2006 GMC Savana Owners Manual

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2006 GMC Savana Owner Manual M Seats and Restraint Systems ........................... 1-1 Front Seats ............................................... 1-3 Rear Seats ............................................... 1-7 Safety Belts ............................................. 1-10 Child Restraints ....................................... 1-32 Airbag System ......................................... 1-65 Restraint System Check ............................ 1-81 Features and Controls ..................................... 2-1 ........................................................ 2-2 ....................................... 2-7 ................................................. 2-14 ............................ 2-17 ........... 2-17 .................................................... 2-28 ......................................... 2-30 Instrument Panel ............................................. 3-1 .......................... 3-4 ...................................... 3-17 ........ 3-23 ....................................... 3-43 Driving Your Vehicle ....................................... 4-1 ..... 4-2 ................................................... 4-35 Keys Doors and Locks Windows Theft-Deterrent Systems Starting and Operating Your Vehicle Mirrors Storage Areas Instrument Panel Overview Climate Controls Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators Audio System(s) Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle Towing Service and Appearance Care .......................... 5-1 Service ..................................................... 5-3 Fuel ......................................................... 5-5 Checking Things Under the Hood ............... 5-10 All-Wheel Drive ........................................ 5-43 Rear Axle ............................................... 5-44 Front Axle ............................................... 5-44 Noise Control System ............................... 5-45 Bulb Replacement .................................... 5-46 Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement ......... 5-51 Tires ...................................................... 5-52 Appearance Care ..................................... 5-84 Vehicle Identiﬁcation ................................. 5-92 Electrical System ...................................... 5-93 Capacities and Speciﬁcations ..................... 5-98 Maintenance Schedule ..................................... 6-1 ................................ 6-2 Customer Assistance and Information .............. 7-1 ........... 7-2 ........................... 7-13 Index ................................................................ 1 Customer Assistance and Information Reporting Safety Defects Maintenance Schedule GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem, GMC, the GMC Truck Emblem, and the name SAVANA are registered trademarks of General Motors Corporation. This manual includes the latest information at the time it was printed. We reserve the right to make changes after that time without further notice. For vehicles ﬁrst sold in Canada, substitute the name “General Motors of Canada Limited” for GMC whenever it appears in this manual. Keep this manual in the vehicle, so it will be there if it is needed while you are on the road. If the vehicle is sold, leave this manual in the vehicle. Canadian Owners A French language copy of this manual can be obtained from your dealer or from: Helm, Incorporated P.O. Box 07130 Detroit, MI 48207 How to Use This Manual Many people read the owner manual from beginning to end when they ﬁrst receive their new vehicle. If this is done, it can help you learn about the features and controls for the vehicle. Pictures and words work together in the owner manual to explain things. Index A good place to quickly locate information about the vehicle is the Index in the back of the manual. It is an alphabetical list of what is in the manual and the page number where it can be found. Litho in U.S.A. Part No. 06 SAVANA A First Printing ©2005 General Motors Corporation. All Rights Reserved. ii Safety Warnings and Symbols There are a number of safety cautions in this book. We use a box and the word CAUTION to tell about things that could hurt you if you were to ignore the warning. {CAUTION: These mean there is something that could hurt you or other people. In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard is. Then we tell you what to do to help avoid or reduce the hazard. Please read these cautions. If you do not, you or others could be hurt. You will also ﬁnd a circle with a slash through it in this book. This safety symbol means “Do Not,” “Do Not do this” or “Do Not let this happen.” iii Vehicle Damage Warnings Also, in this manual you will ﬁnd these notices: Notice: These mean there is something that could damage your vehicle. A notice tells about something that can damage the vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be covered by your vehicle’s warranty, and it could be costly. But the notice will tell what to do to help avoid the damage. When you read other manuals, you might see CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different colors or in different words. There are also warning labels on the vehicle. They use the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE. Vehicle Symbols The vehicle has components and labels that use symbols instead of text. Symbols are shown along with the text describing the operation or information relating to a speciﬁc component, control, message, gage, or indicator. If you need help ﬁguring out a speciﬁc name of a component, gage, or indicator, reference the following topics: • Seats and Restraint Systems in Section 1 • Features and Controls in Section 2 • Instrument Panel Overview in Section 3 • Climate Controls in Section 3 • Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators in Section 3 • Audio System(s) in Section 3 • Engine Compartment Overview in Section 5 iv These are some examples of symbols that may be found on the vehicle: ✍ NOTES vi Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems Front Seats ......................................................1-3 Manual Seats ................................................1-3 Power Seat ...................................................1-4 Reclining Seatbacks ........................................1-5 Rear Seats .......................................................1-7 