light GMC SAVANA 1996 Owners Manual
[x] Cancel search | Manufacturer: GMC, Model Year: 1996, Model line: SAVANA, Model: GMC SAVANA 1996Pages: 372, PDF Size: 18.81 MB
Page 7 of 372

Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.
For example,
these symbols
are
used on an
original battery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
ACID COULD BATTERY
CAUSE
BURNS
AVOID
SPARKS
OR
FLAMES
SPARK
OR ,111,
COULD FLAME
EXPLODE BATTERY
These symbols are important for you and
your passengers
whenever your
vehicle
is
driven:
DOOR LOCK
FASTEN SEAT
BELTS
POWER
WINDOW
These symbols have
to do with
your lights:
SIGNALS e
TURN
RUNNING
* 0
DAYTIME . .
LAMPS -**
FOG LAMPS $0
These symbols
are
on some of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
WIPER
WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER
VENTILATING FAN
These symbols
are used on
warning and
indicator lights:
COOLANT -
TEMP -
CHARGING I-1
BATTERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE
(a)
ENGINE OIL w,
PRESSURE
ANTI-LOCK
(@)
BRAKES
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
LIGHTER
m
HORN )cr
SPEAKER
b
FUEL ha
V
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Page 16 of 372

Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone
This part of the manual tells you how to use safety belts
properly. It also tells you some things you should not do
with safety belts.
And it explains the Supplemental Inflatable Restraint
(SIR), or air bag system.
I
6b, CAC I‘ION:
Don’t let anyone ride where he or she can’t wear
a safety belt properly. If you are in a crash and
you’re not wearing a safety belt, your injuries
can be much worse. You can hit things inside the
vehicle or be ejected from it.
You can be seriously
injured or killed. In the same crash, you might
not be
if you are buckled up. Always fasten your
safety belt, and check that your passengers’ belts
are fastened properly too. Your
vehicle has a light that
comes on as a reminder to
buckle up. (See “Safety
Belt Reminder Light’’
in
the Index.)
In most states and Canadian provinces, the law says to
wear safety belts. Here’s why: They bvork.
You never know if you’ll be in a crash. If you do have a
crash, you don’t know
if it will be a bad one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so
serious that even buckled up a person wouldn’t survive.
But most crashes are
in between. In many of them,
people who buckle up can survive and sometimes walk
away. Without belts they could have been badly hurt
or killed.
After more than 25 y&IB of safety belts in vehicles,
the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling
up does
matter
... a lot!
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Page 31 of 372

If your vehicle has an air bag for the right front
passr
, please read this:
A CAUTION:
An inflating air bag can seriously injure small
children. Always secure children properly in your
vehicle.
To read how, see the part of this manual
called “Children” and the caution label on the
right front passenger’s safety belt.
I
AIR
BAG
There is an air bag readiness
light on the instrument
panel, which shows
AIR
BAG.
The system checks the air bag’s electrical system for
malfunctions. The light tells
you if there is an electrical
problem. See “Air Bag Readiness Light”
in the Index
for more information.
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Page 56 of 372

Safety Belt Extender
If the vehicle’s safety belt will fasten around you, you
should use
it.
But if a safety belt isn’t long enough to fasten, your
dealer will order you an extender. It’s free. When you
go
in to order it, take the heaviest coat you will wear, so the
extender
will be long enough for you. The extender will
be just for you, and just for the seat in your vehicle that
you choose. Don’t let someone else use
it, and use it
only for the seat it is made to fit. To wear it, just attach it
to the regular safety belt.
Checking Your Restraint Systems
Now and then, make sure the safety belt reminder light
and all
your belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors and
anchorages are working properly.
Look for any other
loose or damaged safety belt system parts.
If you see
anything that might keep a safety belt system
from
doing its job, have it repaired.
Torn or frayed safety belts may not protect you
in a
crash. They can rip apart under impact forces. If a belt is
torn or frayed, get a new one right away.
Also
look for any opened or broken air bag covers, and
have them repaired or replaced. (The air bag system
does not need regular maintenance.)
Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash
If you’ve had a crash, do you need new belts?
After a very minor collision, nothing may be necessary.
But
if the belts were stretched, as they would be if worn
during a more severe crash, then you need new belts.
If belts are cut or damaged, replace them. Collision
damage also may mean
you will need to have safety belt
or seat parts repaired or replaced. New parts and repairs
may be necessary even
if the belt wasn’t being used at
the time of the collision.
If an air bag inflates, you’ll need to replace air bag
system parts. See the part on the air bag system earlier
in
this section.
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Page 70 of 372

Theft Parking at Night
Vehicle theft is big business, especially in some
cities. Although your vehicle has a number of
theft-deterrent features, we know that nothing we
put
on it can make it impossible to steal. However,
there are ways you can help.
Key in the Ignition
If you leave your vehicle with the keys inside, it’s an
easy target for joy riders or professional thieves -- so
don’t do it.
When you park your vehicle and open the driver’s
door, you’ll hear a tone reminding you to remove your
key from
the ignition and take it with you. Always do
this. Your steering wheel will be locked, and so will
your ignition and transmission. And remember to lock
the doors. Park
in a
lighted spot, close all windows and lock your
vehicle. Remember to keep your valuables
out of sight.
Put
them in a storage area, or take them with you.
Parking Lots
If you park in a lot where someone will be watching
your vehicle,
it’s best to lock it up and take your keys.
But what if
you have to leave your ignition key? What
if you have to leave something valuable in your vehicle?
Put your valuables in a storage area, like your
glove box.
Lock all the doors except the driver’s.
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Page 78 of 372

