2021 GMC SAVANA Owner's Manual

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14583543) -
2021 - crc - 7/10/20
232 Vehicle Care
Warning (Continued)
badly injured or killed if the vehicle slips
off the jack. If a jack is provided with the
vehicle, only use it for changing a
flat tire.
Caution
Using a jack to raise the vehicle without
positioning it correctly could damage
your vehicle. When raising your vehicle
on a jack, be sure to position it correctly
under the frame and avoid contact with
the plastic molding.
5. Turn the wheel wrench clockwise to raise the vehicle. Raise the vehicle far enough
off the ground so there is enough room
for the spare tire to fit.
6. Remove all the wheel nuts.
7. Take the flat tire off of the mountingsurface.
{Warning
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the
parts to which it is fastened, can
cause wheel nuts to become loose
over time. The wheel could come off
and cause a crash. When changing a
wheel, remove any rust or dirt from
places where the wheel attaches to
the vehicle. In an emergency, a cloth
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
or paper towel can be used; however,
use a scraper or wire brush later to
remove all rust or dirt.
8. Remove any rust or dirt from the wheel bolts, mounting surfaces, and spare
wheel.
{Warning
Never use oil or grease on bolts or nuts
because the nuts might come loose. The
vehicle's wheel could fall off, causing a
crash.

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14583543) -
2021 - crc - 7/10/20
Vehicle Care 233
9. Put the wheel nuts back on with therounded end of the nuts toward the
wheel. Tighten each wheel nut by hand
until the wheel is held against the hub.
10. Turn the jack handle counterclockwise to lower the vehicle. Lower the jack
completely.
{Warning
Wheel nuts that are improperly or
incorrectly tightened can cause the
wheels to become loose or come off. The
wheel nuts should be tightened with a
torque wrench to the proper torque
specification after replacing. Follow the
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
torque specification supplied by the
aftermarket manufacturer when using
accessory locking wheel nuts. See
Capacities and Specifications0258 for
original equipment wheel nut torque
specifications.
Caution
Improperly tightened wheel nuts can lead
to brake pulsation and rotor damage. To
avoid expensive brake repairs, evenly
tighten the wheel nuts in the proper
sequence and to the proper torque
specification. See Capacities and
Specifications 0258 for the wheel nut
torque specification.
11. Use the wheel wrench to tighten the nuts firmly. Turn the wheel wrench
clockwise and in a crisscross sequence, as
shown.
12. Put the wheel cover or the center cap and plastic wheel nut caps back on.
Remove any wheel blocks.
Have a technician check the wheel nut
tightness of all wheels with a torque
wrench after the first 160 km (100 mi)
and then 1 600 km (1,000 mi) after that.
Repeat this service whenever a tire is
removed or serviced. See Capacities and
Specifications 0258 for more
information.

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14583543) -
2021 - crc - 7/10/20
234 Vehicle Care
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools
{Warning
Storing a jack, a tire, or other equipment
in the passenger compartment of the
vehicle could cause injury. In a sudden
stop or collision, loose equipment could
strike someone. Store all these in the
proper place.
{Warning
Failure to follow these tire storage
instructions carefully could result in
personal injury or property damage if the
hoist cable fails or if the tire comes loose.
Make sure the tire is stored securely
before driving.
Caution
The tire hoist can be damaged if there is
no tension on the cable when using it. To
have the necessary tension, the spare or
road tire and wheel assembly must be
installed on the tire hoist to use it.
{Warning
An improperly stored spare tire could
come loose and cause a crash. To avoid
personal injury or property damage,
always store the spare tire when the
vehicle is parked on a level surface.
Store the tire under the rear of the vehicle
in the spare tire carrier.
1. Spare Tire
2. Tire/Wheel Retainer
3. Hoist Cable
4. Hoist Assembly
5. Hoist Shaft
6. Hoist Handle and Extension(s) 7. Wheel Wrench
1. Put the tire on the ground at the rear of
the vehicle with the valve stem pointed
down, and to the rear.
2. Pull the cable and spring through the center of the wheel. Tilt the wheel
retainer plate down and through the
center wheel.
Make sure the retainer is fully seated
across the underside of the wheel.
3. Assemble the wheel wrench (7) to thehoist handle and the extension(s) (6).
4. Open the passenger side rear door.
Caution
Use of an air wrench or other power
tools with the hoist mechanism is not
recommended and could damage the
system. Use only the tools supplied with
the hoist mechanism.

