2012 GMC SAVANA Owner's Manual

Black plate (17,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd - 11/15/11
Seats and Restraints 3-17
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 do not
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 is more likely
that the fetus will not be hurt in a
crash. For pregnant women, as for
anyone, the key to making safety
belts effective is wearing them
properly.
Safety Belt Extender
If the vehicle's safety belt will fasten
around you, you should use it.
But if a safety belt is not long
enough, your dealer will order you
an extender. When you go in to
order it, take the heaviest coat you
will wear, so the extender will be
long enough for you. To help avoid
personal injury, do not let someone
else use it, and use it only for the
seat it is made to fit. The extender
has been designed for adults. Never
use it for securing child seats. To
wear it, attach it to the regular safety
belt. For more information, see the
instruction sheet that comes with
the extender.
Safety System Check
Now and then, check that the safety
belt reminder light, safety belts,
buckles, latch plates, retractors, and
anchorages are all working properly.
Look for any other loose or
damaged safety belt system parts
that might keep a safety belt system
from doing its job. See your dealer
to 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.
Make sure the safety belt reminder
light is working. See
Safety Belt
Reminders on page 5‑16.
Keep safety belts clean and dry.
See Safety Belt Care on page 3‑18.

Black plate (18,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd - 11/15/11
3-18 Seats and Restraints
Safety Belt Care
Keep belts clean and dry.
{WARNING
Do not bleach or dye safety belts.
It may severely weaken them. In
a crash, they might not be able to
provide adequate protection.
Clean safety belts only with mild
soap and lukewarm water.
Replacing Safety Belt
System Parts after a
Crash
{WARNING
A crash can damage the safety
belt system in the vehicle.
A damaged safety belt system
may not properly protect the
person using it, resulting in
serious injury or even death in a
crash. To help make sure the
safety belt systems are working
properly after a crash, have them
inspected and any necessary
replacements made as soon as
possible.After a minor crash, replacement of
safety belts may not be necessary.
But the safety belt assemblies that
were used during any crash may
have been stressed or damaged.
See your dealer to have the safety
belt assemblies inspected or
replaced.
New parts and repairs may be
necessary even if the safety belt
system was not being used at the
time of the crash.
Have the safety belt pretensioners
checked if the vehicle has been in a
crash, or if the airbag readiness light
stays on after you start the vehicle
or while you are driving. See
Airbag
Readiness Light on page 5‑16.

Black plate (19,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd - 11/15/11
Seats and Restraints 3-19
Airbag System
The vehicle has the following
airbag:
.A frontal airbag for the driver.
The vehicle may have the following
airbags:
.A frontal airbag for the right front
passenger.
.A roof-rail airbag for the driver
(cargo van).
.A roof-rail airbag for the right
front passenger position
(cargo or passenger van
equipped with a sliding door).
If you have a passenger van
with a right front passenger
roof-rail airbag and a sliding
door, you will also have a
separate roof-rail airbag for the
passenger seated directly
behind the right front passenger
and the third row outboard
passenger position.
.A roof-rail airbag for the driver,
the passenger seated directly
behind the driver, and the third
row outboard passenger position
(passenger van equipped with a
sliding or hinged door).
.A roof-rail airbag for the right
front passenger, the passenger
seated directly behind the right
front passenger, and the
third row outboard passenger
position (passenger van
equipped with a hinged door).
All of the airbags in the vehicle will
have the word AIRBAG embossed
in the trim or on an attached label
near the deployment opening.
For frontal airbags, the word
AIRBAG will appear on the middle
part of the steering wheel for the
driver and on the instrument panel
for the right front passenger.
With roof-rail airbags, the word
AIRBAG will appear along the
headliner or trim. Here are the most important things
to know about the airbag system:
{WARNING
You can be severely injured or
killed in a crash if you are not
wearing your safety belt
—even if
you have airbags. Airbags are
designed to work with safety
belts, but do not replace them.
Also, airbags are not designed to
deploy in every crash. In some
crashes safety belts are your only
restraint. See When Should an
Airbag Inflate? on page 3‑22.
Wearing your safety belt during a
crash helps reduce your chance
of hitting things inside the vehicle
or being ejected from it. Airbags
are “supplemental restraints” to
the safety belts. Everyone in your
vehicle should wear a safety belt
properly —whether or not there is
an airbag for that person.

