
GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11374214) -
2018 - CRC - 2/2/18
58 Seats and Restraints
{Warning
Because airbags inflate with great
force and 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 any
airbag, as you would be if sitting
on the edge of the seat or leaning
forward. Seat belts help keep you
in position before and during a
crash. Always wear a seat belt,
even with airbags. The driver
should sit as far back as possible
while still maintaining control of
the vehicle. The seat belts and
the front outboard passenger
airbags are most effective when
you are sitting well back and
upright in the seat with both feet
on the floor.(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
Occupants should not lean on or
sleep against the door or side
windows in seating positions with
seat-mounted side impact airbags
and/or roof-rail airbags.
{Warning
Children who are up against,
or very close to, any airbag when
it inflates can be seriously injured
or killed. Always secure children
properly in the vehicle. To read
how, seeOlder Children 068 or
Infants and Young Children 069.
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 0101.
Where Are the Airbags?
The driver frontal airbag is in the
center of the steering wheel.

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11374214) -
2018 - CRC - 2/2/18
60 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.
Do not use seat accessories that
block the inflation path of a
seat-mounted side impact airbag.
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
0 56. 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.

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11374214) -
2018 - CRC - 2/2/18
Seats and Restraints 61
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.
Seat-mounted side impact airbags,
if equipped, are designed to inflate
in moderate to severe side crashes
depending on the location of the
impact. Seat-mounted side impact
airbags are not designed to inflate in
frontal impacts, near-frontal impacts,
rollovers, or rear impacts.
A seat-mounted side impact airbag
is intended to inflate on the side of
the vehicle that is struck.
The vehicle may or may not be
equipped with roof-rail airbags.
Roof-rail airbags are designed to
inflate in moderate to severe sidecrashes 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? 058.
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 seat 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
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

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11374214) -
2018 - CRC - 2/2/18
62 Seats and Restraints
not toward those airbags. See
When Should an Airbag Inflate?
060.
Airbags should never be regarded
as anything more than a supplement
to seat belts.
What Will You See after
an Airbag Inflates?
After frontal and seat-mounted side
impact airbags (if equipped) inflate,
they quickly deflate, so quickly that
some people may not even realize
the airbags inflated. Roof-rail
airbags (if equipped) may still be at
least partially inflated for some time
after they inflate. Some components
of the airbag module may be hot for
several minutes. For location of the
airbags, see Where Are the
Airbags? 058.
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
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. The feature may also
activate, without airbag inflation,
after an event that exceeds a
predetermined threshold. After
turning the ignition off and then on
again, the fuel system will return to
normal operation; the doors can be
locked, the interior lamps can be
turned off, and the hazard warning
flashers can be turned off using the
controls for those features. If any of
these systems are damaged in the
crash they may not operate as
normal.
{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
appears to be drivable after a
moderate crash, there may be
concealed damage that could
make it difficult to safely operate
the vehicle.
(Continued)

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11374214) -
2018 - CRC - 2/2/18
66 Seats and Restraints
Canada
To 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
0 102.
Servicing the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Airbags affect how the vehicle
should be serviced. There are parts
of the airbag system in several
places around the vehicle. Your dealer and the service manual have
information about servicing the
vehicle and the airbag system. To
purchase a service manual, see
Service Publications Ordering
Information
0325.
{Warning
For up to 10 seconds after the
vehicle is turned off and the
battery is disconnected, an airbag
can still inflate during improper
service. You can be injured if you
are close to an airbag when it
inflates. Avoid yellow connectors.
They are probably part of the
airbag system. Be sure to follow
proper service procedures, and
make sure the person performing
work for you is qualified to do so.
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Adding accessories that change the
vehicle's frame, bumper system,
height, front end, or side sheet
metal may keep the airbag system
from working properly.
The operation of the airbag system
can also be affected by changing
any parts of the front seats, seat
belts, airbag sensing and diagnostic
module, steering wheel, instrument
panel, inner door seals including the
speakers, any of the airbag
modules, ceiling or pillar garnish
trim, front sensors, or airbag wiring.
Your dealer and the service manual
have information about the location
of the airbag sensors, sensing and
diagnostic module, and airbag
wiring.
If the vehicle has rollover roof-rail
airbags, see Different Size Tires
and Wheels 0271 for additional
important information.