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14583543) -
2021 - crc - 7/10/20
Vehicle Care 235
5. Insert the chisel end of the hoist handle,on an angle, through the hole in the rear
floor panel above the bumper and onto
the hoist shaft.
Do not use the chiseled end of the wheel
wrench.
6. Raise the tire part way upward. Make sure the retainer is seated in the wheel
opening.
7. Raise the tire fully against the underside of the vehicle by turning the wheel
wrench clockwise until you hear two
clicks or feel it skip twice. You cannot
overtighten the cable.8. Make sure the tire is stored securely.Push, pull (1), and then try to turn (2) the
tire. If the tire moves, use the wheel
wrench to tighten the cable.
Two clicks mean the tire is up all
the way.
Repeat this tightness check procedure
when checking the spare tire pressure
according to the scheduled maintenance
information or any time the spare tire is
handled due to service of other
components.
Correctly Stored
Incorrectly Stored
9. Return the jacking equipment to the proper location. Secure the items and
replace the jack cover.
Full-Size Spare Tire
If this vehicle came with a full-size spare
tire, it was fully inflated when new,
however, it can lose air over time. Check the
inflation pressure regularly. See Tire Pressure
0 216 and
Vehicle Load Limits 0131. For instructions on
how to remove, install, or store a spare tire,
see Tire Changing 0228.

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14583543) -
2021 - crc - 7/10/20
236 Vehicle Care
After installing the spare tire on the vehicle,
stop as soon as possible and check that the
spare is correctly inflated. The spare tire is
made to perform well at speeds up to
112 km/h (70 mph) at the recommended
inflation pressure, so you can finish
your trip.
Have the damaged or flat road tire repaired
or replaced back onto the vehicle, as soon as
possible, so the spare tire will be available
in case it is needed again.
Do not mix tires and wheels of different
sizes, because they will not fit. Keep the
spare tire and its wheel together.
If this vehicle has a spare tire that does not
match the original road tires and wheels in
size and type, do not include the spare in
the tire rotation.
Jump Starting
Jump Starting - North America
For more information about the vehicle
battery, seeBattery - North America 0198.
If the vehicle battery has run down, you
may want to use another vehicle and some
jumper cables to start your vehicle. Be sure
to use the following steps to do it safely.
{Warning
WARNING: Battery posts, terminals, and
related accessories contain lead and lead
compounds, chemicals known to the
State of California to cause cancer and
birth defects or other reproductive harm.
Batteries also contain other chemicals
known to the State of California to cause
cancer. WASH HANDS AFTER HANDLING.
For more information go to
www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/
passenger-vehicle.
See California Proposition 65 Warning 0178
and the back cover.
{Warning
Batteries can hurt you. They can be
dangerous because:
.They contain acid that can burn you.
.They contain gas that can explode or
ignite.
.They contain enough electricity to
burn you.
If you do not follow these steps exactly,
some or all of these things can hurt you.
Caution
Ignoring these steps could result in costly
damage to the vehicle that would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty. Trying
to start the vehicle by pushing or pulling
it will not work, and it could damage the
vehicle.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt battery with a negative ground
system.
Caution
If the other vehicle does not have a
12-volt system with a negative ground,
both vehicles can be damaged. Only use
a vehicle that has a 12-volt system with a
negative ground for jump starting.
2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables can reach, but be sure the
vehicles are not touching each other.
If they are, it could cause a ground
connection you do not want. You would
not be able to start your vehicle, and the
bad grounding could damage the
electrical systems.

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14583543) -
2021 - crc - 7/10/20
Vehicle Care 237
To avoid the possibility of the vehicles
rolling, set the parking brake firmly on
both vehicles involved in the jump start
procedure. Put an automatic transmission
in P (Park) or a manual transmission in
Neutral before setting the parking brake.
Caution
If any accessories are left on or plugged
in during the jump starting procedure,
they could be damaged. The repairs
would not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Whenever possible, turn off or
unplug all accessories on either vehicle
when jump starting.
3. Turn the ignition off on both vehicles. Unplug unnecessary accessories plugged
into the cigarette lighter or the accessory
power outlet. Turn off the radio and all
lamps that are not needed. This will
avoid sparks and help save both
batteries. And it could save the radio!
4. Open the hoods and locate the positive (+) and negative (−) terminal
locations of the other vehicle.
On your van, use the unpainted radio
antenna bracket as a remote negative (−)
terminal.
{Warning
Using a match near a battery can cause
battery gas to explode. People have been
hurt doing this, and some have been
blinded. Use a flashlight if you need
more light.
Battery fluid contains acid that can burn
you. Do not get it on you. If you
accidentally get it in your eyes or on
your skin, flush the place with water and
get medical help immediately.
{Warning
Fans or other moving engine parts can
injure you badly. Keep your hands away
from moving parts once the engine is
running.
5. Check that the jumper cables do not have loose or missing insulation. If they
do, you could get a shock. The vehicles
could be damaged too.
Before you connect the cables, here are
some basic things you should know.
Positive (+) will go to positive (+) or to a
remote positive (+) terminal if the vehicle has one. Negative (−) will go to an
unpainted metal part or to a remote
negative (−) terminal if the vehicle has
one. On your van, use the unpainted
radio antenna bracket as a remote
negative (−) terminal.
Do not connect positive (+) to
negative (−) or you will get a short that
would damage the battery and maybe
other parts too. And do not connect the
negative (−) cable to the negative (−)
terminal on the dead battery because
this can cause sparks.
6. Connect the red positive (+) cable to the
positive (+) terminal of the dead battery.
Use a remote positive (+) terminal if the
vehicle has one. Do not let the other end

