light GMC SAVANA 2007 Repair Manual

Off-Road Recovery
You may find that your right wheels have dropped
off the edge of a road onto the shoulder while you
are driving.
If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the
pavement, recovery should be fairly easy. Ease off
the accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the
way, steer so that your vehicle straddles the edge
of the pavement. You can turn the steering wheel
up to one-quarter turn until the right front tire
contacts the pavement edge. Then turn your
steering wheel to go straight down the roadway.
Passing
The driver of a vehicle about to pass another on a
two-lane highway waits for just the right moment,
accelerates, moves around the vehicle ahead, then
goes back into the right lane again. A simple
maneuver?
Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle on a
two-lane highway is a potentially dangerous move,
since the passing vehicle occupies the same
lane as oncoming traffic for several seconds.
A miscalculation, an error in judgment, or a brief
surrender to frustration or anger can suddenly
put the passing driver face to face with the worst
of all traffic accidents — the head-on collision.
So here are some tips for passing:
•Drive ahead. Look down the road, to the
sides, and to crossroads for situations
that might affect your passing patterns. If you
have any doubt whatsoever about making
a successful pass, wait for a better time.
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Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving.
One reason is that some drivers are likely to
be impaired — by alcohol or drugs, with night
vision problems, or by fatigue.
Here are some tips on night driving.
•Drive defensively.
•Do not drink and drive.
•Adjust the inside rearview mirror to reduce the
glare from headlamps behind you.
•Since you cannot see as well, you may need
to slow down and keep more space between
you and other vehicles.
•Slow down, especially on higher speed roads.
Your vehicle’s headlamps can light up only so
much road ahead.
•In remote areas, watch for animals.
•If you are tired, pull off the road in a safe
place and rest.No one can see as well at night as in the daytime.
But as we get older these differences increase.
A 50-year-old driver may require at least twice as
much light to see the same thing at night as a
20-year-old.
What you do in the daytime can also affect your
night vision. For example, if you spend the
day in bright sunshine you are wise to wear
sunglasses. Your eyes will have less trouble
adjusting to night. But if you are driving, do not
wear sunglasses at night. They may cut down on
glare from headlamps, but they also make a
lot of things invisible.
You can be temporarily blinded by approaching
headlamps. It can take a second or two, or even
several seconds, for your eyes to re-adjust to the
dark. When you are faced with severe glare, as
from a driver who does not lower the high beams, or
a vehicle with misaimed headlamps, slow down a
little. Avoid staring directly into the approaching
headlamps.
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Keep the windshield and all the glass on your
vehicle clean — inside and out. Glare at night is
made much worse by dirt on the glass. Even the
inside of the glass can build up a film caused
by dust. Dirty glass makes lights dazzle and flash
more than clean glass would, making the pupils
of your eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that the headlamps light up far less of a
roadway when you are in a turn or curve. Keep your
eyes moving; that way, it is easier to pick out dimly
lighted objects. Just as the headlamps should be
checked regularly for proper aim, so should your
eyes be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer
from night blindness — the inability to see in
dim light — and are not even aware of it.Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a
wet road, you cannot stop, accelerate, or turn as
well because your tire-to-road traction is not as
good as on dry roads. And, if your tires do not have
much tread left, you will get even less traction. It is
always wise to go slower and be cautious if rain
starts to fall while you are driving. The surface may
get wet suddenly when your reflexes are tuned for
driving on dry pavement.
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The heavier the rain, the harder it is to see.
Even if your windshield wiper blades are in good
shape, a heavy rain can make it harder to see road
signs and traffic signals, pavement markings, the
edge of the road, and even people walking.
It is wise to keep your wiping equipment in good
shape and keep your windshield washer fluid
reservoir filled with washer fluid. Replace your
windshield wiper inserts when they show signs of
streaking or missing areas on the windshield, or
when strips of rubber start to separate from the
inserts.
{CAUTION:
Wet brakes can cause accidents. They
may not work as well in a quick stop and
may cause pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large puddle of
water or a car wash, apply your brake pedal
lightly until your brakes work normally.Driving too fast through large water puddles or
even going through some car washes can cause
problems, too. The water may affect your brakes.
Try to avoid puddles. But if you cannot, try to slow
down before you hit them.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much water can
build up under your tires that they can actually ride
on the water. This can happen if the road is wet
enough and you are going fast enough. When your
vehicle is hydroplaning, it has little or no contact
with the road.
Hydroplaning does not happen often. But it can
if your tires do not have much tread or if the
pressure in one or more is low. It can happen if
a lot of water is standing on the road. If you
can see reflections from trees, telephone poles, or
other vehicles, and raindrops dimple the water’s
surface, there could be hydroplaning.
Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds.
There just is not a hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to slow down
when it is raining.
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Driving Through Deep Standing Water
Notice:If you drive too quickly through deep
puddles or standing water, water can come in
through your engine’s air intake and badly
damage your engine. Never drive through water
that is slightly lower than the underbody of your
vehicle. If you cannot avoid deep puddles or
standing water, drive through them very slowly.