Black plate (20,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd - 11/15/11
3-20 Seats and Restraints
{WARNING
Airbags inflate with great force,
faster than the blink of an eye.
Anyone who is up against, or very
close to, any airbag when it
inflates can be seriously injured
or killed. Do not sit unnecessarily
close to the airbag, as you would
be if you were sitting on the edge
of your seat or leaning forward.
Safety belts help keep you in
position before and during a
crash. Always wear your safety
belt, even with airbags. The driver
should sit as far back as possible
while still maintaining control of
the vehicle.
Occupants should not lean on or
sleep against the door or side
windows in seating positions with
roof-rail airbags.
{WARNING
Children who are up against,
or very close to, any airbag
when it inflates can be seriously
injured or killed. Airbags plus
lap-shoulder belts offer protection
for adults and older children, but
not for young children and infants.
Neither the vehicle safety belt
system nor its airbag system is
designed for them. Young
children and infants need the
protection that a child restraint
system can provide. Always
secure children properly in the
vehicle. To read how, seeOlder
Children on page 3‑38 orInfants
and Young Children on
page 3‑40.
There is an airbag readiness light
on the instrument panel, which
shows the airbag symbol.
The system checks the airbag
electrical system for malfunctions.
The light tells you if there is an
electrical problem. See Airbag
Readiness Light on page 5‑16 for
more information.

Black plate (21,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd - 11/15/11
Seats and Restraints 3-21
Where Are the Airbags?
The driver frontal airbag is in the
middle of the steering wheel.
If the vehicle has one, the right front
passenger airbag is in the
instrument panel on the
passenger side.Driver Side Shown, PassengerSide Similar
If the vehicle is a cargo or
passenger van with a sliding door
and it has a roof-rail airbag for the
driver and right front passenger
position, the roof-rail airbags are in
the ceiling above the side window.

Black plate (22,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd - 11/15/11
3-22 Seats and Restraints
Driver Side Shown, PassengerSide Similar
If the vehicle has roof-rail airbags
for the driver, right front passenger,
passengers behind the driver and
right front passenger, and the third
row outboard passengers, the
roof-rail airbags are in the ceiling
above the side windows. On the
driver side of the vehicle, there is
one single roof-rail airbag for either
vehicles with a hinged door or a
sliding door. For passenger vans with a sliding
door, on the passenger side of the
vehicle, you will have a separate
roof-rail airbag for the passenger
seated directly behind the right front
passenger and the third row
outboard passenger position.
{WARNING
If something is between an
occupant and an airbag, the
airbag might not inflate properly
or it might force the object into
that person causing severe injury
or even death. The path of an
inflating airbag must be kept
clear. Do not put anything
between an occupant and an
airbag, and do not attach or put
anything on the steering wheel
hub or on or near any other
airbag covering.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
Never secure anything to the roof
of a vehicle with roof-rail airbags
by routing a rope or tie down
through any door or window
opening. If you do, the path of an
inflating roof-rail airbag will be
blocked.
When Should an Airbag
Inflate?
Frontal airbags are designed to
inflate in moderate to severe frontal
or near-frontal crashes to help
reduce the potential for severe
injuries mainly to the driver or right
front passenger head and chest.
However, they are only designed to
inflate if the impact exceeds a
predetermined deployment
threshold. Deployment thresholds
are used to predict how severe a
crash is likely to be in time for the
airbags to inflate and help restrain
the occupants.

