transmission oil GMC SAVANA 2016 Owner's Manual

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9159232) -
2016 - crc - 11/11/15
In Brief 5
In Brief
Instrument Panel
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Initial Drive Information
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . . . 8
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Airbag On-Off Switch . . . . . . . . . . 11
Mirror Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . 13
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . . 14
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Vehicle Features
Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Radio(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Portable Audio Devices . . . . . . . . 18
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . 18
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . 19 Parking Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Performance and Maintenance
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Tire Pressure Monitor . . . . . . . . . . 20
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . 21
E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Roadside Assistance Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9159232) -
2016 - crc - 11/11/15
86 Instruments and Controls
Instruments and
Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . 87
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . 87
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . . 88
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Cigarette Lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Ashtrays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Engine Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . 96
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Voltmeter Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . . 98
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . . . 98 Airbag On-Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Charging System Light . . . . . . . 100
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Check Engine Light) . . . . . . . . 100
Brake System Warning
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Tow/Haul Mode Light . . . . . . . . . 103
StabiliTrak
®OFF Light . . . . . . . . 103
Traction Control System (TCS)/ StabiliTrak
®Light . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . 104
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . 105
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . 106
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . . 106
Information Displays
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Battery Voltage and ChargingMessages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Brake System Messages . . . . . 111
Compass Messages . . . . . . . . . . 111
Door Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . . 111 Engine Cooling System
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Engine Oil Messages . . . . . . . . . 113
Engine Power Messages . . . . . 113
Fuel System Messages . . . . . . . 113
Key and Lock Messages . . . . . . 114
Lamp Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Object Detection System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Ride Control System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Airbag System Messages . . . . . 115
Security Messages . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Service Vehicle Messages . . . . 116
Tire Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Transmission Messages . . . . . . 117
Vehicle Reminder Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Vehicle Personalization
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . 118

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9159232) -
2016 - crc - 11/11/15
176 Driving and Operating
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.
Starting the Engine
If the vehicle has a diesel engine,
see the Duramax diesel
supplement.
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.
Caution
If you add electrical parts or
accessories, you could change
the way the engine operates. Any
resulting damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
SeeAdd-On Electrical
Equipment 0211.
Caution
Do not try to shift to P (Park) if the
vehicle is moving. If you do, you
could damage the transmission.
Shift to P (Park) only when the
vehicle is stopped.
Caution
If the steering wheel is turned
until it reaches the end of its
travel, and is held in that position
while starting the vehicle, damage
may occur to the hydraulic power
steering system and there may be
loss of power steering assist.
Starting Procedure 1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, 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.
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.
Caution
Cranking the engine for long
periods of time, by returning the
ignition 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.

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9159232) -
2016 - crc - 11/11/15
Driving and Operating 177
2. If the engine does not startafter 5-10 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.Fast Idle System
If equipped, this feature is available
only with cruise control. The manual
fast idle switch is operated using the
cruise control buttons on the left
side of the steering wheel.
This system can be used to
increase engine idle speed
whenever the following conditions
are met:
.The parking 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 indicator light
is lit.
. Press and release the cruise
control SET- button. 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.
One of the following actions will turn
off the fast idle:
.
Pressing the brake.
. Selecting the cruise control
cancel button.
. Releasing the parking brake.
. Moving the transmission shift
lever out of P (Park) or
N (Neutral).
. Selecting the cruise control on/
off button when it was
previously on.
. Pressing the cruise control SET-
button a second time.
. Pressing the accelerator more
than one-quarter of the
way down.
. Turning the ignition switch to the
LOCK/OFF position.

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9159232) -
2016 - crc - 11/11/15
Driving and Operating 203
Passing
More passing distance is needed
when towing a trailer. The
combination will not accelerate as
quickly and is longer so 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. 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 TurnsCaution
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.
If the trailer turn signal bulbs burn
out, the arrows on the instrument
cluster will still flash for turns. 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 get hot and no longer
work well.
Vehicles 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.
The Tow/Haul Mode may be used if
the transmission shifts too often.
See Tow/Haul Mode 0186. 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
transmission in P (Park) for a few
minutes before turning the engine
off. If the overheat warning comes
on, see
Engine Overheating 0228.Parking on Hills
{Warning
Parking the vehicle on a hill with
the trailer attached can be
dangerous. If something goes
wrong, the rig could start to move.
People can be injured, and both
the vehicle and the trailer can be
damaged. When possible, always
park the rig on a flat surface.

