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). Use a lower gear if the transmission shifts too often.

When towing at high altitude on steep uphill grades, 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 on page 10‑20.

    See also:

    Tow/Haul Mode
    Pressing this button at the end of the shift lever 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 f ...

    Exterior
    The 2003 Savana’s front end displays a new grille, bumper, fascia, hood and fenders. GM’s designers sought to create a stronger family resemblance to other members of the company’s truck fam ...

    Add-on Electrical Equipment
    The OnStar system is integrated into the electrical architecture of the vehicle. Do not add any electrical equipment. See Add-On Electrical Equipment on page 9‑112. Added electrical equipment ma ...