steering GMC SAVANA 2011 Service Manual

Black plate (41,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-41
Increasing Speed While Using
Cruise Control
If the cruise control system is
already activated,
.Press and hold the +RES button
on the steering wheel until the
desired speed is reached, then
release it.
.To increase vehicle speed in
small amounts, press the +RES
button. Each time this is done,
the vehicle goes about 1.6 km/h
(1 mph) faster.
Reducing Speed While Using
Cruise Control
If the cruise control system is
already activated,
.Press and hold the SET– button
on the steering wheel until the
desired lower speed is reached,
then release it.
.To slow down in small amounts,
press the SET– button on the
steering wheel briefly. Each time
this is done, the vehicle goes
about 1.6 km/h (1 mph) slower.
Passing Another Vehicle While
Using Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to
increase the vehicle speed. When
you take your foot off the pedal, the
vehicle will slow down to the
previous set cruise speed.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well the cruise control will work
on hills depends upon the vehicle
speed, load, and the steepness of
the hills. When going up steep hills,
you might have to step on the
accelerator pedal to maintain the
vehicle speed. When going
downhill, you might have to brake or
shift to a lower gear to keep the
vehicle speed down. When the
brakes are applied the cruise control
is disengaged. Ending Cruise Control
There are three ways to end cruise
control:
.To disengage cruise control,
step lightly on the brake pedal.
.Press the[on the steering
wheel.
.To turn off the cruise control,
press
Ion the steering wheel.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed is
erased from memory if
Iis
pressed or if the vehicle is
turned off.

Black plate (50,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2011
9-50 Driving and Operating
Passing
More passing distance is needed
when towing a trailer. Because the
rig is longer, it is necessary to go
much farther beyond the passed
vehicle before returning to the lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering
wheel with one hand. Then, to move
the trailer to the left, move that hand
to the left. To move the trailer to the
right, move your hand to the right.
Always back up slowly and,
if possible, have someone
guide you.
Making Turns
Notice:Making very sharp turns
while trailering could cause the
trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. The vehicle could be
damaged. Avoid making very
sharp turns while trailering.
When turning with a trailer, make
wider turns than normal. Do this so
the trailer will not strike soft shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees
or other objects. Avoid jerky or
sudden maneuvers. Signal well in
advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a
Trailer
The arrows on the instrument panel
flash whenever signaling a turn or
lane change. Properly hooked up,
the trailer lamps also flash, telling
other drivers the vehicle is turning,
changing lanes or stopping.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on
the instrument panel flash for turns
even if the bulbs on the trailer are
burned out. For this reason you may
think other drivers are seeing the
signal when they are not. It is
important to check occasionally to
be sure the trailer bulbs are still
working.
Driving on Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower
gear
before starting down a long or
steep downgrade. If the
transmission is not shifted down, the brakes might have to be used so
much that they would get hot and no
longer work well.
The vehicle can tow in D (Drive).
Shift the transmission to a lower
gear if the transmission shifts too
often under heavy loads and/or hilly
conditions.
When towing at high altitude on
steep uphill grades, consider the
following: Engine coolant will boil at
a lower temperature than at normal
altitudes. If the engine is turned off
immediately after towing at high
altitude on steep uphill grades, the
vehicle may show signs similar to
engine overheating. To avoid this,
let the engine run while parked,
preferably on level ground, with the
automatic transmission in P (Park)
for a few minutes before turning the
engine off. If the overheat warning
comes on, see
Engine Overheating
on page 10‑24.

Black plate (58,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2011
9-58 Driving and Operating
The four-wire harness (without
connector) contains the following
circuits:
.Black: Ground
.Red/White: Battery Feed
.Dark Blue: Trailer Brake Signal
.Light Blue: CHMSL/Stoplamp
Supply Voltage
* If the vehicle is a cutaway with
trailer provisions, a 15 amp fuse will
be shared for both left/stop trailer
turn and right/stop trailer turn
signals. However, the cutaway
lighting connector will have a
10 amp fuse for each signal.
** If the vehicle is a cutaway with
trailer provisions, a 15 amp fuse will
be shared for trailer park lamps and
cutaway rear lighting connector park
lamps. Also, a 10 amp fuse will be
shared for trailer back-up lamps and
cutaway rear lighting connector
back-up lamps.
Tow/Haul Mode
This button is on the instrument
panel, to the right of the steering
wheel.
Pressing this button turns on and off
the tow/haul mode.
This indicator light on the instrument
panel cluster comes on when the
tow/haul mode is on.
Tow/Haul is a feature that assists
when pulling a heavy trailer or a
large or heavy load. See Tow/Haul
Mode on page 9‑34 for more
information. Tow/Haul is designed to be most
effective when the vehicle and
trailer combined weight is at least
75 percent of the vehicle Gross
Combined Weight Rating (GCWR).
See
“Weight of the Trailer” inTrailer
Towing on page 9‑52. Tow/Haul is
most useful under the following
driving conditions:
.When pulling a heavy trailer or a
large or heavy load through
rolling terrain.
.When pulling a heavy trailer or a
large or heavy load in stop and
go traffic.
.When pulling a heavy trailer or a
large or heavy load in busy
parking lots where improved low
speed control of the vehicle is
desired.

