2003 GMC SAVANA ECU

Securing a Child Restraint in
a Center Seat Position
(3rd, 4th and 5th Row)
You’ll be using the lap belt.
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.
SeeTop Strap on page 1-49if the child restraint has one.1. Make the belt as long as possible by tilting the latch
plate and pulling it along the belt.
2. Put the restraint on the seat.
3. Run the vehicle’s safety belt through or around the
restraint. The child restraint instructions will show
you how.
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4. Buckle the belt. Make sure the release button is
positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the
safety belt quickly if you ever had to.
5. To tighten the belt, pull its free end while you
push down on the child restraint. If you’re using
a forward-facing child restraint, you mayfind
it helpful to use your knee to push down on the
child restraint as you tighten the belt.
6. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure it is secure.To remove the child restraint, just unbuckle the vehicle’s
safety belt. It will be ready to work for an adult or
larger child passenger.
Securing a Child Restraint in the
Right Front Seat Position
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Unless your vehicle has an air bag off switch and
you have used it to turn the passenger’s air bag off,
never put a rear-facing child restraint in the right front
passenger’s seat. Here’s why:
{CAUTION:
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured or killed if the right front
passenger’s air bag inflates. This is because
the back of the rear-facing child restraint
would be very close to the inflating air bag.
If your vehicle is a passenger van, always
secure a rear-facing child restraint in a rear
seat. If your vehicle is a cargo van with a right
front passenger air bag and an air bag off
switch, be sure to turn off the air bag before
using a rear-facing child restraint in the right
front seat position. If your vehicle is a cargo
van with a right front passenger air bag but
does not have an air bag off switch, do not
use a rear-facing child restraint in this vehicle.
If a forward-facing child restraint is suitable for
your child, always move the passenger seat as
far back as it will go.
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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.
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6. To tighten the belt, feed the lap belt back into the
retractor while you push down on the child restraint.
You mayfind it helpful to use your knee to push
down on the child restraint as you tighten the belt.
7. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure it is secure.To remove the child restraint, just unbuckle the vehicle’s
safety belt and let it go back all the way. The safety
belt will move freely again and be ready to work for an
adult or larger child passenger.
If you were using a rear-facing child restraint in a
vehicle with an air bag off switch, turn on the right front
passenger’s air bag when you remove the rear-facing
child restraint from the vehicle unless the person
who will be sitting there is a member of a passenger air
bag risk group. SeeAir Bag Off Switch on page 1-71.
{CAUTION:
If the right front passenger’s air bag is turned
off for a person who isn’t in a risk group
identified by the national government, that
person won’t have the extra protection of an
air bag. In a crash, the air bag wouldn’t be able
to inflate and help protect the person sitting
there. Don’t turn off the passenger’s air bag
unless the person sitting there is in a risk
group. See″Air Bag Off Switch″in the Index
for more on this, including important safety
information.
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If your vehicle has an air bag for the right front
passenger read this.
{CAUTION:
Anyone who is up against, or very close to,
any air bag when it inflates can be seriously
injured or killed. Air bags plus lap-shoulder
belts offer the best protection for adults, but
not for young children and infants. Neither the
vehicle’s safety belt system nor its air bag
system is designed for them. Young children
and infants need the protection that a child
restraint system can provide. Always secure
children properly in your vehicle. To read how,
see the parts of this manual called “Older
Children” and “Infants and Young Children”.There is a air bag
readiness light on the
instrument panel, which
shows the air bag symbol.
The system checks the air bag electrical system for
malfunctions. The light tells you if there is an electrical
problem. SeeAir Bag Readiness Light on page 3-27
for more information.
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To turn off the right front passenger’s air bag, insert
your ignition key into the switch, push in, and move the
switch to AIR BAG OFF.The AIR BAG OFF light will come on to let you know that
the right front passenger’s air bag is off. The right front
passenger’s air bag will remain off until you turn it back on
again, and the AIR BAG OFF light will stay on to remind
you that the air bag is off.
{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.
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Adding Equipment to Your Air
Bag-Equipped Vehicle
Q:If 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 questions 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 theCustomer Satisfaction
Procedure on page 7-2.
Restraint System Check
Checking Your Restraint Systems
Now and then, make sure the safety belt reminder light
and all your belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors
and anchorages are working properly. Look for any other
loose or damaged safety belt system parts. If you see
anything that might keep a safety belt system from doing
its job, have it repaired.
Torn or frayed safety belts may not protect you in a
crash. They can rip apart under impact forces. If a belt
is torn or frayed, get a new one right away.
Also look for any opened or broken air bag covers, and
have them repaired or replaced. (The air bag system
does not need regular maintenance.)
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