transmission GMC SAVANA 2011 User Guide

Black plate (18,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2011
9-18 Driving and Operating
.Avoid making hard stops for
the first 322 km (200 miles) or
so. During this time the new
brake linings are not yet
broken in. Hard stops with
new linings can mean
premature wear and earlier
replacement. Follow this
breaking-in guideline every
time you get new brake
linings.
.Do not tow a trailer during
break-in. SeeTrailer Towing
on page 9‑52 for the trailer
towing capabilities of the
vehicle and more
information.
Following break‐in, engine speed
and load can be gradually
increased.
Ignition Positions
The ignition switch has four different
positions.
To shift out of P (Park), the ignition
must be in ON/RUN or ACC/
ACCESSORY and the regular brake
pedal applied. A (STOPPING THE ENGINE/
LOCK/OFF):
When the vehicle is
stopped, turn the ignition switch to
LOCK/OFF to turn the engine off.
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
will remain active. See Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) on
page 9‑23.
This position locks the ignition and
transmission.
Do not turn the engine off when the
vehicle is moving. This will cause a
loss of power assist in the brake
and steering systems and disable
the airbags.
In an emergency, if the vehicle must
be shut off while driving:
1. Brake using a firm and steady pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.

Black plate (19,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-19
2. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral).This can be done while the
vehicle is moving. After shifting
to N (Neutral), firmly apply the
brakes and steer the vehicle to a
safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop, shift to P (Park), and turn the ignition
to LOCK/OFF. On vehicles with
an automatic transmission, the
shift lever must be in P (Park) to
turn the ignition switch to the
LOCK/OFF position.
4. Set the parking brake. See Parking Brake on page 9‑36.
{WARNING
Turning off the vehicle while
moving may cause loss of power
assist in the brake and steering
systems and disable the airbags.
While driving, only shut the
vehicle off in an emergency. 5. If the vehicle must be shut off
while driving, turn the ignition to
ACC/ACCESSORY.
Notice: Using a tool to force the
key to turn in the ignition could
cause damage to the switch or
break the key. Use the correct
key, make sure it is all the way in,
and turn it only with your hand.
If the key cannot be turned by
hand, see your dealer.
B (ACC/ACCESSORY): This is the
position in which you can operate
things like the radio and the
windshield wipers when the engine
is off.
C (ON/RUN): This position can be
used to operate the electrical
accessories and to display some
instrument panel cluster warning
and indicator lights. The switch
stays in this position when the
engine is running. If you leave the key in the ACC/
ACCESSORY or ON/RUN position
with the engine off, the battery could
be drained. You may not be able to
start the vehicle if the battery is
allowed to drain for an extended
period of time.
D (START):
This is the position that
starts the engine. When the engine
starts, release the key. The ignition
switch returns to ON/RUN for
driving.
A warning tone will sound when the
driver door is opened, the ignition is
in ACC/ACCESSORY or LOCK/OFF
and the key is in the ignition.

Black plate (20,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2011
9-20 Driving and Operating
Starting the Engine
If the vehicle has a diesel engine,
see the Duramax diesel supplement
for more information.
To place the transmission in the
proper gear:
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). The engine will not start
in any other position. To restart the
engine when the vehicle is already
moving, use N (Neutral) only.
Starting Procedure
1. With your foot off the acceleratorpedal, turn the ignition key to
START. When the engine starts,
let go of the key. The idle speed
will go down as your engine gets
warm. Do not race the engine
immediately after starting it.
Operate the engine and
transmission gently to allow the
oil to warm up and lubricate all
moving parts. The vehicle has a
Computer-Controlled Cranking
System. This feature assists in
starting the engine and protects
components. If the ignition key is
turned to the START position,
and then released when the
engine begins cranking, the
engine will continue cranking for
a few seconds or until the
vehicle starts. If the engine does
not start and the key is held in
START for many seconds,
cranking will be stopped after
15 seconds to prevent cranking
motor damage. To prevent gear
damage, this system also
prevents cranking if the engine
is already running. Engine
cranking can be stopped by
turning the ignition switch to the
ACC/ACCESSORY or LOCK/
OFF position.
When the Low Fuel warning
lamp is on and the FUEL LEVEL
LOW message is displayed in
the Driver Information Center
(DIC), the Computer‐Controlled
Cranking System is disabled to
prevent possible vehicle
component damage. When this
happens, hold the ignition switch
in the START position to
continue engine cranking.
Notice: Cranking the engine for
long periods of time, by returning
the key to the START position
immediately after cranking has
ended, can overheat and damage
the cranking motor, and drain the
battery. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to let the
cranking motor cool down.

