weight GMC SAVANA 1996 Owners Manual

Leaving Your Vehicle With the
Enf;?e Rurr-;-y
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle with
the engine running. Your vehicle could move
suddenly if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P)
with the parking brake firmly set. And, if
you
leave the vehicle with the engine running, it could
overheat and even catch fire. You or others could
be injured. Don’t leave your vehicle with the
engine running unless you have to.
Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you don’t shift your
transmission into PARK (P) properly,
the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force
on the parking pawl in
the transmission. You may find it difficult to pull the
shift lever out
of PARK (P). This is called “torque lock.”
To prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and then
shift into PARK (P) properly before
you leave the
driver’s seat. To find out how, see “Shifting Into
PARK
(P)” in the Index. When
you are ready
to drive, move the shift lever out of
PARK (P) before you release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need
to have another
vehicle push yours a little uphill
to take some of the
pressure from the transmission,
so you can pull the shift
lever out of PARK
(P).
Shifting Out of PARK (P)
Your vehicle has a brake-transmission shift interlock
system.
You have to fully apply your regular brakes
before
you can shift from PARK (P). See “Automatic
Transmission” in the Index.
If
you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on
the shift lever and push the shift lever all the way up
into PARK
(P) as you maintain brake application. Then,
move the shift lever into the gear you want.
If
you ever hold the brake pedal down but still can’t
shift out of PARK (P), try this:
1. Turn the key to OFF.
2. Apply and hold the brake until the end of Step 4.
3. Shift to NEUTRAL (N).
4. Start the vehicle and then shift to the drive gear you
5. Have the brake-transmission shift interlock system
want.
fixed
as soon
as you can.
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Drunken Driving
Death and injury associated with drinking and driving
is a national tragedy. It’s the number one contributor to
the highway death toll, claiming thousands of victims
every year.
Alcohol affects four things that anyone needs to
drive
a vehicle:
0 Judgment
0 Muscular Coordination
0 Vision
0 Attentiveness.
Police records show that almost half
of all motor
vehicle-related deaths involve alcohol.
In most cases,
these deaths are
the result of someone who was drinking
and driving.
In recent years, sotne 18,000 anl~ual motor
vehicle-related deaths have been associated with the use
of alcohol, with more than 300,000 people injured.
Many adults
-- by some estimates, nearly half the adult
population
-- choose never to drink alcohol, so they
never drive after drinking. For persons under
21, it’s
against the law in every U.S. state to drink alcohol.
There are good medical, psychological and
developmental reasons for these laws. The obvious
way
to solve this highway safety problem
is
for people never to drink alcohol and then drive. But
what if people do‘? How much is “too much” if the
driver plans to drive‘? It’s a
lot less than many might
think. Although it depends on each person and situation,
here is some general information on the problem.
The
Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of someone
who
is drinking depends upon four things:
0 The anlount of alcohol consumed
0 The drinker’s body weight
The amount of food that is consumed before and
during drinking
The length of time it has taken the drinker to
consume the alcohol.
According to the American Medical Association, a
180-lb.
(82 kg) person who drinks three 12-ounce
(355 ml) bottles of beer in an hour will end up with a
BAC of about 0.06 percent. The person would reach the
same BAC by drinking three 4-ounce (120
ml) glasses
of wine or three mixed drinks
if each had 1- 1/2 ounces
(45
ml) of a liquor like whiskey, gin or vodka.
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It’s the amount of alcohol that counts. For example, if
the same per3on drank
three double martinis (3 ounces
or 90 ml of liquor each) within an hour, the person’s
BAC would be close to 0.12 percent. A person who
consumes food just before or during drinking will have
a somewhat lower
BAC level.
There is
a gender difference, too. Women generally have
a lower relative percentage
of body water than men. Since alcohol is carried
in body water, this means that a
woman generally will reach a higher BAC level than
a
man of her same body weight when each has the same
number
of drinks.
