1996 GMC SAVANA ignition

Automatic Transmission Operation
There are several different positions for your shift lever.
If your vehicle is equipped with an automatic
transmission,
it now features an electronic shift position
indicator
within the instrument cluster. This display
must be powered anytime the shift lever
is capable of
being moved out of the PARK (P) position. This lneans
that
if your key is in the OFF position, but not locked,
there
will be a small current drain on your battery which
could discharge
your battery over a period of time. If
you have
a need to leave your key in the ignition in the
OFF position for an extended period for any reason, it is
recomnlended that you disconnect the battery cable from
the battery to prevent discharging yo~~r battery.
PARK (P): This locks your rear wheels. It‘s the best
position to use when you start your engine because your
vehicle can’t move easily.
A CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Don’t leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to.
If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured. To be sure your
vehicle won’t move, even when you’re on fairly
level ground, always set your parking brake and
move the shift lever to
PARK (P).
See “Shifting Into PARK (P)” in the Index. If
you’re pulling a trailer, see “Towing a Trailer”
in the Index.
Your vehicle has
a brake-transmission shift interlock.
With the ignition in the RUN position, you must fully
apply your regular brakes before you can shift from
PARK
(P).
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Locking Rear Axle
If you have this feature, your rear axle can give you
additional traction
on snow, mud, ice, sand or gravel. It
works like a standard axle most of the time, but when
one
of the rear wheels has no traction and the other does,
the locking feature will allow the wheel with traction to
move the vehicle.
Parking Brake
To set the parking brake, hold the regular brake pedal
down with your right foot. Push down the parking brake
pedal with
your left foot.
If the ignition is on, the brake system warning light will
come on. To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal
down. Pull the handle, located just above the
parking brake pedal, marked
BRAKE RELEASE to
release the parking brake.
If the ignition is on when the parking brake is released,
the brake system warning
light will go off.
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2. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) position like this:
Pull the lever toward you.
0 Move the lever up as far as it will go.
3. Move the ignition key to LOCK.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can
leave your vehicle with the ignition key in your
hand, your vehicle
is in PARK (P).
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Windows
Manual Windows
To operate your manual windows, turn the hand crank
on each door to raise or lower your side door windows.
Power Windows
The driver’s door has a switch for the passenger
window as well. Your power windows will work when
the ignition has been turned to the
RUN position.
Push the rear
of the switch with the power window,
symbol on it to lower the window.
Push the front
of the switch with the power window
symbol on it
ta raise the window.
The driver’s window switch also has an express-down
feature that allows the window to lower without holding
the switch. Press and hold the side
of the window
switch marked
AUTO for one second to activate the
express-down mode. The express-down mode can be
cancelled at any time by pressing the opposite side
of
the switch. To open the window part way, lightly tap the
switch until the window is at the desired position.
If you have the optional power windows, the controls
are
on each of the side doors.
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Increasing Speed While Using Cruise Control
There are two ways to go to a higher speed:
Use the accelerator pedal to get to the higher speed.
Push the button at the end of the lever, then release
the button and the accelerator pedal.
You’ll now
cruise at the higher speed.
Move the cruise switch from ON to R/A. Hold it
there until you get up to the speed you want, and
then release the switch.
To increase your speed in
very small amounts, move the switch to R/A for less
than half a second. Each time
you do this, your
vehicle
will go about I mph (1.6 km/h) faster.
Reducing Speed While Using Cruise Control
There are two ways to reduce your speed while using
cruise control:
Push in the button at the end of the lever until you
reach the lower speed
you want, then release it.
0 To slow down in very small amounts, push the
button for less than
half a second. Each time you do
this, you’ll
go 1 mph (1.6 km/h) slower.
Passing Another Vehicle While Using Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to increase your speed. When
you take your foot off the pedal, your vehicle will slow
down to the cruise control speed
you set earlier.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well your cruise control will work on hills depends
upon your speed, load and the steepness of the hills.
When going
up steep hills, you may have to step on
the accelerator pedal to maintain yo~lr speed.
If the
steepness of the
hill causes the vehicle speed to drop
more than
I5 rnph (9.4 km/h) below the set speed, your
cruise control
will automatically disengage. When going
downhill, you may have
to brake or shift to a lower gear
to keep your speed down. Of course, applying the brake
takes you out
of cruise control. Many drivers find this to
be too much trouble and don’t use cruise control
on
steep hills.
