light GMC SAVANA 2011 Repair Manual

Black plate (4,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2011
7-4 Infotainment System
Radio with CD (MP3) Shown; Radio with USB and CD (MP3) and Radiowith CD Similar
The vehicle has one of these radios
as its audio system.
Using the Radio
O(Power/Volume): Press to turn
the system on and off.
Turn clockwise or counterclockwise
to increase or decrease the volume.
4(Information) (AM-FM Radio and
AM-FM Radio with CD): Press to
switch the display between the radio
station frequency and the time.
While the ignition is off, press this
button to display the time. Press to
display additional text information
related to the current FM-RDS
station or MP3 song. A choice of
additional information such as:
Channel, Song, Artist, and CAT
(category) can display. Continue
pressing to highlight the desired tab,
or press the softkey located under
any one of the tabs and the
information about that tab displays.
Speed Compensated Volume
(SCV): Radios with Speed
Compensated Volume (SCV)
automatically adjust the radio
volume to compensate for road and
wind noise as the vehicles speed
changes while driving, so that the
volume level stays consistent.

Black plate (5,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2011
Infotainment System 7-5
To activate SCV:
1. Set the radio volume to thedesired level.
2. Press the MENU button to display the radio setup menu.
3. Press the softkey under the AUTO VOLUM (automatic
volume) tab on the radio display.
4. Press the softkey under the desired Speed Compensated
Volume setting (OFF, Low, Med,
or High) to select the level of
radio volume compensation.
The display times out after
approximately 10 seconds. Each
higher setting allows for more
radio volume compensation at
faster vehicle speeds.Setting the Tone (Bass/Treble)
(AM-FM Radio and AM-FM
Radio with CD)
To adjust the bass or treble:
1. Press the
fknob until Bass or
Treble displays.
2. To adjust the setting, do one of the following:
.Turn thefknob.
.Press either¨SEEK,
or
©SEEK.
.Press either\FWD,
or
sREV.
EQ (Equalization): Press this
button to choose bass and treble
equalization settings designed for
different types of music. Selecting
MANUAL, or changing bass or
treble, returns the EQ to the manual
bass and treble settings.
Unique EQ settings can be saved
for each source.
Setting the Tone (Bass/
Midrange/Treble) (All Except
AM-FM Radio and Radio
with CD)
BASS/MID/TREB (Bass, Midrange,
or Treble): To adjust the bass,
midrange, or treble:
1. Press the
fknob until the tone
control tabs display.
2. Highlight the desired tone control tab by doing one of the
following:
.Press thefknob.
.Press the softkey under the
desired tab.

Black plate (6,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2011
7-6 Infotainment System
3. Adjust the setting by doing oneof the following:
.Turn thefknob clockwise
or counterclockwise.
.Press the¨SEEK,
or
©SEEK.
.Press the\FWD,
or
sREV.
If a station's frequency is weak or if
there is static, decrease the treble.
To quickly adjust bass, midrange,
or treble to the middle position,
press the softkey positioned under
the BASS, MID, or TREB tab for
more than two seconds. A beep
sounds and the level adjusts to the
middle position.
To quickly adjust all tone and
speaker controls to the middle
position, press the
fknob for more
than two seconds until a beep
sounds. EQ (Equalization):
Press this
button to choose bass and treble
equalization settings designed for
different types of music. Selecting
MANUAL, or changing bass or
treble, returns the EQ to the manual
bass and treble settings.
Unique EQ settings can be saved
for each source.
If the radio has a Bose
®audio
system, the EQ settings are either
MANUAL or TALK.
Adjusting the Speakers
(Balance/Fade) (AM-FM Radio
and AM-FM Radio with CD)
To adjust the balance or fade:
1. Press
`or press thefknob
until the speaker control tab
displays. 2. To adjust the setting, do one of
the following:
.Turn thefknob.
.Press either¨SEEK,
or
©SEEK.
.Press either\FWD,
or
sREV.
Adjusting the Speakers
(Balance/Fade) (All Except
AM-FM Radio and Radio
with CD)
BAL/FADE (Balance/Fade): To
adjust the balance or fade:
1. Press the
fknob until the
speaker control tabs display.
2. Highlight the desired speaker control tab by doing one of the
following:
.Press thefknob.
.Press the softkey under the
desired tab.

