enough distance between
you and the vehicle in front
of you.
. Avoid needless heavy braking.
. Keep pace with traffic.
If the engine ever stops while the
vehicle is being driven, brake
normally but do not pump the
brakes. Doing so could make the
pedal harder to push down. If the
engine stops, there will be some
power brake assist but it will be
used when the brake is applied. Once the power assist is used up, it
can take longer to stop and the
brake pedal will be harder to push.
Steering
Electric Power Steering
Caution
To avoid damage to the steering
system, do not drive over curbs,
parking barriers, or similar objects
at speeds greater than 3 km/h
(1 mph). Use care when driving
over other objects such as lane
dividers and speed bumps.
Damage caused by misuse of the
vehicle is not covered by the
vehicle warranty.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13556230) - 2020 - CRC - 9/4/19
166 Driving and Operating
The vehicle has electric power
steering. It does not have power
steering fluid. Regular maintenance
is not required.
If power steering assist is lost due
to a system malfunction, the vehicle
can be steered, but may require
increased effort.
If the steering assist is used for an
extended period of time while the
vehicle is not moving, power assist
may be reduced.If the steering wheel is turned until it
reaches the end of its travel and is
held against that position for an
extended period of time, power
steering assist may be reduced.
Normal use of the power steering
assist should return when the
system cools down.
See your dealer if there is a
problem.
Curve Tips
.
Take curves at a reasonable
speed.
. Reduce speed before entering a
curve.
. Maintain a reasonable steady
speed through the curve.
. Wait until the vehicle is out of
the curve before accelerating
gently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
.There are some situations when
steering around a problem may
be more effective than braking. .
Holding both sides of the
steering wheel allows you to turn
180 degrees without removing
a hand.
. The Antilock Brake System
(ABS) allows steering while
braking.
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can drop
off the edge of a road onto the
shoulder while driving. Follow
these tips:

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13556230) - 2020 - CRC - 9/4/19
Driving and Operating 167
1. Ease off the accelerator andthen, 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.
Off-Road Driving
All-wheel-drive vehicles can be
used for off-road driving. Vehicles
without all-wheel drive and vehicles
not equipped with All Terrain (AT) or
On-Off Road (OOR) tires must not
be driven off-road except on a level,
solid surface. To contact the tire
manufacturer for more information
about the original equipment tires,
see the warranty manual.
Controlling the vehicle is the key to
successful off-road driving. One of
the best ways to control the vehicle
is to control the speed.