Driving Through Flowing Water
{CAUTION:
Flowing or rushing water creates strong
forces. If you try to drive through owing
water, as you might at a low water
crossing, your vehicle can be carried away.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
As little as six inches of owing water can
carry away a smaller vehicle. If this
happens, you and other vehicle occupants
could drown. Do not ignore police warning
signs, and otherwise be very cautious
about trying to drive through owing water.
Some Other Rainy Weather Tips
•Besides slowing down, allow some extra
following distance. And be especially careful
when you pass another vehicle. Allow yourself
more clear room ahead, and be prepared to
have your view restricted by road spray.
•Have good tires with proper tread depth.
SeeTires on page 340.
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City Driving
One of the biggest problems with city streets is
the amount of traffic on them. You will want
to watch out for what the other drivers are doing
and pay attention to traffic signals.Here are ways to increase your safety in city
driving:
•Know the best way to get to where you are
going. Get a city map and plan your trip
into an unknown part of the city just as you
would for a cross-country trip.
•Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross
most large cities. You will save time and
energy. SeeFreeway Driving on page 249.
•Treat a green light as a warning signal.
A traffic light is there because the corner
is busy enough to need it. When a light turns
green, and just before you start to move,
check both ways for vehicles that have not
cleared the intersection or may be running the
red light.
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Before changing lanes, check your mirrors.
Then use your turn signal.
Just before you leave the lane, glance quickly
over your shoulder to make sure there is not
another vehicle in your blind spot.
Once you are moving on the freeway, make
certain you allow a reasonable following distance.
Expect to move slightly slower at night.
When you want to leave the freeway, move to the
proper lane well in advance. If you miss your
exit, do not, under any circumstances, stop and
back up. Drive on to the next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite
sharply. The exit speed is usually posted.
Reduce your speed according to your
speedometer, not to your sense of motion.
After driving for any distance at higher speeds,
you may tend to think you are going slower than
you actually are.Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you are ready. Try to be well rested.
If you must start when you are not fresh — such
as after a day’s work — do not plan to make
too many miles that first part of the journey.
Wear comfortable clothing and shoes you can
easily drive in.
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it is ready to go. If it
needs service, have it done before starting out.
Of course, you will find experienced and able
service experts in GM dealerships all across
North America. They will be ready and willing to
help if you need it.
Here are some things you can check before a trip:
•Windshield Washer Fluid:Is the reservoir
full? Are all windows clean inside and outside?
•Wiper Blades:Are they in good shape?
•Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:Have you
checked all levels?
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Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:
•Have your vehicle in good shape for winter.
•You may want to put winter emergency
supplies in your vehicle.
Also seeTires on page 340.Include an ice scraper, a small brush or broom,
a supply of windshield washer fluid, a rag,
some winter outer clothing, a small shovel,
a flashlight, a red cloth, and reflective warning
triangles. And, if you will be driving under severe
conditions, include a small bag of sand, a piece
of old carpet, or a couple of burlap bags to
help provide traction. Be sure you properly secure
these items in your vehicle.
Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places where the tires
meet the road probably have good traction.
However, if there is snow or ice between the tires
and the road, you can have a very slippery
situation. You will have a lot less traction, or grip,
and will need to be very careful.
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{CAUTION:
Snow can trap exhaust gases under
your vehicle. This can cause deadly CO
(carbon monoxide) gas to get inside.
CO could overcome you and kill you.
You cannot see it or smell it, so you might
not know it is in your vehicle. Clear away
snow from around the base of your
vehicle, especially any that is blocking
the exhaust pipe and/or the fuel operated
heater exhaust system, if equipped. And
check around again from time to time to be
sure snow does not collect there. If your
vehicle has a diesel engine and a fuel
operated heater, see “Fuel Operated Heater
(FOH)” in the diesel engine supplement.
Open a window just a little on the side of
the vehicle that is away from the wind.
This will help keep CO out.Run your engine only as long as you must.
This saves fuel. When you run the engine, make it
go a little faster 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 a while.
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.
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If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice, or Snow
In order to free your vehicle when it is stuck,
you will need to spin the wheels, but you do not
want to spin your wheels too fast. The method
known as rocking can help you get out when you
are stuck, but you must use caution.
{CAUTION:
If you let your vehicle’s tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you or others
could be injured. And, the transmission or
other parts of the vehicle can overheat.
That could cause an engine compartment
re or other damage. When you are stuck,
spin the wheels as little as possible. Do not
spin the wheels above 35 mph (55 km/h) as
shown on the speedometer.Notice:Spinning the wheels can destroy
parts of your vehicle as well as the tires. If
you spin the wheels too fast while shifting the
transmission back and forth, you can destroy
the transmission.
For information about using tire chains on your
vehicle, seeTire Chains on page 359.
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out
First, turn the steering wheel left and right.
That will clear the area around the front wheels.
Then shift back and forth between REVERSE (R)
and a forward gear, spinning the wheels as
little as possible. Release the accelerator pedal
while you shift, and press lightly on the accelerator
pedal when the transmission is in gear. By
slowly spinning the wheels in the forward and
reverse directions, you will cause a rocking motion
that may free your vehicle. If that does not get
your vehicle out after a few tries, it may need to be
towed out. If your vehicle does need to be
towed out, seeTowing Your Vehicle on page 264.
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