1998 GMC SAVANA dead battery

Snow can trap exhaust gases under your vehicle.
This can cause deadly
CO (carbon monoxide) gas
to get inside.
CO could overcome you and kill
you. You can’t see it or smell it, so you might not
know it is in your vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base
of your vehicle, especially any
that is blocking your exhaust pipe. And check
around again
from time to time to be sure snow
doesn’t collect there.
Open
a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that’s away
from the wind. This will help
keep
CO out.
Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little faster
than just idle. That is, push
the accelerator slightly. This
uses less fuel for the heat that
you get and it keeps the
battery (or batteries) charged.
You will need a
well-charged battery (or batteries) to restart the vehicle,
and possibly for signaling later on with your headlamps.
Let the heater
run for a while.
If
you have a diesel engine, you may have to run it at a
higher speed to get enough heat. Then, shut the engine
off and close the window almost all the way to preserve
the heat. Start the engine again and repeat this only
when you feel really uncomfortable from the cold. But
do
it as little as possible. Preserve the fuel as long as you
can.
To help keep warm, you can get out of the vehicle
and do some fairly vigorous exercises every half hour or
so until help comes.
4-26
ProCarManuals.com

6. Connect the red positive (+) cable to the positive (+)
terminal of the vehicle with the dead battery. Or use
a remote positive (+) terminal if the vehicle has one.
7. Don’t let the other end
touch metal. Connect it
to the positive (+)
terminal of the good
battery. Use a remote
positive
(+) terminal if
the vehicle has one.
8. Now connect the black
negative
(-) cable to the
good battery’s
negative
(-) terminal.
Don’t let the other end
touch anything until the
next step.
5-6
ProCarManuals.com

9. Make your last connection away from the battery, to
the engine block, frame or other unpainted metal
parts
of your vehicle. A ground location has been
provided through a stud attached
to the body surface.
10. Remove the cap on the ground location before using.
11. Now start the vehicle with the good battery and run
the engine for a while.
12. Try to start the vehicle with the dead battery. If it
won’t start after
a few tries, it probably needs service.
5-7
ProCarManuals.com

13. Remove the cables in reverse order to prevent
electrical shorting. Take care that they don’t touch
each other or any other metal.
A. Engine Block, Frame, Unpainted Metal Engine Part
or Body Surface
Towing Your Vehicle
Try to have your GM dealer or a professional towing
service tow your vehicle. They can provide the right
equipment and know-how to
tow it without damage. See
“Roadside Assistance” in your Index.
If your vehicle has been changed since it was
factory-new,
by adding things like fog lamps, aero
skirting, or special tires and wheels, these things could
be damaged during towing.
Before you do anything, turn
on the hazard
warning flashers.
When
you call, tell the towing service:
0 That your vehicle has rear-wheel drive.
0 The make, model and year of your vehicle.
Whether you can move the shift lever for
the transmission.
If there was an accident, what was damaged.
B. Good Battery
C. Dead Battery
5-8
ProCarManuals.com

Comfort Controls ................................ 3-2
Compact Disc Care ............................. 3-26
Compact Disc Player
....................... 3- 16. 3.20
Console Storage
................................ 2-48
Control of
a Vehicle .............................. 4-5
Convex Outside Mirror
.......................... 2-46
Coolant
....................................... 6-21
RecoveryTank
............................... 5-16
Cooling System
................................ 5- 14
Courtesy Transportation
........................... 8-8
Crankcase Capacity ............................. 6-68
Cruise Control
................................. 2-37
Cupholders
.................................... 2-48
Customer Assistance Information
................... 8- 1
Customer Satisfaction Procedure .................... 8-2
Customer Assistance
for Text Telephone Users
......... 8-4
Damage. Finish
...................................... 6-57
Sheet Metal ................................. 6-57
Daytime Running Lamps
......................... 2-41
Daytime Running Lamps Indicator
Light ............ 2-62
Dead Battery ................................... 5-3
Defects. Reporting Safety
................... 8-10. 8-1 1
Defensive Driving ............................... 4-2
Defogging
................................. 3.3. 3.4
Defrosting
................................. 3.3. 3.4
Dome Lamps
.................................. 2-43
Door Locks
....................................... 2-4 Sliding
..................................... 2-12
Storage
..................................... 2-48
Swing-Out Side
.............................. 2-10
Drive Position. Automatic Transmission
............. 2-23
DriverPosition
................................. 1-17
Driving City
........................................ 4-18
Defensive
.................................... 4-2
Drunken
..................................... 4-3
Freeway
.................................... 4-19
InaBlizzard
................................. 4-25
In Foreign Countries ........................... 6-5
IntheRain
.................................. 4-15
Night
...................................... 4-14
OnCurves
................................... 4-9
On Grades While Towing a Trailer ............... 4-35
On Hill
and Mountain Roads .................... 4-21
OnSnowandIce
............................. 4-23
Throughwater
............................... 4-17
WetRoads
.................................. 4-15
Winter
...................................... 4-23
With
a Trailer ................................ 4-33
Drunken Driving
................................ 4-3
Dual Tire Operation
............................. 6-45
Storagepocket
............................... 2-48
Electrical Equipment. Adding
.................... 6-61
Electrical System
............................... 6-61
Electronic
Road Speed Governor (Gasoline Engines) ... 2-53
9-3
ProCarManuals.com