Rear Seat Operation .......................................1-7 Safety Belts ...................................................1-10 Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone ................1-10 Questions and Answers About Safety Belts ......1-14 How to Wear Safety Belts Properly .................1-15 Driver Position ..............................................1-15 Shoulder Belt Height Adjustment .....................1-22 Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy ..................1-23 Right Front Passenger Position .......................1-23 Center Passenger Position (3rd, 4th and 5th Row) ............................................1-24 Center Passenger Position (2nd Row) ..............1-25 Rear Outside Passenger Positions ..................1-25 Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides ....................1-28 Safety Belt Pretensioners ...............................1-31 Safety Belt Extender .....................................1-31 Child Restraints .............................................1-32 Older Children ..............................................1-32 Infants and Young Children ............................1-35 Child Restraint Systems .................................1-38 Where to Put the Restraint .............................1-42 Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) ..................................................1-44 Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Outside Seat Position or the Second Row Center Seat Position ............................................1-51 Securing a Child Restraint in a Center Seat Position (3rd, 4th, and 5th Row) ..................1-54 Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position (With Passenger Sensing System) ...................................................1-56 Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position (With Airbag Off Switch) ..........1-60 1-1 Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems Restraint System Check ..................................1-81 Checking the Restraint Systems ......................1-81 Replacing Restraint System Parts After a Crash ...1-81 Airbag System ...............................................1-65 Where Are the Airbags? ................................1-67 When Should an Airbag Inﬂate? .....................1-68 What Makes an Airbag Inﬂate? .......................1-70 How Does an Airbag Restrain? .......................1-70 What Will You See After an Airbag Inﬂates? .....1-70 Airbag Off Switch ..........................................1-71 Passenger Sensing System ............................1-74 Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle ...........1-79 Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle ....................................................1-80 1-2 Front Seats Manual Seats {CAUTION: You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle is moving. The sudden movement could startle and confuse you, or make you push a pedal when you do not want to. Adjust the driver’s seat only when the vehicle is not moving. Lift the bar located under the front of the seat to unlock it. Slide the seat to where you want it and release the bar. Try to move the seat with your body to be sure the seat is locked in place. 1-3 If your vehicle has front power seat(s), you can adjust them with these controls located at the front center of the seat cushion. To raise or lower the seat, move the center knob up or down. To move the seat forward or rearward, move the center knob toward the right or left. To raise or lower the front of the seat cushion, move the right lever up or down. To raise or lower the rear of the seat cushion, move the left lever up or down. Power Seat 1-4 Reclining Seatbacks {CAUTION: If the seatback is not locked, it could move forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always push and pull on the seatback to be sure it is locked. Lean forward and pull up on the front of the lever and the seatback will go to an upright position. To adjust the seatback, lift the front of the lever located on the inboard side of the seat cushion. Move the seatback to the desired position and release the lever to lock the seatback. 1-5 {CAUTION: Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle is in motion can be dangerous. Even if you buckle up, your safety belts cannot do their job when you are reclined like this. The shoulder belt cannot do its job because it will not be against your body. Instead, it will be in front of you. In a crash, you could go into it, receiving neck or other injuries. The lap belt cannot do its job either. In a crash, the belt could go up over your abdomen. The belt forces would be there, not at your pelvic bones. This could cause serious internal injuries. For proper protection when the vehicle is in motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit well back in the seat and wear your safety belt properly. Do not have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is moving. 1-6 Rear Seats Rear Seat Operation Removing the Rear Seat 1. Disconnect the quick release latch plates for the lap shoulder belts on the bench seat to be removed. To do this, press the tip of a key into the release hole of the safety belt buckle while pulling up on the safety belt. 2. Locate the pins. There are two pins located on the inboard sides of the rear seats. If the vehicle has ﬂoor mats, the pins will be located under a ﬂap that has been cut into the mat. • The driver’s side pin has a gray cap with a black “L” marked on it. 1-7 7. For the ﬁrst row rear seat, stow the safety belt latch by attaching the clip on the safety belt latch to the trim just inside the side door. For the remaining rear seats, stow the safety belt latch plate on the clip at the window trim. • The passenger’s side pin has a black cap with a white “R” marked on it. 3. Pull the pin handle up to disengage the pin from the retaining clip, then pull the pin out. 4. Repeat this procedure for the pin on the other seat base. 5. Pull the seat rearward about 2 inches (5 cm) and then lift the seat from the ﬂoor rails. 6. Remove the seat from the vehicle. Replacing the Rear Seats {CAUTION: 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. 