Black plate (23,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd - 11/15/11
Seats and Restraints 3-23
Whether the frontal airbags will or
should deploy is not based on
how fast the vehicle is traveling.
It depends largely on what you hit,
the direction of the impact, and how
quickly the vehicle slows down.
Frontal airbags may inflate at
different crash speeds. For
example:
.If the vehicle hits a stationary
object, the airbags could inflate
at a different crash speed than if
the vehicle hits a moving object.
.If the vehicle hits an object that
deforms, the airbags could
inflate at a different crash speed
than if the vehicle hits an object
that does not deform.
.If the vehicle hits a narrow object
(like a pole), the airbags could
inflate at a different crash speed
than if the vehicle hits a wide
object (like a wall).
.If the vehicle goes into an object
at an angle, the airbags could
inflate at a different crash speed
than if the vehicle goes straight
into the object.
Thresholds can also vary with
specific vehicle design.
Frontal airbags are not intended to
inflate during vehicle rollovers, rear
impacts, or in many side impacts.
Single Stage vs. Dual Stage
Airbags
Depending on the weight of the
vehicle, you will have either “Single
Stage Airbags” or“Dual Stage
Airbags.” Vehicles that have a
passenger sensing system also
have dual stage airbags. See
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator
on page 5‑19 orPassenger Sensing
System on page 3‑30.
If the GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating) of the vehicle is 3 855 kg
(8,500 lb) or above, the vehicle may
have single stage airbags. If the
GVWR is below 3 855 kg (8,500 lb)
then the vehicle may have dual stage airbags. You can find the
GVWR on the certification label on
the rear edge of the driver door. See
Vehicle Load Limits on page 9‑10
for more information.
Dual-stage airbags adjust the
restraint according to crash severity.
The vehicle has electronic frontal
sensors, which help the sensing
system distinguish between a
moderate frontal impact and a more
severe frontal impact. For moderate
frontal impacts, dual-stage airbags
inflate at a level less than full
deployment. For more severe frontal
impacts, full deployment occurs.
The vehicle may or may not have
roof-rail airbags. See
Airbag System
on page 3‑19. Roof-rail airbags are
intended to inflate in moderate to
severe side crashes. In addition,
these roof-rail airbags are intended
to inflate during a rollover. Roof-rail
airbags will inflate if the crash
severity is above the system's
designed threshold level. The
threshold level can vary with
specific vehicle design.

Black plate (24,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2012 - 2nd - 11/15/11
3-24 Seats and Restraints
Roof-rail airbags are not intended to
inflate in frontal impacts, near-frontal
impacts, or rear impacts. All roof-rail
airbags will deploy when either side
of the vehicle is struck.
In any particular crash, no one can
say whether an airbag should have
inflated simply because of the
damage to a vehicle or because of
what the repair costs were.
For frontal airbags, inflation is
determined by what the vehicle hits,
the angle of the impact, and how
quickly the vehicle slows down.
For roof-rail airbags, deployment is
determined by the location and
severity of the side impact.
In a rollover event, roof‐rail airbag
deployment is determined by the
direction of the roll.What Makes an Airbag
Inflate?
In a deployment event, the sensing
system sends an electrical signal
triggering a release of gas from the
inflator. Gas from the inflator fills the
airbag causing the bag to break out
of the cover and deploy. The inflator,
the airbag, and related hardware are
all part of the airbag module.
Frontal airbag modules are located
inside the steering wheel and
instrument panel. For vehicles with
roof-rail airbags, there are airbag
modules in the ceiling of the vehicle,
near the side windows for the first,
second, and third rows (if equipped).
SeeWhere Are the Airbags? on
page 3‑21 for more information.
How Does an Airbag
Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or
near frontal collisions, even belted
occupants can contact the steering
wheel or the instrument panel. In
moderate to severe side collisions,
even belted occupants can contact
the inside of the vehicle.
Airbags supplement the protection
provided by safety belts. Frontal
airbags distribute the force of the
impact more evenly over the
occupant's upper body, stopping the
occupant more gradually. Roof-rail
airbags distribute the force of the
impact more evenly over the
occupant's upper body.