Black plate (1,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd Edition - 9/25/12
Instruments and Controls 5-1
Instruments and
Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . 5-2
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . 5-2
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . 5-3
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Cigarette Lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Ashtrays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Engine Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12 Voltmeter Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . 5-14
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . 5-14
Airbag On-Off Light . . . . . . . . . . 5-15
Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Charging System Light . . . . . . 5-17
Malfunction Indicator Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Tow/Haul Mode Light . . . . . . . . 5-21
StabiliTrak
®OFF Light . . . . . . . 5-21
Traction Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak
®Light . . . . 5-22
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . 5-23
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . 5-23
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Information Displays
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Battery Voltage and ChargingMessages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-30
Brake System Messages . . . . 5-30
Compass Messages . . . . . . . . . 5-30
Door Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . 5-30
Engine Cooling System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Engine Oil Messages . . . . . . . . 5-32
Engine Power Messages . . . . 5-32
Fuel System Messages . . . . . . 5-33
Key and Lock Messages . . . . . 5-33
Lamp Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-33
Object Detection System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-33
Ride Control System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-34
Airbag System Messages . . . . 5-35
Security Messages . . . . . . . . . . 5-35
Service Vehicle Messages . . . 5-35
Tire Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-36
Transmission Messages . . . . . 5-37
Vehicle Reminder Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-37
Vehicle Personalization
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . 5-38
Black plate (14,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd Edition - 9/25/12
5-14 Instruments and Controls
Safety Belt Reminders
Driver Safety Belt Reminder
Light
There is a driver safety belt
reminder light on the instrument
cluster.
When the vehicle is started this light
flashes and a chime may come on
to remind the driver to fasten their
safety belt. Then the light stays on
solid until the belt is buckled. This
cycle may continue several times if
the driver remains or becomes
unbuckled while the vehicle is
moving.
If the driver safety belt is buckled,
neither the light nor the chime
comes on.
Passenger Safety Belt
Reminder Light
There may be a passenger safety
belt reminder light near the
passenger airbag status indicator.
SeePassenger Sensing System on
page 3‑26.
For vehicles equipped with the
passenger safety belt warning light,
when the vehicle is started this light
flashes and a chime may come on
to remind passengers to fasten their
safety belt. Then the light stays on
solid until the belt is buckled. This
cycle continues several times if the
passenger remains or becomes
unbuckled while the vehicle is
moving. If the passenger safety belt is
buckled, neither the chime nor the
light comes on.
The front passenger safety belt
warning light and chime may turn on
if an object is put on the seat such
as a briefcase, handbag, grocery
bag, laptop, or other electronic
device. To turn off the warning light
and/or chime, remove the object
from the seat or buckle the
safety belt.
Airbag Readiness Light
This light shows if there is an
electrical problem with the airbag
system. The system check includes
the airbag sensor(s), passenger
sensing system (if equipped), the
pretensioners (if equipped), the
airbag modules, the wiring, and the
crash sensing and diagnostic
module. For more information on the
airbag system, see
Airbag System
on page 3‑16.
Black plate (17,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd Edition - 9/25/12
Instruments and Controls 5-17
as a system check. If you are using
remote start, if equipped, to start the
vehicle from a distance, you may
not see the system check. Then,
after several more seconds, the
status indicator will light either ON
or OFF, or either the on or off
symbol to let you know the status of
the right front passenger frontal
airbag.
If the word ON or the on symbol is
lit on the passenger airbag status
indicator, it means that the right
front passenger frontal airbag is
enabled, and may inflate.
If the word OFF or the off symbol is
lit on the airbag status indicator, it
means that the passenger sensing
system has turned off the right front
passenger frontal airbag.
If, after several seconds, both status
indicator lights remain on, or if there
are no lights at all, there may be a
problem with the lights or the
passenger sensing system. See
your dealer for service.{WARNING
If the airbag readiness light ever
comes on and stays on, it means
that something may be wrong
with the airbag system. To help
avoid injury to yourself or others,
have the vehicle serviced right
away. SeeAirbag Readiness
Light on page 5‑14 for more
information, including important
safety information.
Charging System Light
This light comes on briefly when the
ignition key is turned to START, but
the engine is not running, as a
check to show it is working. If it does not, have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer.
