1998 GMC SAVANA brake

Checking Things Under the Hood
A CAUTION:
If your vehicle has air conditioning, the auxiliary
engine fan under the hood can start up and
injure you even when the engine is not running.
Keep hands, clothing and tools
away from any
underhood electric fan.
A CAUTION:
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts
and start
a fire. These include liquids like
gasoline
or diesel fuel, oil, coolant, brake fluid,
windshield washer and other fluids, and plastic
or rubber. You or others could be burned. Be
careful not to drop or spill things that will burn
onto a hot engine.
To open the hood, first
pull this handle inside the
vehicle. It is
just in front of
the driver’s side door frame
near the floor.
I
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When you lift the hood, you’ll see these items:
A
A. Battery
B. Coolant Recovery I ank
C. Engine Oil Dipstick D.
Engine Oil Fill
E. Transmission Dipstick
E Air Cleaner
G. Power Steering Reservoir
H. Brake Master Cylinder
I. Windshield Washer Fluid
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Checking Transmission Fluid Cold
A cold check is made after the vehicle has been sitting
for eight hours or more with the engine off and is used
only as a reference. Let the engine run at idle for five
minutes if outside temperatures are
50°F (10°C) or
more. If it’s colder than
50°F (IOOC), you may have
to idle the engine longer. Should the fluid level be low
during a cold check, you
must perform a hot check
before adding fluid. This will give you a more
accurate reading
of the fluid level.
Checking the Fluid Hot or Cold
0 Park your vehicle on a level place. Keep the engine
running.
0 With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever
in
PARK (P).
With your foot on the brake pedal, move the shift
lever through
each gear range, pausing for about
three seconds in each range. Then, position
the
shift lever in PARK (P).
0 Let the engine run at idle for three minutes or more. Then, without shutting
off the engine, follow these steps:
1. The
transmission dipstick has a red handle and is
located near the center of the engine compartment.
Flip the handle up and then pull out the dipstick
and wipe
it with a clean rag or paper towel.
2. Push it back in all the way, wait three seconds and
then pull it back out again.
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Thermostat
Engine coolant temperature is controlled by a thermostat
in the engine cooling system. The thermostat stops the
flow
of coolant through the radiator until the coolant
reaches
a preset temperature.
When
you replace your thermostat, an AC@ thermostat
is recommended.
Power Steering Fluid
When to Check Power Steering Fluid
It is not necessary to regularly check power steering
fluid unless you suspect there
is a leak in the system or
you hear an unusual noise. A fluid loss in this system
could indicate
a problem. Have the system inspected
and repaired.
How To Check Power Steering Fluid
When the engine compartment is cool, wipe the cap
and the top
of the reservoir clean, then unscrew the
cap and wipe the dipstick with a clean rag. Replace
the cap and completely tighten it. Then remove the
cap again and look at the fluid level on the dipstick.
The level should be at the
FULL COLD mark. If
necessary, add only enough fluid to bring the level up
to the mark.
To prevent contamination of brake fluid, never check or
fill the power steering reservoir with the brake master
cylinder cover
off.
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NOTICE:
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When using concentrated washer fluid,
follow the manufacturer’s instructions for
adding water.
Don’t
mix water with ready-to-use washer
fluid. Water can cause the solution to freeze
and damage your washer fluid tank and
other parts of the washer system. Also,
water doesn’t clean as well
as washer fluid.
Fill your washer fluid tank only
three-quarters full when it’s very cold.
This allows for expansion if freezing occurs,
which could damage the tank
if it is
completely full.
Don’t use engine coolant (antifreeze) in
your windshield washer.
It can damage
your washer system and paint.
Brakes
Brake Fluid
Your brake master cylinder reservoir is here. It is filled
with DOT-3 brake fluid.
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There are only two reasons why the brake fluid level in the
reservoir might go down. The first is that the brake fluid
goes down to
an acceptable level during normal brake
lining wear. When new linings are put in, the fluid level
goes back up. The other reason is that fluid is leaking out
of the brake system. If it is, you should have your brake
system fixed, since a leak means that sooner or later your
brakes won’t work well, or won’t work at
all.
So, it isn’t a good idea to “top off’ your brake fluid.
Adding brake fluid won’t correct a leak. If
you add fluid
when your linings are worn, then you’ll have too much
fluid when you get new brake linings. You should add
(or remove) brake fluid, as necessary, only when work is
done on the brake hydraulic system.
If you have too much brake fluid, it can spill on
the engine. The fluid
will burn if the engine is
hot enough. You or others could be burned,
and your vehicle could be damaged. Add brake
fluid only when work is done on the brake
I hydraulic system.
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine when
to check your brake fluid. See “Periodic Maintenance
Inspections” in the Index.
Checking Brake Fluid
You can check the brake fluid without taking off the cap.
Just
look at the brake fluid reservoir. The fluid level
should be above MIN. If it isn’t, have your brake system
checked to
see if there is a leak.
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After work is done on the brake hydraulic system,
make sure the level is above the MIN but not over
the MAX mark or the top of the window on the side
of the reservoir.
What to Add
When you do need brake fluid, use only DOT-3 brake
fluid
-- such as Delco Supreme 11 @ (GM Part
No. 12377967). Use new brake fluid from a sealed
container only.
Always clean the brake fluid reservoir cap and the area
around the cap before removing it. This will help keep
dirt from entering the reservoir.
b CAUTION:
With the wrong kind of fluid in your brake
system, your brakes may not work well, or they
may not even work
at all. This could cause a
crash. Always use the proper brake fluid.
NOTICE:
0 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.
0 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.
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Brake Wear
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).
The brake wear warning sound means that soon
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:
Continuing to drive with worn-out brake pads
could result in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates may cause a
brake squeal when the brakes are first applied or
lightly applied. This does not mean something is
wrong with your brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts
are necessary to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect
brake pads for wear and evenly torque wheel nuts in
the proper sequence
to GM specifications.
Your rear drum brakes don’t have wear indicators, but
if you ever hear a rear brake rubbing noise, have the
rear brake linings inspected immediately.
Also, the rear
brake drums should be removed and inspected each time
the tires are removed for rotation or changing. When
you have the front brake pads replaced, have the rear
brakes inspected, too.
Brake linings should always
be replaced as complete
axle sets.
See “Brake System Inspection” in Section
7 of this
manual under Part
C “Periodic Maintenance Inspections.”
Brake Pedal Travel
See your dealer if the brake pedal does not return to
normal height, or if there
is a rapid increase in pedal
travel. This could be a sign of brake trouble.
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