Seats and Restraint System............................. 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats
............................................... 1-6
Safety Belts
.............................................1-10
Child Restraints
.......................................1-31
Airbag System
.........................................1-58
Restraint System Check
............................1-79
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-2
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-6
Windows
.................................................2-13
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-16
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-18
Mirrors
....................................................2-31
Storage Areas
.........................................2-33
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
......................................3-18
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators
........3-23
Driver Information Center (DIC)
..................3-41
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-64
Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and the Vehicle
....... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-24Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood
...............5-12
All-Wheel Drive
........................................5-45
Rear Axle
...............................................5-46
Front Axle
...............................................5-46
Noise Control System
...............................5-47
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-49
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-54
Tires
......................................................5-55
Appearance Care
.....................................5-96
Vehicle Identification
...............................5-103
Electrical System
....................................5-103
Capacities and Specifications
...................5-110
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance Information.................... 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information
........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
...........................7-15
Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy
...........7-17
Index................................................................ 1
2009 GMC Savana Owner ManualM
Keys...............................................................2-2
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System................2-3
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System Operation . . .2-4
Doors and Locks.............................................2-6
Door Locks....................................................2-6
Power Door Locks..........................................2-7
Cargo Door Relocking.....................................2-7
Delayed Locking.............................................2-7
Programmable Automatic Door Locks................2-7
Automatic Door Lock.......................................2-8
Automatic Door Unlock....................................2-8
Rear Door Security Locks................................2-8
Lockout Protection..........................................2-9
Sliding Side Door...........................................2-9
60/40 Swing-Out Side Door............................2-10
Rear Doors..................................................2-12
Windows........................................................2-13
Manual Windows..........................................2-13
Power Windows............................................2-14
Swing-Out Windows......................................2-15
Enhanced Technology Glass..........................2-16
Sun Visors...................................................2-16
Theft-Deterrent Systems..................................2-16
PASS-Key
®III+ Electronic Immobilizer.............2-16
PASS-Key®III+ Electronic Immobilizer
Operation.................................................2-17Starting and Operating Your Vehicle................2-18
New Vehicle Break-In....................................2-18
Ignition Positions..........................................2-19
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)...................2-20
Starting the Engine.......................................2-20
Fast Idle System..........................................2-21
Engine Coolant Heater..................................2-22
Automatic Transmission Operation...................2-23
Tow/Haul Mode............................................2-25
Parking Brake..............................................2-26
Shifting Into Park..........................................2-27
Shifting Out of Park......................................2-29
Parking Over Things That Burn.......................2-29
Engine Exhaust............................................2-30
Running the Vehicle While Parked..................2-30
Mirrors...........................................................2-31
Manual Rearview Mirror.................................2-31
Outside Manual Mirrors..................................2-31
Outside Towing Mirrors..................................2-32
Outside Power Mirrors...................................2-32
Outside Convex Mirror...................................2-33
Outside Heated Mirrors..................................2-33
Storage Areas................................................2-33
Section 2 Features and Controls
2-1
Enhanced Technology Glass
The vehicle may be equipped with Enhanced
Technology Glass (ETG). ETG is part of the overall
occupant protection system on passenger vans. ETG
may help to keep passengers sitting next to these fixed
windows from being ejected through the glass in
some, but not in all crashes. Even with this glass, safety
belts must still be worn at all times. For passenger
vans, use only ETG glass approved for your vehicle for
replacement when damaged.
The following table shows laminated glass location,
based on vehicle model and options.
Vehicle Con guration ETG Locations
Eight Seat Passenger VansSliding door forward
window
Twelve and Fifteen Seat
Passenger VansSliding door forward
window and rear-most
side windows
Long Wheelbase Cargo VansRear-most side
windows
Sun Visors
To block out glare, swing down the sun visors.
You can also swing them to the side.
Visor Vanity Mirror
The vehicle may have visor vanity mirrors, with or
without lamps. Lift the mirror cover to turn the lamps on,
if equipped.
Theft-Deterrent Systems
Vehicle theft is big business, especially in some cities.
This vehicle has theft-deterrent features, however,
they do not make it impossible to steal.
PASS-Key®III+ Electronic
Immobilizer
The PASS-Key III+ system operates on a radio
frequency subject to Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) Rules and with Industry Canada.
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause harmful interference.
2. This device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired
operation.
2-16
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of the vehicle if the
automatic transmission shift lever is not fully in
P (Park) with the parking brake firmly set. The
vehicle can roll. Do not leave the 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 the vehicle will not move, even when you are
on fairly level ground, always set the parking
brake and move the shift lever to P (Park).
