battery GMC SAVANA 1996 User Guide

Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make
it go a little fdster
than just idle. That
is, push the accelerator slightly.
This uses
less fuel for the heat that you get and it
keeps the battery (or batteries) charged. You will need
a well-charged battery (or batteries) to restart the
vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on with your
headlamps. Let the heater
run for awhile.
If you have a diesel engine, you may have to run it at a
higher speed to get enough heat. Then, shut the engine
off and close the window almost all the way to preserve
the heat. Start the engine again and repeat this only
when you feel really uncomfortable from the cold.
But
do it as little as possible. Preserve the fuel as long as you
can. To help keep warm, you can get out of the vehicle
and
do some fairly vigorous exercises every half hour or
so until help comes.
Loading Your T hicle
on
GAWR FRT
RIM COLD TIRE PRI
EE ~ENERS MANUAL FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. -1
The CertificationRire label is found on the rear edge
of the driver’s door. The label shows the size
of your
original tires and the inflation pressures needed to obtain the gross weight capacity your vehicle. This is called
GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating). The GVWR
includes the weight of the vehicle, all occupants, fuel
and cargo.
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When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking
on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
Start your engine:
Shift into a gear: and
Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important
in trailer
operation are automatic transmission
fluid (don’t
overfill), engine oil, axle lubricant, belt, cooling system
and brake adjustment. Each
of these is covered in this
manual, and the Index will help
you find them quickly.
If you‘re trailering, it‘s a good idea to review these
sections before you start your trip.
Check periodically to see that
all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Trailer Wiring Harness
The eight-wire harness, if you have one, is stored under
your vehicle along the rear frame crossmember.
It is
wrapped and bound with a plastic strap. The harness has
a 30-anlp battery feed and no connector, and you should
have a qualified electrical service person wire your
harness for you. Attach the harness
to the trailer, then
tape or strap
it to your vehicle’s frame rail. Be sure you
leave
it loose enough so the wiring doesn’t bend or
break, but not
so loose that it drags on the ground.
Store the harness
in its original place. Wrap the harness
together and tie
it neatly so it won’t be damaged.
The five-wire harness,
if you have one, is stored inside
the vehicle at the passenger side rear corner, behind the
jack. This should be wired by a qualified electrical
service person. It must be routed out
of your vehicle
between the rear door and the floor,
with enough of the
harness left on both sides
so that the trailer or the body
won’t pull
it.
Store the harness in its original place. Wrap the harness
together and tie
it neatly so it won’t be damaged.
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To turn off the flashers, push the button until the first
‘click and release.
When the hazard warning flashers are on, your turn
signals- won’t work.
1 ’ Other Warning Devices
U? you carry reflective triangles, you can use them to
warn others. Set one up at the side of the road about
300 feet (100 m) behind your vehicle.
Jump Starting
If your battery has run down, you may want to use another
vehicle and some jumper cables to
start your vehicle. But
please use the following steps listed to
do it safely.
Batteries can hurt you. They can be
dangerous because:
0 They contain acid that can burn you.
0 They contain gas that can explode or ignite.
0 They contain enough electricity to burn you.
If you don’t follow these steps exa’ctly, some or all
of these things can hurt you.
i
NOTICE:
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with a negative ground system.
Ignoring these steps could result in costly damage
to your vehicle that wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
Trying to start your vehicle by pushing or pulling
it won’t work, and it could damage your vehicle.
NOTICE:
I
I
If’the other system isn’t a 12-volt system with a
negative ground, both vehicles can be damaged.
I
If you have a diesel engine vehicle with two batteries
(or more) you should know before you begin that,
,especially in cold weather, you may not be able
to
get enough power from a single battery in another
vehicle to start your diesel engine.
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If your vehicle has more than one battery, use the
battery that is under the hood
of the vehicle -- this
will reduce the electrical resistance.
2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure the vehicles aren’t touching
each other.
If they are, it could cause a ground
connection
you don’t want. You wouldn’t be able to
start your vehicle, and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
Set the parking brake firmly
on each vehicle. Put an
automatic transmission in PARK
(P) or a manual
transmission in NEUTRAL
(N).
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Turn off all
lamps that aren’t needed, and radios. This will avoid
sparks and help save both batteries, and could save
your radio!
NOTICE:
If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repairs would not be covered by
your warranty.
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries. Find
the positive
(+) and negative (-) terminals on
each battery.
A CA
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.
