2003 GMC SAVANA seats

Q:If I’m a good driver, and I never drive far from
home, why should I wear safety belts?
A:You may be an excellent driver, but if you’re in an
accident–even one that isn’t your fault–you and
your passengers can be hurt. Being a good
driver doesn’t protect you from things beyond
your control, such as bad drivers.
Most accidents occur within 25 miles (40 km)
of home. And the greatest number of serious
injuries and deaths occur at speeds of less than
40 mph (65 km/h).
Safety belts are for everyone.
Howto Wear Safety Belts Properly
This part is only for people of adult size.
Be aware that there are special things to know about
safety belts and children. And there are different
rules for smaller children and babies. If a child will be
riding in your vehicle, seeOlder Children on page 1-33
orInfants and Young Children on page 1-36. Follow
those rules for everyone’s protection.
First, you’ll want to know which restraint systems your
vehicle has.
We’ll start with the driver position.
Driver Position
This part describes the driver’s restraint system.
Lap-Shoulder Belt
The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here’s how to
wear it properly.
1. Close and lock the door.
2. Adjust the seat so you can sit up straight.
To see how, see“Seats”in the Index.
1-14
2003 - Savana OM

Center Passenger Position
(3rd, 4th and 5th Row)
Lap Belt
If your vehicle has third, fourth orfifth row bench seats,
someone can sit in the center positions.When you sit in a center seating position in the third,
fourth orfifth row, you have a lap safety belt, which has
no retractor. To make the belt longer, tilt the latch
plate and pull it along the belt.
1-24
2003 - Savana OM

To unlatch the belt, just push the button on the buckle.
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for
Children and Small Adults
Your vehicle may have this feature already. If it doesn’t,
you can get it from any GM dealer.
Rear safety belt comfort guides will provide added safety
belt comfort for older children who have outgrown booster
seats and for small adults. When installed on a shoulder
belt, the comfort guide better positions the belt away from
the neck and head.
There is one guide available for each outside passenger
position in the rear seats. To provide added safety belt
comfort for children who have outgrown child restraints
and booster seats and for smaller adults, the comfort
guides may be installed on the shoulder belts.
1-29
2003 - Savana OM

Child Restraints
Older Children
Older children who have outgrown booster seats should
wear the vehicle’s safety belts.
If you have the choice, a child should sit in a seating
position that has a lap-shoulder belt to get the additional
restraint a shoulder belt can provide.
Q:What is the proper way to wear safety belts?
A:If possible, an older child should wear a
lap-shoulder belt and get the additional restraint
a shoulder belt can provide. The shoulder belt
should not cross the face or neck. The lap
belt shouldfit snugly below the hips, just touching
the top of the thighs. It should never be worn
over the abdomen, which could cause severe or
even fatal internal injuries in a crash.
Accident statistics show that children are safer if they
are restrained in the rear seat.
In a crash, children who are not buckled up can strike
other people who are buckled up, or can be thrown
out of the vehicle. Older children need to use safety
belts properly.
1-33
2003 - Savana OM

A forward-facing child seat (C-E) provides restraint for
the child’s body with the harness and also sometimes
with surfaces such as T-shaped or shelf-like shields.A booster seat (F-G) is a child restraint designed to
improve thefit of the vehicle’s safety belt system.
Some booster seats have a shoulder belt positioner,
and some high-back booster seats have afive-point
harness. A booster seat can also help a child to see
out the window.
1-43
2003 - Savana OM

If your vehicle is a passenger van with rear seats,
an anchor bracket for a top strap is located at the rear
of the seat cushion for each three-passenger rear
bench seat. Don’t use a child restraint with a top strap
in the right front passenger’s position, or in any
four-passenger rear bench seat.
The top strap is designed for the second row driver side
position and the third/fourth row center searing
positions in a three-passenger rear bench seat.
Anchor the top strap to this bracket. For the second row
only, in the left outboard seating position, use anchor
point (A). For the right outboard seating position,
use anchor point (B). For a center seating position,
use either anchor point (A) or (B).Passenger Van 3-Passenger Rear Seats
1-51
2003 - Savana OM

Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers
for Children (LATCH System)
If you have a passenger van, it may have the LATCH
system. If it does, you’llfind two sets of anchors (A)
in the second row of seats in the driver and passenger
side seating positions, where the seatback meets
the seat cushion.In order to use the system, you need either a
forward-facing child restraint that has attaching
points (B) at its base and a top tether anchor (C), or a
rear-facing child restraint that has attaching points (B),
as shown here.
1-52
2003 - Savana OM

Although a rear seat is a safer place, you can secure a
forward-facing child restraint in the right front seat.
{CAUTION:
If the air bag readiness light ever comes on
when you have turned off the air bag, it means
that something may be wrong with the air bag
system. The right front passenger’s air bag
could inflate even though the switch is off.
If this ever happens, don’t let anyone whom
the national government has identified as a
member of a passenger air bag risk group
sit in the right front passenger’s position
(for example, don’t secure a rear-facing child
restraint in your vehicle) until you have your
vehicle serviced. See″Air Bag Off Switch″in
the Index.You’ll be using the lap-shoulder belt. SeeTop Strap on
page 1-49if the child restraint has one. Be sure to
follow the instructions that came with the child restraint.
Secure the child in the child restraint when and as
the instructions say.
1. If your vehicle has a passenger air bag and an air
bag off switch, and you are using a rear-facing child
restraint in this seat, make sure the air bag is
turned off. SeeAir Bag Off Switch on page 1-71.
If your child restraint is forward-facing, always move
the seat as far back as it will go before securing
it in this seat. SeePower Seat on page 1-3or
Manual Seats on page 1-2.
2. Put the restraint on the seat.
3. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap and shoulder
portions of the vehicle’s safety belt through or
around the restraint. The child restraint instructions
will show you how.
1-60
2003 - Savana OM