Black plate (21,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-21
2. If the engine does not start after5‐10 seconds, especially in very
cold weather (below −18°C
or 0°F), it could be flooded with
too much gasoline. Try pushing
the accelerator pedal all the way
to the floor and holding it there
as you hold the key in START
for up to 15 seconds. Wait at
least 15 seconds between each
try, to allow the cranking motor
to cool down. When the engine
starts, let go of the key and
accelerator. If the vehicle starts
briefly but then stops again, do
the same thing. This clears the
extra gasoline from the engine.
Do not race the engine
immediately after starting it.
Operate the engine and
transmission gently until the oil
warms up and lubricates all
moving parts. Notice:
The engine is designed
to work with the electronics in
the vehicle. If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could
change the way the engine
operates. Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your
dealer. If you do not, the engine
might not perform properly. Any
resulting damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Fast Idle System
If the vehicle has this feature it is
available only with cruise control.
The manual fast idle switch is
operated using the cruise control
buttons located on the left hand side
of the steering wheel. This system can be used to
increase engine idle speed
whenever the following conditions
are met:
.The park brake is set.
.The brake pedal is not pressed.
.The vehicle must not be moving
and the accelerator must not be
pressed.
To control the fast idle:
.To enable the Fast Idle System,
press and release the Cruise
Control On/Off button and
ensure that the switch LED is lit.
.Press and release the Cruise
Control Set switch. Engine
speed will be held at
approximately 1200 RPM.
When the fast idle is active the
Driver Information Center (DIC) will
display “FAST IDLE ON.”

Black plate (22,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2011
9-22 Driving and Operating
One of the following actions will turn
off the fast idle:
.Pressing the brake.
.Selecting the Cruise Control
Cancel button.
.Releasing the Parking Brake.
.The transmission shifter is
moved out of P (Park) or
N (Neutral).
.Selecting the Cruise Control On/
Off button when it was
previously on.
.Pressing the Cruise Control Set
switch a second time.
.Pressing the accelerator greater
than a quarter of the down.
.Turning the ignition switch to the
LOCK/OFF position.
Engine Heater
If the vehicle has a diesel engine,
see the Duramax diesel supplement
for more information.
The engine coolant heater can
provide easier starting and better
fuel economy during engine
warm‐up in cold weather conditions
at or below−18°C (0°F). Vehicles
with an engine coolant heater
should be plugged in at least four
hours before starting. An internal
thermostat in the plug-end of the
cord may exist which will prevent
engine coolant heater operation at
temperatures above −18°C (0°F).
To Use the Engine Coolant
Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the
electrical cord.
The cord for the engine coolant
heater is located on the driver
side of the engine compartment
and is attached to the hose for
the power steering reservoir.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.

Black plate (24,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2011
9-24 Driving and Operating
3. Turn the ignition key toLOCK/OFF.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can leave the vehicle
with the ignition key in your
hand, the vehicle is in P (Park).
Leaving the Vehicle With the
Engine Running
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to leave the
vehicle with the engine running.
The vehicle could move suddenly
if the shift lever is not fully in
P (Park) 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. Do not leave the vehicle
with the engine running. If you have to leave the vehicle with
the engine running, be sure the
vehicle is in P (Park) and the
parking brake is firmly set before
you leave it. After you move the shift
lever into P (Park), hold the regular
brake pedal down. Then, see if you
can move the shift lever away from
P (Park) without first pulling it toward
you. If you can, it means that the
shift lever was not fully locked into
P (Park).Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you
do not shift the vehicle into P (Park)
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 P (Park). This is
called torque lock. To prevent torque
lock, set the parking brake and then
shift into P (Park) properly before
you leave the driver seat. To find out
how, see
“Shifting Into Park”
previously in this section.
When you are ready to drive, move
the shift lever out of P (Park) 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 parking pawl
in the transmission, so you can pull
the shift lever out of P (Park).

Black plate (25,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-25
Shifting out of Park
The vehicle has an automatic
transmission shift lock control
system. You have to fully apply the
brakes before you can shift from
P (Park) when the ignition is in ON/
RUN or ACC/ACCESSORY. See
Automatic Transmission (Six Speed)
on page 9‑27orAutomatic
Transmission (Four Speed) on
page 9‑31.
The shift lock control system is
designed to do the following:
.Prevent the ignition key from
being removed unless the shift
lever is in P (Park).
.Prevent movement of the shift
lever out of P (Park), unless the
ignition is in ON/RUN or ACC/
ACCESSORY and the regular
brake pedal is applied.
The shift lock control system is
always functional except in the case
of a dead battery or low voltage
(less than 9 V) battery. If the vehicle has an uncharged
battery or a battery with low voltage,
try charging or jump starting the
battery. See
Jump Starting on
page 10‑84 for more information.
To shift out of P (Park) use the
following:
1. Apply the brake pedal.
2. Turn the ignition to ACC/ ACCESSORY or ON/RUN.
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
If you still are unable to shift out of
P (Park):
1. Ease the pressure on the shift lever.
2. While holding down the brake pedal, push the shift lever all the
way into P (Park).
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
If you are still having a problem
shifting, have the vehicle serviced.
Parking over Things
That Burn
{WARNING
Things that can burn could touch
hot exhaust parts under the
vehicle and ignite. Do not park
over papers, leaves, dry grass,
or other things that can burn.

