2014 GMC SAVANA Owner's Manual

Black plate (19,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6014682) -
2014 - CRC 2nd Edition - 8/26/13
Seats and Restraints 3-19
Where Are the Airbags?
The driver frontal airbag is in the
center of the steering wheel.
If the vehicle has one, the front
outboard passenger airbag is in the
instrument panel on the
passenger side.Driver Side Shown, PassengerSide Similar
If the vehicle has a single seating
row and it has roof-rail airbags for
the driver and front outboard
passenger, the roof-rail airbags are
in the ceiling above the side
windows.

Black plate (20,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6014682) -
2014 - CRC 2nd Edition - 8/26/13
3-20 Seats and Restraints
Driver Side Shown, PassengerSide Similar
If the vehicle has two seating rows,
roof-rail airbags for the driver, front
outboard passenger, and second
row outboard passengers are in the
ceiling above the side windows.
If the vehicle has three or more
seating rows, roof-rail airbags for
the driver, front outboard passenger,
and second and third row outboard
passengers are in the ceiling above
the side windows.
{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.
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?
This vehicle is equipped with one or
more airbags. See Airbag System
on page 3-16. Airbags are designed
to inflate if the impact exceeds the
specific airbag system's 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. The vehicle has
electronic sensors which help the
airbag system determine the
severity of the impact. Deployment
thresholds can vary with specific
vehicle design.
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 front
outboard passenger head and
chest.
Whether the frontal airbags will or
should deploy is not based primarily
on how fast the vehicle is traveling.

Black plate (21,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6014682) -
2014 - CRC 2nd Edition - 8/26/13
Seats and Restraints 3-21
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 depending on
whether the vehicle hits an object
straight on or at an angle, and
whether the object is fixed or
moving, rigid or deformable, narrow
or wide.
Frontal airbags are not intended to
inflate during vehicle rollovers, rear
impacts, or in many side impacts.
In addition, if the GVWR (Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating) is 3 855 kg
(8,500 lb) or below, the vehicle has
advanced technology frontal
airbags. You can find the GVWR on
the Certification/Tire label on the
rear edge of the driver door. See
Vehicle Load Limits on page 9-10.
Advanced technology frontal airbags
adjust the restraint according to
crash severity.
The vehicle may or may not be
equipped with roof-rail airbags.
Roof-rail airbags are designed toinflate in moderate to severe side
crashes depending on the location
of the impact. In addition, these
roof-rail airbags are designed to
inflate during a rollover. Roof-rail
airbags are not designed to inflate in
frontal, near-frontal, or rear impacts.
All roof-rail airbags will inflate when
either side of the vehicle is struck or
if the sensing system predicts that
the vehicle is about to roll over on
its side.
In any particular crash, no one can
say whether an airbag should have
inflated simply because of the
vehicle damage or repair costs.
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. The inflator, the airbag,
and related hardware are all part of
the airbag module.
For airbag locations, see
Where Are
the Airbags? on page 3-19.
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 by
distributing the force of the impact
more evenly over the
occupant's body.
Rollover capable roof-rail airbags
are designed to help contain the
head and chest of occupants in the
outboard seating positions in the
first, second, and third rows,
if equipped. The rollover capable
roof-rail airbags are designed to
help reduce the risk of full or partial

Black plate (22,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6014682) -
2014 - CRC 2nd Edition - 8/26/13
3-22 Seats and Restraints
ejection in rollover events, although
no system can prevent all such
ejections.
But airbags would not help in many
types of collisions, primarily
because the occupant's motion is
not toward those airbags. See
When Should an Airbag Inflate? on
page 3-20for more information.
Airbags should never be regarded
as anything more than a supplement
to safety belts.
What Will You See after
an Airbag Inflates?
After the frontal airbags inflate, they
quickly deflate, so quickly that some
people may not even realize an
airbag inflated. Roof-rail airbags
may still be at least partially inflated
for some time after they deploy.
Some components of the airbag
module may be hot for several
minutes. For location of the airbag
modules, see What Makes an
Airbag Inflate? on page 3-21. The parts of the airbag that come
into contact with you may be warm,
but not too hot to touch. There may
be some smoke and dust coming
from the vents in the deflated
airbags. Airbag inflation does not
prevent the driver from seeing out of
the windshield or being able to steer
the vehicle, nor does it prevent
people from leaving the vehicle.
{Warning
When an airbag inflates, there
may be 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 cannot
get out of the vehicle after an
airbag inflates, then get fresh air
by opening a window or a door.
If you experience breathing
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
problems following an airbag
deployment, you should seek
medical attention.
The vehicle has a feature that may
automatically unlock the doors
(if equipped with power door locks),
turn on the interior lamps and
hazard warning flashers, and shut
off the fuel system after the airbags
inflate. You can lock the doors, and
turn off the interior lamps and the
hazard warning flashers by using
the controls for those features.
{Warning
A crash severe enough to inflate
the airbags may have also
damaged important functions in
the vehicle, such as the fuel
system, brake and steering
systems, etc. Even if the vehicle (Continued)

