GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13882574) -
2020 - CRC - 11/1/19
78 Instruments and Controls
Instruments and
Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . 79
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . 79
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . . 80
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Cigarette Lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Ashtrays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Engine Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . 88
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Voltmeter Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Seat Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . . . 90
Airbag On-Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . . 92
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Check Engine Light) . . . . . . . . . 92
Brake System Warning Light . . . 94
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Tow/Haul Mode Light . . . . . . . . . . 95
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Vehicle Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . . 96
StabiliTrak OFF Light . . . . . . . . . . 96
Traction Control System (TCS)/ StabiliTrak Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . 97
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . 98
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Information Displays
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Engine Power Messages . . . . . 104
Vehicle Speed Messages . . . . . 104
Vehicle Personalization
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . 104
GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13882574) -
2020 - CRC - 11/1/19
Instruments and Controls 93
Caution
If the vehicle is driven continually
with this light on, the emission
control system may not work as
well, the fuel economy may be
lower, and the vehicle may not
run smoothly. This could lead to
costly repairs that might not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Caution
Modifications to the engine,
transmission, exhaust, intake,
or fuel system, or the use of
replacement tires that do not
meet the original tire
specifications, can cause this light
to come on. This could lead to
costly repairs not covered by the
vehicle warranty. This could also
affect the vehicle’s ability to pass
an Emissions Inspection/(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
Maintenance test. See
Accessories and Modifications
0215.
If the light is flashing : A
malfunction has been detected that
could damage the emission control
system and increase vehicle
emissions. Diagnosis and service
may be required.
To help prevent damage, reduce
vehicle speed and avoid hard
accelerations and uphill grades.
If towing a trailer, reduce the
amount of cargo being hauled as
soon as possible.
If the light continues to flash, find a
safe place to park. Turn the vehicle
off and wait at least 10 seconds
before restarting the engine. If the
light is still flashing, follow the
previous guidelines and see your
dealer for service as soon as
possible. If the light is on steady :
A
malfunction has been detected.
Diagnosis and service may be
required.
Check the following:
. A loose or missing fuel cap may
cause the light to come on. See
Filling the Tank 0193. A few
driving trips with the cap
properly installed may turn the
light off.
. Poor fuel quality can cause
inefficient engine operation and
poor driveability, which may go
away once the engine is warmed
up. If this occurs, change the
fuel brand. It may require at
least one full tank of the proper
fuel to turn the light off. See
Recommended Fuel 0191.
If the light remains on, see your
dealer.
GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13882574) -
2020 - CRC - 11/1/19
Instruments and Controls 95
floor. It could take longer to stop.
If the light is still on, have the
vehicle towed for service. See
Towing the Vehicle0290.
{Warning
The brake system might not be
working properly if the brake
system warning light is on.
Driving with the brake system
warning light on can lead to a
crash. If the light is still on after
the vehicle has been pulled off
the road and carefully stopped,
have the vehicle towed for
service.
Antilock Brake System
(ABS) Warning Light
This light comes on briefly when the
engine is started.
If the light does not come on, have it
fixed so it will be ready to warn if
there is a problem.
If the light comes on while driving,
stop as soon as it is safely possible
and turn off the vehicle. Then start
the engine again to reset the
system. If the ABS light stays on,
or comes on again while driving, the
vehicle needs service.
If the ABS light is the only light on,
the vehicle has regular brakes, but
the antilock brakes are not
functioning.
If both the ABS and the brake
system warning light are on, the
vehicle's antilock brakes are not
functioning and there is a problem
with the regular brakes. See your
dealer for service.
See Brake System Warning Light
0 94.Tow/Haul Mode Light
For vehicles with the Tow/Haul
Mode feature, this light comes on
when the Tow/Haul Mode has been
activated.
See Tow/Haul Mode 0174.
Lane Departure Warning
(LDW) Light
This light is green if LDW is on and
ready to operate.
GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13882574) -
2020 - CRC - 11/1/19
110 Lighting
2:Turns on the headlamps,
parking lamps, taillamps, instrument
panel lights, and license plate
lamps.
If the headlamps are turned on
while the vehicle is on, the
headlamps turn off automatically
10 minutes after the ignition is
turned off. If the headlamps are
turned on while the vehicle is off,
the headlamps will continue to stay
on. To prevent the battery from
being drained, turn the control to the
Oposition.
A warning chime sounds if the driver
door is opened while the ignition
switch is off and the headlamps
are on.
To change the headlamps from low
beam to high beam, pull the turn
signal lever all the way toward you.
Then release it.
Exterior Lamps Off
Reminder
If a door is open, a reminder chime
sounds when the headlamps or
parking lamps are manually turned on and the key is out of the ignition.