The law in many
U.S. states sets the legal limit at a BAC
of
0. IO percent. In a growing number of U.S. states, and
throughout Canada, the limit is
0.08 percent. In some
other countries, it’s even lower. The BAC limit for all
commercial drivers in the United States is
0.04 percent.
The BAC will be over
0.10 percent after three to six
drinks (in one hour). Of course, as we’ve seen, it
depends on how much alcohol
is in the drinks, and how .
quickly the person drinks them.
But the ability
to drive is affected well below a BAC
of
0.10 percent. Research shows that the driving
skills of many people
are impaired at a BAC
approaching
0.05 percent, and that the effects are worse
at night. All drivers are impaired at BAC levels above
0.05 percent. Statistics show that the chance of being
in a collision increases sharply for drivers who have a
BAC
of 0.05 percent or above. A driver with a BAC level
of
0.06 percent has doubled his or her chance of having a
collision. At a BAC level
of 0.10 percent, the chance of
this driver having a collision
is 12 times greater; at a level
of 0.15 percent, the chance is 25 times greater!
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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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The CertificatiodTire label also tells you the maximum
weights for the front and rear axles, called Gross Axle
Weight Rating (GAWR).
To fine out the actual loads
on your front and rear axles, you need
to go to a weigh
station and weigh your vehicle. Your dealer can help
you with this.
Be sure to spread out your load equally
on both sides of the centerline.
Never exceed the GVWR for your vehicle,
or the
GAWR for either the front or rear axle.
And, if
you do have a heavy load, you should spread
it
out.
Do not load your vehicle any heavier than
the
GVWR, or either the maximum front or
rear
GAWR. If you do, parts on your vehicle
can break, or it can change the way your
vehicle handles. These could cause you to lose
control. Also, overloading can shorten the life Things
you put inside your vehicle can strike
and injure people in a sudden stop or turn,
or
in a crash.
0 Put things in the cargo area of your vehicle.
Try to spread the weight evenly.
Never stack heavier things, like suitcases,
inside the vehicle
so that some of them are
above the tops of the seats.
Don’t leave an unsecured child restraint in
your vehicle.
When you carry something inside the
vehicle, secure it whenever you can.
Don’t leave a seat folded down unless you
need
to.
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Towin; a Traile
A CAUTION:
If you don’t use the correct equipment and drive
properly, you can lose control when you pull
a
trailer. For example, if the trailer is too heavy, the
brakes may not work
well -- or even at all. You
and your passengers could be seriously injured.
Pull
a trailer only if you have followed all the
steps in this section.
Ask your GM dealer for
advice and information about towing
a trailer
with your vehicle.
NOTICE:
Pulling a trailer improperly can damage your
vehicle and result in costly repairs not covered by
your warranty.
To pull a trailer correctly, follow
the advice in this part, and see your
GM dealer
for important information about towing a trailer
with your vehicle.
Your vehicle can tow
a trailer. To identify what the
vehicle trailering capacity is for your vehicle, you
should read
the information in “Weight of the Trailer”
that appears later
in this section. But trailering is
different than just driving your vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes
in handling, durability and
fuel economy. Successful, safe trailering takes correct
equipment, and
it has to be used properly.
That’s the reason for this section.
In it are many
time-tested, important trailering tips and safety rules.
Many of these are important for your safety and that of
your passengers. So please read this section carefully
before you pull
a trailer.
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If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points:
0
0
0
There are many different laws, including speed limit
restrictions, having to do with trailering. Make sure
your rig will be legal, not
only where you live but
also where you’ll be driving. A good source for this
information can be state or provincial police.
Consider using a sway control if your trailer will
weigh
4,000 lbs. (1 800 kg) or less. You should
always
use a sway control if your trailer will weigh
more than
4,000 lbs. (1 800 kg). You can ask a hitch
dealer about sway controls.
Don’t tow a trailer at all during
the first 500 miles
(800 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your engine,
axle or other parts could be damaged.
0
0
Then, during the first 500 miles (800 km) that you
tow a trailer, don’t drive over
50 mph (80 kdh) and
don’t make starts at full throttle. This helps your
engine and other parts
of your vehicle wear in at the
heavier loads.
