1996 GMC SAVANA service

Your vehicle may have an air bag system. If it does, see
1 “Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle” in the
I Index before attempting to do your own service work.
You should keep a record with all parts receipts and list
the mileage and the date of any service work
you
perform. See “Maintenance Record” in the Index.
You can be injured and your vehicle could be
damaged if you try to do service work on a
vehicle without knowing enough about
it.
Be sure you have suffkient knowledge,
experience, and the proper replacement
parts and tools before you attempt any
vehicle maintenance task.
0 Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts and
other fasteners. “English” and “metric”
fasteners can be easily confused.
If you use
the wrong fasteners, parts can later break
or fall
off. You could be hurt.
Fuel (Gasoline Engine)
If your vehicle has a diesel engine, see “Diesel Fuel
Requirements and Fuel System” in the Diesel Engine
Supplement. For vehicles with gasoline engines, please
read this.
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Use regular unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane,or
higher. At a minimum, it should meet specifications
ASTM D4814 in the United States and
CGSB 3.5-M93
in Canada. Improved gasoline specifications have been
developed by the American Automobile Manufacturers
Association (AAMA) for better vehicle performance
and engine protection. Gasolines meeting the AAMA
specification could provide improved driveability and
emission control system protection compared to
other gasolines.
Be sure the posted octane
is at least 87. If the octane is
less than 87, you may get a heavy knocking noise when
you drive. If it’s bad enough, it can damage your engine.
If
you’re using fuel rated at 87 octane or higher and you
still hear heavy knocking, your engine needs service.
But don’t worry if you hear a little pinging noise when
you’re accelerating or driving up a hill. ,That’s normal,
and you don’t have to buy a higher octane fuel
to get rid
of pinging. It’s the heavy, constant knock that means
you have a problem.
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If your vehicle is certified to meet California Emission
Standards (inciicatecl on the underhood tune-up label),
it
is designed to operate on fuels that meet California
specifications.
If such fuels are not available in states
adopting California emissions standards,
your vehicle
will operate satisfactorily on fuels meeting federal
specifications. but emission control system performance
may be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp on
Y~LII' instrument panel may turn on and/or your vehicle
may fail a smog-check test.
If this OCCLII-S, return to YOLK
authorized GM dealer for diagnosis to determine the
cause of failure.
In the event it is cletermined that the
ca~~se
of the condition is the type of fuels used, repairs
may not be covered
by your warranty.
In Canada, some gasolines contain an octane-enhancing
additive crdled MMT.
IF you LIS~ such f~~els. your
emission control system performance may deteriorate
and the malfunction indicator lamp on your instrument
panel may turn on.
If this happens, return to YOLII'
authorized GM dealer for service.
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines are now required to
contain additives that
will help prevent deposits from
forming
in your engine and fuel system. allowing your
emission control system to function properly. Therefore,
you should not have
to add anything to the fuel. In
addition, gasolines containing oxygenates. such as ethers
and ethanol, and reforn~~lated gasolines may
be
available in your area to help clean the air. General
Motors recmnlnends that you use these gasolines ilthey
comply
with the specifications described earlier.
NOTICE:
Your vehicle was not designed for fuel that
contains methanol. Don't
use it. It can corrode
metal parts in your fuel system and
also damage
plastic and rubber parts. That damage wouldn't
be covered under your warranty.
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When to Change Engine Oil
See if any one of these is true for you:
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Most trips are less than 5 to 10 miles (8 to 16 km).
This is particularly important when outside
temperatures are below freezing.
Most trips include extensive idling (such
as frequent
driving
in stop-and-go traffic).
Most trips are through dusty areas.
You frequently tow a trailer or use a carrier on top of
your vehicle.
The vehicle
is used for delivery service, police, taxi
or other commercial application.
Driving under these conditions causes engine oil to
break down sooner. If any one of these is true for your
vehicle, then you need to change your oil and filter
every
3,000 miles (5 000 km) or 3 months -- whichever
occurs first.
If none of them is true, change the oil and filter every
7,500 miles (1 2 SO0 km) or 12 months -- whichever
occurs first. Driving a vehicle
with a fully warnled
engine under highway conditions causes engine oil to
break down slower.
What to Do with Used Oil
Did you know that used engine oil contains certain
elements that may be unhealthy for your skin and could
even cause cancer'? Don't let used oil stay on your skin
for very long. Clean your skin and nails with soap and
water, or a
good hand cleaner. Wash or properly throw
away clothing or rags containing used engine
oil. (See
the manufacturer's warnings about the use and disposal
of oil products.)
Used oil can be a real threat to the environment. If you
change your own
oil, be sure to drain all free-flowing oil
from the filter before disposal. Don't ever dispose of oil
by putting it in the trash, pouring it on the ground, into
sewers, or into streams or bodies of water. Instead,
recycle
it by taking it to a place that collects used oil. If
you have a problem properly disposing of your used oil,
ask your dealer,
a service station or a local recycling
center for help.
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Air Cleaner Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine when to
replace the air filter and crankcase ventilation filter.
