2023 GMC Terrain Lightning Instruction 

Thanks for getting in touch and good luck with your 2023 GMC Terrain Lightning buy! As you take off on an exciting trip in this cutting-edge vehicle, the instruction guide that comes with it is your all-around guide, giving you detailed information and step-by-step instructions to make the most of your driving experience. The guide is carefully designed to meet all of your needs. It walks you through the Terrain Lightning’s creative features so that you can get the most out of its advanced technology, safety features, and performance abilities. This guide is meant to give you the information you need to easily navigate the roads ahead, no matter how long you’ve been driving or how new you are to the GMC family. This guide will help you enjoy driving the Terrain Lightning to its fullest, from knowing how its lightning-fast acceleration works to getting the most out of its cutting-edge infotainment system. The 2023 GMC Terrain Lightning is the start of a new age of fun to drive.

Exterior Lighting

Exterior Lamp Controls

If not Equipped with a HUD System
The exterior lamp control is left of the steering wheel.

If Equipped with HUD System
The exterior lamp control is on the left stalk. There are four positions.

: Turns the exterior lamps off and deactivates the AUTO mode. Turn to O again to reactivate the AUTO mode. For vehicles first sold in Canada, the headlamps will automatically reactivate when the vehicle is shifted out of P (Park).

AUTO: Turns the exterior lamps on and off automatically depending on outside lighting.

Turns on all lamps, except the headlamps.

 

Turns on the headlamps together with the parking lamps and instrument panel lights.

IntelliBeam System

If equipped, this system turns the vehicle’s high-beam headlamps on and off according to surrounding traffic conditions. The system turns the high-beam headlamps on when it is dark enough and there is no other traffic present.
This comes on in the instrument cluster when the IntelliBeam system is enabled.

 

Turning On and Enabling IntelliBeam

To enable the IntelliBeam system, press on the turn signal lever when it is dark outside and the exterior lamp control is in AUTO or 5.

Driving with IntelliBeam

The system only activates the high beams when driving over 40 km/h (25 mph). The blue high-beam light appears on the instrument cluster when the high beams are on. There is a sensor near the top center of the windshield that automatically controls the system. Keep this area of the windshield clear of debris to allow for best system performance. The high-beam headlamps remain on, under automatic control, until one of the following situations occurs:

• The system detects an approaching vehicle’s headlamps.
• The system detects a preceding vehicle’s taillamps.
• The outside light is bright enough that high-beam headlamps are not required.
• The vehicle speed drops below 20 km/h (12 mph).
• The IntelliBeam system is disabled by the button on the turn signal lever. If this happens, press b on the turn signal lever when the exterior lamp control is in the AUTO or 5 position to reactivate the IntelliBeam system. The instrument cluster light will come on to indicate the IntelliBeam system is reactivated.
• The IntelliBeam system will turn off if the fog lamps are turned on.

The high beams may not turn off automatically if the system cannot detect another vehicle’s lamps because of any of the following:

• The other vehicle’s lamps are missing, damaged, obstructed from view, or otherwise undetected.
• The other vehicle’s lamps are covered with dirt, snow, and/or road spray.
• The other vehicle’s lamps cannot be detected due to dense exhaust, smoke, fog, snow, road spray, mist, or other airborne obstructions.
• The vehicle windshield is dirty, cracked, or obstructed by something that blocks the view of the light sensor.
• The vehicle is loaded such that the front end points upward, causing the light sensor to aim high and not detect headlamps and taillamps.
• The vehicle is being driven on winding or hilly roads.

The automatic high-beam headlamps may need to be disabled if any of the above conditions exist.

Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer

Push the turn signal lever away from you and release, it to turn the high beams on. To return to low beams, push the lever again or pull it toward you and release it.
This indicator light turns on in the instrument cluster when the high-beam headlamps are on.

Flash-to-Pass

The flash-to-pass feature works with the low beams or Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) on or off. To flash the high beams, pull the turn signal lever toward you momentarily and then release it.

Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)

DRL can make it easier for others to see the front of your vehicle during the day. Fully functional DRLs are required on all vehicles first sold in Canada. The DRL comes on when all of the following conditions are met:

• The vehicle is on.
• The exterior lamp control is in AUTO.
• The light sensor determines it is daytime. The taillamps, instrument panel lights, and other lamps will not turn on when this feature is activated. The DRL turns off when the headlamps are turned to O or the vehicle is off. For vehicles first sold in Canada, the DRL can only be turned off when the vehicle is parked.

Automatic Headlamp System

When the exterior lamp control is set to AUTO and it is dark enough outside, the headlamps come on automatically.
There is a light sensor on top of the instrument panel. Do not cover the sensor; otherwise, the headlamps will come on when they are not needed. The system may also turn on the headlamps when driving through a parking garage or tunnel. When it is bright enough outside, the headlamps will turn off or may change to Daytime Running Lamps (DRL). The automatic headlamp system turns off when the exterior lamp control is turned to O or the ignition is off.

Lights On with Wipers

If the windshield wipers are activated in daylight with the engine on, and the exterior lamp control is in AUTO, the headlamps, parking lamps, and other exterior lamps come on. The transition time for the lamps coming on varies based on the wiper speed. When the wipers are not operating, these lamps turn off. Move the exterior lamp control to O or; to disable this feature.

Hazard Warning Flashers

Press to make the front and rear turn signal lamps flash on and off. This warns others that you are having trouble. Press | again to turn the flashers off.

