2007 GMC SAVANA warning

Warning Lights, Gages, and
Indicators
This part describes the warning lights and gages
that may be on your vehicle. The pictures will
help you locate them.
Warning lights and gages can signal that
something is wrong before it becomes serious
enough to cause an expensive repair or
replacement. Paying attention to your warning
lights and gages could also save you or others
from injury.
Warning lights come on when there may be or is
a problem with one of your vehicle’s functions.
As you will see in the details on the next few
pages, some warning lights come on briefly when
you start the engine just to let you know they’re
working. If you are familiar with this section,
you should not be alarmed when this happens.Gages can indicate when there may be or is a
problem with one of your vehicle’s functions. Often
gages and warning lights work together to let
you know when there’s a problem with your
vehicle.
When one of the warning lights comes on and
stays on when you are driving, or when one of the
gages shows there may be a problem, check
the section that tells you what to do about
it. Please follow this manual’s advice. Waiting to
do repairs can be costly – and even dangerous.
So please get to know your warning lights
and gages. They’re a big help.
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Voltmeter Gage
When your engine is not
running, but the ignition
is on (in the RUN
position), this gage
shows your battery’s
state of charge in
DC volts.
When the engine is running, the gage shows the
condition of the charging system. Readings
between the low and high warning zones indicate
the normal operating range.
Readings in the low warning zone may occur
when a large number of electrical accessories are
operating in the vehicle and the engine is left at an
idle for an extended period. This condition is normal
since the charging system is not able to provide
full power at engine idle. As engine speeds are
increased, this condition should correct itself as
higher engine speeds allow the charging system to
create maximum power.You can only drive for a short time with the
reading in either warning zone. If you must drive,
turn off all unnecessary accessories.
Readings in either warning zone indicate a
possible problem in the electrical system. Have
the vehicle serviced as soon as possible.
Brake System Warning Light
With the ignition on, the brake system warning
light will come on when you set your parking
brake. The light will stay on if your parking brake
doesn’t release fully. If it stays on after your
parking brake is fully released, it means you have
a brake problem.
Your vehicle’s hydraulic brake system is divided
into two parts. If one part isn’t working, the
other part can still work and stop you. For good
braking, though, you need both parts working well.
If the warning light comes on, there could be a
brake problem. Have your brake system inspected
right away.
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This light should come on briefly when you turn
the ignition key to RUN. If it doesn’t come on then,
have it fixed so it will be ready to warn you if
there’s a problem.
If the light comes on while you are driving, pull off
the road and stop carefully. You may notice that the
pedal is harder to push. Or, the pedal may go closer
to the floor. It may take longer to stop. If the light is
still on, have the vehicle towed for service. See
Towing Your Vehicle on page 264.
{CAUTION:
Your brake system may not be working
properly if the brake system warning light
is on. Driving with the brake system
warning light on can lead to an accident.
If the light is still on after you have pulled
off the road and stopped carefully, have
the vehicle towed for service.
Anti-Lock Brake System
Warning Light
With the anti-lock brake
system, this light will
come on when you
start your engine and
may stay on for
several seconds.
That’s normal.
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176

If the light stays on, or comes on when you’re
driving, your vehicle needs service. If the regular
brake system warning light isn’t on, you still have
brakes, but you don’t have anti-lock brakes. If the
regular brake system warning light is also on, you
don’t have anti-lock brakes and there’s a problem
with your regular brakes. SeeBrake System
Warning Light on page 175for more information.
The anti-lock brake system warning light should
come on briefly 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.
StabiliTrak®Not Ready Light
If your vehicle has the
StabiliTrak®system,
this light will come on
according to the
description table for the
StabiliTrak
®system.For more information, seeStabiliTrak
®System on
page 235.
You will hear three chimes if the light turns on and
one chime if the light turns off.
StabiliTrak®Indicator Light
If you have the
StabiliTrak®system,
this light will be on or
flashing, according to
the description table for
the StabiliTrak
®system.
For more information, seeStabiliTrak
®System on
page 235.
You will hear three chimes if the light turns on and
one chime if the light turns off.
If this light remains on steady, your vehicle needs
to be taken in for service.
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Highbeam On Light
This light comes on
when the high-beam
headlamps are in use.
SeeHeadlamp High/Low-Beam Changer on
page 149.
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
Indicator Light
You 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.
Tow/Haul Mode Light
This message is
displayed when the
tow/haul mode has been
activated.
For more information, see “Tow/Haul Mode” in
Towing a Trailer on page 266.
Check Gages Warning Light
This light will come on briefly when you are
starting the engine.
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185

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.
Fuel Gage
The fuel gage, when the ignition is on, tells you
about how much fuel you have left in your tank.
The gage will first indicate empty before you
are out of fuel, and you should get more fuel as
soon as possible.Listed are four situations you may experience with
your fuel gage:
•At the gas station, the fuel pump shuts off
before the gage reads full.
•It takes a little more or less fuel to fill up than
the fuel gage indicated. For example, the
gage may have indicated the tank was half full,
but it actually took a little more or less than
half the tank’s capacity to fill the tank.
•The gage moves a little when you turn a
corner or speed up.
•The gage doesn’t go back to empty when you
turn off the ignition.
None of these indicate a problem with the
fuel gage.
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186

Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your vehicle go
where you want it to go. They are the brakes, the
steering, and the accelerator. All three systems
have to do their work at the places where the tires
meet the road.
Sometimes, as when you are driving on snow or
ice, it is easy to ask more of those control systems
than the tires and road can provide. That means
you can lose control of your vehicle.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your
vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modications on page 286.
Braking
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 175.
Braking action involves perception time and
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake
pedal. That is perception time. Then you have to
bring up your foot and do it. That is reaction time.
Average reaction time is about three-fourths of a
second. But that is only an average. It might be less
with one driver and as long as two or three seconds
or more with another. Age, physical condition,
alertness, coordination, and eyesight all play a part.
So do alcohol, drugs, and frustration. But even in
three-fourths of a second, a vehicle moving at
60 mph (100 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m). That
could be a lot of distance in an emergency, so
keeping enough space between your vehicle and
others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary
greatly with the surface of the road, whether it is
pavement or gravel; the condition of the road,
whether it is wet, dry, or icy; tire tread; the
condition of the brakes; the weight of the vehicle;
and the amount of brake force applied.
232

Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive
in spurts — heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking — rather than keeping pace with traffic.
This is a mistake. The brakes may not have time to
cool between hard stops. The brakes will wear out
much faster if you do a lot of heavy braking. If you
keep pace with the traffic and allow realistic
following distances, you will eliminate a lot of
unnecessary braking. That means better braking
and longer brake life.
If your vehicle’s engine ever stops while you are
driving, brake normally but do not pump the
brakes. If you do, the pedal may get harder to
push down. If the engine stops, you will still have
some power brake assist. But you will use it
when you brake. Once the power assist is used
up, it may take longer to stop and the brake pedal
will be harder to push.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your
vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modications on page 286.Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle has the Anti-Lock Brake System
(ABS), an advanced electronic braking system that
will help prevent a braking skid.
When you start your engine and begin to drive
away, ABS will check itself. You may hear a
momentary motor or clicking noise while this test
is going on. This is normal.
If there is a problem
with the ABS, this
warning light will stay
on. SeeAnti-Lock Brake
System Warning Light
on page 176.
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