1996 GMC SAVANA Owners Manual

A CAUTION:
Don’t put anything on, or attach anything to,
the steering wheel or instrument panel.
Also,
don’t put anything (such as pets or ob,jects)
between any occupant and the steering wheel
or
instrument panel. And don’t hang anything from
the assist handle on the passenger’s side
of the
instrument panel. If something is between an
occupant and an air bag, it could affect the
performance
of the air bag -- or worse, it could
cause injury.
When should an air bag inflate?
The air bag
is designed to inflate in moderate to severe
frontal or near-frontal crashes. The air
bag will inflate
only
if the impact speed is above the system’s designed
“threshold level.“
If your vehicle goes straight into a
wall that doesn’t move
or deform, the threshold level is
about
1 1 to 16 mph (18 to 26 km/h). The threshold level
can vary, however, with specific vehicle design,
so that
it can be somewhat above or below this range. If your
vehicle strikes something that
will move or deform, such
as a parked car, the threshold
level will be higher. The
air bag is not designed
to inflate in rollovers, side
impacts or rear impacts, because inflation would
not
help the occupant.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether an air
bag should have inflated simply because
of the damage
to a vehicle
or because of what the repair costs were.
Inflation is determined by the angle
of the impact and
the vehicle’s deceleration. Vehicle damage is
only one
indication
of this.
What makes an air bag inflate?
In a frontal or near-frontal impact of sufficient seventy,
the air bag sensing system detects that the vehicle
is
suddenly stopping as a result of a crash. The sensing
system triggers a chemical reaction
of the sodium azide
sealed
in the inflator. The reaction produces nitrogen
gas, which inflates the air bag. The inflator, air bag and
related hardware are all part of the air bag modules
packed inside
the steering wheel and in the instrument
panel
in front of the right front passenger.
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How does an air bag restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or
the instrument panel. The air bag supplements the
protection provided by safety belts. Air bags distribute
the force
of the impact more evenly over the occupant‘s
upper body, stopping the occupant Inore gradually. But
air bags would not help you
in many types of collisions,
including rollovers, rear impacts and side impacts,
pritnarily because an occupant‘s motion is not toward
the air bag. Air bags should never be regarded as
anything more than a supplement to safety belts,
and then only
in moderate to severe frontal or
near-frontal collisions.
What will you see after an air bag inflates?
After the air bag inflates, it quickly deflates. This occurs
so quickly that some people may not even realize the air
bag inflated. Some components
of the air bag module
in the steering wheel hub for the driver‘s air bag, or the
instrument panel for the right front passenger’s bag,
will
be hot for a short time. The part of the bag that comes
into contact with you may be warm, but it will never be
too hot to touch. There
will be some smoke and dust
corning from vents
in the deflated air bags. Air bag inflation
will not prevent the driver from seeing or from
being able
to steer the vehicle, nor will it stop people
from leaving the vehicle.
b
A C * UTION:
I
When an air bag inflates, there is dust in the air.
This dust could cause breathing problems
for
people with a history of asthma or other
breathing trouble. To avoid this, everyone in the
vehicle should get out as soon as it
is safe to do so.
If you have breathing problems but can’t get out
of the vehicle after an air bag inflates, then get
fresh air by opening a window or
door.
0 The air bags are designed to inflate only once. After
they inflate, you’ll need some new parts for your air
bag system.
If you don’t get them, the air bag system
won’t be there
to help protect you in another crash.
A new system will include air bag modules and
possibly other parts. The service manual for
your
vehicle covers the need to replace other parts.
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0 0 . Your vehicle is equipped with a crash sensing and
diagnostic module, which records information
about the air bag system. The module records
information about the readiness of the system, when
the sensors are activated and driver’s safety belt
usage
at deployment.
Let only qualified technicians work on your air bag
system. Improper service can mean that your air bag
system won’t work properly. See your dealer
for service.
NOTICE:
If you damage the cover for the driver’s or the
right front passenger’s
air bag, they may not
work properly.. You may have to replace the
air bag module in the steering wheel or both the
air bag module and the instrument panel for the
right front passenger’s
air bag. Do not open or
break the
air bag covers.
