2012 Chevrolet Equinox Owner's Manual - Page 247

Driving and Operating Notice: Shifting out of P (Park) or N (Neutral) with the engine running at high speed may damage the transmission. The repairs would not be covered by the vehicle warranty. Be sure the engine is not running at high speed when shifting the vehicle. D (Drive): This position is for normal driving. It provides the best fuel economy. If you need more power for passing, and you are: . 9-31 M (Manual Mode): Allows the driver to select the range of gear positions. See Manual Mode on page 9‑31. To use this feature: 1. Move the shift lever to M (Manual Mode). 2. Press the plus/minus button on the shift lever, to increase or decrease the gear range available. When shifting to M (Manual Mode), the transmission will shift to a preset lower gear range. For this preset range, the highest gear available is displayed next to the M in the DIC. See Driver Information Center (DIC) on page 5‑24 for more information. All gears below that number are available to use. For example, when 4 (Fourth) is shown next to the M, 1 (First) through 4 (Fourth) gears are shifted automatically. To shift to 5 (Fifth) gear, press the + (Plus) button or shift into D (Drive). Manual Mode Electronic Range Select (ERS) Mode ERS or manual mode allows for the selection of the range of gear positions. Use this mode when driving downhill or towing a trailer to limit the top gear and vehicle speed. The shift position indicator within the Driver Information Center (DIC) will display a number next to the M indicating the highest available gear under manual mode and the driving conditions when manual mode was selected. Going less than 56 km/h (35 mph), push the accelerator pedal about halfway down. Going about 56 km/h (35 mph) or more, push the accelerator all the way down. . Notice: If the vehicle seems to accelerate slowly or not shift gears when you go faster, and you continue to drive the vehicle that way, you could damage the transmission. Have the vehicle serviced right away.