Turn and change signals

Move the lever all the way up or down to signal a turn. An arrow on the instrument cluster flashes in the direction of the turn or lane change. Raise or lower the lever until the arrow starts to flash to signal a lane change. Hold it there until the lane change is completed. If the lever is briefly pressed and released, the turn signal flashes three times. The turn and lane-change signal can be turned off manually by moving the lever back to its original position. If after signaling a turn or lane change, the arrow flashes rapidly or does not come on, a signal bulb may be burned out. Replace any burned-out bulbs. If a bulb is not burned out, check the fuse. See Fuses and Circuit Breakers.

Fog Lamps

The vehicle and parking lamps or headlamps must be on for the front fog lamps to work. If equipped, the front fog lamps provide extra illumination to the sides of the road and improve visibility in fog or snow. If not Equipped with a HUD System
The fog lamps are to the left of the steering wheel.
Press to turn the fog lamps on or off. An indicator light on the instrument cluster comes on when the fog lamps are on.

If Equipped with HUD System
The fog lamps are on the left stalk.
Turn the fog lamp band to # and release it, to turn the fog lamps on or off. Some localities have laws that require the headlamps to be on along with the fog lamps. Some localities have laws that require the high beams to be off when the fog lamps are on.

Interior Lighting

Instrument Panel Illumination Control

If not Equipped with a HUD SystemIf Equipped with HUD System

This feature adjusts the brightness of all illuminated controls. The instrument panel illumination control is to the left of the instrument panel. Push the knob in all the way until it extends out and then turn the knob clockwise or counterclockwise to brighten or dim the lights. Push the knob back in when finished. The knob is functional at night, or when the headlamps or parking lamps are on.

Courtesy Lamps

The courtesy lamps come on when any door is opened, the K on the remote key is pressed, or when the vehicle is turned off. See Dome Lamps 0 127.

Dome Lamps

The dome lamp controls are in the overhead console. The dome lamps activate when any door is opened, K on the remote key is pressed, or when the vehicle is turned off. To operate, press the following buttons:

Press to turn off the dome lamps. An indicator light on the button will turn on when the dome lamp override is activated. Press OFF again to deactivate this feature and the indicator light will turn off.

Press to turn the dome lamps on or off manually.

Reading Lamps

There are reading lamps on the overhead console and over the rear passenger doors. These lamps come on when any door is opened, K on the remote key is pressed, or when the vehicle is turned off.

Front Reading Lamps
The front reading lamps are in the overhead console. Press the lamp lenses to turn the front reading lamps on or off.

Rear Reading Lamps
Press the lamp lens to turn the rear passenger reading lamps on or off.

Lighting Features

Entry Lighting

The interior lamps turn on when pressing K on the remote key or opening any doors, and the dome lamp control is in the door
position. Some exterior lamps also turn on when pressing K on the remote key or opening any doors. Low-Beam lamps will only turn
on briefly at night, or in areas with limited lighting. All lamps will gradually fade out after about 30 seconds. Entry lighting can be disabled manually by closing all doors, pressing Q on the remote key, or starting the vehicle. This feature can be changed. On the infotainment home page, select the Settings icon T Vehicle Locator Lights

Exit Lighting

Some exterior lamps and interior lamps turn on when the driver door is opened after the vehicle is turned off. The exterior and interior lamps remain on for a set amount of time, and then automatically turn off. The interior lights turn on when the vehicle is turned off. The exterior lamps turn off immediately by turning the exterior lamp control off. This feature can be changed. On the infotainment home screen, select the Settings icon T Vehicle T Exit Lighting.

Battery Load Management

The vehicle has an Electric Power Management (EPM) that estimates the battery’s temperature and state of charge. It then adjusts the voltage for best performance and extended life of the battery. When the battery’s state of charge is low, the voltage is raised slightly to quickly bring the charge back up. When the state of charge is high, the voltage is lowered slightly to prevent overcharging. If the vehicle has a voltmeter gauge or a voltage display on the Driver Information Center
(DIC), you may see the voltage move up or down. This is normal. If there is a problem, an alert will be displayed.
The battery can be discharged at idle if the electrical loads are very high. This is true for all vehicles. This is because the generator
(alternator) may not be spinning fast enough at idle to produce all of the power needed for very high electrical loads.
A high electrical load occurs when several of the following are on, such as headlamps, high beams, rear window defogger, climate control fan at high speed, heated seats, engine cooling fans, trailer loads, and loads plugged into accessory power outlets.
EPM works to prevent excessive discharge of the battery. It does this by balancing the generator’s output and the vehicle’s electrical needs. It can increase engine idle speed to generate more power whenever needed. It can temporarily reduce the power demands of some accessories.
Normally, these actions occur in steps or levels, without being noticeable. In rare cases at the highest levels of corrective action, this action may be noticeable to the driver. If so, a DIC message might be displayed and it is recommended that the driver reduce the electrical loads as much as possible.

Battery Power Protection

This feature helps prevent the battery from being drained if the interior courtesy lamps or reading lamps are accidentally left on. If any of these lamps are left on, they automatically turn off after 10 minutes, if the ignition is off. The lamps will not come back on again until one of the following occurs:

• The ignition is turned on.
• The doors are closed and then re-opened.

Exterior Lighting Battery Saver

The exterior lamps turn off about 10 minutes after the ignition is turned off if the parking lamps or headlamps have been manually left on. This protects against draining the battery. To restart the 10-minute timer, turn the exterior lamp control to the O position and then back to the; or 2 position. To keep the lamps on for more than 10 minutes, the ignition must be on or in accessory mode.

 

FAQs

Useful Link

View Full PDF: 2023 GMC Terrain User Guide | Auto User Guide

2023 GMC Terrain Instrument Panel | How To Use