Black plate (12,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2011
7-12 Infotainment System
Cellular Phone Usage
Cellular phone usage may cause
interference with the radio. This
interference may occur when
making or receiving phone calls,
charging the phone's battery,
or simply having the phone on. This
interference causes an increased
level of static while listening to the
radio. If static is received while
listening to the radio, unplug the
cellular phone and turn it off.
Fixed Mast Antenna
(Multi-Band)
The multi-band antenna is located
on the roof of the vehicle. The
antenna is used for OnStar and the
XM Satellite Radio Service System
if the vehicle has these features.
Keep the antenna clear of
obstructions for clear reception.
Make sure there is sufficient
clearance when entering garages or
parking structures.
Fixed Mast
Antenna (Care)
The fixed mast antenna can
withstand most car washes without
being damaged as long as it is
securely attached to the base. If the
mast becomes slightly bent,
straighten it out by hand. If the mast
is badly bent, replace it.
Make sure there is sufficient
clearance when entering garages or
parking structures.
Occasionally check to make sure
the antenna is tightened to its base.
If tightening is required, tighten
by hand.
Audio Players
CD Player
Care of the CD Player
Do not add any label to a CD.
It could get caught in the CD. If a
CD is recorded on a personal
computer and a description label is
needed, try labeling the top of the
recorded CD with a marking pen.
The use of CD lens cleaners is not
advised, due to the risk of
contaminating the lens of the CD
optics with lubricants internal to the
CD player mechanism.

Black plate (13,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2011
Infotainment System 7-13
Notice:If a label is added to a
CD, more than one CD is inserted
into the slot at a time, or an
attempt is made to play scratched
or damaged CDs, the CD player
could be damaged. While using
the CD player, use only CDs in
good condition without any label,
load one CD at a time, and keep
the CD player and the loading slot
free of foreign materials, liquids,
and debris.
If an error displays, see “CD Player
Messages” later in this section.
Care of CDs
If playing a CD-R, the sound quality
can be reduced due to CD-R or
CD-RW quality, the method of
recording, the quality of the music
that has been recorded, and the
way the CD-R or CD-RW has been
handled. Handle them carefully.
Store CD-Rs or CD-RWs in their
original cases or other protective
cases and away from direct sunlight
and dust. The CD player scans the
bottom surface of the disc. If the surface of a CD is damaged, such
as cracked, broken, or scratched,
the CD does not play properly or not
at all. Do not touch the bottom side
of a CD while handling it; this could
damage the surface. Pick up CDs
by grasping the outer edges or the
edge of the hole and the outer edge.
If the surface of a CD is soiled,
clean it with a soft, lint‐free cloth or
dampen a clean, soft cloth in a mild,
neutral detergent solution mixed
with water. Make sure the wiping
process starts from the center to
the edge.Inserting a CD (Single CD
Player)
Insert a CD partway into the slot,
label side up. The player pulls it in
and the CD should begin playing.
Ejecting a CD (Single CD
Player)
ZEJECT:
Press and release to
eject the disc. Remove the CD
when Remove Disc displays. If the
disc is not removed, after several
seconds the disc is automatically
pulled back into the player.
Playing a CD
If the ignition or radio is turned off
with a CD in the player, it stays in
the player. When the ignition or
radio is turned on, the CD starts
playing where it stopped, if it was
the last selected audio source.
When a CD is inserted, the CD
symbol displays on the left side of
the radio display. As each new track
starts to play, the track number
displays.
The CD player can play the smaller
8 cm (3 in) single CDs with an
adapter ring. Full-size CDs and the
smaller CDs are loaded in the same
manner.

Black plate (3,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-3
Police records show that
almost 40 percent 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, more than
17,000 annual motor vehicle-related
deaths have been associated with
the use of alcohol, with about
250,000 people injured.
For persons under 21, it is 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 eliminate the
leading highway safety problem is
for people never to drink alcohol
and then drive.Medical research shows that
alcohol in a person's system can
make crash injuries worse,
especially injuries to the brain,
spinal cord, or heart. This means
that when anyone who has been
drinking
—driver or passenger —is
in a crash, that person's chance of
being killed or permanently disabled
is higher than if the person had not
been drinking.
Control of a Vehicle
The following three systems
help to control the vehicle while
driving —brakes, steering, and
accelerator. At times, as when
driving on snow or ice, it is easy to
ask more of those control systems
than the tires and road can provide.
Meaning, you can lose control of the
vehicle.
Adding non‐dealer accessories can
affect vehicle performance. See
Accessories and Modifications on
page 10‑3.
Braking
See Brake System Warning Light on
page 5‑23.
Braking action involves perception
time and reaction time. Deciding to
push the brake pedal is perception
time. Actually doing it is
reaction time.
Average reaction time is about
three‐fourths of a second. But that is
only an average. It might be less
with one driver and as long as
two or three seconds or more with
another. Age, physical condition,
alertness, coordination, and
eyesight all play a part. So do
alcohol, drugs, and frustration. But
even in three‐fourths of a second, a
vehicle moving at 100 km/h
(60 mph) travels 20 m (66 ft). That
could be a lot of distance in an
emergency, so keeping enough
space between the vehicle and
others is important.