Ending Cruise Control
There are two ways to turn off the cruise control:
Step lightly on the brake pedal; or
0 Move the cruise switch to OFF.
Erasing Speed Memory
When you turn off the cruise control or the ignition,
your cruise control set speed memory is erased.
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Rotate the switch knob clockwise again to the master
lighting symbol to turn on all the lamps listed
as well as
the headlamps.
Rotate the switch counterclockwise to
OFF to turn off
your lamps.
Rotate the thumb wheel next to the switch knob up
to
adjust instrument panel lights. Rotate the thumb wheel up
to the first notch
to return the radio display and gearshift
indicator display to
full intensity when the headlamps or
parlung lamps are on.
Rotate the thumb wheel up to the second notch to
activate the interior dome lamps.
You can switch your headlamps from high to low beam
by pulling
on the turn signal/high beam lever.
A circuit breaker protects your headlamps. If you have
an electrical overload, your headlamps will flicker on
and off. Have your headlamp wiring checked right away
if this happens.
Headlamps On Reminder
A buzzer will sound when your headlamps are turned on
and your ignition is
in OFF, LOCK or ACCESSORY,
If you need to use your headlamps when the ignition
switch is in
OFF, LOCK or ACCESSORY, the buzzer
can be turned off by turning the thumb wheel next
to the
parking lamp/headlamp switch all the way down.
Daytime Running Lamps (If Equipped)
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier for
others to see the front
of your vehicle during the day.
DRL can be helpful
in many different driving
conditions, but they can be especially helpful in the
short periods after dawn and before sunset.
The DRL system will make your headlamps
come on at
a reduced brightness when:
0 The ignition is on,
The headlamp switch is off and
0 The parking brake is released.
If your vehicle was first sold, when new,
in Canada,
your headlamps will come on at reduced brightness.
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If your vehicle was first sold, when new, in the United
States, your vehicle may be equipped with DRL.
If your
vehicle has
DRL, you will see the the DRL indicator
light
on your instrument panel and your low-beam
headlamps will come
on at reduced brightness.
When the DRL are
on, only your headlamps will be on.
The taillamps, sidemarker and other lamps won’t be on.
Your instrument panel won’t be lit up either.
When it begins to get dark, your DRL indicator light
is a reminder to turn your headlamp switch on. The
other lamps that come on with your headlamps will also
come
on.
When you turn off the headlamp switch, the regular
lamps will
go off, and your headlamps will change to
the reduced brightness of DRL.
To idle your vehicle with the engine on and the DRL off,
set the parking brake. The DRL will stay
off until you
release
the parking brake.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when
you need it.
)ome Lamps
The dome lamps will come on when you open the doors.
You can also turn the dome lamps on by rotating the
thumb wheel, located
next to the headlamp knob, all
the way up to the second notch. In this position, the
dome lamps will remain on whether the doors are
opened or closed.
You can use the dome
lamp button, located below the headlamp knob,
to set the dome lamps to
automatically come on
when the doors are open,
or to remain off.
To turn the lamps off, push the button once. With the
button
in this position, the dome lamps will remain off
when the doors are open. To return the lamps to
automatic operation, push the button again and return it
to the out position. With the button
in this position, the
dome lamps will come on when you open
the doors.
The delayed entry will allow
you to enter or exit your
vehicle with the lamps staying on for about
20 seconds,
after the door is closed or ignition
is cycled.
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Air Bag Readiness Light
There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument
panel, which shows AIR BAG. The system checks the
air bag’s electrical system for malfunctions. The light
tells
you if there is an electrical problem. The system
check includes
the air bag sensor, the air bag modules,
the wiring and the crash sensing and diagnostic module.
For more information
on the air bag system, see “Air
Bag” in the Index.
AIR
BAG
You will see this light flash
for a few seconds when you
turn your ignition
to RUN
or START. Then the light
should
go out. This means
If the air bag readiness light doesn’t come on when you
start your vehicle, or stays
on, or comes on when you
are driving, your air bag system may not work properly.
Have your vehicle serviced right away.
Charging System Light
Irl
~ This light should come on
1 briefly when you turn on the
ignition, before starting the
1 engine, as a check to show
you it is working.
After the engine starts, the light should go out. If it stays
on or comes
on while you are driving, you may have a
problem with your charging system. It could indicate a
problem with the alternator drive belt, or some other
charging system problem. Have
it checked right away.
Driving while this light is on could drain your battery.
If you must drive a short distance
with this light on, it
helps to turn off all your accessories, such as the radio
and air conditioner.
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