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services’‘
in the Index.
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To remove the air cleaner filter:
loosen screw bolt to air induct hose
0 remove the three bolts
remove the f~dl air cleaner housing
unsnap the three clips
Then
tilt the top cover up and back to expose the filter
element. Install
a new filter element with the folds in the
down position.
See “Normal Replacement Parts” for the proper filter
to use.
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Operating the engine with the air cleaner off can
cause you or others to be burned. The air cleaner
not only cleans the
air, it stops flame if the engine
backfires.
If it isn’t there, and the engine
backfires, you could be burned. Don’t drive with
it
off, and be careful working on the engine with
the
air cleaner off.
1 NOTICE:
If the air cleaner is off, a backfire can cause a
damaging engine fire. And, dirt can easily get
into your engine, which will damage it. Always
have the
air cleaner in place when you’re driving.
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Automatic Transmission Fluid
7 ’ ~ n to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transmission fluid
level is when the engine oil is changed.
Change
both the fluid and filter every 50,000 miles
(83 000 km) if the vehicle’s GVWR is over 8,600 or
if
the vehicle is mainly driven under one or more of
these conditions:
0 In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
0 In hilly or mountainous terrain.
0 When doing frequent trailer towing.
regularly
reaches
90°F (32°C) or higher.
0 Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery service.
If your vehicle’s GVWR is not over 8,600 and you do
not use your vehicle under any of these conditions, the
fluid and filter do not require changing.
See “Scheduled Maintenance Services”
in the Index.
How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you
may choose to have this done at your GM dealer
Service Department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the
instructions here, or you could get
a false reading on
the dipstick.
NOTICE:
Too much or too little fluid can damage your
transmission.
Too much can mean that some of
the fluid could come out and fall on hot engine parts or exhaust system parts, starting a fire. Be
sure to get an accurate reading if you check your
transmission fluid.
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How to Add Fluid Rear Axle
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of transmission fluid to use. See “Recommended
Fluids and Lubricants”
in the Index.
Add
tluid only after checking the transmission fluid
HOT. (A COLD check is used only as a reference.) If
the fluid level is low, add only enough of the proper
fluid to bring
the level up to the HOT area for a hot
check.
It doesn’t take much fluid, generally less than a
pint (0.5 L). DOLJ ’t overfill. We recommend you use only
fluid labeled DEXRON@-111, because fluid with that
label is made especially for your automatic transmission.
Damage caused by
fluid other than DEXRON-111 is not
covered by your new vehicle warranty.
After adding fluid, recheck the fluid level as
described under ”How to Check.”
When the correct fluid level is obtained, push the
dipstick back
in all the way; then flip the handle
down to lock
the dipstick in place.
When to Check and Change Lubricant
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine how
often to check the lubricant and when to change
it. See
“Scheduled Maintenance Services” in the Index.
How to Check Lubricant
If the level is below the
bottom of the filler plug
hole,
you’ll need to add
some lubricant. Add
enough lubricant to raise
the level
to the bottom of
the filler plug hole.
What to Use
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind
of lubricant to use. See “Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants”
in the Index.
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Brake Wear
NOTICE:
Using the wrong fluid can badly damage
brake system parts. For example, just a few
drops
of mineral-based oil, such as engine
oil, in your brake system can damage brake
system parts
so badly that they’ll have to be
replaced. Don’t let someone put in the
wrong kind
of fluid.
If you spill brake fluid on your vehicle’s
painted surfaces, the paint finish can be
damaged.
Be careful not to spill brake fluid
on your vehicle. If you do, wash it off
immediately. See “Appearance Care” in
the Index.
Your vehicle has front disc brakes and rear drum brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make a
high-pitched warning sound when the brake pads are worn
and new pads are needed.
The sound may come and go or
be heard all the time
your vehicle is moving (except when
you
are pushing on the brake pedal firmly).
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The brake wear warning sound means that
sooner or later your brakes won’t work well.
That could lead to an accident. When you hear
the brake wear warning sound, have your vehicle serviced.
I NOTICE: I
Continuing to drive with worn-out brake pads
could result
in costly brake repair.
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Tires CAU’ ON: (Continued)
We don’t make tires. Your new vehicle comes with
high-quality tires made by
a leading tire manufacturer. If
you ever have questions about your tire warranty and
where
to obtain service, see your GM Warranty booklet
for details.
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Poorly maintained and improperly used tires
are dangerous.
Overloading your tires can cause
overheating as
a result of too much friction.
You could have an air-out and a serious
accident. See “Loading Your Vehicle’’ in
the Index.
CAUTION: (Continued)
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Underinflated tires pose the same danger as
overloaded tires. The resulting accident
could cause serious injury. Check all tires
frequently to maintain the recommended pressure. Tire pressure should be checked
when your tires are cold.
Overinflated tires are more likely to be
cut, punctured or broken by
a sudden
impact
-- such as when you hit a pothole.
Keep tires at the recommended pressure.
Worn,
old tires can cause accidents. If your
tread is badly worn, or if your tires have
been damaged, replace them.
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