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14583543) -
2021 - crc - 7/10/20
238 Vehicle Care
touch metal. Connect it to the
positive (+) terminal of the good battery.
Use a remote positive (+) terminal if the
vehicle has one.
7. Now connect the black negative (−) cable to the negative (−) terminal of the good
battery. Use a remote negative (−)
terminal if the vehicle has one.
Do not let the other end touch anything
until the next step. The other end of the
negative (−) cable does not go to the
dead battery. It goes to a heavy,
unpainted metal engine part or to a
remote negative (−) terminal on the
vehicle with the dead battery. On your
van, use the unpainted radio antenna
bracket as a remote negative (−)
terminal.
8. Connect the other end of thenegative (−) cable to the negative (−)
terminal location on the vehicle with the
dead battery. On your van, use the
unpainted radio antenna bracket as a
remote negative (−) terminal.
Caution
The vehicle uses the unpainted radio
antenna bracket as a remote negative (-)
terminal. Move the antenna coaxial cable
out of the way before clamping the
negative jumper cable to the fixed
antenna bracket. Avoid touching the
negative cable clamp to the air
conditioning line. Failure to do either of
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
these could damage the vehicle. The
repairs would not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.
9. Now start the vehicle with the good battery and run the engine for a while.
10. Try to start the vehicle that had the dead battery. If it will not start after a
few tries, it probably needs service.
Caution
If the jumper cables are connected or
removed in the wrong order, electrical
shorting may occur and damage the
vehicle. The repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Always connect
and remove the jumper cables in the
correct order, making sure that the cables
do not touch each other or other metal.
Jumper Cable Removal
Reverse the sequence exactly when
removing the jumper cables.
After starting the disabled vehicle and
removing the jumper cables, allow it to idle
for several minutes.

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14583543) -
2021 - crc - 7/10/20
Vehicle Care 239
Towing the Vehicle
Caution
Incorrectly towing a disabled vehicle may
cause damage. The damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty. Do not
lash or hook to suspension components.
Use the proper straps around the tires to
secure the vehicle. Do not drag a locked
wheel/tire. Use tire skates or dollies
under any locked wheel/tire while
loading the vehicle. Do not use a sling
type lift to tow the vehicle. This could
damage the vehicle.
Caution
Improper use of the tow eye can damage
the vehicle. If equipped, use the tow eye
to load a disabled vehicle onto a flatbed
tow truck from a flat road surface, or to
move the vehicle a short distance. Use
caution and low speeds. The transmission
must be in (N) Neutral when moving the
vehicle.GM recommends a flatbed tow truck to
transport a disabled vehicle. Use ramps to
help reduce approach angles, if necessary.
A towed vehicle should have its drive wheels
off the ground. Contact Roadside Assistance
or a professional towing service if the
disabled vehicle must be towed.
Front Attachment Points
The vehicle is equipped with specific
attachment points to be used to pull the
vehicle onto a flatbed car carrier from a flat
road surface. Do not use these attachment
points to pull the vehicle from snow, mud
or sand.
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Recreational vehicle towing means towing
the vehicle behind another vehicle, such as
behind a motor home. The two most
common types of recreational vehicle
towing are known as dinghy towing and
dolly towing. Dinghy towing is towing the
vehicle with all four wheels on the ground.
Dolly towing is towing the vehicle with two
wheels on the ground and two wheels up
on a device known as a dolly.
Here are some important things to consider
before recreational vehicle towing:
.Before towing the vehicle, become
familiar with the local laws that apply to
recreational vehicle towing. These laws
may vary by region.
.What is the towing capacity of the
towing vehicle? Be sure to read the tow
vehicle manufacturer's recommendations.
.What is the distance that will be
traveled? Some vehicles have restrictions
on how far and how long they can tow.
.Is the proper towing equipment going to
be used? See your dealer or trailering
professional for additional advice and
equipment recommendations.