tow GMC SAVANA 1998 Owner's Manual
[x] Cancel search | Manufacturer: GMC, Model Year: 1998, Model line: SAVANA, Model: GMC SAVANA 1998Pages: 388, PDF Size: 20.04 MB
Page 102 of 388

Running Your Engine While
You’re Parked
It’s better not to park with the engine running. But if
ever you have to, here are some things to know.
t-
Idling the engine with the air system control off
could allow dangerous exhaust into your vehicle
(see the earlier Caution under “Engine Exhaust”).
I Also, idling in a closed-in place can let deadly
carbon monoxide
(CO) into your vehicle even
if the fan switch is
at the highest setting. One
place this can happen
is a garage. Exhaust -- with
CO -- can come in easily. NEVER park in a
garage with the engine running.
Another closed-in place can be
a blizzard.
(See “Blizzard” in the Index.) It can
be dangerous to get out of
yvur vehicle if
the shift lever is not fully in PARK
(P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Don’t leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. If you’ve left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You
or others could be injured. To be sure your
vehicle won’t move, even when you’re
on fairly
level ground, always set your parking brake and
move the shift lever to PARK (P).
Follow the proper steps to be sure your vehicle won’t
move. See “Shifting Into
PARK (P)” in the Index.
If you’re pulling a trailer, see “Towing
a Trailer” in
the Index.
Locking Rear Axle (If Equipped)
If you have this feature, your locking 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, this feature will allow
the wheel with
traction to move the vehicle.
2-30
ProCarManuals.com
Page 104 of 388

Swing-Out Windows
Rear Swing-Out Window
Side Swing-Out Window
To open your side door swing-out windows, pull up on
the latch at the edge
of the window and swing the
window out and push down the latch into the locked
open position.
To close the window, pull the latch toward you and push
down on the latch
to lock it.
Your rear swing-out windows work the same way, but
the latch
is at the bottom edge of the window.
2-32
i c
ProCarManuals.com
Page 107 of 388

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.
&I An arrow on the instrument
II
panel will flash in the
direction
of the turn or
lane change.
I I
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. 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.
When the high beams are
on, this light on the
instrument panel also will
be
on.
2-35
ProCarManuals.com
Page 114 of 388

The DRL system will make your headlamps come on at
a reduced brightness when:
The ignition is on,
The headlamp switch is off, and
The parking brake is released.
When the DRL are
on, only your headlamps will be on.
The taillamps, sidemarker and other lamps won’t be on.
Your instrument panel won’t be lit up either.
When it begins
to get dark, your DRL indicator light is
a reminder
to turn your headlamp switch on. The other
lamps that come
on with your headlamps will also
come
on.
When you turn off the headlamp switch, the regular
lamps will go off, and your headlamps will change to
the reduced brightness of
DRL.
To idle your vehicle with the engine on and the DRL off,
set the parking brake. The DRL will stay off until you
release the parking brake.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the regular
headlamp system when you need it.
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp
Your vehicle’s center high-mounted stoplamp is located
above the rear doors at the center of the vehicle.
If items are loaded on the roof of the vehicle, as in a
luggage carrier, care should be taken
not to block or
damage the center high-mounted stoplamp unit.
If you tow a trailer that is equipped with provisions for a
center high-mounted stoplamp, see your
GM dealer for
instructions
on how to make it operate with your
vehicle’s electrical system.
As with any electrical system
modification, have the work performed by a qualified
electrical service person.
2-42
ProCarManuals.com
Page 117 of 388

Mirrors
Inside Daymight Rearview Mirror
Pull the tab under the mirror toward you to reduce glare
from headlamps behind you after dark. Push the tab
away from you to restore mirror to original position.
Outside Mirrors
Adjust your outside mirrors so you can just see the
side of your vehicle, and have a clear view
of objects
behind you. Some mirrors can be folded in to enter
narrow doorways.
Electric Outside Rearview Mirrors (Option)
If you have electric mirrors, they can be adjusted to
point where you want from inside the vehicle. Then,
adjust the mirror angle by pressing the outer
arrows
on the switch until the mirror is adjusted where
you want it.
2-45
ProCarManuals.com
Page 119 of 388

Camper-vpe Mirrors (If Equipped)
If your vehicle is equipped
with the camper-type
mirrors, they can be
adjusted
so you can have
a clear view of objects
behind you.
1. To adjust the mirrors
when towing a trailer,
rotate the mirror by
pushing the mirror
head toward the front
of the vehicle.
2. Rotate the mirror
head,
so that the
mirror surface
faces the rear
of
the vehicle.
2-47
ProCarManuals.com
Page 128 of 388

