ignition GMC SAVANA 2019 Service Manual

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12146167) -
2019 - CRC - 11/26/18
Infotainment System 157
3. Use the dial or call commandto dial the number of the third
party to be called.
4. Once the call is connected, press
b/gto link all callers
together.
Ending a Call
Pressc/xto end a call.
Muting a Call
During a call, all sounds from inside
the vehicle can be muted so that the
person on the other end of the call
cannot hear them.
. To mute a call, press
b/g, and
then say “Mute call.”
. To cancel mute, press
b/g,
and then say “Un-mute call.”
Transferring a Call
Audio can be transferred between
the Bluetooth system and the cell
phone. The cell phone must be paired and
connected with the Bluetooth
system before a call can be
transferred. The connection process
can take up to two minutes after the
ignition is turned to on.
Transferring Audio from the
Bluetooth System to a Cell Phone
During a call with the audio in the
vehicle:
1. Press
b/g.
2. Say “Transfer Call.”
Transferring Audio to the
Bluetooth System from a Cell
Phone
During a call with the audio on the
cell phone, press
b/g. The audio
transfers to the vehicle. If the audio
does not transfer to the vehicle, use
the audio transfer feature on the cell
phone. See your cell phone
manufacturer's user guide for more
information.
Voice Pass-Thru
Voice pass-thru allows access to the
voice recognition commands on the
cell phone. See your cell phone
manufacturer's user guide to see if
the cell phone supports this feature.
To access contacts stored in the cell
phone:
1. Press and hold
b/gfor
two seconds.
2. Say “Bluetooth.” This command
can be skipped.
3. Say “Voice.”The system
responds “OK, accessing
.”
The cell phone's normal prompt
messages will go through their cycle
according to the phone's operating
instructions.
Dual Tone Multi-Frequency
(DTMF) Tones
The Bluetooth system can send
numbers and the numbers stored as
name tags during a call. You can
use this feature when calling a

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12146167) -
2019 - CRC - 11/26/18
Climate Controls 161
The defogger only works when the
ignition is on. The defogger turns off
if the ignition is turned off or to ACC/
ACCESSORY.
Heated Mirrors: If equipped with
heated outside mirrors, the mirrors
heat to help clear fog or frost from
the surface of the mirror when
1is
pressed. See Heated Mirrors 039.
Do not drive the vehicle until all the
windows are clear.
Caution
Do not use a razor blade or sharp
object to clear the inside rear
window. Do not adhere anything
to the defogger grid lines in the
rear glass. These actions may
damage the rear defogger.
Repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty.
Rear Heating System
If equipped, the rear heating system
lets you adjust the amount of air
flowing into the rear of the vehicle,
from the front seating area. This
feature works with the main climate
control system in the vehicle.
AUX : The thumbwheel for this
system is on the instrument panel
below the audio system.
9: Turn the thumbwheel up or
down to increase or decrease the
amount of heated air sent to the
rear seating area.
Q: This position supplies the most
amount of heat to the rear
seating area.
c: This position supplies half the
amount of heat to the rear
seating area.
R: This position supplies the least
amount of heat to the rear
seating area.
9: This turns the rear heating
system off.

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12146167) -
2019 - CRC - 11/26/18
Driving and Operating 165
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 169
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 170
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 172
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 176
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Fast Idle System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Retained AccessoryPower (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Engine Coolant Heater . . . . . . . 181
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 184 Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 186
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Tow/Haul Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 192
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Locking Rear Axle . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 197
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . 198
Park Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199 Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Lane Departure
Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Fuel
Top Tier Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . . 206
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 207
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Filling a Portable FuelContainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Trailer Towing
General Towing
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Trailer Sway Control (TSC) . . . 226
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12146167) -
2019 - CRC - 11/26/18
170 Driving and Operating
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. See Tires0269.
. Turn off cruise control.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. Tips include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
. Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
. Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.
{Warning
Using the brakes to slow the
vehicle on a long downhill slope
can cause brake overheating, can
reduce brake performance, and
could result in a loss of braking.
Shift the transmission to a lower
gear to let the engine assist the
brakes on a steep downhill slope.
{Warning
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. This can cause
overheating of the brakes and
loss of steering assist. Always
have the engine running and the
vehicle in gear.
. Drive at speeds that keep the
vehicle in its own lane. Do not
swing wide or cross the
center line. .
Be alert on top of hills;
something could be in your lane
(e.g., stalled car, crash).
. Pay attention to special road
signs (e.g., falling rocks area,
winding roads, long grades,
passing or no-passing zones)
and take appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Snow or ice between the tires and
the road creates less traction or
grip, so drive carefully. Wet ice can
occur at about 0 °C (32 °F) when
freezing rain begins to fall. Avoid
driving on wet ice or in freezing rain
until roads can be treated.
For slippery road driving:
.Accelerate gently. Accelerating
too quickly causes the wheels to
spin and makes the surface
under the tires slick.
. Turn on Traction Control. See
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0192.