Black plate (27,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-27
Running the Vehicle
While Parked
It is better not to park with the
engine running. But if you ever have
to, here are some things to know.
{WARNING
Idling a vehicle in an enclosed
area with poor ventilation is
dangerous. Engine exhaust may
enter the vehicle. Engine exhaust
contains carbon monoxide (CO)
which cannot be seen or smelled.
It can cause unconsciousness
and even death. Never run the
engine in an enclosed area that
has no fresh air ventilation. For
more information, seeEngine
Exhaust on page 9‑26.
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to get out of
the vehicle if the automatic
transmission shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll. Do
not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running unless you
have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
Follow the proper steps to be sure
the vehicle will not move. See
Shifting Into Park on page 9‑23.
If parking on a hill and pulling a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips on page 9‑48.
Automatic
Transmission
Automatic Transmission
(Six Speed)
Vehicles with a six speed automatic
transmission have a shift position
indicator within the instrument panel
cluster.
There are several different positions
for the shift lever.
See “Range Selection Mode” under
Manual Mode on page 9‑33.

Black plate (28,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2011
9-28 Driving and Operating
P (Park):This position locks the
rear wheels. It is the best position to
use when starting the engine
because the vehicle cannot move
easily. When parked on a hill,
especially when the vehicle has a
heavy load, you might notice an
increase in the effort to shift out of
P (Park). See “Torque Lock” under
Shifting Into Park on page 9‑23 for
more information.
{WARNING
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running unless you
have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
SeeShifting Into Park on
page 9‑23. If you are pulling a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips on page 9‑48.
R (Reverse): Use this gear to
back up.
Notice: Shifting to R (Reverse)
while the vehicle is moving
forward could damage the
transmission. The repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Shift to R (Reverse) only
after the vehicle is stopped.
To rock the vehicle back and forth to
get out of snow, ice, or sand without
damaging the transmission, see If
the Vehicle Is Stuck on page 9‑11. N (Neutral):
In this position, the
engine does not connect with the
wheels. To restart when you are
already moving, use N (Neutral)
only. Also, use N (Neutral) when the
vehicle is being towed.
{WARNING
Shifting into a drive gear while the
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is
firmly on the brake pedal, the
vehicle could move very rapidly.
You could lose control and hit
people or objects. Do not shift
into a drive gear while the engine
is running at high speed.

Black plate (29,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-29
Notice:Shifting out of P (Park) or
N (Neutral) with the engine
running at high speed may
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Be sure the
engine is not running at high
speed when shifting the vehicle.
D (Drive): This position is for
normal driving. It provides the best
fuel economy. If you need more
power for passing, and you are:
.Going less than about 55 km/h
(35 mph), push the accelerator
pedal about halfway down.
.Going about 55 km/h (35 mph) or
more, push the accelerator all
the way down.
By doing this, the vehicle shifts
down to the next gear and has
more power. D (Drive) can be used when towing
a trailer, carrying a heavy load or
driving on steep hills. You might
want to shift the transmission to a
lower gear selection if the
transmission shifts too often.
Downshifting the transmission in
slippery road conditions could result
in skidding. See
“Skidding”under
Loss of Control on page 9‑6.
The vehicle has a shift stabilization
feature that adjusts the transmission
shifting to the current driving
conditions in order to reduce rapid
upshifts and downshifts. This shift
stabilization feature is designed to
determine, before making an
upshift, if the engine is able to
maintain vehicle speed by analyzing
things such as vehicle speed,
throttle position, and vehicle load.
If the shift stabilization feature
determines that a current vehicle
speed cannot be maintained, the
transmission does not upshift and
instead holds the current gear. In some cases, this could appear to
be a delayed shift, however the
transmission is operating normally.
The transmission uses adaptive
shift controls. Adaptive shift controls
continually compares key shift
parameters to pre-programmed
ideal shifts stored in the
transmissions computer. The
transmission constantly makes
adjustments to improve vehicle
performance according to how the
vehicle is being used, such as with
a heavy load or when temperature
changes. During this adaptive shift
control process, shifting might feel
different as the transmission
determines the best settings.
The shift quality of a new vehicle
may not be ideal because the
Adaptive Shift Control process may
not have determined the best
settings for a particular shift or
condition. Shift quality will improve
with continued driving.