2003 GMC SAVANA ignition

Passlock®
Your vehicle is equipped with the Passlock®
theft-deterrent system.
Passlock
®is a passive theft-deterrent system. Passlock®
enables fuel if the ignition lock cylinder is turned with
a valid key. If a correct key is not used or the ignition
lock cylinder is tampered with, fuel is disabled.
During normal operation, the SECURITY light will
go off approximatelyfive seconds after the key is
turned to RUN.
If the engine stalls and the SECURITY lightflashes,
wait until the light stopsflashing before trying to restart
the engine. Remember to release the key from
START as soon as the engine starts.
If the engine is running and the SECURITY light comes
on, you will be able to restart the engine if you turn the
engine off. However, your Passlock
®system is not
working properly and must be serviced by your dealer.
Your vehicle is not protected by Passlock
®at this time.
You may also want to check the fuse. SeeFuses and
Circuit Breakers on page 5-92. See your dealer for
service.
Starting and Operating
Your Vehicle
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice:Your vehicle doesn’t need an elaborate
“break-in.”But it will perform better in the long run
if you follow these guidelines:
Keep your speed at 55 mph (88 km/h) or less
for the first 500 miles (805 km).
•Don’t drive at any one speed — fast or
slow — for the first 500 miles (805 km).
Don’t make full-throttle starts.
•Avoid making hard stops for the first 200 miles
(322 km) or so. During this time your new
brake linings aren’t yet broken in. Hard stops
with new linings can mean premature wear and
earlier replacement. Follow this breaking-in
guideline every time you get new brake linings.
•Don’t tow a trailer during break-in. See “Towing
a Trailer” in the Index for more information.
2-20
2003 - Savana OM

Ignition Positions
Use the key to turn the ignition switch to four different
positions.
A (LOCK):This position locks the ignition and
transmission. It’s a theft-deterrent feature. You will
only be able to remove the key when the ignition
is turned to LOCK.
Notice:If your key seems stuck in LOCK and you
can’t turn it, be sure you are using the correct key;
if so, is it all the way in? Turn the key only with
your hand. Using a tool to force it could break the
key or the ignition switch. If none of these works,
then your vehicle needs service.B (ACCESSORY):This position lets you use things
like the radio and the windshield wipers when the
engine is off.
Notice:Don’t operate accessories in the
ACCESSORY position for long periods of time.
Prolonged operation of accessories in the
ACCESSORY position could drain your battery
and prevent you from starting your vehicle.
C (RUN):This is the position for driving.
D (START):This position starts the engine.
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
Your vehicle is equipped with a Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) feature which will allow certain features
of your vehicle to continue to work up to 10 minutes after
the ignition key is turned to LOCK.
Your radio and power windows will work when the
ignition key is in RUN or ACCESSORY. Once the key is
turned from RUN to LOCK, these features will continue
to work for up to 10 minutes or until a door is opened.
2-21
2003 - Savana OM

Starting Your Engine
Move your shift lever to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N).
Your engine won’t start in any other position–that’sa
safety feature. To restart when you’re already moving,
use NEUTRAL (N) only.
Notice:Don’t try to shift to PARK (P) if your
vehicle is moving. If you do, you could damage the
transmission. Shift to PARK (P) only when your
vehicle is stopped.
1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn the
ignition key to START. When the engine starts,
let go of the key. The idle speed will go down as
your engine gets warm.
Notice:Holding your key in START for longer
than 15 seconds at a time will cause your battery
to be drained much sooner. And the excessive
heat can damage your starter motor. Wait about
15 seconds between each try to help avoid draining
your battery or damaging your starter.
2. If it doesn’t start within 10 seconds, push the
accelerator pedal all the way to thefloor, while you
hold the ignition key in START. When the engine
starts, let go of the key and let up on the accelerator
pedal. Wait about 15 seconds between each try.When starting your engine in very cold weather
(below 0°For−18°C), do this:
1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn the
ignition key to START and hold it there up to
15 seconds. When the engine starts, let go of
the key.
2. If your engine still won’t start (or starts but then
stops), it could beflooded with too much gasoline.
Try pushing your accelerator pedal all the way to the
floor and holding it there as you hold the key in
START for about three seconds. When the engine
starts, let go of the key and accelerator. If the
vehicle starts briefly but then stops again, do the
same thing, but this time keep the pedal down
forfive or six seconds. This clears the extra
gasoline from the engine.
Notice:Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics in your vehicle. If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the way the
engine operates. Before adding electrical equipment,
check with your dealer. If you don’t, your engine
might not perform properly.
Fuel Regulator
You have a fuel regulator that shuts the fuel off when
the engine reaches 5,600 rpm.
2-22
2003 - Savana OM

Automatic Transmission Operation
There are several different positions for your shift lever.
PARK (P):This position locks your rear wheels. It’s
the best position to use when you start your engine
because your vehicle can’t move easily.
{CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the
shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brakefirmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Don’t leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured. To
be sure your vehicle won’t move, even when
you’re on fairly level ground, always set your
parking brake and move the shift lever to
PARK (P). See“Shifting Into Park (P)”in the
Index. If you’re pulling a trailer, see“Towing a
Trailer”in the Index.Ensure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) before starting
the engine. Your vehicle has an automatic transmission
shift lock control system. With the ignition in RUN,
you must fully apply your regular brakes before you can
shift from PARK (P).
If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on
the shift lever and push the shift lever all the way
into PARK (P) as you continue pressing the brake pedal.
Then move the shift lever into the gear you want. See
Shifting Out of Park (P) on page 2-29.
REVERSE (R):Use this gear to back up.
Notice:Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle
is moving forward could damage your transmission.
Shift to REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle is
stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice or sand without damaging your transmission,
seeIf You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow on
page 4-28.
2-24
2003 - Savana OM