Servicing Yodr Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle
Air bags affect how your vehicle should be serviced.
There are
parts of the air bag system in several places
around your vehicle. You don’t want the system to
inflate while someone is working on your vehicle. Your
GM dealer and the service manual have information
about servicing your vehicle and the air bag system.
To
purchase a.service manual, see “Service and Owner
Publications” in the Index.
For up to 10 minutes after the ignition key is
turned
off and the battery is disconnected, an air
bag can still inflate during improper service. You
can be injured
if you are close to an air bag when
it inflates. Avoid wires wrapped with?yellow tape
or yellow connectors. They are probably part of
the
air bag system. Be sure to follow proper
service procedures, and make sure the person
performing work for you
is qualified to do so.
The air bag system does not need regular maintenance.
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Adding Equipment to Your Air
Bag-Equipped Vehicle
@ Lf I add a push bumper or a bicycle rack to the
front of my vehicle, will it keep the air bags
from working properly?
A: As long as the push bumper or bicycle rack is
attached to your vehicle
so that the vehicle’s basic
structure isn’t changed, it’s not likely to keep the
air bags from working properly
in a crash.
Q: Is there anything I might add to the front of the
vehicle that could keep the air
bags from
working properly?
A: Yes. If you add things that change your vehicle’s
frame, bumper system, front end sheet metal
or
height, they may keep the air bag system from working properly.
Also, the air bag system may not
work properly
if you relocate any of the air bag
sensors. If you have
any question about this, you
should contact Customer Assistance before you modify your vehicle. (The phone numbers and
addresses for Customer Assistance are in Step Two of
the Customer Satisfaction Procedure
in this manual.
See “Customer Satisfaction Procedure”
in the Index.)
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Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy
Safety belts work for everyone, including pregnant
women. Like all occupants, they are more
likely to be
seriously injured
if they don’t wear safety belts.
A pregnant woman should wear a lap-shoulder belt, and
the lap portion should be worn as low
as possible, below
the rounding, throughout the pregnancy. The
best way to protect the fetus
is to protect the
mother. When a safety belt is worn properly, it’s more
likely that the fetus won’t be hurt
in a crash. For
pregnant women, as for anyone, the key to making
safety belts effective
is wearing them properly.
R‘iht Fron asse Jer Position
The right front passenger’s safety belt works the same
way
as the driver’s safety belt. See ”Driver Position”
earlier
in this section.
When the shoulder belt is pulled out all the way,
it will
lock. If
it does, let it go back all the way and start again.
Rear Seat Passer- 7ers
It’s very important for rear seat passengers to buckle up!
Accident statistics show that unbelted people
in the rear
seat are hurt more often
in crashes than those who are
wearing safety belts.
Rear passengers who aren’t safety belted can be thrown
out of the vehicle
in a crash. And they can strike others
in the vehicle who are wearing safety belts.
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I Rear Seat Outside Passenger Positions
~ i Lap-Shoulder Belt
The positions next to the windows have lap-shoulder
belts. Here’s how to wear one properly.
-
1.
2.
Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.
Don’t let it get twisted.
Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
Pull up
on the latch plate to make sure’ it is secure.
When the shoulder belt is pulled out all the way, it
will
lock. If it does, let it go back all the>way and start again.
If the belt is not long enough, see “Safety Belt
Extender” at the end
of this section.
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Make sure the release button on the buckle is positioned
so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly
if you ever had to.
3. To make the lap part tight, pull down on the buckle
end of the belt as you pull up on the shoulder part.
n n
The lap part of the belt should be worn low and snug on
the hips, just touching the thighs.
In a crash, thkapplies
force to the strong pelvic bones. And you’d be less
likely to slide under the lap belt. If you slid under it, the
belt would apply force at your abdomen. This could cause serious or even fatal injuries. The shou€der belt
should go over the shoulder and across the chest.
These parts of the body are best able to take belt
restraining forces.
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The safety belt locks if there's a sudden stop or a crash.
r A CAUTION:
I
You can be seriously hurt if your shoulder belt is
too loose.
In a crash, you would move forward
too much, which could increase injury. The
shoulder belt should fit against your body.
To unlatch the belt, just push the button on the buckle.
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