Brake System Warning Light
When the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
will
come on when you set your parking brake. The light
will stay on if your parking brake doesn’t release fully.
If it stays on after your parking brake is fully released, it
means you have a brake problem.
Your vehicle’s hydraulic brake system
is divided into
two
parts. If one part isn’t working, the other part can
still work and stop you. For good braking, though,
you
need both parts working well.
If the warning light comes on, there could be
a brake
problem. Have your brake system inspected right away.
BRAKE
United States
Canada
This light should come on briefly when you turn the
ignition key to RUN. If it doesn’t come on then, have it
fixed
so it will be ready to warn you if there’s a problem.
If the light comes on while you are driving, pull off the
road and stop carefully.
You may notice that the pedal is
harder to push. Or, the pedal may
go closer to the floor.
It may take longer to stop. If the light is still on, have the
vehicle towed for service. (See “Towing Your Vehicle’’
in the Index.)
A CAUTION:
Your brake system may not be working properly
if the brake system warning light is on. Driving
with the brake system warning light on can lead
to an accident.
If the light is still on after you’ve
pulled
off the road and stopped carefully, have
the vehicle towed for service.
2-56
ProCarManuals.com
Page 131 of 388

If the Light Is Flashing If the Light Is On Steady
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
Reducing vehicle speed.
Avoiding hard accelerations.
Avoiding steep uphill grades.
If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible.
If the light stops flashing and remains on steady, see “If
the Light Is On Steady” following.
If the light continues
to flash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
Turn the key
off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart the
engine. If
the light remains on steady, see “If the Light
Is On Steady” following. If the light is still flashing,
follow the previous steps, and drive the vehicle to your
dealer or qualified service center for service. You
may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
If
so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. The diagnostic system can determine if
the fuel
cap has been left off or improperly installed.
A loose or
missing fuel cap will allow fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere.
A few driving trips with the cap properly
installed should turn the light off.
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If
so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries
out. A few driving trips should turn the light off.
Are you low
on fuel?
As your engine starts to run out of fuel, your engine may
not run as efficiently as designed since small amounts
of
air are sucked into the fuel line causing a misfire. The
system can detect this. Adding fuel should correct
this
condition. Make sure to install the fuel cap properly. It
will take a few driving trips
to turn the light off.
2-59
ProCarManuals.com
Page 138 of 388

Comfort Controls Fan Knob
This section tells you how to make your air system
work for you. Your comfort control system uses
ozone-friendly
R- 134a refrigerant.
With these systems, you can control the heating, cooling and ventilation
in your van. Your vehicle also
has a flow-through ventilation system described later
in this section.
Heater Controls
If your vehicle does not have air conditioning, your
heater controls will look like
this.
The knob on the left side of the heating system control
panel controls the fan speed. The knob has four speed
positions.
To increase airflow, move the knob toward
HI. To decrease airflow, move it toward LO. To turn the
fan off, move the mode knob on the far right
to OFF.
Temperature Knob
The middle knob on the control panel lets you select the
relative temperature of the air flowing into
the passenger area
of your vehicle. This knob will allow
you to adjust the
relative air temperature independently
of the function knob
setting. Move the knob toward the red area for warmer air.
Move the knob toward the blue area for cooler air.
Mode Knob
The right knob changes the heater setting.
/.I VENT This setting directs air through the
instrument panel vents.
+H BI-LEVEL: Use this setting to divide airflow
between the heater floor vents and instrument panel vents.
+fl HEAT This setting directs air through the heater
floor vents. This setting is useful for cold weather.
=+a
+e
0
3-2
ProCarManuals.com
Page 139 of 388

w.
?# HEAT/DEFROST Use this setting to divide
airflow between the heater floor vents and windshield.
DEFROST This setting directs air through the
windshield defroster vents. This setting is useful when
you have fog or ice on the windshield.
Heater/Air Conditioning Controls
If your vehicle has air conditioning, your heatedair
conditioning controls will look like this.
Before using your vehicle’s air conditioning, open
the
windows to clear the vehicle of hot air.
Fan Knob
The knob on the left side of the heating system control
panel controls the fan speed. The knob has four speed
positions. To increase airflow, move the knob toward
HI. To decrease airflow, move it toward LO. To turn the
fan off, move the mode knob on
the far right to OFF.
Temperature Knob
The middle knob on the control panel lets you select the
relative temperature
of the air flowing into the passenger
area of your vehicle. This knob will allow
you to adjust
the relative air temperature independently of the
function knob setting. Move the knob toward the red
area for warmer air. Move the
knob toward the blue area
for cooler air.
Mode Knob
The right knob on the control panel changes the
heatedair conditioning setting.
MAX A/C: Move the right knob to MAX A/C for
maximum cooling. This setting puts the system in the
recirculation mode and helps to maximize your air
conditioner’s performance and your vehicle’s
fuel
economy. This setting also cools the air the fastest. After
the vehicle’s interior reaches a comfortable temperature,
move the knob to the right to place the air conditioning
system in the
A/C mode.
ProCarManuals.com