1998 GMC SAVANA panel

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
This light will come on
when you start your engine,
and it will flash for a few
seconds. Then the light should go
out. This means
the system
is ready.
If the air bag readiness light stays on after you start the
engine or comes on when you are driving, your air bag
system may not work properly. Have your vehicle
serviced right away. The
air bag readiness light should flash for a few
seconds when
you turn the ignition key to RUN. If the
light doesn’t come
on then, have it fixed so it will be
ready
to warn you if there is a problem.
Charging System Light
(CJ
This light should come on
briefly when you turn on the
ignition, before starting the
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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Daytime Running Lamps Indicator Light
You may have this light on
the instrument panel. It will
light whenever the
DRL are
on. It is also a reminder to
turn on your headlamps
when driving at night.
Check Gages Light
CHECK
GAGES
The CHECK GAGES light
will come
on briefly when
you are starting the engine.
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.
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Comfort Controls Fan Knob
This section tells you how to make your air system
work for you. Your comfort control system uses
ozone-friendly
R- 134a refrigerant.
With these systems, you can control the heating, cooling and ventilation
in your van. Your vehicle also
has a flow-through ventilation system described later
in this section.
Heater Controls
If your vehicle does not have air conditioning, your
heater controls will look like
this.
The knob on the left side of the heating system control
panel controls the fan speed. The knob has four speed
positions.
To increase airflow, move the knob toward
HI. To decrease airflow, move it toward LO. To turn the
fan off, move the mode knob on the far right
to OFF.
Temperature Knob
The middle knob on the control panel lets you select the
relative temperature of the air flowing into
the passenger area
of your vehicle. This knob will allow
you to adjust the
relative air temperature independently
of the function knob
setting. Move the knob toward the red area for warmer air.
Move the knob toward the blue area for cooler air.
Mode Knob
The right knob changes the heater setting.
/.I VENT This setting directs air through the
instrument panel vents.
+H BI-LEVEL: Use this setting to divide airflow
between the heater floor vents and instrument panel vents.
+fl HEAT This setting directs air through the heater
floor vents. This setting is useful for cold weather.
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?# HEAT/DEFROST Use this setting to divide
airflow between the heater floor vents and windshield.
DEFROST This setting directs air through the
windshield defroster vents. This setting is useful when
you have fog or ice on the windshield.
Heater/Air Conditioning Controls
If your vehicle has air conditioning, your heatedair
conditioning controls will look like this.
Before using your vehicle’s air conditioning, open
the
windows to clear the vehicle of hot air.
Fan Knob
The knob on the left side of the heating system control
panel controls the fan speed. The knob has four speed
positions. To increase airflow, move the knob toward
HI. To decrease airflow, move it toward LO. To turn the
fan off, move the mode knob on
the far right to OFF.
Temperature Knob
The middle knob on the control panel lets you select the
relative temperature
of the air flowing into the passenger
area of your vehicle. This knob will allow
you to adjust
the relative air temperature independently of the
function knob setting. Move the knob toward the red
area for warmer air. Move the
knob toward the blue area
for cooler air.
Mode Knob
The right knob on the control panel changes the
heatedair conditioning setting.
MAX A/C: Move the right knob to MAX A/C for
maximum cooling. This setting puts the system in the
recirculation mode and helps to maximize your air
conditioner’s performance and your vehicle’s
fuel
economy. This setting also cools the air the fastest. After
the vehicle’s interior reaches a comfortable temperature,
move the knob to the right to place the air conditioning
system in the
A/C mode.
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A/C: Use for normal cooling on hot days. This setting
cools
outside air and directs it through the instrument
panel outlets.
’’ BI-LEVEL A/C: Use this setting to divide aifflow
between the heater floor vents and instrument panel
vents. The air conditioning compressor may operate in
this setting to cool the air.
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/.I VENT: This setting directs air through the
instrument panel vents.
+’ HEAT This setting directs air through the heater
floor vents. This setting is useful for cold weather.
+# HEATDEFROST: Use this setting to divide
airflow between the heater floor vents and windshield.
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DEFROST: This setting directs air through the
windshield defroster vents. This setting is useful when
you have fog or ice on the windshield.
Rear Heater (Without Air Conditioning)
If you have a rear heater (without rear air conditioning),
the control switch
is located on the instrument panel.
To increase and decrease the flow of heated air to the
rear floor vents, move the switch marked
REAR HEAT
to the blower speed you want.
The knob has three speed positions. To increase the flow
of heated air, move the switch toward
HIGH. To turn the
fan off, move the switch
to OFF.
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Rear Air Conditioning and Rear Heater
If your vehicle has a rear air conditioning and rear heater
system combination, controls are provided
to regulate the
temperature, location and speed
of the airflow.
Front Passenger Control
To adjust the air temperature, turn the temperature knob
on the right side
of the control panel.
For warmer air, turn the knob toward the red area, and
for cooler air, turn the knob toward the blue area.
To regulate the airflow location, adjust the center knob
on the control panel. Turn the knob to the left for floor vent airflow
or to
the right for headliner vent air flow.
Generally, the upper vents are used
for air conditioning
and the floor vents for heating. The control knob can be
set to any blend setting.
To adjust the airflow speed, turn the fan control knob on
the left side of the control panel to the desired blower setting.
To activate the rear control, move the fan knob on the
front control
to REAR CNTL.
Rear Passenger Control
The rear control works just like the front control. It will
allow second seat passengers to adjust the controls as
they desire.
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Air Conditioning Heating
Before using your vehicle’s air conditioning, open the
windows to clear the vehicle
of hot air. This reduces the
time it takes for your vehicle to cool down. Then keep
your windows closed for the air conditioner to work at
its best.
You can use MAX
AIC with the temperature knob in the
blue area when it’s really hot outside and you need to
cool
the inside air quickly. MAX A/C lets in only a little
air from the outside.
If you first
use MAX A/C, you can then use A/C with
the temperature knob in the blue area, as soon as the
vehicle has cooled down,
so outside air will be going
through your vehicle.
If your vehicle has rear air conditioning, setting it on
LO
may enhance front A/C performance by allowing
trapped refrigerant in rear lines to circulate.
When the air conditioning,
DEFROST or BLEND is on,
you may notice a slight increase
or decrease in engine
speed, due to compressor operation. This
is normal
because the system
is designed to cycle the compressor
on and off to keep the desired temperature.
On cold days, use HEATER with the temperature knob
in the red area. Outside air will be brought in through
the floor outlets. The heater works best if you keep your
windows closed while using it.
If you use the optional engine coolant heater before
starting your engine, your heating system will produce
warmer air faster
to heat the passenger compartment in
cold weather. See “Engine Coolant Heater” in the Index.
Ventilation Tips
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Keep the hood and front air inlet free of ice, snow, or
any other obstruction (such
as leaves). The heater
and defroster will work
far better, reducing the
chance of fogging
the inside of your windows.
When you
enter a vehicle in cold weather, turn the
blower fan to
HI for a few moments before driving
off. This helps clear the intake ducts of snow and
moisture, and reduces the chance
of fogging the
inside
of your windows.
Keep the air path under the front seats clear of objects.
This helps air
to circulate throughout your vehicle.
Your vehicle has air vents in
the center and on the sides
of your instrument panel.
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Making Turns
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.
Turn 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 km/h) 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.
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