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12146167) -
2019 - CRC - 11/26/18
Driving and Operating 177
Ignition Positions
0. Stopping the Engine/LOCK/OFF
1. ACC/ACCESSORY
2. ON/RUN
3. START
The ignition switch has four
positions.
To shift out of P (Park), the ignition
must be in ON/RUN and the brake
pedal must be applied.0 (Stopping the Engine/LOCK/
OFF) :
This position turns off the
vehicle. It also locks the ignition, the
transmission, and the steering
column, if equipped with a locking
steering column.
To turn off the vehicle:
1. Make sure that the vehicle is stopped.
2. Shift to P (Park).
3. Continue to hold the brake pedal, then set the parking
brake. See Parking Brake
0 191. 4. Push the key all the way in the
steering column (1), then turn
the key to LOCK/OFF (2).
5. Remove the key.
6. Release the brake pedal.
See your dealer if the key can be
removed in any other position.
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
will remain active. See Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) 0181.
A warning chime will sound when
the driver door is opened and the
key is in the ignition.
If equipped with a locking steering
column, the steering can bind with
the front wheels turned off center,
which may prevent key rotation out
of LOCK/OFF. If this happens, move
the steering wheel from right to left
while turning the key to ACC/
ACCESSORY. If this does not work,
then the vehicle needs service.

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12146167) -
2019 - CRC - 11/26/18
178 Driving and Operating
{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, turn off the vehicle
only in an emergency.
In an emergency, if the vehicle
cannot be pulled over and must be
turned off while driving: 1. Push the key all the way in toward the steering column,
then turn the key to ACC/
ACCESSORY.
2. Brake using firm and steady pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
3. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral). This can be done while the
vehicle is moving. Continue
braking and steer the vehicle to
a safe location.
4. Come to a complete stop. 5. Shift to P (Park) with an
automatic transmission,
or Neutral with a manual
transmission.
6. Continue to hold the brake pedal, then set the parking
brake. See Parking Brake
0 191.
7. Push the key all the way in toward the steering column,
then turn the ignition to
LOCK/OFF.
8. Remove the key.
9. Release the brake pedal.
Caution
Use the correct key, make sure it
is all the way in —or pushed all
the way in toward the steering
column when turning off the
vehicle —and turn it only with
your hand.
1 (ACC/ACCESSORY) : This
position allows features such as the
infotainment system to operate while the vehicle is off. It also
unlocks the steering column,
if equipped with a locking steering
column. Use this position if the
vehicle must be pushed or towed.
See
Retained Accessory Power
(RAP) 0181.
From ON/RUN, push the key all the
way in toward the steering column,
then turn the key to ACC/
ACCESSORY.
If the key is left in ACC/
ACCESSORY with the engine off,
the battery could drain and the
vehicle may not start.
A warning chime will sound when
the driver door is opened and the
key is in the ignition.
2 (ON/RUN) : This position can be
used to operate the electrical
accessories and to display some
instrument cluster warning and
indicator lights. This position can
also be used for service and
diagnostics, and to verify the proper
operation of the malfunction
indicator lamp as may be required
for emission inspection purposes.

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12146167) -
2019 - CRC - 11/26/18
Driving and Operating 179
The switch stays in this position
when the engine is running. The
transmission is also unlocked in this
position.
If the key is left in ON/RUN with the
engine off, the battery could drain
and the vehicle may not start.
3 (START) :This is the position that
starts the engine. When the engine
starts, release the key. The ignition
returns to ON/RUN for driving.
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.
See Add-On Electrical Equipment
0 227.
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
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
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 light
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

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12146167) -
2019 - CRC - 11/26/18
180 Driving and Operating
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.
2. If the engine does not start after five to 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.

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12146167) -
2019 - CRC - 11/26/18
Driving and Operating 181
.Pressing the cruise control SET-
button a second time.
. Pressing the accelerator more
than one-quarter of the
way down.
. Turning the ignition off.
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP)
These vehicle accessories can be
used for up to 10 minutes after the
engine is turned off:
.Audio System
. Power Windows (if equipped)
These features will work when the
ignition is on or in ACC/
ACCESSORY. Once the ignition is
turned from on to off, power to the
radio and power windows will
continue to work for 10 minutes or
until the driver door is opened.
Engine Coolant Heater
If the vehicle has a diesel engine,
see the Duramax diesel
supplement.
{Warning
Do not plug in the engine block
heater while the vehicle is parked
in a garage or under a carport.
Property damage or personal
injury may result. Always park the
vehicle in a clear open area away
from buildings or structures.
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.
4.3L V6 Engine
6.0L V8 Engine

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12146167) -
2019 - CRC - 11/26/18
Driving and Operating 183
The length of time the heater should
remain plugged in depends on
several factors. Ask a dealer in the
area where you will be parking the
vehicle for the best advice on this.
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. Push the ignition key in, towards the steering column
and then turn the ignition 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.
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 0183.
If you are towing a trailer, see
Driving Characteristics and
Towing Tips 0210. 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 0183.
When you are ready to drive, move
the shift lever out of P (Park) before
releasing the parking brake.