Black plate (48,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd Edition - 9/25/12
9-48 Driving and Operating
combination moving and then apply
the trailer brake controller by hand
to be sure the brakes work.
During the trip, check occasionally
to be sure that the load is secure
and the lamps and any trailer
brakes still work.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the
vehicle ahead as you would when
driving the vehicle without a trailer.
This can help to avoid heavy
braking and sudden turns.
Passing
More passing distance is needed
when towing a trailer. The
combination will not accelerate as
quickly and is longer so it is
necessary to go much farther
beyond the passed vehicle before
returning to the lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering
wheel with one hand. To move the
trailer to the left, move that hand tothe left. To move the trailer to the
right, move your hand to the right.
Always back up slowly and,
if possible, have someone
guide you.
Making Turns
Notice:
Making very sharp turns
while trailering could cause the
trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. The vehicle could be
damaged. Avoid making very
sharp turns while trailering.
When turning with a trailer, make
wider turns than normal. Do this so
the trailer will not strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees,
or other objects. Avoid jerky or
sudden maneuvers. Signal well in
advance.
If the trailer turn signal bulbs burn
out, the arrows on the instrument
cluster will still flash for turns. It is
important to check occasionally to
be sure the trailer bulbs are still
working.
Driving on Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower
gear before starting down a long or
steep downgrade. If the
transmission is not shifted down, the
brakes might get hot and no longer
work well.
Vehicles can tow in D (Drive). Shift
the transmission to a lower gear if
the transmission shifts too often
under heavy loads and/or hilly
conditions.
The Tow/Haul Mode may be used if
the transmission shifts too often.
See Tow/Haul Mode on page 9‑29.
When towing at high altitude on
steep uphill grades, consider the
following: Engine coolant will boil at
a lower temperature than at normal
altitudes. If the engine is turned off
immediately after towing at high
altitude on steep uphill grades, the
vehicle may show signs similar to
engine overheating. To avoid this,
let the engine run while parked,
preferably on level ground, with the
automatic transmission in P (Park)
Black plate (55,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd Edition - 9/25/12
Driving and Operating 9-55
not sealed, deadly carbon monoxide
(CO) from the engine's exhaust can
get into the vehicle as well as dirt
and water. See“Carbon Monoxide”
under Engine Exhaust on
page 9‑21.
Safety Chains
Always attach chains between the
vehicle and the trailer. Cross the
safety chains under the tongue of
the trailer to help prevent the tongue
from contacting the road if it
becomes separated from the hitch.
Always leave just enough slack so
the rig can turn. Never allow safety
chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
A loaded trailer that weighs more
than 680 kg (1,500 lbs) needs to
have its own brake system that is
adequate for the weight of the
trailer. Be sure to read and follow
the instructions for the trailer brakes
so they are installed, adjusted and
maintained properly.
Trailer Wiring Harness
The optional heavy-duty trailer
wiring package includes a wiring
harness, with a seven-pin connector
at the rear of the vehicle and a
four-wire harness assembly under
the driver side of the instrument
panel. The four-wire harness
assembly comes without a
connector.
If the vehicle does not have a trailer
hitch, the seven-wire harness
assembly with connector is taped
together and located in a frame
pocket at the driver side rear left
corner of the frame.
If the vehicle has a trailer hitch, the
seven-wire harness assembly with
connector is attached to a bracket
on the hitch platform. In both cases,
the seven-wire harness has a
connector and includes a 30-amp
feed wire. The seven-wire harness connector
contains the following trailer circuits:.Light Green: Back-up Lamps
(10A fuse)**
.White: Ground
.Dark Blue: Trailer Brake Signal
.Dark Green: Right Rear Stop
and Turn Signal*
.Red/Black Stripe: Battery Feed
(30A Fuse)
.Brown: Trailer Park Lamp
Supply Voltage (15A fuse)**
.Yellow: Left Rear Stop and Turn
Signal *
The four-wire harness (without
connector) contains the following
circuits:
.Black: Ground
.Red/White: Battery Feed
.Dark Blue: Trailer Brake Signal
.Light Blue: CHMSL/Stoplamp
Supply Voltage
Black plate (56,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd Edition - 9/25/12
9-56 Driving and Operating
* If the vehicle is a cutaway with
trailer provisions, a 15 amp fuse will
be shared for both left/stop trailer
turn and right/stop trailer turn
signals. However, the cutaway
lighting connector will have a
10 amp fuse for each signal.
** If the vehicle is a cutaway with
trailer provisions, a 15 amp fuse will
be shared for trailer park lamps and
cutaway rear lighting connector park
lamps. Also, a 10 amp fuse will be
shared for trailer back-up lamps and
cutaway rear lighting connector
back-up lamps.
Tow/Haul Mode
This button is on the instrument
panel, to the right of the steering
wheel.
Pressing this button turns on and off
the Tow/Haul Mode.
This indicator light on the instrument
cluster comes on when the Tow/
Haul Mode is on.
Tow/Haul is a feature that assists
when pulling a heavy trailer or a
large or heavy load. SeeTow/Haul
Mode on page 9‑29.
Tow/Haul is designed to be most
effective when the vehicle and
trailer combined weight is at least
75 percent of the vehicle Gross
Combined Weight Rating (GCWR).
See “Weight of the Trailer” inTrailer
Towing on page 9‑49. Tow/Haul is
most useful under the following
driving conditions:
.When pulling a heavy trailer or a
large or heavy load through
rolling terrain.
.When pulling a heavy trailer or a
large or heavy load in stop and
go traffic.
