2009 GMC SAVANA light

To insert multiple CDs, do the following:
1. Press and hold the
^button for two seconds.
A beep sounds and Load All Discs displays.
2. Follow the displayed instruction on when to insert
the discs. The CD player takes up to six CDs.
3. Press the
^button again to cancel loading
more CDs.
Insert a CD partway into the slot, label side up.
The player pulls it in and the CD should begin playing.
If you want to insert a CD with the ignition off, first
press the
Zbutton or the DISP knob.
If the ignition or radio is turned off with a CD in the
player it stays in the player. When the ignition or radio
is turned on, the CD starts to play where it stopped,
if it was the last selected audio source.
When the CD is inserted, the CD symbol displays. As
each new track starts to play, the track number displays.
The CD player can play the smaller 3 inch (8 cm)
single CDs with an adapter ring. Full-size CDs and the
smaller CDs are loaded in the same manner.
Care of Your CDs and DVDs
If playing a CD-R, the sound quality can be reduced due
to CD-R or CD-RW quality, the method of recording, the
quality of the music that has been recorded, and the way
the CD-R or CD-RW has been handled. Handle them
carefully. Store CD-R(s) or CD-RW(s) in their original
cases or other protective cases and away from direct
sunlight and dust. The CD or DVD player scans the
bottom surface of the disc. If the surface of a CD is
damaged, such as cracked, broken, or scratched, the
CD does not play properly or not at all. Do not touch the
bottom side of a CD while handling it; this could damage
the surface. Pick up CDs by grasping the outer edges or
the edge of the hole and the outer edge.
If the surface of a CD is soiled, take a soft, lint free
cloth or dampen a clean, soft cloth in a mild, neutral
detergent solution mixed with water, and clean it.
Make sure the wiping process starts from the center
to the edge.
3-75

When the radio and vehicle are turned off, the
blinking red light indicates that THEFTLOCK®
is armed.
With THEFTLOCK
®activated, the radio does not
operate if stolen.
Audio Steering Wheel Controls
Vehicles with audio
steering wheel controls
could differ depending on
your vehicle’s options.
Some audio controls can
be adjusted at the steering
wheel. They include the
following:
wx(Previous/Next):Press the arrows to go to the
previous or to the next radio station and stay there. Press
the arrows to go to the previous or to the next radio
station stored as a Favorite. The radio only seeks stations
with a strong signal that are in the selected band.To scan stations, press and hold the down arrow for
two seconds until SCAN displays and a beep sounds.
The radio goes to a station, plays for a few seconds, then
goes to the next station. Press the down arrow again to
stop scanning.
When a CD is playing, press either arrow to go to the next
or previous track.
g(Mute):Press this button to silence the system.
Press this button again, to turn the sound on.
SRCE (Source):Press this button to switch between
the radio AM, FM, XM™ (if equipped), CD, and auxiliary
input jack.
+
e−e(Volume):Press the plus or minus volume
button to increase or to decrease the volume.
¨(Seek):Press the seek arrow to go to the next radio
station while in AM, FM, or XM™ (if equipped). Press
the seek arrow to go to the next track while sourced
to the CD.
3-85

Radio Reception
Frequency interference and static can occur during
normal radio reception if items such as cell phone
chargers, vehicle convenience accessories, and external
electronic devices are plugged into the accessory
power outlet. If there is interference or static, unplug the
item from the accessory power outlet.
AM
The range for most AM stations is greater than for FM,
especially at night. The longer range can cause station
frequencies to interfere with each other. For better radio
reception, most AM radio stations boost the power levels
during the day, and then reduce these levels during the
night. Static can also occur when things like storms and
power lines interfere with radio reception. When this
happens, try reducing the treble on your radio.
FM Stereo
FM stereo gives the best sound, but FM signals reach
only about 10 to 40 miles (16 to 65 km). Tall buildings or
hills can interfere with FM signals, causing the sound
to fade in and out.
Cellular Phone Usage
Cellular phone usage may cause interference with the
vehicle’s radio. This interference may occur when
making or receiving phone calls, charging the phone’s
battery, or simply having the phone on. This interference
causes an increased level of static while listening to
the radio. If static is received while listening to the radio,
unplug the cellular phone and turn it off.
Fixed Mast Antenna
The fixed mast antenna can withstand most car washes
without being damaged as long as it is securely
attached to the base. If the mast becomes slightly bent,
straighten it out by hand. If the mast is badly bent,
replace it.
Occasionally check to make sure the antenna is
tightened to its base. If tightening is required, tighten
by hand.
3-86

Braking
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 3-33.
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.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 might 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 could 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 can take longer to stop and
the brake pedal will be harder to push.
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect
your vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modifications on page 5-3.
4-4

