GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9967828) -
2017 - crc - 6/29/17
172 Driving and Operating
.Antilock Brake System (ABS)
improves vehicle stability during
hard stops, but the brakes
should be applied sooner than
when on dry pavement. See
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
0190.
. Allow greater following distance
and watch for slippery spots. Icy
patches can occur on otherwise
clear roads in shaded areas.
The surface of a curve or an
overpass can remain icy when
the surrounding roads are clear.
Avoid sudden steering
maneuvers and braking while
on ice.
. Turn off cruise control.
Blizzard Conditions
Stop the vehicle in a safe place and
signal for help. Stay with the vehicle
unless there is help nearby.
If possible, use Roadside
Assistance. See Roadside
Assistance Program 0319. To get
help and keep everyone in the
vehicle safe: .
Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
. Tie a red cloth to an outside
mirror.
{Warning
Snow can trap engine exhaust
under the vehicle. This may
cause exhaust gases to get
inside. Engine exhaust contains
carbon monoxide (CO), which
cannot be seen or smelled. It can
cause unconsciousness and even
death.
If the vehicle is stuck in snow:
. Clear snow from the base of
the vehicle, especially any
blocking the exhaust pipe.
. Open a window about 5 cm
(2 in) on the vehicle side
that is away from the wind,
to bring in fresh air.
. Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.Adjust the climate control
system to circulate the air
inside the vehicle and set
the fan speed to the highest
setting. See “Climate
Control Systems.”
For more information about CO,
see Engine Exhaust 0185.
To save fuel, run the engine for
short periods to warm the vehicle
and then shut the engine off and
partially close the window. Moving
about to keep warm also helps.
If it takes time for help to arrive,
when running the engine, push the
accelerator pedal slightly so the
engine runs faster than the idle
speed. This keeps the battery
charged to restart the vehicle and to
signal for help with the headlamps.
Do this as little as possible, to
save fuel.
GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9967828) -
2017 - crc - 6/29/17
180 Driving and Operating
Operate the engine and
transmission gently to allow the
oil to warm up and lubricate all
moving parts.
When the Low Fuel warning
lamp is on and the FUEL
LEVEL LOW message is
displayed in the Driver
Information Center (DIC), the
Computer-Controlled Cranking
System is disabled to prevent
possible vehicle component
damage. When this happens,
hold the ignition switch in the
START position to continue
engine cranking.
Caution
Cranking the engine for long
periods of time, by returning the
ignition to the START position
immediately after cranking has
ended, can overheat and damage
the cranking motor, and drain the
battery. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to let the
cranking motor cool down.2. If the engine does not start
after 5-10 seconds, especially
in very cold weather (below
−18 °C or 0 °F), it could be
flooded with too much
gasoline. Try pushing the
accelerator pedal all the way to
the floor and holding it there as
you hold the key in START for
up to 15 seconds. Wait at least
15 seconds between each try,
to allow the cranking motor to
cool down. When the engine
starts, let go of the key and
accelerator. If the vehicle starts
briefly but then stops again, do
the same thing. This clears the
extra gasoline from the engine.
Do not race the engine
immediately after starting it.
Operate the engine and
transmission gently until the oil
warms up and lubricates all
moving parts.
Fast Idle System
If equipped, this feature is available
only with cruise control. The manual
fast idle switch is operated using the
cruise control buttons on the left
side of the steering wheel.
This system can be used to
increase engine idle speed
whenever the following conditions
are met:
.The parking brake is set.
. The brake pedal is not pressed.
. The vehicle must not be moving
and the accelerator must not be
pressed.
To control the fast idle:
. To enable the Fast Idle System,
press and release the cruise
control on/off button and ensure
that the switch indicator light
is lit.
. Press and release the cruise
control SET- button. Engine
speed will be held at
approximately 1200 rpm.
GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9967828) -
2017 - crc - 6/29/17
190 Driving and Operating
Tow/Haul Mode
If equipped, Tow/Haul Mode adjusts
the transmission shift pattern to
reduce shift cycling, providing
increased performance, vehicle
control, and transmission cooling
when towing or hauling heavy loads.
Turn the Tow/Haul Mode on and off
by pressing the button on the
instrument panel. When Tow/Haul is
on, a light on the instrument cluster
will come on.
SeeTow/Haul Mode Light 0106.
Also see “Tow/Haul Mode” under
Towing Equipment 0212.
Tow/Haul Mode Grade Braking
Tow/Haul Mode Grade Braking is
only enabled while the Tow/Haul
Mode is selected and the vehicle is
not in the Range Selection Mode.
See “Tow/Haul Mode” listed
previously and Manual Mode0189.
Tow/Haul Mode Grade Braking
assists in maintaining desired
vehicle speeds when driving on
downhill grades by using the engine
and transmission to slow the
vehicle.
To disable or enable Tow/Haul Mode
Grade Braking within the current
ignition key cycle, press and hold
the Tow/Haul button for
three seconds. A DIC message will
be displayed. See Transmission
Messages 0119.
See Towing Equipment 0212.
For other forms of grade braking,
see Automatic Transmission 0186
and Cruise Control 0194.
Brakes
Antilock Brake
System (ABS)
This vehicle has an Antilock Brake
System (ABS), an advanced
electronic braking system that helps
prevent a braking skid.
When the vehicle begins to drive
away, ABS checks itself.
