2013 GMC SAVANA Owner's Manual

Black plate (45,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd Edition - 9/25/12
Seats and Restraints 3-45
do not use the vehicle's safety belts.
Instead, use the vehicle's anchors
and child restraint attachments to
secure the restraints. Some
restraints also use another vehicle
anchor to secure a top tether.
1. Attach and tighten the lowerattachments to the lower
anchors. If the child restraint
does not have lower
attachments or the desired
seating position does not have
lower anchors, secure the child
restraint with the top tether and
the safety belts. Refer to your
child restraint manufacturer
instructions and the instructions
in this manual.
1.1. Find the lower anchors for the desired seating
position.
1.2. Put the child restraint on the seat.
1.3. Attach and tighten the lower attachments on the child
restraint to the lower
anchors. 2. If the child restraint manufacturer
recommends that the top tether
be attached, attach and tighten
the top tether to the top tether
anchor, if equipped. Refer to the
child restraint instructions and
the following steps:
2.1. Find the top tether anchor.
2.2. For the second, third, and
fourth row with
three-passenger seats only,
in the rear driver-side
seating positions, use
anchor point (1). For the
rear passenger-side seating
positions, use anchor
point (2). For the center
seating positions, use
anchor point (2). Never
install two top tethers using
the same top tether anchor. 2.3. Route and tighten the top
tether according to your
child restraint instructions
and the following
instructions:
If the position you are using
does not have a headrest
or head restraint and you
are using a single tether,
route the tether over the
seatback.

Black plate (46,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd Edition - 9/25/12
3-46 Seats and Restraints
If the position you are using
does not have a headrest
or head restraint and you
are using a dual tether,
route the tether over the
seatback.
If the position you are using
has an integrated headrest
or head restraint and you
are using a dual tether,
route the tether around the
headrest or head restraint.
If the position you are using
has an integrated headrest
or head restraint and you
are using a single tether,
route the tether over the
headrest or head restraint.
3. Before placing a child in the child restraint, make sure it is
securely held in place. To check, grasp the child restraint at the
LATCH path and attempt to
move it side to side and back
and forth. There should be no
more than 2.5 cm (1 in) of
movement for proper installation.
Replacing LATCH System
Parts After a Crash
{WARNING
A crash can damage the LATCH
system in the vehicle. A damaged
LATCH system may not properly
secure the child restraint,
resulting in serious injury or even
death in a crash. To help make
sure the LATCH system is
working properly after a crash,
see your dealer to have the
system inspected and any
necessary replacements made as
soon as possible.

Black plate (47,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd Edition - 9/25/12
Seats and Restraints 3-47
If the vehicle has the LATCH system
and it was being used during a
crash, new LATCH system parts
may be needed.
New parts and repairs may be
necessary even if the LATCH
system was not being used at the
time of the crash.
Securing Child Restraints
(Rear Seat)
When securing a child restraint in a
rear seating position, study the
instructions that came with the child
restraint to make sure it is
compatible with this vehicle.
If the child restraint has the LATCH
system, seeLower Anchors and
Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) on page 3‑40 for how and
where to install the child restraint
using LATCH. If a child restraint is
secured in the vehicle using a
safety belt and it uses a top tether,
see Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH System) on
page 3‑40
for top tether anchor
locations.
Do not secure a child seat in a
position without a top tether anchor
if a national or local law requires
that the top tether be anchored, or if
the instructions that come with the
child restraint say that the top strap
must be anchored.
In Canada, the law requires that
forward-facing child restraints have
a top tether, and that the tether be
attached.
If the child restraint does not have
the LATCH system, you will be
using the safety belt to secure the
child restraint in this position.
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.
If more than one child restraint
needs to be installed in the rear
seat, be sure to read Where to Put
the Restraint on page 3‑39. 1. Put the child restraint on
the seat.
2. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap and shoulder portions of
the vehicle safety belt through or
around the restraint. The child
restraint instructions will show
you how.
3. Push the latch plate into thebuckle until it clicks.
Position the release button on
the buckle so that the safety belt
could be quickly unbuckled if
necessary.

Black plate (48,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd Edition - 9/25/12
3-48 Seats and Restraints
4. Pull the shoulder belt all the wayout of the retractor to set the
lock. When the retractor lock is
set, the belt can be tightened but
not pulled out of the retractor.5. To tighten the belt, push downon the child restraint, pull the
shoulder portion of the belt to
tighten the lap portion of the belt,
and feed the shoulder belt back
into the retractor. When installing
a forward-facing child restraint, it
may be helpful to use your knee
to push down on the child
restraint as you tighten the belt.
Try to pull the belt out of the
retractor to make sure the
retractor is locked. If the
retractor is not locked, repeat
Steps 4 and 5. 6. If the child restraint has a top
tether, follow the child restraint
manufacturer's instructions
regarding the use of the top
tether. See Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) on page 3‑40 for more
information.
7. Before placing a child in the child restraint, make sure it is
securely held in place. To check,
grasp the child restraint at the
safety belt path and attempt to
move it side to side and back
and forth. When the child
restraint is properly installed,
there should be no more than
2.5 cm (1 in) of movement.
To remove the child restraint,
unbuckle the vehicle safety belt and
let it return to the stowed position.
If the top tether is attached to a top
tether anchor, disconnect it.