Follow the proper steps to be sure the vehicle will not
move. SeeShifting Into Park on page 2-27.
If parking on a hill and pulling a trailer, seeTowing a
Trailer on page 4-28.
Mirrors
Manual Rearview Mirror
Hold the inside rearview mirror in the center to move it for
a clearer view behind your vehicle. Adjust the mirror to
avoid glare from the headlamps behind. Push the tab
forward for daytime use and pull it for nighttime use.
If you have a cargo van without the rear door glass,
the vehicle may not have an inside rearview mirror.
Outside Manual Mirrors
Adjust the mirrors by pressing the mirror up and down
and left and right so you can see a little of the side of your
vehicle, and have a clear view of objects behind you.
The mirrors can be manually folded in or out.
On the lower portion of each mirror is an auxiliary
convex mirror. A convex mirror’s surface is curved so
you can see more from the driver seat. The auxiliary
convex mirrors can be adjusted manually by pressing
the mirror.
2-31
Outside Towing Mirrors
Vehicles with towing
mirrors can be adjusted
manually for a clear view of
the objects behind you.
On the lower portion of each mirror there is an auxiliary
convex mirror that can be adjusted manually to
provide an extended field of view.
The mirrors can be manually folded in or out.
Outside Power Mirrors
Vehicles with outside
power mirrors have
controls located on the
driver side door.
Select each mirror by turning the knob clockwise for the
passenger side mirror or counterclockwise for the
driver side mirror. The center position is neutral.
Then, adjust the mirror angle by moving the knob in the
desired direction. The auxiliary convex mirrors can
only be adjusted manually.
2-32
Outside Convex Mirror
{CAUTION:
A convex mirror can make things (like other
vehicles) look farther away than they really are.
If you cut too sharply into the right lane, you
could hit a vehicle on the right. Check the inside
mirror or glance over your shoulder before
changing lanes.
The passenger side mirror is convex shaped. A convex
mirror’s surface is curved so more can be seen from
the driver seat.
Outside Heated Mirrors
For vehicles with heated mirrors:
<(Rear Defogger):Press to heat the mirrors.
An indicator light in the button lights when the outside
heated mirrors are activated.
See “Rear Window Defogger” underClimate Control
System on page 3-18for more information.
Storage Areas
Your vehicle may have a front storage compartment. It is
located at the center of the instrument panel extension,
by the floor. To open the compartment, pull up on the
latch. The compartment will open automatically.
Storage compartments may also be included on the
inside of each front door.
2-33
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.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions, and by not overdriving
those conditions. But skids are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to the vehicle’s three
control systems. In the braking skid, the wheels are not
rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too much speed
or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and lose
cornering force. And in the acceleration skid, too much
throttle causes the driving wheels to spin.If the vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want
the vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough,
the vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for
a second skid if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel, or other material is on the road. For safety, slow
down and adjust your driving to these conditions. It is
important to slow down on slippery surfaces because
stopping distance is longer and vehicle control
more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try your
best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration, or braking,
including reducing vehicle speed by shifting to a lower
gear. Any sudden changes could cause the tires to
slide. You might not realize the surface is slippery until
the vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning
clues — such as enough water, ice, or packed snow on
the road to make a mirrored surface — and slow down
when you have any doubt.
Remember: Any Antilock Brake System (ABS) helps
avoid only the braking skid.
4-11
Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving
because some drivers are likely to be impaired — by
alcohol or drugs, with night vision problems, or by fatigue.
Night driving tips include:
•Drive defensively.
•Do not drink and drive.
•Reduce headlamp glare by adjusting the inside
rearview mirror.
•Slow down and keep more space between you and
other vehicles because headlamps can only light up
so much road ahead.
•Watch for animals.
•When tired, pull off the road.
•Do not wear sunglasses.
•Avoid staring directly into approaching headlamps.
•Keep the windshield and all glass on your vehicle
clean — inside and out.
•Keep your eyes moving, especially during turns or
curves.
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But, as
we get older, these differences increase. A 50-year-old
driver might need at least twice as much light to see the
same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce vehicle traction
and affect your ability to stop and accelerate. Always
drive slower in these types of driving conditions
and avoid driving through large puddles and
deep-standing or flowing water.
{CAUTION:
Wet brakes can cause crashes. They might not
work as well in a quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could lose control of the
vehicle.
After driving through a large puddle of water or a
car/vehicle wash, lightly apply the brake pedal until
the brakes work normally.
Flowing or rushing water creates strong forces.
Driving through flowing water could cause your
vehicle to be carried away. If this happens, you
and other vehicle occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be very cautious about
trying to drive through flowing water.
4-12