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9159232) -
2016 - crc - 11/11/15
204 Driving and Operating
If parking the rig on a hill:1. Press the brake pedal, but do not shift into P (Park) yet. Turn
the wheels into the curb if
facing downhill or into traffic if
facing uphill.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the regular
brakes until the chocks absorb
the load.
4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then apply the parking brake and
shift into P (Park).
5. Release the brake pedal.
Leaving After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine.
3. Shift into a gear.
4. Release the parking brake.
5. Let up on the brake pedal.
6. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks. 7. Stop and have someone pick
up and store the chocks.
Maintenance when Trailer
Towing
The vehicle needs service more
often when pulling a trailer. See
Maintenance Schedule 0294.
Things that are especially important
in trailer operation are automatic
transmission fluid, engine oil, axle
lubricant, belts, cooling system, and
brake system. It is a good idea to
inspect these before and during
the trip.
Check periodically to see that all
hitch nuts and bolts are tight.
Trailer Towing
If the vehicle has a diesel engine,
see the Duramax diesel
supplement.
{Warning
The driver can lose control when
pulling a trailer if the correct
equipment is not used or the
vehicle is not driven properly. For
example, if the trailer is too heavy
or the trailer brakes are
inadequate for the load, the
vehicle may not stop as expected.
The driver and passengers could
be seriously injured. The vehicle
may also be damaged; the
resulting repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Pull a trailer only if all the steps in
this section have been followed.
Ask your dealer for advice and
information about towing a trailer
with the vehicle.
Caution
Pulling a trailer improperly can
damage the vehicle and result in
costly repairs not covered by the
(Continued)

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9159232) -
2016 - crc - 11/11/15
212 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 213
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 213
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 219
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 223
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 228
Engine Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . . . 229
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232 Battery - North America . . . . . . 233
Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Noise Control System . . . . . . . . 234
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 235
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 236
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 237Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker, and Parking Lamps . . . . . . . . . 240
Taillamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL) . . . . . . . . . 241
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 242
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . 243
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 243 Engine Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Floor Console Fuse Block . . . . 247
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
All-Terrain Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 250
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Tire Terminology and Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Dual Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 268

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9159232) -
2016 - crc - 11/11/15
Vehicle Care 217
1.Battery - North America 0233.
2. Radiator Pressure Cap. See Cooling System 0224.
3. Coolant Recovery Tank. See Cooling System 0224.
4. Automatic Transmission Fluid Dipstick. See “Checking the
Fluid Level” underAutomatic
Transmission Fluid 0220.
5. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When
to Add Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil 0217.
6. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil 0217.
7. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0223.
8. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. See Power Steering
Fluid 0229.
9. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir. See Brake
Fluid 0232.
10. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding Washer
Fluid” under Washer
Fluid 0230.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:
. 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 0219.
. Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “What to Do with
Used Oil” in this section.
Checking Engine Oil
It is a good idea to check the engine
oil level at each fuel fill. In order to
get an accurate reading, the vehicle
must be on level ground. The
engine oil dipstick handle is a loop.
SeeEngine Compartment Overview
0 216 for the location of the engine
oil dipstick.
Obtaining an accurate oil level
reading is essential:
1. If the engine has been running recently, turn off the engine and
allow several minutes for the oil
to drain back into the oil pan.
Checking the oil level too soon
after engine shutoff will not
provide an accurate oil level
reading.
{Warning
The engine oil dipstick handle
may be hot; it could burn you.
Use a towel or glove to touch the
dipstick handle.