You should use DRIVE (D) (or, as you need to,
a lower gear) when towing a trailer. Operating
your vehicle in
DRIVE (D) when towing a trailer
will minimize heat build-up and extend the life
of
your transmission.
Three important considerations have to do with weight:
the weight of the trailer,
the weight of
the trailer tongue
and the weight on your vehicle’s tires. I
I
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Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It depends on how you plan to use your rig. For
example, speed, altitude, road grades, outside
temperature and
how much your vehicle is used to pull a
trailer are all important. And, it can also depend on any
special equipment that you have on your vehicle.
The following chart
shows how much your trailer can
weigh, based upon vehicle model and options.
Max. Trailer
Model Engine Axle Ratio Weight (lbs.)
(kg)
G 10000 4.3L
5 .OL
5.7L
G20000 4.3L 5 .OL
5.7L
6.5L
G30000 5.7L
6.5L
7.4L 3.42
3.73
3.42
3.42
3.73
3.42
4.10
3.42
3.42
3.73
4.10 3.73
4.10 3.73
4.10 3.73
4.10 3.42
3.73
4.10 4000
4500 5000
5500
6000
4000
5000
5000
5500
6000
7500 6500
8000
6000
7500
6500
8000
7000 8000
(1816)
(2043)
(2270)
(2497)
(2724)
(1816)
(2270)
(2270)
(2497)
(2724)
(3405)
(295
1 )
(3632)
(2724)
(3405) (295
1 )
(3632)
(3 178)
(3632)
10,000 (4540)
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Maximum trailer weight is calculated assuming the
driver and one passenger are in the towing vehicle and
it
has all the required trailering equipment. The weight of
additional equipment, passengers and cargo in the
towing vehicle must be must be subtracted from
the
above maximum trailer weights.
You can ask your dealer for our trailering information or
advice, or you can write us at the address listed
in your
Warranty and Owner Assistance Information Booklet.
In Canada, write to:
General Motors
of Canada Limited
Customer Communication Centre
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario
L1H 8P7
Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an important
weight to measure because
it affects the total or gross
weight of your vehicle. The Gross Vehicle Weight
(GVW) includes the curb weight of
the vehicle, any
cargo you may carry in it, and the people who will be
riding
in the vehicle. And if you will tow a trailer, you
must add the tongue load to the GVW because your
vehicle will be carrying that weight,
too. See “Loading
Your Vehicle”
in the Index for more information about
your vehicle’s maximum load capacity.
A B
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If you’re using your platform hitch as a weight-carrying
hitch, the trailer tongue
(A) should weigh 10 percent of
the total loaded trailer weight
(B). If you’re using your
platform hitch as a weight-distributing hitch, the trailer
tongue
(A) should weigh 12 percent of the total loaded
trailer weight
(B).
After you’ve loaded your trailer, weigh the trailer and
then the tongue, separately, to see
if the weights are
proper. If they aren’t, you may be able to get them right
simply by moving some items around
in the trailer.
Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s Tires
Be sure your vehicle’s tires are inflated to the limit for
cold tires. You’ll find these numbers
on the Certification
label at the rear edge
of the driver’s door or see “Tire
Loading”
in the Index. Then be sure you don’t go over
the
GVW limit for your vehicle, including the weight of
the trailer tongue.
Hitches
It‘s important to have the correct hitch equipment.
Crosswinds, large trucks going by and rough roads are
a
few reasons why you’ll need the right hitch. Here are
some rules to follow:
0
0
The bumpers on your vehicle are not intended for
hitches.
Do not attach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches to them. Use only a
frame-mounted hitch that does not attach to the.
bumper.
Do not use a ball hitch, because it could pull
the bumper loose.
If you’ll be pulling a trailer that, when loaded, will
weigh more than
4,000 Ibs. (1 800 kg), be sure to use
a properly mounted, weight-distributing hitch and
sway control of the proper
size. This equipment is
very important for proper vehicle loading and good
handling when you’re driving.
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