GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9967828) -
2017 - crc - 5/2/16
22 In Brief
Engine Oil Life System
The engine oil life system calculates
engine oil life based on vehicle use
and displays a DIC message when
it is necessary to change the engine
oil and filter. The oil life system
should be reset to 100% only
following an oil change.
Resetting the Oil Life System1. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN, with the engine off.
2. Fully press and release the accelerator pedal slowly three
times within five seconds.
3. Turn the key to LOCK/OFF.
See Engine Oil Life System 0222.
Driving for Better Fuel
Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel
mileage. Here are some driving tips
to get the best fuel economy
possible.
.
Avoid fast starts and accelerate
smoothly. .
Brake gradually and avoid
abrupt stops.
. Avoid idling the engine for long
periods of time.
. When road and weather
conditions are appropriate, use
cruise control.
. Always follow posted speed
limits or drive more slowly when
conditions require.
. Keep vehicle tires properly
inflated.
. Combine several trips into a
single trip.
. Replace the vehicle's tires with
the same TPC Spec number
molded into the tire's sidewall
near the size.
. Follow recommended scheduled
maintenance.
Roadside Assistance
Program
U.S.: 1-888-881-3302
TTY Users (U.S. Only):
1-888-889-2438
Canada: 1-800-268-6800
New GMC owners are automatically
enrolled in the Roadside Assistance
Program.
See Roadside Assistance
Program 0318.
GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9967828) -
2017 - crc - 5/2/16
Seats and Restraints 65
Servicing the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Airbags affect how the vehicle
should be serviced. There are parts
of the airbag system in several
places around the vehicle. Your
dealer and the service manual have
information about servicing the
vehicle and the airbag system. To
purchase a service manual, see
Service Publications Ordering
Information0323.
{Warning
For up to 10 seconds after the
vehicle is turned off and the
battery is disconnected, an airbag
can still inflate during improper
service. You can be injured if you
are close to an airbag when it
inflates. Avoid yellow connectors.
They are probably part of the
airbag system. Be sure to follow
proper service procedures, and
make sure the person performing
work for you is qualified to do so.
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Adding accessories that change the
vehicle's frame, bumper system,
height, front end, or side sheet
metal, may keep the airbag system
from working properly. The
operation of the airbag system can
also be affected by changing any
parts of the front seats, safety belts,
the airbag sensing and diagnostic
module, steering wheel, instrument
panel, any of the airbag modules,
ceiling or pillar garnish trim, front
sensors, or airbag wiring.
Your dealer and the service manual
have information about the location
of the airbag sensors, sensing and
diagnostic module, and airbag
wiring.
If the vehicle has rollover roof-rail
airbags, see Different Size Tires
and Wheels 0271 for additional
important information.
If you have to modify your vehicle
because you have a disability and
you have questions about whether
the modifications will affect the vehicle's airbag system, or if you
have questions about whether the
airbag system will be affected if the
vehicle is modified for any other
reason, call Customer Assistance.
See
Customer Assistance
Offices 0316.
Airbag System Check
The airbag system does not need
regularly scheduled maintenance or
replacement. Make sure the airbag
readiness light is working. See
Airbag Readiness Light 099.
Caution
If an airbag covering is damaged,
opened, or broken, the airbag
may not work properly. Do not
open or break the airbag
coverings. If there are any
opened or broken airbag
coverings, have the airbag
covering and/or airbag module
replaced. For the location of the
airbags, see Where Are the
Airbags? 057. See your dealer
for service.
GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9967828) -
2017 - crc - 5/2/16
98 Instruments and Controls
Caution
Lack of proper engine oil
maintenance can damage the
engine. Driving with the engine oil
low can also damage the engine.
The repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Check
the oil level as soon as possible.
Add oil if required, but if the oil
level is within the operating range
and the oil pressure is still low,
have the vehicle serviced. Always
follow the maintenance schedule
for changing engine oil.
Engine Coolant
Temperature Gauge
Metric
English
This gauge shows the engine
coolant temperature.
It also provides an indicator of how
hard the vehicle is working. During a
majority of the operation, the gauge
will read 100 °C (210 °F) or less.
If the vehicle is pulling a load or
going up hills, it is normal for the
temperature to fluctuate and
approach the 122 °C (250 °F) mark.
If the gauge reaches the 125 °C
(260 °F) mark, it indicates that the
cooling system is working beyond
its capacity.
See Engine Overheating 0231.
GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9967828) -
2017 - crc - 5/2/16
106 Instruments and Controls
Tire Pressure Light
For vehicles with the Tire Pressure
Monitor System (TPMS), this light
comes on briefly when the engine is
started. It provides information
about tire pressures and the TPMS.
When the Light Is On Steady
This indicates that one or more of
the tires are significantly
underinflated.
A Driver Information Center (DIC)
tire pressure message may also
display. SeeTire Messages 0118.
Stop as soon as possible, and
inflate the tires to the pressure value
shown on the Tire and Loading
Information label. See Tire
Pressure 0261. When the Light Flashes First and
Then Is On Steady
If the light flashes for about a minute
and then stays on, there may be a
problem with the TPMS. If the
problem is not corrected, the light
will come on at every ignition cycle.
See
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation 0263.
Engine Oil Pressure Light
Caution
Lack of proper engine oil
maintenance can damage the
engine. Driving with the engine oil
low can also damage the engine.
The repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Check
the oil level as soon as possible.
Add oil if required, but if the oil
level is within the operating range
and the oil pressure is still low,
have the vehicle serviced. Always
follow the maintenance schedule
for changing engine oil.
This light should come on briefly as
the engine is started. If it does not
come on, have the vehicle serviced
by your dealer.
If the light comes on and stays on, it
means that oil is not flowing through
the engine properly. The vehicle
could be low on oil and might have
some other system problem. See
your dealer.
GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9967828) -
2017 - crc - 5/2/16
Instruments and Controls 111
When the remaining oil life is low,
the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message will appear on the display.
SeeEngine Oil Messages 0114.
You should change the oil as soon
as possible. See Engine Oil0220.
In addition to the engine oil life
system monitoring the oil life,
additional maintenance is
recommended in the Maintenance
Schedule in this manual. See
Maintenance Schedule 0299.
Remember, you must reset the OIL
LIFE yourself after each oil change.
It will not reset itself. Also, be
careful not to reset the OIL LIFE
accidentally at any time other than
when the oil has just been changed.
It cannot be reset accurately until
the next oil change. To reset the
engine oil life system, see Engine
Oil Life System 0222.
Park Assist
If the vehicle has the Rear Parking
Assist (RPA) system, press
Tuntil
PARK ASSIST displays. This
display allows the system to be
turned on or off. Once in this
display, press to select between ON or OFF. The RPA system
automatically turns back on after
each vehicle start. When the RPA
system is turned off and the vehicle
is shifted out of P (Park), the DIC
will display the PARK ASSIST OFF
message as a reminder that the
system has been turned off. See
Object Detection System Messages
0
115 and Parking Assist 0197.
Units
Press
Tuntil UNITS displays. This
display allows you to select between
metric or English units of
measurement. Once in this display,
press
Vto select between METRIC
or ENGLISH units.
Tire Pressure
If the vehicle has the Tire Pressure
Monitor System (TPMS), the
pressure for each tire can be viewed
in the DIC. The tire pressure will be
shown in either kilopascals (kPa) or
pounds per square inch (psi). Press
Tuntil the DIC displays FRONT
TIRES PSI (kPa) LEFT ## RIGHT ##. Press
Tagain until the
DIC displays REAR TIRES
PSI (kPa) LEFT ## RIGHT ##.
If a low tire pressure condition is
detected by the system while
driving, a message advising you to
check the pressure in a specific tire
will appear in the display. See Tire
Pressure 0118 and Tire
Messages 0118.
If the tire pressure display shows
dashes instead of a value, there
may be a problem with the vehicle.
If this consistently occurs, see your
dealer for service.
Engine Hours
Press
Tuntil ENGINE HOURS
displays. This display shows the
total number of hours the engine
has run.
Relearn Tire Positions
The vehicle may have this display.
To access this display, the vehicle
must be in P (Park). If the vehicle
has the Tire Pressure Monitor
System (TPMS), after rotating the
tires or after replacing a tire or
GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9967828) -
2017 - crc - 5/2/16
114 Instruments and Controls
conditioning compressor turns back
on. You can continue to drive the
vehicle.
If this message continues to appear,
have the system repaired by your
dealer as soon as possible to avoid
damage to the engine.
ENGINE OVERHEATED IDLE
ENGINE
This message displays when the
engine coolant temperature is too
hot. Stop and allow the vehicle to
idle until it cools down. SeeEngine
Coolant Temperature Gauge 098.
