GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13882574) -
2020 - CRC - 11/1/19
210 Driving and Operating
controller should be installed by
your dealer or a qualified service
center.
If equipped, wiring provisions for an
aftermarket electric trailer brake
controller are included with the
vehicle as part of the trailer wiring
package. The harness contains the
following circuits:Electric Trailer
Brakes Dark Blue
Battery Feed Red/White
Brake Apply
Signal Light Blue
Ground Black
There are four blunt cut wires under
the floor carpeting in front of the
brake pedal. It will be necessary to
have a technician connect the
12-volt power to the engine
compartment fuse block.
Refer to the aftermarket electric
trailer brake controller owner's
manual to determine wire color
coding of the electric trailer brake controller. The wire colors on the
brake controller may be different
from the vehicle.
Trailer Lamps
Always check all trailer lamps are
working at the beginning of each
trip, and periodically on longer trips.
Turn Signals When Towing a
Trailer
When properly connected, the trailer
turn signals will illuminate to indicate
the vehicle is turning, changing
lanes, or stopping. When towing a
trailer, the arrows on the instrument
cluster will illuminate even if the
trailer is not properly connected or
the bulbs are burned out.
Tow/Haul Mode
Tow/Haul assists when pulling a
heavy trailer or a large or heavy
load. For instructions on how to
enter Tow/Haul mode, see
Tow/Haul
Mode 0174.
Tow/Haul Mode is designed to be
most effective when the vehicle and
trailer combined weight is at least 75% of the vehicle's Gross
Combined Weight Rating (GCWR).
See
“Trailer Weight ”under Trailer
Towing 0200.
Tow/Haul Mode is most useful when
towing a heavy trailer or carrying a
large or heavy load:
. through rolling terrain
. in stop-and-go traffic
. in busy parking lots
Operating the vehicle in Tow/Haul
Mode when lightly loaded or not
towing will not cause damage;
however, it is not recommended and
may result in unpleasant engine and
transmission driving characteristics
and reduced fuel economy.
Trailer Sway
Control (TSC)
Vehicles with StabiliTrak/Electronic
Stability Control (ESC) have a
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) feature.
Trailer sway is unintended
side-to-side motion of a trailer while
towing. If the vehicle is towing a
trailer and the TSC detects that
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Vehicle Care 213
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 214
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 215
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 223
Automatic Transmission Fluid (6-Speed Transmission) . . . . . 224
Automatic Transmission Fluid (8-Speed Transmission) . . . . . 227
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 228
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 234
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . . . 235
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236 Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Battery - North America . . . . . . 239
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Noise Control System . . . . . . . . 240
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 241
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 242
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 243
Windshield Replacement . . . . . 243
Headlamp Aiming
Front Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . 244
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker, and Parking Lamps . . . . . . . . . 244
Taillamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) . . . . . . . . . 246
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 247
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . 247 Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 248
Engine Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Floor Console Fuse Block . . . . 252
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 256
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Tire Terminology and Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Dual Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 273
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Vehicle Care 215
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements
Certain types of automotive
applications, such as airbag
initiators, seat belt pretensioners,
and lithium batteries contained in
electronic keys, may contain
perchlorate materials. Perchlorate
Material–special handling may
apply. 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 and
handling, 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 suspension components
caused by modifying vehicle height
outside of factory settings will not be
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 054.
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 ’s 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
Publication Ordering Information
0 329.
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Vehicle Care 217
3. Lift the hood and release thehood prop rod from its retainer,
in the front of the engine
compartment. Securely insert
the rod end into the slot
marked with an arrow, on the
underside of the hood. To close the hood:
1. Before closing the hood, be sure all filler caps are on
properly, and all tools are
removed.
2. Lift the hood and remove the hood prop rod from the
underside of the hood. Return
the prop rod to its retainer. The
prop rod must click into place
when returning it to the retainer
to prevent hood damage.
3. Lower the hood 20 cm (8 in) above the vehicle and release
it. Check to make sure the
hood is latched completely.
Repeat this process with
additional force if necessary.
{Warning
Do not drive the vehicle if the
hood is not latched completely.
The hood could open fully, block
your vision, and cause a crash.
You or others could be injured.
Always close the hood completely
before driving.
Engine Compartment
Overview
For diesel engine vehicles, see the
Duramax diesel supplement.
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Vehicle Care 219
1.Battery - North America 0239.
2. Radiator Pressure Cap. See Cooling System 0229.
3. Coolant Recovery Tank. See Cooling System 0229.
4. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System
0 229.
5. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0228.
6. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil 0221.
7. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When
to Add Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil 0221. 8. Power Steering Fluid
Reservoir. See Power Steering
Fluid 0235.
9. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0248.
10. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir. See Brake Fluid
0 238.
11. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding Washer
Fluid” under Washer Fluid
0 236.
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Vehicle Care 221
1.Battery - North America 0239.