A momentary motor or clicking noise
may be heard while this test is going
on, and it may even be noticed that
the brake pedal moves a little. This
is normal.
If there is a problem with ABS, this
warning light stays on. See Antilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
0 105.
GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9967828) -
2017 - crc - 6/29/17
Driving and Operating 191
If driving safely on a wet road and it
becomes necessary to slam on the
brakes and continue braking to
avoid a sudden obstacle, a
computer senses the wheels are
slowing down. If one of the wheels
is about to stop rolling, the computer
will separately work the brakes at
each wheel.
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 the brakes are applied, the
computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls
braking pressure accordingly.Remember: ABS does not change
the time needed to get a foot up to
the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too
close to the vehicle in front of you,
there will not be enough time to
apply the brakes if that vehicle
suddenly slows or stops. Always
leave enough room up ahead to
stop, even with ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold
the brake pedal down firmly and let
ABS work. You may hear the ABS
pump or motor operating and feel
the brake pedal pulsate. This is
normal.
Braking in Emergencies
ABS allows you to steer and brake
at the same time. In many
emergencies, steering can help
more than even the very best
braking.
Parking Brake
To set the parking brake, hold the
regular brake pedal, then push
down the parking brake pedal.
If the ignition is on, the brake
system warning light will come on.
To release the parking brake, hold
the regular brake pedal down. Pull
the handle, located just above the
parking brake pedal, with the
parking brake symbol, to release the
parking brake.
If the ignition is on when the parking
brake is released, the brake system
warning light will go off.
GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9967828) -
2017 - crc - 6/29/17
192 Driving and Operating
Caution
Driving with the parking brake on
can overheat the brake system
and cause premature wear or
damage to brake system parts.
Make sure that the parking brake
is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
If you are towing a trailer and are
parking on a hill, see Driving
Characteristics and Towing Tips
0 205.
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/
Electronic Stability
Control
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 ensure 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 40 km/h (25 mph).
In some cases, it may take
approximately 3.2 km (2 mi) of
driving before the system initializes.
The Traction Control System (TCS)/
StabiliTrak indicator light comes on
in the instrument cluster when the
system requires service.
When StabiliTrak activates, the
TCS/StabiliTrak indicator light
flashes in the instrument cluster.
This also occurs when TCS is
activated.
See
Traction Control System (TCS)/
StabiliTrak Light 0106.
For your safety, the system can only
be disabled when the vehicle speed
is less than 40 km/h (25 mph).
GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9967828) -
2017 - crc - 6/29/17
Driving and Operating 193
Pressgon the instrument panel
once to turn off the TCS. The
appropriate message is displayed in
the DIC. See Ride Control System
Messages 0117.
Press and holdgto turn off
StabiliTrak and TCS. The StabiliTrak
OFF light illuminates and the appropriate messages will be
displayed in the DIC. See
Ride
Control System Messages 0117.
To turn StabiliTrak and TCS back
on, press
gagain. StabiliTrak will
automatically turn back on when the
vehicle speed exceeds 40 km/h
(25 mph).
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. See If the Vehicle
Is Stuck 0173.
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. See
Cruise Control
0194.
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 for service.
Traction Control Operation
TCS is part of the StabiliTrak
system. TCS 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
GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9967828) -
2017 - crc - 6/29/17
196 Driving and Operating
Passing Another Vehicle While
Using Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to
increase the vehicle speed. When
you take your foot off the pedal, the
vehicle will slow down to the
previous set cruise speed. While
pressing the accelerator pedal or
shortly following the release to
override cruise control, briefly
pressing SET–will result in cruise
set to the current vehicle speed.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well cruise control works on
hills depends on the vehicle speed,
load, and the steepness of the hills.
When going up steep hills, you
might have to step on the
accelerator pedal to maintain your
speed.
While going downhill:
. Vehicles with a 4-speed
automatic transmission may
need to have the brakes applied
or the transmission shifted to a
lower gear to help maintain
driver selected speed. .
Vehicles with a 6-speed
automatic transmission have
Cruise Grade Braking to help
maintain driver selected speed.
Cruise Grade Braking is enabled
when the vehicle is started and
cruise control is active. It is not
enabled in Range Selection Mode.
It assists in maintaining driver
selected speed when driving on
downhill grades by using the engine
and transmission to slow the
vehicle.
To disable and enable Cruise Grade
Braking for the current ignition key
cycle, press and hold the Tow/Haul
button for three seconds. A DIC
message displays. See
Transmission Messages 0119.
When the brakes are applied the
cruise control is disengaged.
Ending Cruise Control
There are four ways to end cruise
control:
. Step lightly on the brake pedal.
. Press
[. .
Shift the transmission to
N (Neutral).
. To turn off cruise control,
press
I.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed is
erased from memory if
Iis
pressed or if the vehicle is
turned off.
GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9967828) -
2017 - crc - 6/29/17
Driving and Operating 213
State and local regulations may also
require the trailer to have its own
braking system if loaded above a
certain threshold.
Be sure to read and follow the
instructions for the trailer brakes so
they are installed, adjusted, and
maintained properly.
Do not tap into the vehicle's
hydraulic brake system.
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.
Use only a round, seven-wire
connector with flat blade terminals
meeting SAE J2863 specifications
for proper electrical connectivity.
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
* 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.