2021 GMC SAVANA Owner's Manual

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14583543) -
2021 - crc - 7/10/20
144 Driving and Operating
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” under
Manual Mode 0144.
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 the
vehicle is 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.
To disable or enable Normal Mode Grade
Braking within the current ignition key cycle,
press and hold the Tow/Haul button for
three seconds.
For other forms of grade braking, see
Tow/
Haul Mode 0145 and
Cruise Control 0149.
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, the
transmission will downshift and a number
displays in the Driver Information
Center (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 shift lever is used to change
to the gear.
Grade Braking is not available when Range
Selection Mode is active. See Tow/Haul
Mode 0145.
While using Range Selection Mode, cruise
control and the Tow/Haul Mode can
be used.

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14583543) -
2021 - crc - 7/10/20
Driving and Operating 145
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 the
vehicle is stuck, do not spin the tires.
When stopping on a hill, use the brakes
to hold the vehicle in place.
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 078.
Also see “Tow/Haul Mode” underTowing
Equipment 0172.
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 Mode0144. 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.
See Towing Equipment 0172. For other forms of grade braking, see
Automatic Transmission
0142.
Brakes
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
The Antilock Brake System (ABS) helps
prevent a braking skid and maintain steering
while braking hard.
ABS performs a system check when the
vehicle is first driven. A momentary motor
or clicking noise may be heard while this
test is going on, and the brake pedal may
move slightly. This is normal.
If there is a problem with ABS, this warning
light stays on. See Antilock Brake System
(ABS) Warning Light 078.
ABS does not change the time needed to
get a foot on the brake pedal and does not
always decrease stopping distance. If you
get too close to the vehicle ahead, there will
not be enough time to apply the brakes if

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14583543) -
2021 - crc - 7/10/20
146 Driving and Operating
that vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always
leave enough room ahead to stop, even
with ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake
pedal down firmly. Hearing or feeling ABS
operate is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
ABS allows steering and braking at the same
time. In many emergencies, steering can
help even more than braking.
Parking Brake
To set the parking brake:1. Hold the regular brake pedal down. 2. Firmly push the parking brake
pedal down.
3. The brake system warning light will come on, if the ignition is on. See Brake
System Warning Light 077.
If you are towing a trailer and parking on a
hill, see Driving Characteristics and Towing
Tips 0160.
To release the parking brake: 1. Hold the regular brake pedal down.
2. Pull the handle with the parking brake symbol located just above the parking
brake pedal.
3. The brake system warning light will turn off, if the ignition is on.
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. Driving with the parking brake applied will
cause a warning chime to sound and a
Driver Information Center (DIC) message
may display. Release the parking brake or
stop the vehicle.
Brake Assist
Brake Assist detects rapid brake pedal
applications due to emergency braking
situations and provides additional braking to
activate the Antilock Brake System (ABS) if
the brake pedal is not pushed hard enough
to activate ABS normally. Minor noise, brake
pedal pulsation, and/or pedal movement
during this time may occur. Continue to
apply the brake pedal as the driving
situation dictates. Brake Assist disengages
when the brake pedal is released.
Hill Start Assist (HSA)
{Warning
Do not rely on the HSA feature. HSA does
not replace the need to pay attention
and drive safely. You may not hear or
feel alerts or warnings provided by this
system. Failure to use proper care when
(Continued)