2. Radiator Pressure Cap. See Cooling System 0229.
3. Coolant Recovery Tank. See Cooling System 0229.
4. Automatic Transmission Fluid Dipstick. See “Checking the
Fluid Level” underAutomatic
Transmission Fluid (6-Speed
Transmission) 0224 or
Automatic Transmission Fluid
(8-Speed Transmission) 0227.
5. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When
to Add Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil 0221.
6. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil 0221.
7. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System
0 229.
8. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0228.
9. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. See Power Steering
Fluid 0235. 10.
Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0248.
11. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir. See Brake Fluid
0 238.
12. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding Washer
Fluid” under Washer Fluid
0 236.
Engine Oil
For diesel engine vehicles, see
“Engine Oil” in the Duramax diesel
supplement.
To ensure proper engine
performance and long life, careful
attention must be paid to engine oil.
Following these simple, but
important steps will help protect
your investment:
. Use engine oil approved to the
proper specification and of the
proper viscosity grade. See
“Selecting the Right Engine Oil”
in this section. .
Check the engine oil level
regularly and maintain the
proper oil level. See “Checking
Engine Oil” and“When to Add
Engine Oil” in this section.
. Change the engine oil at the
appropriate time. See Engine Oil
Life System 0223.
. Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “What to Do with
Used Oil” in this section.Checking Engine Oil
Check the engine oil level regularly,
every 650 km (400 mi), especially
prior to a long trip. The engine oil
dipstick handle is a loop. See
Engine Compartment Overview
0217 for the location.
{Warning
The engine oil dipstick handle
may be hot; it could burn you.
Use a towel or glove to touch the
dipstick handle.
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226 Vehicle Care
warm or hot will give a more
accurate reading of the fluid level
than a cold check.
Because the vehicle is equipped
with a high-efficiency air-to-oil
cooler, the transmission fluid
temperature may not reach the
required hot fluid level checking
temperature under normal lightly
loaded driving vehicle conditions.
Checking the Fluid Level
Prepare the vehicle:1. Park the vehicle on a level place. Keep the engine
running.
2. With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever in P (Park).
3. With a foot on the brake pedal, move the shift lever through
each gear range, pausing for
about three seconds in each
range. When M is reached,
move the selector from M1
through M3. Then, position the
shift lever in P (Park).
4. Let the engine run at idle for two minutes or more. Then, without shutting off the
engine, use the steps that follow.
The transmission dipstick is near
the center of the engine
compartment and will be labeled
with the graphic shown.
See
Engine Compartment Overview
0 217 for more information on
location.
1. COLD Range
2. WARM Range
3. HOT Range
1. Flip the handle up, pull out the dipstick, and wipe it with a
clean rag or paper towel.
2. Push it back in all the way, wait three seconds, and pull it back
out again.
3. Check both sides of the dipstick, and read the lower
level. The fluid level must be in
the COLD (1) range for a cold
check, transmission
temperature 27 °C to 32 °C
(80 °F to 90 °F); between the
COLD (1) and HOT (3) range
for a WARM (2) check, 50 °C to
60 °C (122 °F to 140 °F); or in
the HOT (3) cross-hatched
range for a hot check, 71 °C to
93 °C (160 °F to 200 °F). Be
sure to keep the dipstick
pointed down to get an
accurate reading.
4. If the fluid level is in the acceptable range, push the
dipstick back in all the way;
then flip the handle down to
lock the dipstick in place.
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Vehicle Care 227
How to Add Automatic
Transmission Fluid
Refer toRecommended Fluids and
Lubricants 0312 to determine what
kind of transmission fluid to use.
1. WARM Range
2. HOT Range
Using a funnel, add fluid down the
transmission dipstick tube only after
checking the transmission fluid
while it is warm or hot. A cold check
is used only as a reference. If the
fluid level is low, add only enough of
the proper fluid to bring the level up
to the middle of the WARM (1) or
HOT (2) range depending on the
ambient temperature and prior
driving conditions. Refer to “How to
Check Automatic Transmission
Fluid” earlier in this section for
instructions on driving to achieve warm or hot transmission fluid.
It does not take much fluid,
generally less than 0.5 L (1 pt). Do
not overfill.
Caution
Use of the incorrect automatic
transmission fluid may damage
the vehicle, and the damage may
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Always use the correct
automatic transmission fluid. See
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants
0312.
. After adding fluid, recheck the
fluid level as described under
“How to Check Automatic
Transmission Fluid,” earlier in
this section.
. When the correct fluid level is
obtained, push the dipstick back
in all the way; then flip the
handle down to lock the dipstick
in place.
Automatic Transmission
Fluid (8-Speed
Transmission)
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. This vehicle is not
equipped with a transmission fluid
level dipstick. There is a special
procedure for checking and
changing the transmission fluid in
these vehicles. Because this
procedure is difficult, this should be
done at the dealer. Contact the
dealer for additional information or
the procedure can be found in the
service manual. See Publication
Ordering Information 0329.