1997 GMC SAVANA oil

Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.
For example,
these symbols are used on an
original battery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
ACID COULD BAlTERY
CAUSE
BURNS
AVOID
SPARKS
OR
FLAMES
SPARK
OR ,111,
COULD FLAME
EXPLODE BAllERY
These symbols are important
for you and
your passengers
whenever your
vehicle is
driven:
DOOR LOCK
UNLOCK
POWER
WINDOW
These symbols have
to do with
your lamps:
SIGNALS e e3
TURN
RUNNING
' *o
DAYTIME ..
LAMPS .*'
FOG LAMPS # 0
These symbols
are on some
of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
WIPER
,
WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
VENTILATING FAN
These symbols
are
used on
warning and
indicator lights:
COOLANT
TEMP
-
CHARGING BATTERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE
(a)
COOLANT
ENGINE OIL
PRESSURE
ANTI-LOCK
(@)
BRAKES
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
LIGHTER
m
HORN b
SPEAKER
b
FUEL e3
V
ProCarManuals.com

Engine Coolant Heater (Option) 3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 1 10-volt AC outlet.
In very cold weather,
0°F (- 1 8 “C) or colder, the engine
coolant heater can help. You’ll get easier starting and
better fuel economy during engine warm-up. Usually,
the coolant heater should be plugged in a minimum of
four hours prior to starting your vehicle.
To Use the Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
‘T
F
C’ J:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock. Also, the wrong
kind of extension cord could overheat and cause
a fire. You could be seriously injured. Plug the
cord into
a properly grounded three-prong
110-volt AC outlet.
If the cord won’t reach, use a
heavy-duty three-prong extension cord rated for
at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and store
the cord as it was before to keep it away from moving
engine parts. If
you don’t, it could be damaged.
How long should
you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends
on the outside temperature, the
kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead of
trying to list everything here, we ask that
you contact
your
GM dealer in the area where you’ll be parking your
vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice for that
particular area.
2-19
ProCarManuals.com

Oil Pressure Gage
The oil pressure gage
shows the engine oil
pressure in psi (pounds
per square inch) when
the
engine is running. Canadian
vehicles indicate pressure
in
kPa (kilopascals).
Oil pressure may vary
with engine speed, outside
temperature and oil viscosity, but readings above the
low pressure zone indicate the normal operating range.
A reading in the low pressure zone may be caused by a
dangerously low oil level or other problem causing
low
oil pressure. Check your oil as soon as possible.
A CAUTION:
Don't keep driving if the oil pressure is low. If
you do, your engine can become so hot that it
catches fire. You or others could be burned.
Check your oil as
soon as possible and have your
vehicle serviced.
I NOTICE: I
Damage to your engine from neglected oil
problems can be costly and is not covered by
your warranty.
2-57
ProCarManuals.com

Check Gages Light Fuel Gage
CHECK GAGES
The CHECK GAGES light
will come on briefly when
you are starting the engine.
*
\\'
E-
UNLEADED
FUEL
ONLY
'
The fuel gage, when the
ignition is on, tells you
about how much fuel you
have
left in your tank.
If the light comes on and stays on while you are driving,
check your coolant temperature and engine
oil pressure
gages to see if they are in the warning zones. The gage
will first indicate EMPTY (E) before
you
are out
of fuel, and you should get more fuel as soon
as possible.
2-58
ProCarManuals.com

Care of Your Cassette Tape Player
A tape player that is not cleaned regularly can cause
reduced sound quality, ruined cassettes
or a damaged
mechanism. Cassette tapes should be stored in their
cases away from contaminants, direct sunlight and
extreme heat. If they aren’t, they may not operate
properly or may cause failure
of the tape player.
Your tape player should be cleaned regularly after every
50 hours of use. Your radio may display CLN to indicate
that you have used your tape player for
50 hours without
resetting the tape clean timer.
If this message appears
on the display, your cassette tape player needs to be
cleaned. It will still play tapes, but
you should clean it
as soon as possible
to prevent damage to your tapes and
player.
If you notice a reduction in sound quality, try a
known good cassette to see if it is the tape or the tape
player at fault.
If this other cassette has no improvement
in sound quality, clean the tape player.
Cleaning may be done with a scrubbing action,
non-abrasive cleaning cassette with pads which scrub
the tape head as the hubs of the cleaner cassette turn. It
is normal for the cassette to eject while cleaning. Insert
the cassette at least three times to ensure thorough
cleaning. A scrubbing action cleaning cassette is
available through your
GM dealership. You
may also choose
a non-scrubbing action, wet-type
cleaner which uses a cassette with
a fabric belt to clean
the tape head. This type of cleaning cassette will not
eject and, it may not clean as thoroughly
as the
scrubbing type cleaner.
After
you clean the player, press and hold EJECT for
five seconds to reset the
CLN indicator. The radio
will display
--- to show the indicator was reset.
Cassettes are subject to wear and the sound quality
may degrade over time. Always make sure the cassette
tape is in good condition before you have your tape
player serviced.
Care of Your Compact Discs
Handle discs carefully. Store them in their original cases
or other protective cases and away from direct sunlight
and dust. If the surface of
a disc is soiled, dampen a
clean, soft cloth in a mild, neutral detergent solution
and clean it, wiping from the center to the edge.
Be sure never to touch the signal surface when handling
discs. Pick up discs by grasping the outer edges or the
edge
of the hole and the outer edge.
3-27
ProCarManuals.com

Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you
allow
a reasonable following distance. Expect to move
slightly slower at night.
When you want to leave the freeway, move to the proper
lane well in advance. If you miss your exit, do not,
under any circumstances, stop and back up. Drive
on to
the next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
The exit speed is usually posted.
Reduce your speed according to your speedometer, not
to your sense
of motion. After driving for any distance
at higher speeds, you may tend to think you are going
slower than you actually are.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well rested. If you
must start when you’re not fresh
-- such as after a day’s
work
-- don’t plan to make too many miles that first part
of
the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes you
can easily drive in.
Is your vehicle ready for
a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it’s ready to go. If it needs
service, have it done before starting out. Of course,
you’ll find experienced and able service experts in GM
dealerships all across North America. They’ll be
ready and willing to help if you need it.
Here are some things you can check before a trip:
0
e
0
0
0
0
e
Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full?
Are
all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked
all levels?
Lamps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
Tires: They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip.
Is the tread good enough for
long-distance driving? Are the tires all inflated to the
recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts: What’s the weather outlook
along your route? Should you delay your trip a short
time to avoid a major storm system?
Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
4-21
ProCarManuals.com

Making Turns
I NOTICE:
Making very sharp turns while trailering could cause the trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns
than normal.
Do this so your trailer won’t strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees or other objects.
Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well
in advance.
limn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have extra
wiring and a heavy-duty turn signal flasher (included in
the optional trailering package).
The arrows on your instrument panel will flash
whenever you signal a turn or lane change. Properly
hooked up, the trailer lamps will also flash, telling other
drivers you’re about
to turn, change lanes or stop. When towing
a trailer, the arrows on your instrument
panel will flash for turns even if the bulbs on
the trailer
are burned out. Thus,
you may think drivers behind you
are seeing your signal when they are not. It’s important
to check occasionally
to be sure the trailer bulbs are
still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you
start down a long or steep downgrade. If you don’t shift
down, you might have to use your brakes
so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
On
a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your
speed to around
45 mph (70 kmh) to reduce the
possibility
of engine and transmission overheating.
When towing at high altitude
on steep uphill grades,
consider the following: Engine coolant will boil at a
lower temperature than at normal altitudes. If you turn
your engine off immediately after towing at high altitude
on steep uphill grades, your vehicle may show signs
similar to engine overheating.
To avoid this, let the
engine run while parked (preferably on
level ground)
with the automatic transmission in PARK
(P) for a
few minutes before turning the engine
off. If you do
get the overheat warning, see “Engine Overheating”
in the Index.
4-36
ProCarManuals.com

Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer
attached, on a hill. If something goes wrong, your rig
could
start to move. People can be injured, and both
your vehicle and the trailer can be damaged.
But
if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s
how to do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
PARK (P) yet. Then turn your wheels into the curb
if facing downhill or into ttaffic if facing uphill.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until
the chocks absorb the load.
4. Re-apply the regular brakes. Then apply your
parking brake and
then shift to PARK (P).
5. Release the regular brakes.
When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking
on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
Start your engine;
Shift into a gear; and
Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things
that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transmission fluid (don’t
overfill), engine oil, axle lubricant, belt, cooling system
and brake adjustment. Each of these is covered in this
manual, and the Index will help you find them quickly.
If you’re trailering, it’s a good idea to review these
sections before you start your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch
nuts and bolts
are tight.
4-37
ProCarManuals.com