Be sure the battery (or batteries) has enough
water. You don’t need to add water to the Delco
Freedom@ battery
(or batteries) installed in
every new
GM vehicle. But if a battery has filler
caps, be sure the right amount of fluid
is there. If
it is low, add water to take care of that first. If
you don’t, explosive gas could be present.
Battery fluid contains acid that can burn you.
Don’t 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.
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5. Check that the jumper cables don’t 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 (+) and negative (-) will go to negative (-)
or a metal engine part. Don’t connect positive (+) to
negative (-) or you will get a short that would
darr ;e t‘ battery and maybe other parts, too.
A .CAUTION: I
Fans or other moving engine parts can injure you
badly. Keep your hands away from moving parts
once the engines are running. 6. Connect the red positive (+) cable to the positive (+)
terminal of the vehicle with the dead battery. Use a
remote positive
(+) terminal if the vehicle has one.
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7. Don’t let the other end
touch metal. Connect
it
to the positive (+)
terminal of the good
battery. Use
a remote
positive
(+) terminal if
the vehicle has one. Now
connect the black
negative
(-) cable to
the good battery‘s negative
(-) terminal.
Don’t let the other end touch anything
until the
next step.
9. Make your last connection away from the battery,
to the engine block, frame or other metal parts of
your vehicle.
10. Now start the vehicle with the good battery and run
the engine for
a while.
1 I. Try to start the vehicle with the dead battery.
If it won’t start after a few tries, it probably
needs service.
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12. Remove the cables in reverse order to prevent
electrical shorting. Take care
that they don’t touch
each other or any other metal.
A
A. Engine Block, Frame, Heavy Metal Engine Part
B. Good Battery
C. Dead Battery
Towing Your Vehicle
Try to have your GM dealer or a professional towing
service tow your vehicle. They
can provide the right
equipment and know how to tow it without damage. See
“Roadside Assistance” in your Index.
If your vehicle has been changed since it was
factory-new, by adding things like fog lamps, aero
skirting, or special tires and wheels, these things could
be damaged during towing.
Before
you do anything, turn on the hazard
warning flashers.
When you call, tell the towing service:
0
0
0
0
That your vehicle has rear wheel drive.
The make, model and year of your vehicle.
Whether you can move the shift lever for
the transmission.
If there was an accident, what was damaged.
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When you lift the hood, ~011’11 see these items:
A. Battery
B. Coolant Recovery Tank
C. Engine Oil Dipstick
D. Engine Oil Fill
E. Transmission Dipstick
F. Air Cleaner
G. Power Steering Reservoir
H. Brake Master Cylinder
I. Windshield Washer Fluid
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Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a modern vehicle is complex. Its
many parts have to be of top quality and work well
together
if the vehicle is to have really good braking.
Vehicles we design and test have top-quality
GM brake
parts in them, as your vehicle does when
it is new. When
you replace parts
of your braking system -- for example,
when your brake linings wear down and you have to
have
new ones put in -- be sure you get new genuine
GM replacement parts. If you don’t, your brakes may
no longer work properly. For example, if someone
puts
in brake linings that are wrong for your vehicle,
the balance between your front and rear brakes can
change
-- for the worse. The braking performance
you’ve come to expect can change
in many other ways if
someone puts in the wrong replacement brake parts.
Battery
Every new vehicle has a Delco Freedom@ battery. You
never have to add water to one of these. When it’s time
for a new battery,
we recolnmend a Delco Freedom
battery. Get one that has the replacement number shown
on the original battery’s label.
Vehicle Storage
If you’re not going to drive your vehicle for 25 days
or more, take off the black, negative
(-) cable from
the battery.
This will help keep your battery from
running down.
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Batteries have acid that can burn you and gas
that can explode. You can be badly hurt if you
aren’t careful. See “Jump Starting” in the Index
for tips on working around a battery without
getting hurt.
Halwen Bulbs
Contact your dealer to learn how to prepare your vehicle
for longer storage periods.
Also, for your audio system, see ”Theft-Deterrent
Feature’’
in the Index.
Bulb Replacement
Before you replace any bulbs, be sure that all the lamps
are
off and the engine isn’t running. See “Replacement
Bulbs”
in the index for the proper types of bulbs to use.
A CAUTIO
Halogen bulbs have pressurized gas inside and
can burst if you drop or scratch the bulb. You or
others could be injured. Be sure to read and
follow the instructions on the bulb package.
Headlamps
You have either a sealed beam ‘headlamp system or a
composite system.
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