Black plate (1,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-1
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . 10-3
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-7
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . 10-11
Automatic Transmission Fluid (4-Speed
Transmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-12
Automatic Transmission Fluid (6-Speed
Transmission) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . 10-18
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-19
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20 Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . 10-24
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . 10-26
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
All-Wheel Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Front Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Noise Control System . . . . . . 10-33
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . 10-35
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-36
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Front Turn Signal,Sidemarker, and Parking
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-40 Taillamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-40
Center High-Mounted
Stoplamp (CHMSL) . . . . . . . 10-42
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . 10-42
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . 10-43
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-43
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-44
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-45
Floor Console Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . 10-51
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-57
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-58
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-59
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-63
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-63
Dual Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . 10-64

Black plate (7,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-7
A.Battery on page 10‑31.
B. Radiator Pressure Cap. See Cooling System on page 10‑19.
C. Coolant Recovery Tank. See Cooling System on page 10‑19.
D. Automatic Transmission Fluid Dipstick. See “Checking the
Fluid Level” underAutomatic
Transmission Fluid (4-Speed
Transmission) on page 10‑12 or
Automatic Transmission Fluid
(6-Speed Transmission) on
page 10‑14.
E. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When
to Add Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil on page 10‑7.
F. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil on page 10‑7. G.
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 10‑18.
H. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. See Power Steering Fluid on
page 10‑26.
I. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir. See Brake Fluid on
page 10‑29.
J. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding Washer
Fluid” under Washer Fluid on
page 10‑27.
If the vehicle has a diesel engine,
see the Vehicle Checks section in
the Duramax diesel supplement.Engine Oil
For diesel engine vehicles, see
“Engine Oil” in the Duramax Diesel
Supplement.
To ensure proper engine
performance and long life, careful
attention must be paid to engine oil.
Following these simple, but
important steps will help protect
your investment:
.Always use engine oil approved
to the proper specification and of
the proper viscosity grade. See
“Selecting the Right Engine Oil”
in this section.
.Check the engine oil level
regularly and maintain the
proper oil level. See “Checking
Engine Oil” and“When to Add
Engine Oil” in this section.
.Change the engine oil at the
appropriate time. See Engine Oil
Life System on page 10‑11.
.Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “What to Do with
Used Oil” in this section.

Black plate (26,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2011
10-26 Vehicle Care
If there is still no sign of steam,
push down the accelerator until the
engine speed is about twice as fast
as normal idle speed for at least
three minutes while you are parked.
If the warning is still on, turn off the
engine until it cools down.
If the decision is made not to lift the
hood, get service help right away.
Engine Fan
The vehicle has a clutched engine
cooling fan. When the clutch is
engaged, the fan spins faster to
provide more air to cool the engine.
In most everyday driving conditions,
the fan is spinning slower and the
clutch is not fully engaged. This
improves fuel economy and reduces
fan noise. Under heavy vehicle
loading, trailer towing, and/or high
outside temperatures, the fan speed
increases as the clutch more fully
engages, so an increase in fan
noise may be heard. This is normal
and should not be mistaken as the
transmission slipping or makingextra shifts. It is merely the cooling
system functioning properly. The fan
will slow down when additional
cooling is not required and the
clutch partially disengages.
This fan noise may be heard when
starting the engine. It will go away
as the fan clutch partially
disengages.
Power Steering Fluid
The power steering fluid reservoir is
located in the engine compartment
on the driver side of the vehicle.
See
Engine Compartment Overview
on page 10‑6 for reservoir location.
When to Check Power Steering
Fluid
It is not necessary to regularly
check power steering fluid unless
there is a leak suspected in the
system or an unusual noise is
heard. A fluid loss in this system
could indicate a problem. Have the
system inspected and repaired.
How to Check Power Steering
Fluid
To check the power steering fluid,
do the following:
1. Turn the key off and let the
engine compartment cool down.
2. Wipe the cap and the top of the reservoir clean.
3. Unscrew the cap and wipe the dipstick with a clean rag.

Black plate (27,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-27
4. Replace the cap and completelytighten it.
5. Then remove the cap again and look at the fluid level on the
dipstick.
The level should be at the COLD
FILL mark. If necessary, add only
enough fluid to bring the level up to
the mark.
To prevent contamination of brake
fluid, never check or fill the power
steering reservoir with the brake
master cylinder cover off.
What to Use
To determine what kind of fluid to
use, see Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 11‑7. Always
use the proper fluid. Failure to use
the proper fluid can cause leaks and
damage hoses and seals.
Washer Fluid
What to Use
When the vehicle needs windshield
washer fluid, be sure to read the
manufacturer's instructions before
use. If operating the vehicle in an
area where the temperature may fall
below freezing, use a fluid that has
sufficient protection against
freezing.
Adding Washer Fluid
Open the cap with the washer
symbol on it. Add washer fluid until
the tank is full. See Engine
Compartment Overview on
page 10‑6 for reservoir location. Notice
.When using concentrated
washer fluid, follow the
manufacturer's instructions
for adding water.
.Do not mix water with
ready-to-use washer fluid.
Water can cause the solution
to freeze and damage the
washer fluid tank and other
parts of the washer system.
Also, water does not clean as
well as washer fluid.
.Fill the washer fluid tank only
three-quarters full when it is
very cold. This allows for
fluid expansion if freezing
occurs, which could damage
the tank if it is
completely full.
.Do not use engine coolant
(antifreeze) in the windshield
washer. It can damage the
windshield washer system
and paint.

