1998 GMC SAVANA ECU

Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:
Have your vehicle in good shape for winter.
You may want to put winter emergency supplies in
your vehicle. lncluae
an ice scraper, a small brush
or broom, a supply
of windshield washer fluid, a rag, some winter outer
clothing,
a small shovel, a flashlight, a red cloth and
reflective warning triangles. And,
if you will be driving
under severe conditions, include a small bag
of sand, a
piece
of old carpet or a couple of burlap bags to help
provide traction. Be sure
you properly secure these
items in your vehicle.
Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places where your tires meet the
road probably have good traction.
However,
if there is snow or ice between your tires and
the road, you can have a very slippery situation. You’ll
have a
lot less traction or “grip” and will need to be
very careful.
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CAUTION:
Things you put inside your vehicle can strike
and injure people in
a sudden stop or turn, or
in a crash.
Put things in the cargo area of your vehicle.
Try to spread the weight evenly.
Never stack heavier things, like suitcases,
inside the vehicle
so that some of them are
above the tops
of the seats.
0 Don’t leave an unsecured child restraint in
your vehicle.
When you carry something inside the
vehicle, secure it whenever you can.
Towing a Trailer
A CAUTION:
If you don’t use the correct equipment and drive
properly, you can lose control when you pull a
trailer. For example,
if the trailer is too heavy,
the brakes may not work well
-- or even at all.
You and your passengers could be seriously
injured. Pull
a trailer only if you have followed
all the steps in this section. Ask your dealer for
advice and information about towing a trailer
with your vehicle.
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Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience.
Before setting out for the open road, you’ll want to get
to know your rig. Acquaint yourself with the feel of
handling and braking with the added weight
of the
trailer. And always keep in mind that the vehicle
you are
driving is now a good deal longer and
not nearly as
responsive as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform
(and attachments), safety chains, electrical connector,
lamps, tires and mirror adjustment.
If the trailer has
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and
then apply the trailer brake controller by hand
to be sure
the brakes are working. This lets you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the
load is secure, and that the lamps and any trailer brakes
are still working.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you
would when driving your vehicle without a trailer. This
can help you avoid situations that require heavy braking
and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when
you’re towing a trailer. And, because you’re a good deal
longer, you’ll need to go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before
you can return to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then,
to move the trailer to the left, just move that hand
to the left.
To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand
to the right. Always back up slowly and, if
possible, have someone guide you.
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Trailer Wiring Harness
The light-duty trailer wiring harness is a six-wire
harness assembly. The optional heavy-duty trailer
wiring package is
an eight-wire harness assembly. The
harness
is stored under the vehicle, along the driver’s
side rear corner
of the frame rail. The heavy-duty trailer
wiring harness has a 30-amp feed wire. Both harnesses
come without connectors and should be wired by a
qualified electrical technician. The technician can use
the following color code chart when connecting the
wiring harness to your trailer.
0 Dark Blue: Use for electric trailer brakes (eight-wire
harness only)
Orange: Trailer accessory (eight-wire harness only)
Light Green: Back-up lamps
0 Brown: Parking lamps
0 Yellow: Left stoplamp and turn signal
0 Dark Green: Right stoplamp and turn signal
0 White (heavy gage): Ground wire
0 White (light gage): Center high-mounted stoplamp
Securely attach the harness to the trailer, then tape or
strap it to your vehicle’s frame rail. Be sure you leave
it
loose enough so the wiring doesn’t bend or break, but
not
so loose that it drags on the ground. Store the
hamess in its original place. Wrap the harness together
and tie it
neatly so it won’t be damaged.
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A I
I /! CAUTION:
To
0
0
0
0 0
help avoid injury
to you or others:
Never let passengers ride in a vehicle that is
being towed.
Never tow faster than safe or posted speeds.
Never tow with damaged parts not
fully secured. Never get under your vehicle after it has
been lifted by the tow truck.
Always use separate safety chains on each
side when towing a vehicle.
When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition
key off. The steering wheel should be clamped in a
straight ahead position, with a clamping device designed
for towing service.
Do not use the vehicle’s steering
column lock for this. The transmission should be
in NEUTRAL (N) and the parking brake should
be released.
A CAUTION:
A vehicle can fall from a car carrier if it isn’t
adequately secured. This can cause a collision,
serious personal injury and vehicle damage. The
vehicle should be tightly secured with chains or
steel cables before it is transported.
Don’t use substitutes (ropes, leather straps,
canvas webbing, etc.) that can be cut by sharp
edges underneath the towed vehicle.
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For vans with the 15-passenger seating arrangement,
the jack
is secured on the rear passenger side floor of
the vehicle.
Remove the retaining wing bolt and lift it out
of the
mounting bracket. Set the jack and jacking equipment
near
the flat tire.
I
The ratchet has a DOWN side and an UP side.
Attach the ratchet, with
the DOWN side facing you, to
the extension. The extension has a socket end and a flat
chisel end.
Put the flat end
of the extension on an angle through the
hole in the rear door frame, above the bumper. Be sure
the flat end connects into the hoist shaft.
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4. Attach the ratchet, with the UP side facing you, to
the extension. 5. Put the flat end of the extension on an angle through
the
hole in the rear door frame, above the bumper.
Turn the ratchet
to the right until the tire is against
the underside
of the vehicle.
You will hear two “clicks” when the tire is up all the
way. Try to move the tire with your hands
to make
sure
it is securely in place.
Return the jacking equipment to the proper location.
Secure the items and replace the jack cover.
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Whenever a wheel, wheel bolt or wheel nut is replaced
on a dual wheel setup, check the wheel nut torque after
100, 1,000 and 6,000 miles (160, 1 600 and 10 000 km)
of driving. For proper torque, see “Wheel Nut Torque”
in the Index.
See “Changing
a Flat Tire” in the Index for more
information.
I 3 Wheels
A CAUTION:
Putting a used wheel on your vehicle is
dangerous. You can’t know how it’s been used or
how far it’s been driven.
It could fail suddenly
and cause an accident. If you have to replace
a
wheel, use a new GM original equipment wheel.
Tire Chains
NOTICE:
Use tire chains only where legal and only when you
must. Use chains that are the proper size for your
tires. Install them on the tires
of the rear axle.
Tighten them as tightly
as possible with the ends
securely fastened. Drive slowly and follow the
chain manufacturer’s instructions.
If you can
hear the chains contacting your vehicle, stop
and retighten them.
If the contact continues,
slow down until it stops. Driving too fast
or
spinning the wheels with chains on will
damage your vehicle.
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