ENGINE OVERHEATED STOP
ENGINE
This message displays and a chime
sounds if the engine cooling system
reaches unsafe temperatures for
operation. Stop and turn off the
vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so
to avoid severe damage. This
message clears when the engine
has cooled to a safe operating
temperature.
Engine Oil Messages
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
This message displays when the
engine oil needs to be changed.
When you change the engine oil, be
sure to reset the CHANGE ENGINE
OIL SOON message. See Engine
Oil Life System 0222 for
information on how to reset the
message. See Engine Oil0220 and
Maintenance Schedule 0299.
ENGINE OIL LOW ADD OIL
If the vehicle has an oil level sensor,
this message displays if the oil level
in the vehicle is low. Check the oil
level and correct it as necessary.
You may need to let the vehicle cool
or warm up and cycle the ignition to
be sure this message clears. See
Engine Oil 0220.
OIL PRESSURE LOW STOP
ENGINE
This message displays if low oil
pressure levels occur. Stop the
vehicle as soon as safely possible
and do not operate it until the cause
of the low oil pressure has been corrected. Check the oil as soon as
possible and have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer. See
Engine
Oil 0220.
Engine Power Messages
ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED
This message displays and a chime
sounds when the cooling system
temperature gets too hot and the
engine further enters the engine
coolant protection mode. See
Engine Overheating 0231 for
further information.
This message also displays when
the engine power is reduced.
Reduced engine power can affect
the vehicle's ability to accelerate.
If this message is on, but there is no
reduction in performance, proceed
to your destination. The
performance may be reduced the
next time the vehicle is driven. The
vehicle may be driven at a reduced
speed while this message is on, but
acceleration and speed may be
reduced. Anytime this message
GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9967828) -
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206 Driving and Operating
7. Stop and have someone pickup and store the chocks.
Maintenance when Trailer
Towing
The vehicle needs service more
often when pulling a trailer. See
Maintenance Schedule 0299.
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
or the trailer brakes are
inadequate for the load, the
vehicle may not stop as expected.
The driver and passengers could
be seriously injured. The vehicle
may also be damaged; the
resulting repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Pull a trailer only if all the steps in
this section have been followed.
Ask your dealer for advice and
information about towing a trailer
with the vehicle.
Caution
Pulling a trailer improperly can
damage the vehicle and result in
costly repairs not covered by the
vehicle warranty. To pull a trailer
correctly, follow the advice in this
section and see your dealer for
important information about
towing a trailer with the vehicle.
To identify the trailering capacity of
the vehicle, read the information in
“Weight of the Trailer” following.
GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9967828) -
2017 - crc - 5/2/16
Vehicle Care 223
system might indicate that an oil
change is not necessary for up to a
year. The engine oil and filter must
be changed at least once a year
and, at this time, the system must
be reset. Your dealer has trained
service people who will perform this
work and reset the system. It is also
important to check the oil regularly
over the course of an oil drain
interval and keep it at the proper
level.
If the system is ever reset
accidentally, the oil must be
changed at 5 000 km (3,000 mi)
since the last oil change.
Remember to reset the oil life
system whenever the oil is changed.
How to Reset the Engine Oil
Life System
Reset the system whenever the
engine oil is changed so that the
system can calculate the next
engine oil change. To reset the
system:1. Turn the ignition key to ON/ RUN with the engine off. 2. Fully press and release the
accelerator pedal slowly three
times within five seconds.
3. Turn the key to LOCK/OFF.
If the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message comes back on when the
vehicle is started, the engine oil life
system has not reset. Repeat the
procedure.
Automatic Transmission
Fluid
When to Check and Change
Automatic Transmission Fluid
It is usually not necessary to check
the transmission fluid level. The only
reason for fluid loss is a
transmission leak or overheated
transmission. If a small leak is
suspected, use the following
procedures to check the fluid level.
However, if there is a large leak, it
may be necessary to have the
vehicle towed to a dealer and have
it repaired before driving the vehicle
further. Change the fluid and filter at the
intervals listed in
Maintenance
Schedule 0299, and be sure to use
the transmission fluid listed in
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants 0307.
How to Check Automatic
Transmission Fluid
Because this operation can be
difficult, it is recommended to have
this check done at your dealer,
which can monitor the transmission
temperature. The transmission fluid
level increases with temperature. To
obtain a highly accurate fluid level
check, the transmission temperature
must be measured.
If it is decided to check the fluid
level, be sure to follow all the
instructions here, or a false reading
on the dipstick may occur.
Caution
Too much or too little fluid can
damage the transmission. Too
much can mean that some of the
(Continued)