The light should go out once the
engine starts. If it stays on,
or comes on while driving, there
could be a problem with the
charging system. A charging system
message in the Driver Information
Center (DIC) can also appear. See
Battery Voltage and Charging
Messages on page 5‑30
for more
information. This light could indicate
that there are problems with a
generator drive belt, or that there is
an electrical problem. Have it
checked right away. If the vehicle
must be driven a short distance with
the light on, turn off accessories,
such as the radio and air
conditioner.
Malfunction
Indicator Lamp
A computer system called OBD II
(On-Board Diagnostics-Second
Generation) monitors the operation
of the vehicle to ensure emissions
Black plate (1,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd Edition - 9/25/12
Infotainment System 7-1
Infotainment
System
Introduction
Infotainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Theft-Deterrent Feature . . . . . . . 7-2
Overview (AM-FM Radio) . . . . . 7-2
Overview (Radio with CD) . . . . . 7-4
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5
Radio
AM-FM Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8
Radio Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-10
Fixed Mast Antenna(Multi-Band) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-11
Fixed Mast Antenna (Care) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-11
Audio Players
CD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-11
Auxiliary Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-16
Phone
Bluetooth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-21
Introduction
Infotainment
If the vehicle came without a radio,
the wiring provisions for a radio and
an antenna were installed at the
assembly plant, so that if you want,
a radio can be installed at the
dealer.
Determine which radio the vehicle
has and read the following pages to
become familiar with its features.
{WARNING
Taking your eyes off the road for
extended periods could cause a
crash resulting in injury or death
to you or others. Do not give
extended attention to infotainment
tasks while driving.
This system provides access to
many audio and non-audio listings. To minimize taking your eyes off the
road while driving, do the following
while the vehicle is parked:
.Become familiar with the
operation and controls of the
audio system.
.Set up the tone, speaker
adjustments, and preset radio
stations.
For more information, see Defensive
Driving on page 9‑3.
Notice: Contact your dealer
before adding any equipment.
Adding audio or communication
equipment could interfere with
the operation of the engine, radio,
or other systems, and could
damage them. Follow federal
rules covering mobile radio and
telephone equipment.
Notice: The chime signals related
to safety belts, parking brake, and
other functions of the vehicle
operate through the radio/
entertainment system. If that
equipment is replaced or
Black plate (3,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd Edition - 9/25/12
Driving and Operating 9-3
{WARNING
Taking your eyes off the road too
long or too often could cause a
crash resulting in injury or death.
Focus your attention on driving.
Refer to the infotainment section for
more information on using that
system, including pairing and using
a cell phone.
If equipped, refer to the navigation
manual for information on that
system, including pairing and using
a cell phone.
Defensive Driving
Defensive driving means “always
expect the unexpected.” The first
step in driving defensively is to wear
the safety belt. See Safety Belts on
page 3‑8.
.Assume that other road users
(pedestrians, bicyclists, and
other drivers) are going to be careless and make mistakes.
Anticipate what they might do
and be ready.
.Allow enough following distance
between you and the driver in
front of you.
.Focus on the task of driving.
Drunk Driving
Death and injury associated with
drinking and driving is a global
tragedy.
{WARNING
Drinking and then driving is very
dangerous. Your reflexes,
perceptions, attentiveness, and
judgment can be affected by even
a small amount of alcohol. You
can have a serious
—or even
fatal —collision if you drive after
drinking.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
Do not drink and drive or ride with
a driver who has been drinking.
Ride home in a cab; or if you are
with a group, designate a driver
who will not drink.
Control of a Vehicle
Braking, steering, and accelerating
are important factors in helping to
control a vehicle while driving.
Braking
Braking action involves perception
time and reaction time. Deciding to
push the brake pedal is perception
time. Actually doing it is
reaction time.
Average driver reaction time is
about three-quarters of a second. In
that time, a vehicle moving at
100 km/h (60 mph) travels 20 m
(66 ft), which could be a lot of
distance in an emergency.
Black plate (49,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd Edition - 9/25/12
Driving and Operating 9-49
for a few minutes before turning the
engine off. If the overheat warning
comes on, seeEngine Overheating
on page 10‑20.
Parking on Hills
{WARNING
Parking the vehicle on a hill with
the trailer attached can be
dangerous. If something goes
wrong, the rig could start to move.
People can be injured, and both
the vehicle and the trailer can be
damaged. When possible, always
park the rig on a flat surface.
If parking the rig on a hill:
1. Press the brake pedal, but do not shift into P (Park) yet. Turn
the wheels into the curb if facing
downhill or into traffic if facing
uphill.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels. 3. When the wheel chocks are in
place, release the regular brakes
until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then apply the parking brake and shift
into P (Park).