Black plate (23,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6014682) -
2014 - CRC 2nd Edition - 8/26/13
Seats and Restraints 3-23
Warning (Continued)
appears to be drivable after a
moderate crash, there may be
concealed damage that could
make it difficult to safely operate
the vehicle.
Use caution if you should attempt
to restart the engine after a crash
has occurred.
In many crashes severe enough to
inflate the airbag, windshields are
broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may
also occur from the front outboard
passenger airbag.
.Airbags are designed to inflate
only once. After an airbag
inflates, you will need some new
parts for the airbag system.
If you do not get them, the airbag
system will not be there to help
protect you in another crash.
A new system will include airbag
modules and possibly other parts. The service manual for
the vehicle covers the need to
replace other parts.
.The vehicle has a crash sensing
and diagnostic module which
records information after a
crash. See
Vehicle Data
Recording on page 13-14.
.Let only qualified technicians
work on the airbag systems.
Improper service can mean that
an airbag system will not work
properly. See your dealer for
service.
Airbag On-Off Switch
If the instrument panel has one of
the switches pictured in the
following illustrations, the vehicle
has an airbag on-off switch that you
can use to manually turn on or off
the front outboard passenger airbag.
United States
Canada and Mexico

Black plate (24,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6014682) -
2014 - CRC 2nd Edition - 8/26/13
3-24 Seats and Restraints
If the vehicle does not have an
airbag on-off switch, it may have a
passenger sensing system. See
Passenger Sensing System on
page 3-26.
This switch should only be turned to
the off position if the person in the
front outboard passenger position is
a member of a passenger risk group
identified by the national
government as follows:
Infant. An infant (less than
1 year old) must ride in the front
seat because:
.My vehicle has no rear seat;
.My vehicle has a rear seat too
small to accommodate a
rear-facing infant seat; or
.The infant has a medical
condition which, according to the
infant's physician, makes it
necessary for the infant to ride in
the front seat so that the driver
can constantly monitor the
child's condition.Child age 1 to 12. A child
age 1 to 12 must ride in the front
seat because:
.My vehicle has no rear seat;
.Although children ages 1 to 12
ride in the rear seat(s) whenever
possible, children ages 1 to 12
sometimes must ride in the front
because no space is available in
the rear seat(s) of my vehicle; or
.The child has a medical
condition which, according to the
child's physician, makes it
necessary for the child to ride in
the front seat so that the driver
can constantly monitor the
child's condition.
Medical Condition. A passenger
has a medical condition which,
according to his or her physician:
.Causes the passenger airbag to
pose a special risk for the
passenger; and
.Makes the potential harm from
the passenger airbag in a crash
greater than the potential harm from turning off the airbag and
allowing the passenger, even if
belted, to hit the instrument
panel or windshield in a crash.
{Warning
If the right front passenger airbag
is turned off for a person who is
not in a risk group identified by
the national government, that
person will not have the extra
protection of an airbag. In a
crash, the airbag will not be able
to inflate and help protect the
person sitting there. Do not turn
off the passenger airbag unless
the person sitting there is in a risk
group.

Black plate (25,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6014682) -
2014 - CRC 2nd Edition - 8/26/13
Seats and Restraints 3-25
United States
Canada and MexicoTo turn off the front outboard
passenger frontal airbag, insert the
ignition key into the switch, push in,
and move the switch to the off
position.
The airbag off light will come on to
let you know the front outboard
passenger airbag is off. The airbag
off light will stay on to remind you
that the airbag is off. See
Airbag
On-Off Light on page 5-16. The front
outboard passenger airbag will
remain off until you turn it back on
again.
{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
passenger airbag could inflate
even though the airbag on-off
switch is turned off.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
To help avoid injury to yourself or
others, have the vehicle serviced
right away. SeeAirbag Readiness
Light on page 5-15 for more
information, including important
safety information.

Black plate (26,1)GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-6014682) -
2014 - CRC 2nd Edition - 8/26/13
3-26 Seats and Restraints
United States
Canada and MexicoTo turn the front outboard passenger
airbag on again, insert the ignition
key into the switch, push in, and
move the switch to the on position.
The front outboard passenger
frontal airbag is now enabled, and
may inflate. See
Airbag On-Off Light
on page 5-16 for more information.
Passenger Sensing
System
If the instrument panel has one of
the indicators pictured in the
following illustrations, the vehicle
has a passenger sensing system
unless there is an airbag off switch
located on the instrument panel.
If there is an airbag off switch, the
vehicle does not have a passenger
sensing system. See Airbag On-Off
Switch on page 3-23 for more
information.
United States
Canada and Mexico
The passenger airbag status
indicator will be visible on the
instrument panel when the vehicle is
started.
The words ON and OFF, or the
symbol for on and off, will be visible
during the system check. When the
system check is complete, either the
word ON or the word OFF, or the
symbol for on or the symbol for off,
will be visible. See Passenger
Airbag Status Indicator on
page 5-17.