Black plate (49,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd Edition - 9/25/12
Seats and Restraints 3-49
Securing Child Restraints
(Front Seat with
Passenger Sensing
System)
This vehicle has airbags. A rear seat
is a safer place to secure a
forward-facing child restraint. See
Where to Put the Restraint on
page 3‑39.
On vehicles with a passenger
sensing system, the system is
designed to turn off the right front
passenger frontal airbag under
certain conditions. SeePassenger
Sensing System on page 3‑26 and
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator
on page 5‑16 for more information,
including important safety
information.
A label on the sun visor says,
“Never put a rear-facing child seat in
the front.” This is because the risk to
the rear-facing child is so great,
if the airbag deploys.
{WARNING
A child in a rear-facing child
restraint can be seriously injured
or killed if the right front
passenger airbag inflates. This is
because the back of the
rear-facing child restraint would
be very close to the inflating
airbag. A child in a forward-facing
child restraint can be seriously
injured or killed if the right front
passenger airbag inflates and the
passenger seat is in a forward
position.
Even if the passenger sensing
system has turned off the right
front passenger frontal airbag, no
system is fail-safe. No one can
guarantee that an airbag will not
deploy under some unusual
circumstance, even though it is
turned off.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
Secure rear-facing child restraints
in a rear seat, even if the airbag
is off. If you secure a
forward-facing child restraint in
the right front seat, always move
the front passenger seat as far
back as it will go. It is better to
secure the child restraint in a
rear seat.
SeePassenger Sensing System
on page 3‑26 for additional
information.
If the vehicle does not have a rear
seat that will accommodate a
rear-facing child restraint, a
rear-facing child restraint should not
be installed in the vehicle, even if
the airbag is off.
If the child restraint has the LATCH
system, see Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) on page 3‑40 for how and
where to install the child restraint

Black plate (50,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd Edition - 9/25/12
3-50 Seats and Restraints
using LATCH. If a child restraint is
secured using a safety belt and it
uses a top tether, seeLower
Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH System) on page 3‑40 for
top tether anchor locations.
Do not secure a child seat in a
position without a top tether anchor
if a national or local law requires
that the top tether be anchored, or if
the instructions that come with the
child restraint say that the top strap
must be anchored.
In Canada, the law requires that
forward-facing child restraints have
a top tether, and that the tether be
attached.
You will be using the lap-shoulder
belt to secure the child restraint in
this position. Follow the instructions
that came with the child restraint.
1. Move the seat as far back as it
will go before securing the
forward-facing child restraint. When the passenger sensing
system has turned off the right
front passenger frontal airbag,
the off indicator on the
passenger airbag status
indicator should light and stay lit
when the vehicle is started. See
Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator on page 5‑16.
2. Put the child 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.
4. Push the latch plate into the
buckle until it clicks.
Position the release button on
the buckle so that the safety belt
could be quickly unbuckled if
necessary.

Black plate (51,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd Edition - 9/25/12
Seats and Restraints 3-51
5. Pull the shoulder belt all the wayout of the retractor to set the
lock. When the retractor lock is
set, the belt can be tightened but
not pulled out of the retractor.6. To tighten the belt, push downon the child restraint, pull the
shoulder portion of the belt to
tighten the lap portion of the belt,
and feed the shoulder belt back
into the retractor. When installing
a forward-facing child restraint, it
may be helpful to use your knee
to push down on the child
restraint as you tighten the belt.
Try to pull the belt out of the
retractor to make sure the
retractor is locked. If the
retractor is not locked, repeat
Steps 5 and 6. 7. If the vehicle does not have a
rear seat and the child restraint
has a top tether, follow the child
restraint manufacturer's
instructions regarding the use of
the top tether. See Lower
Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH System) on
page 3‑40 for more information.
8. Before placing a child in the child restraint, make sure it is
securely held in place. To check,
grasp the child restraint at the
safety belt path and attempt to
move it side to side and back
and forth. When the child
restraint is properly installed,
there should be no more than
2.5 cm (1 in) of movement.
If the airbag is off, the off indicator in
the passenger airbag status
indicator will come on and stay on
when the vehicle is started.
If the child restraint has been
installed and the on indicator is lit,
see “If the On Indicator is Lit for a

Black plate (52,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual - 2013 - 2nd Edition - 9/25/12
3-52 Seats and Restraints
Child Restraint”underPassenger
Sensing System on page 3‑26 for
more information.
To remove the child restraint,
unbuckle the vehicle safety belt and
let it return to the stowed position.
If the top tether is attached to a top
tether anchor, disconnect it.
Securing Child Restraints
(Front Seat with Airbag
On/Off Switch)
This vehicle has airbags. A rear
seat is a safer place to secure a
forward-facing child restraint. See
Where to Put the Restraint on
page 3‑39.
On vehicles with an airbag on/off
switch, you can use this feature to
turn off the right front passenger
frontal airbag. The switch is located
on the instrument panel. See Airbag
On-Off Switch on page 3‑23 for
more information, including
important safety information. A label on the sun visor says,
“Never put a rear-facing child seat in
the front.”
This is because the risk to
the rear-facing child is so great,
if the airbag deploys.
{WARNING
A child in a rear-facing child
restraint can be seriously injured
or killed if the right front
passenger airbag inflates. This is
because the back of the
rear-facing child restraint would
be very close to the inflating
airbag. A child in a forward-facing
child restraint can be seriously
injured or killed if the right front
passenger airbag inflates and the
passenger seat is in a forward
position.
Even if the airbag switch has
turned off the right front
passenger frontal airbag, no
system is fail-safe. No one can
guarantee that an airbag will not
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
deploy under some unusual
circumstance, even though it is
turned off.
Secure rear-facing child restraints
in a rear seat, even if the airbag
is off. If you secure a
forward-facing child restraint in
the right front seat, always move
the front passenger seat as far
back as it will go. It is better to
secure the child restraint in a
rear seat.
{WARNING
If the airbag readiness light ever
comes on and stays on, it means
that something may be wrong
with the airbag system. For
example, the right front(Continued)