2021 GMC SAVANA brake light

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14583543) -
2021 - crc - 7/10/20
138 Driving and Operating
Fast Idle System
If equipped, this feature is available only
with cruise control. The manual fast idle
switch is operated using the cruise control
buttons on the left side of the steering
wheel.
This system can be used to increase engine
idle speed whenever the following
conditions are met:
.The parking brake is set.
.The brake pedal is not pressed.
.The vehicle must not be moving and the
accelerator must not be pressed.
To control the fast idle:
.To enable the Fast Idle System, press and
release the cruise control on/off button
and ensure that the switch indicator light
is lit.
.Press and release the cruise control SET-
button. Engine speed will be held at
approximately 1200 rpm.
When the fast idle is active, the Driver
Information Center (DIC) will display FAST
IDLE ON.
One of the following actions will turn off
the fast idle:
.Pressing the brake.
.Selecting the cruise control cancel button.
.Releasing the parking brake.
.Moving the transmission shift lever out of
P (Park) or N (Neutral).
.Selecting the cruise control on/off button
when it was previously on.
.Pressing the cruise control SET- button a
second time.
.Pressing the accelerator more than
one-quarter of the way down.
.Turning the ignition off.
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
When the ignition is turned from on to off,
the following features (if equipped) will
continue to function for up to 10 minutes,
or until the driver door is opened. These
features will also work when the ignition is
in RUN or ACC/ACCESSORY:
.Infotainment System
.Power Windows (during RAP this
functionality will be lost when any door
is opened)
.Sunroof (during RAP this functionality will
be lost when any door is opened)
.Auxiliary Power Outlet
.Audio System
.OnStar System
Engine Coolant Heater
If the vehicle has a diesel engine, see the
Duramax diesel supplement.
{Warning
Do not plug in the engine block heater
while the vehicle is parked in a garage or
under a carport. Property damage or
personal injury may result. Always park
the vehicle in a clear open area away
from buildings or structures.
The engine coolant heater can provide easier
starting and better fuel economy during
engine warm-up in cold weather conditions
at or below −18 °C (0 °F). Vehicles with an
engine coolant heater should be plugged in
at least four hours before starting.
An internal thermostat in the plug end of
the cord may exist which will prevent
engine coolant heater operation at
temperatures above −18 °C (0 °F).
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.

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
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
154 Driving and Operating
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
System
If equipped, the FCA system may help to
avoid or reduce the harm caused by
front-end crashes. When approaching a
vehicle ahead too quickly, FCA provides a
red flashing alert on the windshield and
rapidly beeps. FCA also lights an amber
visual alert if following another vehicle
much too closely.
FCA detects vehicles within a distance of
approximately 60 m (197 ft) and operates at
speeds above 40 km/h (25 mph).
{Warning
FCA is a warning system and does not
apply the brakes. When approaching a
slower-moving or stopped vehicle ahead
too rapidly, or when following a vehicle
too closely, FCA may not provide a
warning with enough time to help avoid
a crash. It also may not provide any
warning at all. FCA does not warn of
pedestrians, animals, signs, guardrails,
bridges, construction barrels, or other(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
objects. Be ready to take action and
apply the brakes. SeeDefensive Driving
0 126.
FCA can be disabled with the
[button on
the center stack.
Detecting the Vehicle Ahead
FCA warnings will not occur unless the FCA
system detects a vehicle ahead. When a
vehicle is detected, the vehicle ahead
indicator will display green. Vehicles may
not be detected on curves, highway exit
ramps, or hills, due to poor visibility; or if a
vehicle ahead is partially blocked by
pedestrians or other objects. FCA will not
detect another vehicle ahead until it is
completely in the driving lane.
{Warning
FCA does not provide a warning to help
avoid a crash, unless it detects a vehicle.
FCA may not detect a vehicle ahead if
the FCA sensor is blocked by dirt, snow,
or ice, or if the windshield is damaged.
It may also not detect a vehicle on
winding or hilly roads, or in conditions
that can limit visibility such as fog, rain,
or snow, or if the headlamps or
windshield are not cleaned or in proper
condition. Keep the windshield,
headlamps, and FCA sensors clean and in
good repair.
Collision Alert
When your vehicle approaches another
detected vehicle too rapidly, the red FCA
display will flash on the windshield. Also,
eight rapid high-pitched beeps will sound
from the front. When this Collision Alert

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14583543) -
2021 - crc - 7/10/20
Driving and Operating 155
occurs, the brake system may prepare for
driver braking to occur more rapidly which
can cause a brief, mild deceleration.
Continue to apply the brake pedal as
needed. Cruise control may be disengaged
when the Collision Alert occurs.
Tailgating Alert
The vehicle ahead indicator will display
amber if following a detected vehicle ahead
much too closely.
Selecting the Alert Timing
The Collision Alert button is on the center
stack. Press
[to set the alert timing to
far, medium, near, or off. The first button
press shows the current control setting on
the DIC. Additional button presses will
change this setting. The chosen setting will
remain until it is changed and will affect
both the Collision Alert and the Tailgating
Alert features. The timing of both alerts will
vary based on vehicle speed. The faster the
vehicle speed, the farther away the alert will occur. Consider traffic and weather
conditions when selecting the alert timing.
The range of selectable alert timings may
not be appropriate for all drivers and driving
conditions.
Unnecessary Alerts
FCA may provide unnecessary alerts to
turning vehicles, vehicles in other lanes,
objects that are not vehicles, or shadows.
These alerts are normal operation and the
vehicle does not need service.
Cleaning the System
If the FCA system does not seem to operate
properly, cleaning the outside of the
windshield area in front of the camera
sensor may correct the issue.
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA)
If equipped, the SBZA system is a
lane-changing aid that assists drivers with
avoiding crashes that occur with moving
vehicles in the side blind zone, or blind spot
areas. The SBZA warning display will light
up in the corresponding outside side mirror
and will flash if the turn signal is on.
{Warning
SBZA does not alert the driver to vehicles
rapidly approaching outside of the side
blind zones, pedestrians, bicyclists,
or animals. It may not provide alerts
when changing lanes under all driving
conditions. Failure to use proper care
when changing lanes may result in injury,
death, or vehicle damage. Before making
a lane change, always check mirrors,
glance over your shoulder, and use the
turn signals.
SBZA Detection Zones