.When pulling a heavy trailer or a
large or heavy load in busy
parking lots where improved low
speed control of the vehicle is
desired.
Operating the vehicle in Tow/Haul
when lightly loaded or with no trailer
at all will not cause damage.
However, there is no benefit to the
selection of Tow/Haul when the
vehicle is unloaded. Such a
selection when unloaded may result
in unpleasant engine and
transmission driving characteristics
and reduced fuel economy. Tow/
Haul is recommended only when
pulling a heavy trailer or a large or
heavy load.
Black plate (1,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd Edition - 9/25/12
Vehicle Care 10-1
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . 10-3
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . 10-8
Automatic Transmission Fluid (4-Speed Transmission) . . . . 10-9
Automatic Transmission Fluid (6-Speed Transmission) . . . 10-11
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . 10-14
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . 10-20
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21 Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . 10-22
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Noise Control System . . . . . . 10-28
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . 10-29
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-30
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32 Front Turn Signal,
Sidemarker, and Parking
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Taillamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) . . . . . . . 10-35
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . 10-36
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Floor Console Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-41
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-43
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-44
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-44
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-45
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . 10-45
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-49
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-52
Black plate (33,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd Edition - 9/25/12
Vehicle Care 10-33
8. Reverse the steps to reinstall theheadlamp assembly.
To prevent headlamp vibration
and shortened bulb life, be sure
to insert the headlamp assembly
tabs in the slots at the lower
portion of the housing.
Sealed-Beam Headlamp
1. Headlamp retainer screws
2. Headlamp retainer
3. Sealed-beam headlamp bulb To replace one of these bulbs:
1. Remove the four screws (1) from
the headlamp retainer (2).
Pull the retainer (2) out and set it
aside.
2. Pull the bulb (3) forward to gain access to the electrical
connector.3. Disconnect the electricalconnector (2) and remove the
headlamp bulb (1).
4. Reverse Steps 1–3 to reinstall the headlamp.
Front Turn Signal,
Sidemarker, and Parking
Lamps
1. Front Parking and TurnSignal Lamp
2. Front Sidemarker Lamp
To replace the front turn signal,
sidemarker, and/or parking lamp
bulb(s):
Black plate (34,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd Edition - 9/25/12
10-34 Vehicle Care
1. Use a small tool to unlatch theoutboard clip on the lamp by
pushing inboard and prying the
lamp assembly forward.
2. Remove the lamp from the grille.
3. Turn the bulb socket counterclockwise one-quarter
turn and remove it from the lamp
assembly.
4. Remove the bulb from the socket by pulling it straight out.
5. Replace the bulb.
6. Turn the bulb socket clockwise to reinstall it in the lamp
assembly.
7. Reinstall the lamp assembly into the grille until the outboard clip
snaps into place.Taillamps
To replace a taillamp/turn signal
lamp or back-up lamp bulb:
1. Remove the two inboard nuts
from the inside of the taillamp
assembly.
2. The third nut (3) is under theapplique piece (2) above the
lamp. Remove the two inboard
applique nuts. Pull the
applique (2) straight rearward
slightly to clear the studs. Then
rotate the applique (2) just far
enough to gain access to the
outer push pins (1).
3. Carefully disconnect the push pins (1) from the applique
bracket.
4. Remove the third nut (3) from the upper outboard side of
the lamp.
Black plate (35,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd Edition - 9/25/12
Vehicle Care 10-35
5. Remove the taillamp assemblyfrom the vehicle.
6. Remove the taillamp/turn signallamp (1) or back-up lamp (2)
bulb socket by turning it
counterclockwise one-quarter
turn and pulling it out of the lamp
assembly.
7. Remove the bulb by pulling it straight out.
8. Push the new bulb into the socket. 9. Reinstall the bulb socket by
turning it clockwise into the lamp
assembly.
10. Reverse Steps 1–5 to reinstall the taillamp assembly and
applique.
Center High-Mounted
Stoplamp (CHMSL)
The CHMSL is above the rear doors
at the center of the vehicle.
To replace a bulb:
1. Remove the two screws from theCHMSL assembly.
2. Remove the CHMSL assembly.
3. Turn the bulb socket counterclockwise one-quarter
turn to remove it from the lamp
assembly.
4. Pull the old bulb straight out of the socket and push the new
bulb into the socket.
5. Turn the bulb socket clockwise one-quarter turn to install it in
the lamp assembly.
6. Reinstall the CHMSL assembly and two screws.
Do not block or damage the CHMSL
when items are loaded on the roof
of the vehicle.
Black plate (36,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd Edition - 9/25/12
10-36 Vehicle Care
License Plate Lamp
1. Bulb Socket
2. License Plate Bulb Assembly
3. Screws
To replace one of these bulbs:
1. Remove the screws (3) thatsecure the license plate bulb
assembly (2).
2. Turn the bulb socket (1) counterclockwise and pull the
bulb straight out of the socket.
3. Install the new bulb. 4. Reverse Steps 1 and 2 to
reinstall the license plate bulb
assembly.
Replacement Bulbs
Exterior Lamp Bulb
Number
Back-up, Rear
Parking, Stoplamp,
and Turn
Signal Lamp 3157KX
Center
High-Mounted
Stoplamp
(CHMSL) 912LL
Front Parking and
Turn Signal Lamp 3157KX
Front
Sidemarker Lamp 194LL
License
Plate Lamp 194LLExterior Lamp
Bulb
Number
Headlamps
Composite
High-Beam
Headlamp 9005LL
Composite
Low-Beam
Headlamp 9006LL
Sealed Beam
Headlamp H6054
For replacement bulbs not listed
here, contact your dealer.