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14583543) -
2021 - crc - 7/10/20
Driving and Operating 147
Warning (Continued)
driving may result in injury, death,
or vehicle damage. SeeDefensive Driving
0 126.
When the vehicle is stopped on a grade, Hill
Start Assist (HSA) temporarily prevents the
vehicle from rolling in an unintended
direction during the transition from brake
pedal release to accelerator pedal apply. The
brakes release when the accelerator pedal is
applied or automatically release after a few
seconds. The brakes may also release under
other conditions. Do not rely on HSA to hold
the vehicle.
HSA is available when the vehicle is facing
uphill in a forward gear, or when facing
downhill in R (Reverse). The vehicle must
come to a complete stop on a grade for HSA
to activate.
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control
System Operation
The vehicle has a Traction Control System
(TCS) and StabiliTrak/Electronic Stability
Control (ESC), an electronic stability control
system. These systems help limit wheel spin
and assist the driver in maintaining control,
especially on slippery road conditions.
TCS activates if it senses any of the drive
wheels are spinning or beginning to lose
traction. When this happens, TCS applies the
brakes to the spinning wheels and reduces
engine power to limit wheel spin.
StabiliTrak/ESC activates when the vehicle
senses a difference between the intended
path and the direction the vehicle is actually
traveling. StabiliTrak/ESC selectively applies
braking pressure to any one of the vehicle
wheel brakes to assist the driver in keeping
the vehicle on the intended path. Trailer
Sway Control (TSC) is also on automatically
when the vehicle is started. See Trailer Sway
Control (TSC) 0175. If cruise control is being used and traction
control or StabiliTrak/ESC begins to limit
wheel spin, cruise control will disengage.
Cruise control may be turned back on when
road conditions allow.
Both systems come on automatically when
the vehicle is started and begins to move.
The systems may be heard or felt while
they are operating or while performing
diagnostic checks. This is normal and does
not mean there is a problem with the
vehicle.
It is recommended to leave both systems on
for normal driving conditions, but it may be
necessary to turn TCS off if the vehicle gets
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow. See
If the
Vehicle Is Stuck 0131 and “Turning the
Systems Off and On” later in this section.
The indicator light for both systems is in the
instrument cluster. This light will:
.Flash when TCS is limiting wheel spin.
.Flash when StabiliTrak/ESC is activated.

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14583543) -
2021 - crc - 7/10/20
148 Driving and Operating
.Turn on and stay on when either system
is not working.
If either system fails to turn on or to
activate, a message displays in the Driver
Information Center (DIC), and
dcomes on
and stays on to indicate that the system is
inactive and is not assisting the driver in
maintaining control. The vehicle is safe to
drive, but driving should be adjusted
accordingly.
If
dcomes on and stays on:
1. Stop the vehicle.
2. Turn the engine off and wait 15 seconds.
3. Start the engine.
Drive the vehicle. If
dcomes on and stays
on, the vehicle may need more time to
diagnose the problem. If the condition
persists, see your dealer.
Turning the Systems Off and On
Caution
Do not repeatedly brake or accelerate
heavily when TCS is off. The vehicle
driveline could be damaged.
To turn off only TCS, press and release
g.
The appropriate message will display in the
DIC. To turn TCS on again, press and
release
g.
If TCS is limiting wheel spin when
gis
pressed, the system will not turn off until
the wheels stop spinning. To turn off both TCS and StabiliTrak/ESC,
press and hold
guntil the StabiliTrak/ESC
OFF light
gcomes on and stays on in the
instrument cluster, then release. The
appropriate message will display in the DIC.
To turn TCS and StabiliTrak/ESC on again,
press and release
g. The StabiliTrak/ESC OFF
light
gin the instrument cluster turns off.
StabiliTrak/ESC will automatically turn back
on if the vehicle exceeds 32 km/h (20 mph).
TCS will remain off until
gis pressed or the
ignition is cycled off then on.
The vehicle has a Trailer Sway Control (TSC)
feature and a Hill Start Assist (HSA) feature.
See Trailer Sway Control (TSC) 0175 or
Hill Start Assist (HSA) 0146.
Adding accessories can affect the vehicle
performance. See Accessories and
Modifications 0178.
Locking Rear Axle
Vehicles with a locking rear axle can give
more traction on snow, mud, ice, sand,
or gravel. It works like a standard axle most
of the time, but when traction is low, this
feature will allow the rear wheel with the
most traction to move the vehicle.