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9159232) -
2016 - crc - 11/11/15
220 Vehicle Care
If the system is ever reset
accidentally, the oil must be
changed at 5 000 km (3,000 mi)
since the last oil change.
Remember to reset the oil life
system whenever the oil is changed.
How to Reset the Engine Oil
Life System
Reset the system whenever the
engine oil is changed so that the
system can calculate the next
engine oil change. To reset the
system:1. Turn the ignition key to ON/ RUN with the engine off.
2. Fully press and release the accelerator pedal slowly three
times within five seconds.
3. Turn the key to LOCK/OFF.
If the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message comes back on when the
vehicle is started, the engine oil life
system has not reset. Repeat the
procedure.
Automatic Transmission
Fluid
When to Check and Change
Automatic Transmission Fluid
It is usually not necessary to check
the transmission fluid level. The only
reason for fluid loss is a
transmission leak or overheated
transmission. If a small leak is
suspected, use the following
procedures to check the fluid level.
However, if there is a large leak, it
may be necessary to have the
vehicle towed to a dealer and have
it repaired before driving the vehicle
further.
Change the fluid and filter at the
intervals listed in Maintenance
Schedule 0294, and be sure to use
the transmission fluid listed in
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants 0302.
How to Check Automatic
Transmission Fluid
Because this operation can be
difficult, it is recommended to have
this check done at your dealer,
which can monitor the transmission
temperature. The transmission fluid
level increases with temperature. To
obtain a highly accurate fluid level
check, the transmission temperature
must be measured.
If it is decided to check the fluid
level, be sure to follow all the
instructions here, or a false reading
on the dipstick may occur.
Caution
Too much or too little fluid can
damage the transmission. Too
much can mean that some of the
fluid could come out and fall on
hot engine parts or exhaust
system parts, starting a fire. Too
little fluid could cause the
transmission to overheat. Be sure
to get an accurate reading if
checking the transmission fluid.

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9159232) -
2016 - crc - 11/11/15
Vehicle Care 221
Wait at least 30 minutes with the
engine off, before checking the
transmission fluid level if the vehicle
has been driven:
.In hot weather, when outside
temperatures are above 32 °C
(90 °F).
. The vehicle is heavily loaded.
. At high speed for quite a while in
hot weather.
. In heavy traffic and hot weather.
. While pulling a trailer.
After driving under these conditions,
a hot check can be performed. The
fluid should be hot, which is 71 °C to
93 °C (160 °F to 200 °F).
A cold fluid level check can be
performed after the vehicle has
been sitting for eight hours or more
with the engine off, but this is used
only as a reference. Let the engine
run at idle for five minutes if the
outside temperature is between
15 °C to 32 °C (60 °F to 90 °F).
Should the fluid level be low during
this cold check, the fluid must be
checked warm or hot before adding
fluid. If the outside temperature is colder than 15 °C (60 °F) or hotter
than 32 °C (90 °F), a cold check
cannot be performed.
A warm fluid level check can be
performed by driving the vehicle
under lightly loaded conditions and
outside temperatures between 10 °C
to 27 °C (50 °F to 80 °F). The
vehicle should be driven for at least
24 km (15 mi) before performing a
warm check. Checking the fluid
warm or hot will give a more
accurate reading of the fluid level
than a cold check.
Because the vehicle is equipped
with a high-efficiency air-to-oil
cooler, the transmission fluid
temperature may not reach the
required hot fluid level checking
temperature under normal lightly
loaded driving vehicle conditions.
Checking the Fluid Level
Prepare the vehicle:
1. Park the vehicle on a level place. Keep the engine
running.
2. With the parking brake applied, place the shift lever in P (Park). 3. With a foot on the brake pedal,
move the shift lever through
each gear range, pausing for
about three seconds in each
range. When M is reached,
move the selector from M1
through M3. Then, position the
shift lever in P (Park).
4. Let the engine run at idle for two minutes or more.
Then, without shutting off the
engine, use the steps that follow.
The transmission dipstick is near
the center of the engine
compartment and will be labeled
with the graphic shown.
See Engine Compartment Overview
0 216 for more information on
location.