2017 GMC SAVANA PASSENGER Owners Manual

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9967828) -
2017 - crc - 5/6/16
184 Driving and Operating
Running the Vehicle
While Parked
It is better not to park with the
engine running.
If the vehicle is left with the engine
running, follow the proper steps to
be sure the vehicle will not move.
SeeShifting Into Park 0181 and
Engine Exhaust 0183.
If parking on a hill and pulling a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips 0203.
Automatic
Transmission
A shift position indicator is in the
instrument cluster.
There are several different positions
for the shift lever.
See “Range Selection Mode” under
Manual Mode 0187.
P : This position locks the rear
wheels. It is the best position to use
when starting the engine because
the vehicle cannot move easily.
When parked on a hill, especially
when the vehicle has a heavy load,
you might notice an increase in the
effort to shift out of P (Park). See
“Torque Lock” underShifting Into
Park 0181.
{Warning
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the 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. 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).
See Shifting Into Park 0181 and
Driving Characteristics and
Towing Tips 0203.
R : Use this gear to back up.

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9967828) -
2017 - crc - 5/6/16
Driving and Operating 185
Caution
Shifting to R (Reverse) while the
vehicle is moving forward could
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Shift to
R (Reverse) only after the vehicle
is stopped.
To rock the vehicle back and forth to
get out of snow, ice, or sand without
damaging the transmission, see If
the Vehicle Is Stuck 0172.
N : In this position, the engine does
not connect with the wheels.
To restart when you are already
moving, use N (Neutral) only. Also,
use N (Neutral) when the vehicle is
being towed.
{Warning
Shifting into a drive gear while the
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is
firmly on the brake pedal, the
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
vehicle could move very rapidly.
You could lose control and hit
people or objects. Do not shift
into a drive gear while the engine
is running at high speed.
Caution
Shifting out of P (Park) or
N (Neutral) with the engine
running at high speed may
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Be sure the
engine is not running at high
speed when shifting the vehicle.
D : This position is for normal
driving. It provides the best fuel
economy. If you need more power
for passing, and you are:
. Going less than about 55 km/h
(35 mph), push the accelerator
pedal about halfway down. .
Going about 55 km/h (35 mph) or
more, push the accelerator all
the way down.
By doing this, the vehicle shifts
down to the next gear and has
more power.
D (Drive) can be used when towing
a trailer, carrying a heavy load,
or driving on steep hills. You might
want to shift the transmission to a
lower gear selection if the
transmission shifts too often.
Downshifting the transmission in
slippery road conditions could result
in skidding. See “Skidding”under
Loss of Control 0168.
The vehicle has a shift stabilization
feature that adjusts the transmission
shifting to the current driving
conditions in order to reduce rapid
upshifts and downshifts. This shift
stabilization feature is designed to
determine, before making an
upshift, if the engine is able to
maintain vehicle speed by analyzing
things such as vehicle speed,
throttle position, and vehicle load.
If the shift stabilization feature
determines that a current vehicle

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9967828) -
2017 - crc - 5/6/16
186 Driving and Operating
speed cannot be maintained, the
transmission does not upshift and
instead holds the current gear.
In some cases, this could appear to
be a delayed shift, however the
transmission is operating normally.
The transmission uses adaptive
shift controls. Adaptive shift controls
continually compare key shift
parameters to pre-programmed
ideal shifts stored in the
transmission’s computer. The
transmission constantly makes
adjustments to improve vehicle
performance according to how the
vehicle is being used, such as with
a heavy load or when the
temperature changes. During this
adaptive shift control process,
shifting might feel different as the
transmission determines the best
settings.
The shift quality of a new vehicle
may not be ideal because the
adaptive shift control process may
not have determined the best
settings for a particular shift or
condition. Shift quality will improve
with continued driving.When temperatures are very cold,
the transmission's gear shifting
could be delayed, providing more
stable shifts until the engine warms
up. Shifts could be more noticeable
with a cold transmission. This
difference in shifting is normal.
M :
This position lets drivers select
the range of gears appropriate for
current driving conditions. If the
vehicle has this feature, see “Range
Selection Mode” underManual
Mode 0187.
3 : This position is also used for
normal driving. It reduces vehicle
speed more than D (Drive) without
using the brakes. You might choose
3 (Third) instead of D (Drive) when
driving on hilly, winding roads; when
towing a trailer, so there is less
shifting between gears; and when
going down a steep hill. See “Range
Selection Mode” underManual
Mode 0187.
2 : This position reduces vehicle
speed even more than 3 (Third)
without using the brakes. You can
use 2 (Second) on hills. It can help
control vehicle speed as you go down steep mountain roads, but
then you would also want to use the
brakes off and on. See
“Range
Selection Mode” underManual
Mode 0187.
If you manually select 2 (Second) in
an automatic transmission, the
transmission will start in
second gear. You can use this
feature for reducing the speed of the
rear wheels when trying to start the
vehicle from a stop on slippery road
surfaces.
1 : This position reduces vehicle
speed without using the brakes.
You can use it for major/severe
downgrades where the vehicle
would otherwise accelerate due to
steepness of grade. When you shift
to 1 (First) it provides the lowest
gear appropriate to current road
speed and continues to downshift
as the vehicle slows, eventually
downshifting to 1 (First) gear. The
transmission can be held in 1 (First)
gear using Range Selection Mode
or the shift lever. See “Range
Selection Mode” underManual
Mode 0187.