FIRST (1):This position gives you even more power but
lower fuel economy than SECOND (2). You can use it on
very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the shift lever
is put in FIRST (1), the transmission won’t shift intofirst
gear until the vehicle is going slowly enough.
Notice:If your wheels won’t turn, don’t try to drive.
This might happen if you were stuck in very deep
sand or mud or were up against a solid object.
You could damage your transmission. Also, if you
stop when going uphill, don’t hold your vehicle there
with only the accelerator pedal. This could overheat
and damage the transmission. Use your brakes
or shift into PARK (P) to hold your vehicle in
position on a hill.
All-Wheel Drive
If your vehicle has all-wheel drive, your engine’s driving
power is sent to all four wheels for extra traction
when needed.
This is like four-wheel drive, but there is no separate
lever or switch to engage or disengage the front axle.
It is fully automatic, and adjusts itself as needed for
road conditions.
You may experience a brief vehicle vibration upon
acceleration when driving in slippery conditions.
This is normal and is an indication that the all-wheel
drive system is functioning properly.
Parking Brake
To set the parking brake, hold the regular brake pedal
down with your right foot. Push down the parking
brake pedal with your left foot.
If the ignition is on, the brake system warning light will
come on.
To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down. Pull the handle, located just above
the parking brake pedal, marked BRAKE RELEASE to
release the parking brake.
If the ignition is on when the parking brake is released,
the brake system warning light will go off.
Notice:Driving with the parking brake on can
cause your rear brakes to overheat. You may have to
replace them, and you could also damage other parts
of your vehicle. Always check to be sure your parking
brake is fully released before you drive.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on any hill,
seeTowing a Trailer on page 4-31. That section shows
what to dofirst to keep the trailer from moving.
2-26
2003 - Savana OM

•Move the lever up as far as it will go.
3. Move the ignition key to LOCK.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can
leave your vehicle with the ignition key in your
hand, your vehicle is in PARK (P).
Leaving Your Vehicle With the
Engine Running
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle with
the engine running. Your vehicle could move
suddenly if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the parking brakefirmly set.
And, if you leave the vehicle with the engine
running, it could overheat and even catchfire.
You or others could be injured. Don’t leave
your vehicle with the engine running.
If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine
running, be sure your vehicle is in PARK (P) and
your parking brake isfirmly set before you leave it.
After you’ve moved the shift lever to PARK (P), hold the
regular brake pedal down. Then, see if you can move
the shift lever away from PARK (P) withoutfirst pulling it
toward you. If you can, it means that the shift lever
wasn’t fully locked into PARK (P).
2-28
2003 - Savana OM

Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you don’t shift your
transmission into PARK (P) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force on the parking pawl
in the transmission. You mayfind it difficult to pull the
shift lever out of PARK (P). This is called“torque
lock.”To prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and
then shift into PARK (P) properly before you leave
the driver’s seat. Tofind out how, seeShifting Into
Park (P) on page 2-27.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out of
PARK (P)beforeyou release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have another
vehicle push yours a little uphill to take some of the
pressure from the parking pawl in the transmission,
so you can pull the shift lever out of PARK (P).
Shifting Out of Park (P)
Your vehicle has an automatic transmission shift lock
control system. You have to fully apply your regular
brakes before you can shift from PARK (P) when the
ignition is in RUN. SeeAutomatic Transmission
Operation on page 2-24.
If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on
the shift lever and push the shift lever all the way up
into PARK (P) as you maintain brake application.
Then, move the shift lever into the gear you want.
If you ever hold the brake pedal down but still can’t shift
out of PARK (P), try this:
1. Turn the key to OFF.
2. Apply and hold the brake until the end of Step 4.
3. Shift to NEUTRAL (N).
4. Start the vehicle and then shift to the drive gear
you want.
5. Have the systemfixed as soon as you can.
2-29
2003 - Savana OM

Reducing Speed While Using Cruise
Control
•
Press and hold the set button at the end of the
lever until you reach the lower speed you want,
then release it.
•To slow down in very small amounts, press the
set button briefly. Each time you do this, you’ll
go about 1 mph (1.6 km/h) slower.
Passing Another Vehicle While Using
Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to increase your speed.
When you take your foot off the pedal, your vehicle will
slow down to the cruise control speed you set earlier.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well your cruise control will work on hills depends
upon your speed, load and the steepness of the
hills. When going up steep hills, you may want to
step on the accelerator pedal to maintain your speed.
When going downhill, you may have to brake or shift
to a lower gear to keep your speed down. Of course,
applying the brake takes you out of cruise control.
Many driversfind this to be too much trouble and
don’t use cruise control on steep hills.
Ending Cruise Control
There are two ways to turn off the cruise control:
•Step lightly on the brake pedal,
•or move the cruise control switch to off.
Erasing Speed Memory
When you turn off the cruise control or the ignition,
your cruise control set speed memory is erased.
3-11
2003 - Savana OM