Antilock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle has the Antilock Brake System (ABS), an
advanced electronic braking system that will help prevent
a braking skid.
When you start the engine and begin to drive away,
ABS will check itself. You might 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. SeeAntilock
Brake System (ABS)
Warning Light on
page 3-34.
Let us say the road is wet and you are driving safely.
Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you. You slam
on the brakes and continue braking. Here is what
happens with ABS:
A computer senses that the wheels are slowing down.
If one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer
will separately work the brakes at each front wheel
and at both rear wheels.ABS can change the brake pressure to each wheel, as
required, faster than any driver could. This can help
you steer around the obstacle while braking hard.
As you brake, the computer keeps receiving updates on
wheel speed and controls braking pressure accordingly.
Remember: ABS does not change the time you need to
get your foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too close to the vehicle in
front of you, you will not have time to apply the brakes
if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always leave
enough room up ahead to stop, even though you
have ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down
firmly and let antilock work for you. You might feel the
brakes vibrate or notice some noise, but this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
With ABS, you can steer and brake at the same time.
In many emergencies, steering can help you more than
even the very best braking.
4-5

StabiliTrak®System
The vehicle may have a vehicle stability enhancement
system called StabiliTrak. It is an advanced computer
controlled system that assists the driver with directional
control of the vehicle in difficult driving conditions.
StabiliTrak activates when the computer senses a
discrepancy between the intended path and the direction
the vehicle is actually traveling. StabiliTrak selectively
applies braking pressure at any one of the vehicle’s
brakes to assist the driver with keeping the vehicle on
the intended path.
When the vehicle is started and begins to move, the
system performs several diagnostic checks to insure
there are no problems. The system may be heard or felt
while it is working. This is normal and does not mean
there is a problem with the vehicle. The system should
initialize before the vehicle reaches 20 mph (32 km/h). In
some cases, it may take approximately 2 miles (3.2 km)
of driving before the system initializes.Press and hold the
StabiliTrak button located
on the instrument panel
for more than five seconds
to turn off StabiliTrak
and part of the traction
control system.
The StabiliTrak light comes
on the instrument panel
cluster when the system
is turned off or requires
service.
For more information, seeStabiliTrak
®Indicator Light
on page 3-34.
4-6

For your safety, the system can only be disabled when
the vehicle speed is less than 20 mph (32 km/h).
Three chimes will be heard and the StabiliTrak light
comes on.
To turn on the StabiliTrak system, press the StabiliTrak
button again. StabiliTrak will automatically turn back on
when the vehicle speed exceeds 20 mph (32 km/h).
One chime is heard and the StabiliTrak light will turn off.
When the StabiliTrak system has been turned off,
system noises may still be heard as a result of the
brake-traction control coming on.
It is recommended to leave the system on for normal
driving conditions, but it may be necessary to turn the
system off if the vehicle is stuck in sand, mud, ice or
snow, and you want to “rock” the vehicle to attempt to
free it. SeeIf Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or
Snow on page 4-17.
StabiliTrak System Operation
The StabiliTrak system is normally on, except when
the system is initializing or has been disabled with
the StabiliTrak button. The StabiliTrak system will
automatically activate to assist the driver in maintaining
vehicle directional control in most driving conditions.When activated, the StabiliTrak system may reduce
engine power to the wheels and apply braking to
individual wheels as necessary to assist the driver
with vehicle directional control. If cruise control is being
used when StabiliTrak activates, the cruise control
automatically disengages. The cruise control can be
re-engaged when road conditions allow. SeeCruise
Control on page 3-10.
The StabiliTrak system may also turn off automatically
if it determines that a problem exists with the system.
If the problem does not clear itself after restarting
the vehicle, see your dealer/retailer for service.
Traction Control Operation
The traction control system is part of the StabiliTrak
system. Traction control limits wheel spin by reducing
engine power to the wheels and by applying brakes
to each individual wheel as necessary.
If the brake-traction control system activates constantly
or if the brakes have heated up due to high speed
braking, the brake-traction control will be automatically
disabled. The system will come back on after the
brakes have cooled. This can take up to two minutes
or longer depending on brake usage.
4-7

Off-Road Recovery
Your right wheels can drop off the edge of a road onto
the shoulder while driving.
If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the
pavement, recovery should be fairly easy. Ease off the
accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the way, steer
so that your vehicle straddles the edge of the pavement.
Turn the steering wheel 3 to 5 inches, 76 to 127 mm,
(about one-eighth turn) until the right front tire contacts
the pavement edge. Then turn the steering wheel to go
straight down the roadway.
Passing
Passing another vehicle on a two-lane road can be
dangerous. To reduce the risk of danger while passing:
•Look down the road, to the sides, and to crossroads
for situations that might affect a successful pass.
If in doubt, wait.
•Watch for traffic signs, pavement markings, and
lines that could indicate a turn or an intersection.
Never cross a solid or double-solid line on your side
of the lane.
•Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to
pass. Doing so can reduce your visibility.
•Wait your turn to pass a slow vehicle.
•When you are being passed, ease to the right.
Loss of Control
Let us review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems — brakes,
steering, and acceleration — do not have enough friction
where the tires meet the road to do what the driver has
asked.
In any emergency, do not give up. Keep trying to steer
and constantly seek an escape route or area of less
danger.
4-10