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11374214) -
2018 - CRC - 2/2/18
Instruments and Controls 89
Instruments and
Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . 89
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . 90
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . . 91
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Cigarette Lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Ashtrays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Engine Oil Pressure Gauge . . . . 99
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Voltmeter Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Seat Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . . 101 Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . . 101
Airbag On-Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Charging System Light . . . . . . . 103
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Check Engine Light) . . . . . . . . 103
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Tow/Haul Mode Light . . . . . . . . . 106
StabiliTrak OFF Light . . . . . . . . . 106
Traction Control System (TCS)/ StabiliTrak Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . 108
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . 108
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . 109
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . . 109
Information Displays
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Engine Power Messages . . . . . 114
Vehicle Speed Messages . . . . . 114
Vehicle Personalization
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . 115
Controls
Steering Wheel
Adjustment
For vehicles with a tilt steering
wheel, the lever is located on the
left side of the steering column.
To adjust the steering wheel:
1. Pull the lever to move the steering wheel up or down into
a comfortable position.
2. Release the lever to lock the steering wheel in place.

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11374214) -
2018 - CRC - 2/2/18
90 Instruments and Controls
Do not adjust the steering wheel
while driving.
Steering Wheel Controls
If equipped, some audio controls
can be adjusted at the steering
wheel.
w:Press to go to the next favorite
radio station, track on a CD,
or folder on an iPod or USB device.
c/x: Press to go to the
previous favorite radio station, track
on a CD, or folder on an iPod or
USB device. Also press to reject an
incoming call or end a current call. Radio
To select preset or favorite radio
stations:
Press and release
worc/xto
go to the next or previous radio
station stored as a preset or
favorite.
CD
To select tracks on a CD:
Press and release
worc/xto
go to the next or previous track.
Selecting Tracks on an iPod or
USB Device
1. Press and hold
worc/x
while listening to a song until
the contents of the current
folder appear on the
infotainment display.
2. Press and release
wor
c/xto scroll up or down
the list, then press and
hold
w, or press¨to play the
highlighted track. Navigating Folders on an iPod or
USB Device
1. Press and hold
worc/x
while listening to a song until
the contents of the current
folder appear on the
infotainment display.
2. Press and hold
c/xto go
back to the previous folder list.
3. Press and release
wor
c/xto scroll up or down
the list.
. To select a folder, press
and hold
w, or press¨
when the folder is
highlighted.
. To go back further in the
folder list, press and hold
c/x.
b/g:Press to silence the vehicle
speakers only. Press again to turn
the sound on.

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11374214) -
2018 - CRC - 2/2/18
Instruments and Controls 91
For vehicles with Bluetooth or
OnStar systems, press and hold for
longer than two seconds to interact
with those systems.
SeeBluetooth 0146 andOnStar
Overview 0330, if equipped.
SRCE : Press to switch between
the radio and CD, and for equipped
vehicles, the front auxiliary.
¨: Press to go to the next radio
station while in AM, FM,
or SiriusXM, if equipped.
If equipped with a CD player or
USB port:
Press
¨to go to the next track or
chapter while sourced to the CD.
Press
¨to select a track or a folder
when navigating folders on an iPod
or USB device.
While listening to a CD, press and
hold
¨to quickly move forward
through the tracks. Release to stop
on the desired track.
+
e: Press to increase volume.
−
e: Press to decrease volume.
Horn
Press the horn symbol on the
steering wheel to sound the horn.
Windshield Wiper/Washer
The lever is on the left side of the
steering column.
Turn the band with
Non it to select
the wiper speed.
8: Use for a single wipe. Hold the
band on
z, then release. For
several wipes, hold the band on
z
longer.
6: Use to adjust the delay time
between wipes. Turn the band up
for more frequent wipes or down for
less frequent wipes.
d: Fast wipes.
a:Slow wipes.
9: Use to turn the wipers off.
When driving during the day and the
wipers are activated, the headlamps
automatically turn on after
completing eight wipe cycles.
Clear ice and snow from the wiper
blades before using them. If frozen
to the windshield, carefully loosen or
thaw them. Damaged blades should
be replaced.
Windshield Washer
The windshield wiper paddle is on
top of the turn signal lever.
L: Push the paddle to spray
washer fluid on the windshield. The
wipers will clear the window and
then either stop or return to the
preset speed.