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14583543) -
2021 - crc - 7/10/20
Driving and Operating 149
Cruise Control{
Warning
Cruise control can be dangerous where
you cannot drive safely at a steady
speed. Do not use cruise control on
winding roads or in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous on
slippery roads. On such roads, fast
changes in tire traction can cause
excessive wheel slip, and you could lose
control. Do not use cruise control on
slippery roads.
If equipped with cruise control, a speed of
about 40 km/h (25 mph) or more can be
maintained without keeping your foot on
the accelerator. Cruise control does not work
at speeds below about 40 km/h (25 mph).
If the Traction Control System (TCS) or
StabiliTrak/Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
system begins to limit wheel spin while
using cruise control, the cruise control
automatically disengages. See Traction
Control/Electronic Stability Control 0147.
When road conditions allow you to safely
use it again, cruise control can be turned
back on. If the brakes are applied, cruise control
disengages.
I:
Press to turn cruise control on or off.
The white indicator comes on in the
instrument cluster when cruise control is
turned on.
+RES : If there is a set speed in memory,
press briefly to resume that speed or press
and hold to accelerate. If cruise control is
already active, use to increase vehicle speed.
SET− :Press briefly to set the speed and
activate cruise control. If cruise control is
already active, use to decrease vehicle
speed.
[: Press to disengage cruise control
without erasing the set speed from memory.
Setting Cruise Control
If
Iis on when not in use, the SET− or
+RES button could get pressed and go into
cruise when not desired. Keep
Ioff when
cruise is not being used.
To set a speed:
1. Press
Ito turn the cruise system on.
2. Get up to the desired speed.
3. Press and release SET−.
4. Remove your foot from the accelerator.
The cruise control indicator on the
instrument cluster turns green after cruise
control has been set to the desired speed.
See Instrument Cluster 071.
Resuming a Set Speed
If the cruise control is set at a desired speed
and then the brakes are applied or
[is
pressed, the cruise control is disengaged
without erasing the set speed from memory.
Once the vehicle speed reaches about
40 km/h (25 mph) or more, briefly press
+RES. The vehicle returns to the previous set
speed.

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14583543) -
2021 - crc - 7/10/20
150 Driving and Operating
Increasing Speed While Using Cruise Control
If the cruise control system is already
activated:
.Press and hold +RES until the desired
speed is reached, then release it.
.To increase vehicle speed in small
increments, briefly press +RES. For each
press, the vehicle goes about
1 km/h (Metric display) or 1 mph (English
display) faster.
The speedometer reading can be displayed
in either English or metric units. See Driver
Information Center (DIC) 081. The increment
value used depends on the units displayed.
Reducing Speed While Using Cruise Control
If the cruise control system is already
activated:
.Press and hold SET– until the desired
lower speed is reached, then release it.
.To slow down in small increments, briefly
press SET–. For each press, the vehicle
goes about 1 km/h (Metric display) or
1 mph (English display) slower.
The speedometer reading can be displayed
in either English or metric units. See Driver
Information Center (DIC) 081. The increment
value used depends on the units displayed. 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 the 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 the vehicle
speed. When going downhill, you might
have to brake or shift to a lower gear to
keep your speed down.
If the brake pedal is applied, cruise control
will disengage.
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, pressI. Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed is erased from
memory if
Iis pressed or if the vehicle is
turned off.
Driver Assistance Systems
This vehicle may have features that work
together to help avoid crashes or reduce
crash damage while driving, backing, and
parking. Read this entire section before
using these systems.
{Warning
Do not rely on the Driver Assistance
Systems. These systems do not replace
the need for paying attention and driving
safely. You may not hear or see alerts or
warnings provided by these systems.
Failure to use proper care when driving
may result in injury, death, or vehicle
damage. See Defensive Driving 0126.
Under many conditions, these systems
will not:
.Detect children, pedestrians, bicyclists,
or animals. (Continued)

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14583543) -
2021 - crc - 7/10/20
Driving and Operating 151
Warning (Continued)
.Detect vehicles or objects outside the
area monitored by the system.
.Work at all driving speeds.
.Warn you or provide you with enough
time to avoid a crash.
.Work under poor visibility or bad
weather conditions.
.Work if the detection sensor is not
cleaned or is covered by ice, snow,
mud, or dirt.
.Work if the detection sensor is
covered up, such as with a sticker,
magnet, or metal plate.
.Work if the area surrounding the
detection sensor is damaged or not
properly repaired.
Complete attention is always required
while driving, and you should be ready to
take action and apply the brakes and/or
steer the vehicle to avoid crashes. Audible Alert
Some driver assistance features alert the
driver of obstacles by beeping. To change
the volume of the warning chime, see
Vehicle Personalization
086.
Cleaning
Depending on vehicle options, keep these
areas of the vehicle clean to ensure the best
driver assistance feature performance. Driver
Information Center (DIC) messages may
display when the systems are unavailable or
blocked.
.Front and rear bumpers and the area
below the bumpers
.Front grille and headlamps
.Front camera lens in the front grille or
near the front emblem
.Front side and rear side panels
.Outside of the windshield in front of the
rearview mirrors
.Side camera lens on the bottom of the
outside mirrors
.Rear side corner bumpers
.Rear Vision Camera above the license
plate