
GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14583543) -
2021 - crc - 7/10/20
Keys, Doors, and Windows 21
Enhanced Technology Glass
The vehicle may be equipped with Enhanced
Technology Glass (ETG). ETG is part of the
overall occupant protection system on cargo
vans with five seating positions and
passenger vans. ETG may help keep
passengers sitting next to these fixed
windows from being ejected through the
glass in some, but not all crashes. Even with
this glass, seat belts must still be worn at
all times.
Use only ETG glass approved for the vehicle
for replacement when damaged. Cargo vans
with five seating positions and passenger
vans will have ETG glass in the rear-most
side windows and laminated glass in the
forward window of the sliding door,
if equipped. Long wheelbase cargo vans that
do not have five seating positions may also
have ETG in the rear-most side windows.
Rear Windows
Rear Side Door Windows (Cargo
Van Only)
{Warning
The vehicle may have a partition behind
the front seats or vertical metal panels
on the inside of the rear side door
windows. These are part of the occupant
protection system. Do not remove them.
Sun Visors
To block out glare, swing down the sun
visors. You can also swing them to the side.
Visor Vanity Mirror
The vehicle may have visor vanity mirrors,
with or without lamps. Lift the mirror cover
to turn the lamps on, if equipped.

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14583543) -
2021 - crc - 7/10/20
26 Seats and Restraints
8. For the second and third row seats, stowthe seat belt latch by attaching the clip
on the seat belt latch to the trim just
inside the side door.
For the last row of seats, stow the seat
belt latch plate on the clip at the
window trim. Roll the mini-latch into the
seat belt webbing and then hook the
seat belt latch plate on the clip.
Reinstalling the Rear Seats
{Warning
A seat that is not locked into place
properly can move around in a collision
or sudden stop. People in the vehicle
could be injured. Be sure to lock the seat
into place properly when installing it.
{Warning
A seat belt that is improperly routed, not
properly attached, or twisted will not
provide the protection needed in a crash.
The person wearing the belt could be
seriously injured. After raising the rear
seatback, always check to be sure that
the seat belts are properly routed and
attached, and are not twisted. 1. Position the seat into the open slots in
both rails. Push the seat forward in the
rail, hooking both seat bases onto the
pins inside of the rails.
2. Locate the hole in the rail to install the locking pins at the rear of the seat base.
If the vehicle is equipped with a vinyl
floor covering, pull the flap that has
been cut into the vinyl.
3. Insert the locking pins into the seat base and push the seat to line up the pins
with the base.
On a three-passenger seat, the pin with
the black cap marked “R”must be
installed on the right side and the pin
with the gray cap marked “L”must be
installed on the left side.
On a four-passenger seat, the pins
marked “R”must be installed on the half
of the seat on the right side. The pins
marked “L”must be installed on the half
of the seat on the left side.

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14583543) -
2021 - crc - 7/10/20
38 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.
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 046 or
Infants and Young Children 047.
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 074.
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-14583543) -
2021 - crc - 7/10/20
Seats and Restraints 39
If the vehicle has a front outboard passenger
frontal airbag, it is in the passenger side
instrument panel.
Driver Side Shown, Passenger Side Similar
If the vehicle has seat-mounted side impact
airbags for the driver and front outboard
passenger, they are in the sides of the
seatbacks closest to the door.
Driver Side Shown, Passenger Side 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.Driver Side Shown, Passenger Side 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 (Continued)

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14583543) -
2021 - crc - 7/10/20
40 Seats and Restraints
Warning (Continued)
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. SeeAirbag System 036. 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. 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
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

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14583543) -
2021 - crc - 7/10/20
Seats and Restraints 41
break out of the cover. The inflator, the
airbag, and related hardware are all part of
the airbag module.
For airbag locations, seeWhere Are the
Airbags? 038.
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 not toward those
airbags. See
When Should an Airbag Inflate?
0 40.
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? 038.
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

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14583543) -
2021 - crc - 7/10/20
Instruments and Controls 67
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
zlonger.
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.
{Warning
In freezing weather, do not use the
washer until the windshield is warmed.
Otherwise the washer fluid can form ice
on the windshield, blocking your vision.
{Warning
Before driving the vehicle, always clear
snow and ice from the hood, windshield,
roof, and rear of the vehicle, including all
lamps and windows. Reduced visibility
from snow and ice buildup could lead to
a crash. 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.
Compass
This vehicle may have a compass in the
Driver Information Center (DIC).
Compass Zone
Your dealer will set the correct zone for
your location.
Under certain circumstances, such as during
a long distance cross-country trip or moving
to a new state or province, it will be
necessary to compensate for compass
variance by resetting the zone through the
DIC if the zone is not set correctly.
Compass variance is the difference between
the earth's magnetic north and true
geographic north. If the compass is not set

GMC Savana Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-14583543) -
2021 - crc - 7/10/20
68 Instruments and Controls
to the zone where you live, the compass
may give false readings. The compass must
be set to the variance zone in which the
vehicle is traveling.
To adjust for compass variance, use the
following procedure:
Compass Variance (Zone) Procedure1. Do not set the compass zone when the vehicle is moving. Only set it when the
vehicle is in P (Park).
Press
Tuntil PRESSVTO CHANGE
COMPASS ZONE displays.
2. Find the vehicle's current location and variance zone number on the map.
Zones 1 through 15 are available. 3. Press
Vto scroll through and select the
appropriate variance zone.
4. Press
3until the vehicle heading, for
example, N for North, is displayed in
the DIC.
5. If calibration is necessary, calibrate the compass. See “Compass Calibration
Procedure” following.
Compass Calibration
The compass can be manually calibrated.
Only calibrate the compass in a magnetically
clean and safe location, such as an open
parking lot, where driving the vehicle in
circles is not a danger. It is suggested to
calibrate away from tall buildings, utility
wires, manhole covers, or other industrial
structures, if possible.
If CAL should ever appear in the DIC display,
the compass should be calibrated.
If the DIC display does not show a heading,
for example, N for North, or the heading
does not change after making turns, there
may be a strong magnetic field interfering
with the compass. Such interference may be
caused by a magnetic CB or cell phone
antenna mount, a magnetic emergency
light, magnetic note pad holder, or any other magnetic item. Turn off the vehicle,
move the magnetic item, then turn on the
vehicle and calibrate the compass.
To calibrate the compass, use the following
procedure:
Compass Calibration Procedure
1. Before calibrating the compass, make sure the compass zone is set to the
variance zone in which the vehicle is
located. See “Compass Variance (Zone)
Procedure” earlier in this section.
Do not operate any switches such as
window, climate controls, seats, etc.
during the calibration procedure.
2. Press
Tuntil PRESSVTO CALIBRATE
COMPASS displays.
3. Press
Vto start the compass calibration.
4. The DIC will display CALIBRATING: DRIVE IN CIRCLES. Drive the vehicle in tight
circles at less than 8 km/h (5 mph) to
complete the calibration. The DIC will
display CALIBRATION COMPLETE for a few
seconds when the calibration is
complete. The DIC display will then
return to PRESS
VTO CALIBRATE
COMPASS.