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9967828) -
2017 - crc - 5/6/16
Driving and Operating 187
Caution
Spinning the tires or holding the
vehicle in one place on a hill
using only the accelerator pedal
may damage the transmission.
The repair will not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. If you are
stuck, do not spin the tires. When
stopping on a hill, use the brakes
to hold the vehicle in place.
Normal Mode Grade Braking
This mode is enabled when the
vehicle is started, but is not enabled
in Range Selection Mode. It assists
in maintaining desired vehicle
speeds when driving on downhill
grades by using the engine and
transmission to slow the vehicle.
The first time the system activates
for each ignition key cycle, a DIC
message will be displayed. See
Transmission Messages0118.
To disable or enable Normal Mode
Grade Braking within the current
ignition key cycle, press and hold
the Tow/Haul button for three seconds. A DIC message
displays. See
Transmission
Messages 0118.
For other forms of grade braking,
see Tow/Haul Mode 0188 and
Cruise Control 0192.
Manual Mode
Range Selection Mode
If equipped, Range Selection Mode
helps control the vehicle's
transmission and vehicle speed
while driving downhill or towing a
trailer by letting you select a desired
range of gears.
To use this feature:
1. Move the shift lever to M (Manual Mode). 2. Press the +/−
buttons on the
shift lever, to select the desired
range of gears for current
driving conditions.
When M (Manual Mode) is selected
a number displays in the DIC next to
the M indicating the current gear.
This number is the highest gear that
can be used. However, the vehicle
can automatically shift to lower
gears as it adjusts to driving
conditions. This means that all
gears below that number are
available. When 5 (Fifth) is selected,
1 (First) through 5 (Fifth) gears are
automatically shifted by the vehicle,
but 6 (Sixth) cannot be used until
the +/− button on the steering
column lever is used to change to
the gear.
Grade Braking is not available when
Range Selection Mode is active.
See Tow/Haul Mode 0188.
While using Range Selection Mode,
cruise control and the Tow/Haul
Mode can be used.

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9967828) -
2017 - crc - 5/6/16
188 Driving and Operating
Caution
Spinning the tires or holding the
vehicle in one place on a hill
using only the accelerator pedal
may damage the transmission.
The repair will not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. If you are
stuck, do not spin the tires. When
stopping on a hill, use the brakes
to hold the vehicle in place.
Low Traction Mode
Low Traction Mode can assist in
vehicle acceleration when road
conditions are slippery. While the
vehicle is at a stop, select the
second gear range using Range
Selection Mode. This will limit
torque to the wheels after it detects
wheel slip, preventing the tires from
spinning.
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 0105.
Also see “Tow/Haul Mode” under
Towing Equipment 0211.
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 Mode0187.
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 0118.
See Towing Equipment 0211.
For other forms of grade braking,
see Automatic Transmission 0184
and Cruise Control 0192.

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9967828) -
2017 - crc - 5/6/16
Driving and Operating 189
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. SeeAntilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning
Light 0104. 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.

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9967828) -
2017 - crc - 5/6/16
190 Driving and Operating
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.
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 0203.
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

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9967828) -
2017 - crc - 5/6/16
Driving and Operating 191
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.
SeeTraction Control System (TCS)/
StabiliTrak
®Light 0105.
For your safety, the system can only
be disabled when the vehicle speed
is less than 40 km/h (25 mph).
Pressgon the instrument panel
once to turn off the TCS. The
appropriate message is displayed in
the DIC. See Ride Control System
Messages 0116.
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 0116.
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 0172.
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