To turn off the chime, turn the
headlamp switch to
Oor AUTO and
then back on, or close and re-open
the door. In the auto mode, the
headlamps turn off once the ignition
is off or may remain on until the
headlamp delay ends, if enabled in
the Driver Information Center (DIC).
See “Exit Lighting” underVehicle
Personalization 0104.
Headlamp High/
Low-Beam Changer
2 3:Pull the turn signal lever all
the way toward you to change the
headlamps from low to high beam.
Then release it.
Pull the turn signal lever all the way
toward you again and release it to
change the headlamps back to
low beam.
This instrument cluster light comes
on when the high-beam headlamps
are on.
Flash-to-Pass
This feature is used to signal to the
vehicle ahead that you want
to pass.
If the headlamps are off or in the
low‐beam position, pull the turn
signal lever toward you to
momentarily switch to high beams.
Release the lever to turn the
high-beam headlamps off.
Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL)
DRL can make it easier for others to
see the front of the vehicle during
the day.
GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13882574) -
2020 - CRC - 11/1/19
112 Lighting
The headlamps will also stay on
after exiting the vehicle. This feature
may be programmable. SeeVehicle
Personalization 0104.
If the feature is not programmable,
exit lighting is automatic. When it is
dark enough outside, the exterior
lamps remain on for 30 seconds
after the ignition is turned off.
Lights On with Wipers
If the windshield wipers are
activated in daylight with the engine
on, and the exterior lamp control is
in AUTO, the headlamps, parking
lamps, and other exterior lamps
come on. The transition time for the
lamps coming on varies based on
wiper speed. When the wipers are
not operating, these lamps turn off.
Move the exterior lamp control to
P
or;to disable this feature.
Hazard Warning Flashers
|: Press this button to make the
front and rear turn signal lamps
flash on and off. This warns others
that you are having trouble. Press
again to turn the flashers off.
When the hazard warning flashers
are on, the vehicle's turn signals will
not work.
Turn and Lane-Change
Signals
G: An arrow on the instrument
cluster flashes in the direction of the
turn or lane change.
To signal a turn, move the lever all
the way up or down.
To signal a lane change, raise or
lower the lever until the arrow starts
to flash. The turn signal
automatically flashes three times
and if the Tow/Haul Mode is active it
flashes six times. Holding the turn
signal lever for more than
one second causes the turn signals
to flash continually until the lever is
released.
The lever returns to its starting
position when released.
GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13882574) -
2020 - CRC - 11/1/19
144 Climate Controls
):Air is divided between the
instrument panel and floor outlets,
with some air directed toward the
windshield.
6: Air is directed to the floor
outlets with some air directed to the
windshield and side windows.
-: This mode clears the windows
of fog or moisture. Outside air is
directed to the floor and defroster
outlets. Adjust the temperature knob
for warmer or cooler air. The air
conditioning compressor might turn
on in this setting to dehumidify
the air.
1: This mode clears the
windshield of fog or frost more
quickly. Air is directed to the
windshield, with some to the floor
outlets and front side windows. The
air conditioning compressor might
turn on in this setting to dehumidify
the air.
Do not drive the vehicle until all the
windows are clear.
Vehicles with Air Conditioning
1. Fan Control
2. Temperature Control
3. Air Delivery Mode Control
4. Rear Window Defogger (If Equipped)
On hot days, open the windows to
let hot inside air escape; then close
them. This helps to reduce the time
needed for the vehicle to cool down
and the system operates more
efficiently.
#: Cools and dehumidifies the air
inside of the vehicle.
V: Cools the air inside the vehicle
faster, by recirculating the inside air.
GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13882574) -
2020 - CRC - 11/1/19
Driving and Operating 149
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Driving for Better FuelEconomy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 154
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 155
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 157
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 161
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Fast Idle System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166 Engine Coolant Heater . . . . . . . 166
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Running the Vehicle While
Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 170
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 176
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 181
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . 183
Park Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Fuel
Top Tier Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . . 191
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 191
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Filling a Portable FuelContainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13882574) -
2020 - CRC - 11/1/19
150 Driving and Operating
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) . . . 210
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical
Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Driving Information
Driving for Better Fuel
Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel
mileage. Here are some driving tips
to get the best fuel economy
possible:
. Set the climate controls to the
desired temperature after the
engine is started, or turn them
off when not required.
. 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.
Distracted Driving
Distraction comes in many forms
and can take your focus from the
task of driving. Exercise good
judgment and do not let other
activities divert your attention away
from the road. Many local
governments have enacted laws
regarding driver distraction. Become
familiar with the local laws in
your area.
To avoid distracted driving, keep
your eyes on the road, keep your
hands on the steering wheel, and
focus your attention on driving.