Black plate (46,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2011
10-46 Vehicle Care
Mini Fuse Usage3 Right Stop/Turn
Trailer
4 Spare
5 Spare
6 Fuel System
Control Module
Ignition
7 Body Control
Module 5
8 Body Control
Module 7
9 Body Control
Module 4
10 Instrument Panel
Cluster
11 Trailer Wiring
12 Spare
13 Brake Switch
14 Windshield Washer
16 Horn Mini Fuse Usage
17 Transmission
18 Air Conditioning
Compressor
19 Engine Control
Module Battery
20 Spare
21 Left Stop/Turn
Trailer
22 Spare
23 Spare
24 Fuel Pump
25 Auxiliary Power
Outlet
26 Body Control
Module 3
27 Special Equipment
Option
28 Airbag
29 Steering Wheel
Sensor Mini Fuse Usage
30 Engine Control
Module Ignition/
Glow Plug Module
31 Transmission
Control Module
Ignition
32 Transmission
Control Module
Battery
33 Spare
34 Spare
35 Fuel Operated
Heater Module
36 Fuel System
Control Module
Battery
51 Left High‐Beam
Headlamp
52 Right High‐Beam
Headlamp

Black plate (49,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-49
Mini‐Fuse UsageF1 Empty
F2 Steering Wheel
Sensor
F3 Auxiliary Parking
Lamps (Cut‐Away)
F4 Front Park Lamps
F5 Trailer Park Lamps
F6 Upfitter Park
Lamps
F7 Right Rear
Park Lamp
F8 Left Rear
Park Lamp
F9 Outside Rear View
Mirror Switch
F10 Airbag/Automatic
Occupant Sensing Mini‐Fuse Usage
F11 OnStar
®
(If Equipped)
F12 Empty
F13 Heating, Ventilation
and Air
Conditioning 2
F14 Heating, Ventilation
and Air
Conditioning 1
F15 Empty
F17 Outside Rear View
Mirror Heater
F18 Rear Window
Defogger
F19 Compass
F20 Radio/Chime/XM™
Satellite Radio
(If Equipped) Mini‐Fuse Usage
F21 Remote Function
Actuator/Tire
Pressure Monitor
F22 Ignition Switch/
Discrete Logic
Ignition
Sensor (PK3)
F23 Instrument Panel
Cluster
F25 Heating, Ventilation
and Air
Conditioning
Control
F26 Auxiliary/Trailer
Backup
F27 Taillamps Backup
F30 Upfitter Courtesy
Lamps
F31 Front Door Lock

Black plate (54,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2011
10-54 Vehicle Care
Tire Terminology and
Definitions
Air Pressure:The amount of
air inside the tire pressing
outward on each square inch
of the tire. Air pressure is
expressed in kPa (kilopascal)
or psi (pounds per square inch).
Accessory Weight
:The
combined weight of optional
accessories. Some examples of
optional accessories are
automatic transmission, power
steering, power brakes, power
windows, power seats, and air
conditioning.
Aspect Ratio
:The relationship
of a tire's height to its width.
Belt
:A rubber coated layer of
cords that is located between
the plies and the tread. Cords
may be made from steel or other
reinforcing materials. Bead
:The tire bead contains
steel wires wrapped by steel
cords that hold the tire onto
the rim.
Bias Ply Tire
:A pneumatic tire
in which the plies are laid at
alternate angles less than
90 degrees to the centerline of
the tread.
Cold Tire Pressure
:The
amount of air pressure in a tire,
measured in kPa (kilopascal)
or psi (pounds per square inch)
before a tire has built up heat
from driving. See Tire Pressure
on page 10‑57.
Curb Weight
:The weight of a
motor vehicle with standard and
optional equipment including the
maximum capacity of fuel, oil,
and coolant, but without
passengers and cargo. DOT Markings
:A code molded
into the sidewall of a tire
signifying that the tire is in
compliance with the U.S.
Department of Transportation
(DOT) Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards. The DOT code
includes the Tire Identification
Number (TIN), an alphanumeric
designator which can also
identify the tire manufacturer,
production plant, brand, and
date of production.
GVWR
:Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating. See Vehicle Load Limits
on page 9‑12.
GAWR FRT
:Gross Axle Weight
Rating for the front axle. See
Vehicle Load Limits on
page 9‑12.