Black plate (5,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-5
Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can
be more effective than braking. For
example, you come over a hill and
find a truck stopped in your lane,
or a car suddenly pulls out from
nowhere, or a child darts out from
between parked cars and stops right
in front of you. These problems can
be avoided by braking—if you can
stop in time. But sometimes you
cannot stop in time because there
is no room. That is the time for
evasive action —steering around
the problem.
The vehicle can perform very well in
emergencies like these. First apply
the brakes. See Braking on
page 9‑3. It is better to remove as
much speed as possible from a
collision. Then steer around the
problem, to the left or right
depending on the space available.
An emergency like this requires
close attention and a quick decision.
If holding the steering wheel at the
recommended 9 and 3 o'clock
positions, it can be turned a full
180 degrees very quickly without
removing either hand. But you have
to act fast, steer quickly, and just as
quickly straighten the wheel once
you have avoided the object.
The fact that such emergency
situations are always possible is a
good reason to practice defensive
driving at all times and wear safety
belts properly.
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can drop
off the edge of a road onto the
shoulder while 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
the vehicle straddles the edge of the
pavement. Turn the steering wheel
8 to 13 cm (3 to 5 in), about
one-eighth turn, until the right

Black plate (7,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-7
Driving on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce
vehicle traction and affect your
ability to stop and accelerate.
Always drive slower in these types
of driving conditions and avoid
driving through large puddles and
deep‐standing or flowing water.
{WARNING
Wet brakes can cause crashes.
They might not work as well in a
quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large
puddle of water or a car/vehicle
wash, lightly apply the brake
pedal until the brakes work
normally.(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
Flowing or rushing water creates
strong forces. Driving through
flowing water could cause the
vehicle to be carried away. If this
happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be
very cautious about trying to drive
through flowing water.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water
can build up under the vehicle's
tires so they actually ride on the
water. This can happen if the road is
wet enough and you are going fast
enough. When the vehicle is
hydroplaning, it has little or no
contact with the road.
There is no hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to
slow down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet
weather driving tips include:
.Allow extra following distance.
.Pass with caution.
.Keep windshield wiping
equipment in good shape.
.Keep the windshield washer fluid
reservoir filled.
.Have good tires with proper
tread depth. SeeTires on
page 10‑50.
.Turn off cruise control.

Black plate (11,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-11
To save fuel, run the engine for only
short periods as needed to warm
the vehicle and then shut the engine
off and close the window most of
the way to save heat. Repeat this
until help arrives but only when you
feel really uncomfortable from the
cold. Moving about to keep warm
also helps.
If it takes some time for help to
arrive, now and then when you run
the engine, push the accelerator
pedal slightly so the engine runs
faster than the idle speed. This
keeps the battery charged to restart
the vehicle and to signal for help
with the headlamps. Do this as little
as possible to save fuel.If the Vehicle Is Stuck
Slowly and cautiously spin the
wheels to free the vehicle when
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
If the vehicle has a traction system,
it can often help to free a stuck
vehicle. Refer to the vehicle's
traction system in the Index. If stuck
too severely for the traction system
to free the vehicle, turn the traction
system off and use the rocking
method.{WARNING
If the vehicle's tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you
or others could be injured. The
vehicle can overheat, causing an
engine compartment fire or other
damage. Spin the wheels as little
as possible and avoid going
above 55 km/h (35 mph).
For information about using tire
chains on the vehicle, see Tire
Chains on page 10‑71.

Black plate (12,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2011
9-12 Driving and Operating
Rocking the Vehicle to Get
it Out
Turn the steering wheel left and
right to clear the area around the
front wheels. Turn off any traction or
stability system. Shift back and forth
between R (Reverse) and a forward
gear, spinning the wheels as little as
possible. To prevent transmission
wear, wait until the wheels stop
spinning before shifting gears.
Release the accelerator pedal while
shifting, and press lightly on the
accelerator pedal when the
transmission is in gear. Slowly
spinning the wheels in the forward
and reverse directions causes a
rocking motion that could free the
vehicle. If that does not get the
vehicle out after a few tries, it might
need to be towed out. If the vehicle
does need to be towed out, see
Towing the Vehicle on page 10‑88.
Vehicle Load Limits
It is very important to know how
much weight the vehicle can
carry. This weight is called the
vehicle capacity weight and
includes the weight of all
occupants, cargo, and all
nonfactory-installed options.
Two labels on the vehicle show
how much weight it was
designed to carry, the Tire and
Loading Information label and
the Certification/Tire label.{WARNING
Do not load the vehicle any
heavier than the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR), or either the
maximum front or rear Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR).
This can cause systems to
break and change the way the
vehicle handles. This could
cause loss of control and a
crash. Overloading can also
shorten the life of the vehicle.