tow GMC SAVANA 2018 Owner's Guide

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11374214) -
2018 - CRC - 2/2/18
Lighting 121
Exterior Lamps Off
Reminder
If a door is open, a reminder chime
sounds when the headlamps or
parking lamps are manually turned
on and the key is out of the ignition.
To turn off the chime, turn the
headlamp switch to
Oor AUTO and
then back on, or close and re-open
the door. In the auto mode, the
headlamps turn off once the ignition
is off or may remain on until the
headlamp delay ends, if enabled in
the Driver Information Center (DIC).
See “Exit Lighting” underVehicle
Personalization 0115.
Headlamp High/
Low-Beam Changer
2 3
:Pull the turn signal lever all
the way toward you to change the
headlamps from low to high beam.
Then release it.
Pull the turn signal lever all the way
toward you again and release it to
change the headlamps back to
low beam.
This instrument cluster light comes
on when the high-beam headlamps
are on.
Flash-to-Pass
This feature is used to signal to the
vehicle ahead that you want
to pass.
If the headlamps are off or in the
low‐beam position, pull the turn
signal lever toward you to
momentarily switch to high beams.
Release the lever to turn the
high-beam headlamps off.
Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL)
DRL can make it easier for others to
see the front of the vehicle during
the day. Fully functional DRL are
required on all vehicles first sold in
Canada.
The DRL system comes on in
daylight when the following
conditions are met:
. The ignition is on.
. The exterior lamp control is in
the AUTO position.
. The shift lever is not in P (Park).
. The light sensor determines it is
daytime.
When the DRL are on, the taillamps,
sidemarker, instrument panel lights,
and other lamps will not be on.
The automatic headlamp system
automatically switches from DRL to
the headlamps depending on the
darkness of the surroundings.

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11374214) -
2018 - CRC - 2/2/18
Lighting 123
Hazard Warning Flashers
|:Press this button to make the
front and rear turn signal lamps
flash on and off. This warns others
that you are having trouble. Press
again to turn the flashers off.
When the hazard warning flashers
are on, the vehicle's turn signals will
not work.
Turn and Lane-Change
Signals
G: An arrow on the instrument
cluster flashes in the direction of the
turn or lane change.
To signal a turn, move the lever all
the way up or down.
To signal a lane change, raise or
lower the lever until the arrow starts
to flash. The turn signal
automatically flashes three times
and if the Tow/Haul Mode is active it
flashes six times. Holding the turn
signal lever for more than
one second causes the turn signals
to flash continually until the lever is
released.
The lever returns to its starting
position when released. If after signaling a turn or lane
change the arrow flashes rapidly or
does not come on, a signal bulb
may be burned out.
Have any burned out bulbs
replaced. If a bulb is not burned out,
check the fuse. See
Fuses and
Circuit Breakers 0246.
Turn Signal On Chime
If the turn signal is left on for more
than 1.2 km (0.75 mi), a chime
sounds at each flash of the turn
signal and the message TURN
SIGNAL ON also appears in the
Driver Information Center (DIC). To
turn off the chime and message,
move the turn signal lever to the off
position.

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11374214) -
2018 - CRC - 2/2/18
Climate Controls 155
):Air is divided between the
instrument panel and floor outlets,
with some air directed toward the
windshield.
6: Air is directed to the floor
outlets with some air directed to the
windshield and side windows.
-: This mode clears the windows
of fog or moisture. Outside air is
directed to the floor and defroster
outlets. Adjust the temperature knob
for warmer or cooler air. The air
conditioning compressor might turn
on in this setting to dehumidify
the air.
1: This mode clears the
windshield of fog or frost more
quickly. Air is directed to the
windshield, with some to the floor
outlets and front side windows. The
air conditioning compressor might
turn on in this setting to dehumidify
the air.
Do not drive the vehicle until all the
windows are clear.
Vehicles with Air Conditioning
1. Fan Control
2. Temperature Control
3. Air Delivery Mode Control
4. Rear Window Defogger (If Equipped)
On hot days, open the windows to
let hot inside air escape; then close
them. This helps to reduce the time
needed for the vehicle to cool down
and the system operates more
efficiently.
#: Cools and dehumidifies the air
inside of the vehicle.
V: Cools the air inside the vehicle
faster, by recirculating the inside air.
Rear Window Defogger
If equipped with a rear window
defogger, a warming grid is used to
remove fog or frost from the rear
window.
1: Press to turn the rear window
defogger on or off. An indicator light
on the button comes on to show that
the rear window defogger is on.

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11374214) -
2018 - CRC - 2/2/18
160 Driving and Operating
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 164
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 165
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 166
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 171
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Fast Idle System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Retained AccessoryPower (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
Engine Coolant Heater . . . . . . . 175
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 178 Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 180
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 186
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Driver Assistance Systems
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . 191
Parking Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192 Side Blind Zone
Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
California FuelRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 196
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) . . . 209
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11374214) -
2018 - CRC - 2/2/18
Driving and Operating 167
If stuck too severely for the traction
system to free the vehicle, turn the
traction system off and use the
rocking method. SeeTraction
Control/Electronic Stability Control
0 186.
{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 56 km/h (35 mph).
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
system. Shift back and forth
between R (Reverse) and a low
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 0287.
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 may
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
reduce stopping distance,
damage the tires, and shorten
the life of the vehicle.