5. Release the brake pedal.Leaving After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine.
3. Shift into a gear.
4. Release the parking brake.
5. Let up on the brake pedal.
6. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
7. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance when Trailer
Towing
The vehicle needs service more
often when pulling a trailer. See
Maintenance Schedule on
page 11‑3. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic
transmission fluid, engine oil, axle
lubricant, belts, cooling system, and
brake system. It is a good idea to
inspect these before and during
the trip.
Check periodically to see that all
hitch nuts and bolts are tight.
Trailer Towing
If the vehicle has a diesel engine,
see the Duramax diesel
supplement.
{WARNING
The driver can lose control when
pulling a trailer if the correct
equipment is not used or the
vehicle is not driven properly. For
example, if the trailer is too
heavy, the brakes may not work
well
—or even at all. The driver
and passengers could be
(Continued)
Black plate (3,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd Edition - 9/25/12
Vehicle Care 10-3
cause cancer and birth defects or
other reproductive harm. Engine
exhaust, many parts and systems,
many fluids, and some component
wear by-products contain and/or
emit these chemicals.
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements
Certain types of automotive
applications, such as airbag
initiators, safety belt pretensioners,
and lithium batteries contained in
Remote Keyless Entry transmitters,
may contain perchlorate materials.
Special handling may be necessary.
For additional information, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/
perchlorate.
Accessories and
Modifications
Adding non‐dealer accessories or
making modifications to the vehicle
can affect vehicle performance and
safety, including such things as
airbags, braking, stability, ride andhandling, emissions systems,
aerodynamics, durability, and
electronic systems like antilock
brakes, traction control, and stability
control. These accessories or
modifications could even cause
malfunction or damage not covered
by the vehicle warranty.
Damage to vehicle components
resulting from modifications or the
installation or use of non‐GM
certified parts, including control
module or software modifications, is
not covered under the terms of the
vehicle warranty and may affect
remaining warranty coverage for
affected parts.
GM Accessories are designed to
complement and function with other
systems on the vehicle. See your
dealer to accessorize the vehicle
using genuine GM Accessories
installed by a dealer technician.
Also, see
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on
page 3‑31.
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own
Service Work
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to work on
your vehicle if you do not have
the proper knowledge, service
manual, tools, or parts. Always
follow owner manual procedures
and consult the service manual
for your vehicle before doing any
service work.
If doing some of your own service
work, use the proper service
manual. It tells you much more
about how to service the vehicle
than this manual can. To order the
proper service manual, see Service
Publications Ordering Information
on page 13‑11.
Black plate (48,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd Edition - 9/25/12
10-48 Vehicle Care
Tire Designations
Tire Size
The following examples show
the different parts of a tire size.
Passenger (P-Metric) Tire
(1) Passenger (P-Metric)
Tire
:The United States version
of a metric tire sizing system.
The letter P as the first
character in the tire size means
a passenger vehicle tire
engineered to standards set by
the U.S. Tire and Rim
Association.
(2) Tire Width
:The three-digit
number indicates the tire section
width in millimeters from
sidewall to sidewall. (3) Aspect Ratio
:A two-digit
number that indicates the tire
height-to-width measurements.
For example, if the tire size
aspect ratio is 75, as shown in
item 3 of the illustration, it would
mean that the tire's sidewall is
75 percent as high as it is wide.
(4) Construction Code
:A letter
code is used to indicate the type
of ply construction in the tire.
The letter R means radial
ply construction; the letter D
means diagonal or bias ply
construction; and the letter B
means belted-bias ply
construction.
(5) Rim Diameter
:Diameter of
the wheel in inches.
(6) Service Description
:These
characters represent the load
index and speed rating of the
tire. The load index represents
the load carrying capacity a tire is certified to carry. The speed
rating is the maximum speed a
tire is certified to carry a load.
Light Truck (LT-Metric) Tire
(1) Light Truck (LT-Metric)
Tire
:The United States version
of a metric tire sizing system.
The letters LT as the first two
characters in the tire size mean
a light truck tire engineered to
standards set by the U.S. Tire
and Rim Association.
(2) Tire Width
:The three-digit
number indicates the tire section
width in millimeters from
sidewall to sidewall.
(3) Aspect Ratio
:A two-digit
number that indicates the tire
height-to-width measurements.