Locking Rear Axle
If you have this feature, your rear axle can give you
additional traction
on snow, mud, ice, sand or gravel. It
works like a standard axle most of the time, but when
one
of the rear wheels has no traction and the other does,
the locking feature will allow the wheel with traction to
move the vehicle.
Parking Brake
To set the parking brake, hold the regular brake pedal
down with your right foot. Push down the parking brake
pedal with
your left foot.
If the ignition is on, the brake system warning light will
come on. To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal
down. Pull the handle, located just above the
parking brake pedal, marked
BRAKE RELEASE to
release the parking brake.
If the ignition is on when the parking brake is released,
the brake system warning
light will go off.
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Page 84 of 372

Windows
Manual Windows
To operate your manual windows, turn the hand crank
on each door to raise or lower your side door windows.
Power Windows
The driver’s door has a switch for the passenger
window as well. Your power windows will work when
the ignition has been turned to the
RUN position.
Push the rear
of the switch with the power window,
symbol on it to lower the window.
Push the front
of the switch with the power window
symbol on it
ta raise the window.
The driver’s window switch also has an express-down
feature that allows the window to lower without holding
the switch. Press and hold the side
of the window
switch marked
AUTO for one second to activate the
express-down mode. The express-down mode can be
cancelled at any time by pressing the opposite side
of
the switch. To open the window part way, lightly tap the
switch until the window is at the desired position.
If you have the optional power windows, the controls
are
on each of the side doors.
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Page 88 of 372

Turn Signal and Lane Change Signals
The turn signal has two upward (for right) and two
downward (for left) positions. These positions allow you
to signal
a turn or a lane change.
To signal a turn, move the lever all the way up or down.
When the
turn is finished, the lever will return
automatically.
An arrow on the instrument
panel will flash
in the
direction
of the turn or
lane change. As you
signal a turn or a lane change, if the arrows flash
at twice the normal rate, a signal bulb may be burned
out and other drivers may
not see your turn signal.
If a bulb is burned out, replace it to help avoid an
accident.
If the arrows don’t go on at all when you
signal a turn, check for burned-out bulbs and a blown
fuse (see “Fuses and Circuit Breakers” in
the Index).
Headlamp High/Low Beam Changer
To change the headlamps from low beam to high or high
to low, pull the multifunction lever
all the way toward
you. Then release
it.
To signal a lane change, just raise or lower the lever
until the arrow starts to flash. Hold it there until you
complete your lane change. The lever will return
by
itself when you release it.
When the high beams
are
on, this light on the
instrument panel also
will be on.
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Page 89 of 372

Windshield Wi
You control the windshield
wipers by turning the band
with the wiper symbol on
it.
For a single wiping cycle, turn the band to MIST. Hold
it there until the wipers start, then let go. The wipers will
stop after one cycle.
If you want more cycles, hold the
band on MIST longer.
You can set the wiper speed for a long or short delay
between wipes. This can
be very useful in light rain or
snow. Turn the band to choose the delay time. The
closer to
LOW, the shorter the delay. For steady wiping
at low speed,
turn the band to
the
LOW position. For high-speed wiping, turn the
band further,
to HIGH. To stop the wipers, move the
band to
OFF.
Remember that damaged wiper blades may prevent
you from seeing well enough
to drive safely. To
avoid damage, be sure to clear ice and snow from the
wiper blades before using them.
If they are frozen to
the windshield, carefully loosen or thaw them.
If
your blades do become damaged, get new blades or
blade inserts.
Heavy snow or ice can overload your wipers. The
windshield wiper motor
is protected from overload
by a circuit breaker and a fuse. If the motor overheats
due
to heavy snow, etc., the wiper will stop until the
motor cools. Although the circuit is protected from
electrical overload, overload due
to heavy snow, etc.
may cause wiper linkage damage. Always clear ice
and heavy snow from the windshield before using your
windshield wipers.
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Page 92 of 372

Increasing Speed While Using Cruise Control
There are two ways to go to a higher speed:
Use the accelerator pedal to get to the higher speed.
Push the button at the end of the lever, then release
the button and the accelerator pedal.
You’ll now
cruise at the higher speed.
Move the cruise switch from ON to R/A. Hold it
there until you get up to the speed you want, and
then release the switch.
To increase your speed in
very small amounts, move the switch to R/A for less
than half a second. Each time
you do this, your
vehicle
will go about I mph (1.6 km/h) faster.
Reducing Speed While Using Cruise Control
There are two ways to reduce your speed while using
cruise control:
Push in the button at the end of the lever until you
reach the lower speed
you want, then release it.
0 To slow down in very small amounts, push the
button for less than
half a second. Each time you do
this, you’ll
go 1 mph (1.6 km/h) slower.
Passing Another Vehicle While Using Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to increase your speed. When
you take your foot off the pedal, your vehicle will slow
down to the cruise control speed
you set earlier.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well your cruise control will work on hills depends
upon your speed, load and the steepness of the hills.
When going
up steep hills, you may have to step on
the accelerator pedal to maintain yo~lr speed.
If the
steepness of the
hill causes the vehicle speed to drop
more than
I5 rnph (9.4 km/h) below the set speed, your
cruise control
will automatically disengage. When going
downhill, you may have
to brake or shift to a lower gear
to keep your speed down. Of course, applying the brake
takes you out
of cruise control. Many drivers find this to
be too much trouble and don’t use cruise control
on
steep hills.
Ending Cruise Control
There are two ways to turn off the cruise control:
Step lightly on the brake pedal; or
0 Move the cruise switch to OFF.
Erasing Speed Memory
When you turn off the cruise control or the ignition,
your cruise control set speed memory is erased.
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