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11374214) -
2018 - CRC - 2/2/18
Driving and Operating 169
exceed the available cargo
and luggage load capacity
calculated in Step 4.
6.If your vehicle will be towing
a trailer, load from your
trailer will be transferred to
your vehicle. Consult this
manual to determine how
this reduces the available
cargo and luggage load
capacity of your vehicle.”
SeeTrailer Towing 0202 for
important information on towing a
trailer, towing safety rules and
trailering tips.Example 1
1. Vehicle Capacity Weight for
Example 1 = 453 kg
(1,000 lbs)
2. Subtract Occupant Weight @ 68 kg (150 lbs) × 2 =
136 kg (300 lbs)
3. Available Occupant and Cargo Weight = 317 kg
(700 lbs)
Example 2
A. Vehicle Capacity Weight for Example 2 = 453 kg (1,000 lbs)
B. Subtract Occupant Weight @ 68 kg (150 lbs) × 5 = 136 kg
(750 lbs)
C. Available Cargo Weight = 113 kg (250 lbs)

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11374214) -
2018 - CRC - 2/2/18
Driving and Operating 171
Warning (Continued)
.Never stack heavier
things, like suitcases,
inside the vehicle so that
some of them are above
the tops of the seats.
.Do not leave an
unsecured child restraint
in the vehicle.
.When you carry
something inside the
vehicle, secure it
whenever you can.
.Do not leave a seat
folded down unless you
need to.
Add-On Equipment
When carrying removable items,
a limit on how many people
carried inside the vehicle may
be necessary. Be sure to weigh
the vehicle before buying and
installing the new equipment.
Starting and
Operating
New Vehicle Break-In
Caution
The vehicle does not need an
elaborate break-in. But it will
perform better in the long run if
you follow these guidelines: . Keep the vehicle speed at
88 km/h (55 mph) or less for
the first 805 km (500 mi).
. Do not drive at any one
constant speed, fast or slow,
for the first 805 km (500 mi).
Do not make full-throttle
starts. Avoid downshifting to
brake or slow the vehicle.
. Avoid making hard stops for
the first 322 km (200 mi) or
so. During this time the new
brake linings are not yet
broken in. Hard stops with
new linings can mean
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
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. See Trailer Towing
0 202 for the trailer towing
capabilities of the vehicle
and more information.
Following break-in, engine speed
and load can be gradually
increased.

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11374214) -
2018 - CRC - 2/2/18
Driving and Operating 177
Shifting Into Park
1. Hold the brake pedal down,then set the parking brake.
2. Move the shift lever into the P (Park) position by pulling the
shift lever toward you and
moving it up as far as it will go.
3. Turn the ignition key to LOCK/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.
It could overheat and catch fire.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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. 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).
SeeShifting Into Park 0177.
If you are towing a trailer, see
Driving Characteristics and
Towing Tips 0200.
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. After the
shift lever is moved 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 transmission into
P (Park) properly, the weight of the
vehicle can put too much force on
the parking pawl in the
transmission. It might be 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 0177.
When you are ready to drive, move
the shift lever out of P (Park) before
releasing the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you might
need to have another vehicle push
yours a little uphill to take some of
the pressure from the parking pawl
in the transmission. Then you
should be able to pull the shift lever
out of P (Park).

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11374214) -
2018 - CRC - 2/2/18
Driving and Operating 179
Engine Exhaust
{Warning
Engine exhaust contains carbon
monoxide (CO), which cannot be
seen or smelled. Exposure to CO
can cause unconsciousness and
even death.
Exhaust may enter the vehicle if:. The vehicle idles in areas
with poor ventilation
(parking garages, tunnels,
deep snow that may block
underbody airflow or tail
pipes).
. The exhaust smells or
sounds strange or different.
. The exhaust system leaks
due to corrosion or damage.
. The vehicle exhaust system
has been modified,
damaged, or improperly
repaired.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.There are holes or openings
in the vehicle body from
damage or aftermarket
modifications that are not
completely sealed.
If unusual fumes are detected or
if it is suspected that exhaust is
coming into the vehicle: . Drive it only with the
windows completely down.
. Have the vehicle repaired
immediately.
Never park the vehicle with the
engine running in an enclosed
area such as a garage or a
building that has no fresh air
ventilation.
Running the Vehicle
While Parked
It is better not to park with the
engine running.
If the vehicle is left with the engine
running, follow the proper steps to
be sure the vehicle will not move.
See Shifting Into Park 0177 and
Engine Exhaust 0179.
If parking on a hill and pulling a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips 0200.

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11374214) -
2018 - CRC - 2/2/18
180 Driving and Operating
Automatic
Transmission
A shift position indicator is in the
instrument cluster.
There are several different positions
for the shift lever.
See“Range Selection Mode” under
Manual Mode 0183.
P : 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” underShifting Into
Park 0177.
{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. 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).
See Shifting Into Park 0177 and
Driving Characteristics and
Towing Tips 0200.
R : Use this gear to back up.
Caution
Shifting to R (Reverse) while the
vehicle is moving forward could
damage the transmission. The
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
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 0166.
N : 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
(Continued)