1-8 {CAUTION: A safety 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 safety 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. To install the locking pins at the rear of the seat base, locate the hole in the rail for the pin. It is found on the inboard side of the seat. If the vehicle has ﬂoor mats, pull the ﬂap that has been cut into the mat. 3. Insert the locking pin into the seat base and push the seat to line up with the pin with the base. The pin with the black cap marked “R” must be installed on the passenger’s side and the pin with the gray cap marked “L” on the driver’s side. 4. Push the pin with the black cap marked “R” down until it is in the retaining clip. 1-9 Safety Belts Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone This part of the manual tells you how to use safety belts properly. It also tells you some things you should not do with safety belts. {CAUTION: Do not let anyone ride where he or she cannot wear a safety belt properly. If you are in a crash and you are not wearing a safety belt, your injuries can be much worse. You can hit things inside the vehicle or be ejected from it. You can be seriously injured or killed. In the same crash, you might not be, if you are buckled up. Always fasten your safety belt, and check that your passengers’ belts are fastened properly too. 5. Push the pin with the gray cap marked “L” down until it is in the retaining clip. 6. If the vehicle has a ﬂoor mat, put the ﬂap back to its original position. 7. Repeat this procedure for the other seat base. 8. Connect the quick-release latch plates for the lap-shoulder belts by inserting the latch plates into the buckles attached at the outboard positions of the bench seat. Do not twist the belt. 9. Check that all locking pins are locked into place before operating the vehicle. 1-10 {CAUTION: It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area, inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision, people riding in these areas are more likely to be seriously injured or killed. Do not allow people to ride in any area of your vehicle that is not equipped with seats and safety belts. Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and using a safety belt properly. Your vehicle has indicators to remind you and your passengers to buckle your safety belts. See Safety Belt Reminder Light on page 3-26 and Passenger Safety Belt Reminder Light on page 3-26. In most states and in all Canadian provinces, the law says to wear safety belts. Here is why: They work. You never know if you will be in a crash. If you do have a crash, you do not know if it will be a bad one. A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so serious that even buckled up, a person would not survive. But most crashes are in between. In many of them, people who buckle up can survive and sometimes walk away. Without belts they could have been badly hurt or killed. After more than 30 years of safety belts in vehicles, the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does matter...a lot! Why Safety Belts Work When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as it goes. Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it is just a seat on wheels. 1-11 Put someone on it. Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider does not stop. 1-12 The person keeps going until stopped by something. In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield... or the instrument panel... 1-13 Questions and Answers About Safety Belts Q: Will I be trapped in the vehicle after an accident if I am wearing a safety belt? A: You could be — whether you are wearing a safety belt or not. But you can unbuckle a safety belt, even if you are upside down. And your chance of being conscious during and after an accident, so you can unbuckle and get out, is much greater if you are belted. Q: If my vehicle has airbags, why should I have to wear safety belts? A: Airbags are in many vehicles today and will be in most of them in the future. But they are supplemental systems only; so they work with safety belts — not instead of them. Every airbag system ever offered for sale has required the use of safety belts. Even if you are in a vehicle that has airbags, you still have to buckle up to get the most protection. That is true not only in frontal collisions, but especially in side and other collisions. or the safety belts! With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does. You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance, and your strongest bones take the forces. That is why safety belts make such good sense. 1-14 Q: If I am a good driver, and I never drive far from home, why should I wear safety belts? A: You may be an excellent driver, but if you are in an accident — even one that is not your fault — you and your passengers can be hurt. Being a good driver does not protect you from things beyond your control, such as bad drivers. Most accidents occur within 25 miles (40 km) of home. And the greatest number of serious injuries and deaths occur at speeds of less than 40 mph (65 km/h). Safety belts are for everyone. How to Wear Safety Belts Properly This part is only for people of adult size. Be aware that there are special things to know about safety belts and children. And there are different rules for smaller children and babies. If a child will be riding in your vehicle, see Older Children on page 1-32 or Infants and Young Children on page 1-35. Follow those rules for everyone’s protection. First, you will want to know which restraint systems your vehicle has. We will start with the driver position. Driver Position Lap-Shoulder Belt The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here is how to wear it properly. 1. Close and lock the door. 2. Adjust the seat so you can sit up straight. To see how, see “Seats” in the Index. 3. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you. Do not let it get twisted. 1-15 4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks. Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure. If the belt is not long enough, see Safety Belt Extender on page 1-31. Make sure the release button on the buckle is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you ever had to. 5. Move the shoulder belt height adjuster to the height that is right for you. See Shoulder Belt Height Adjustment on page 1-22. The lap part of the belt should be worn low and snug on the hips, just touching the thighs. In a crash, this applies force to the strong pelvic bones. And you would be less likely to slide under the lap belt. If you slid under it, the belt would apply force at your abdomen. This could cause serious or even fatal injuries. The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across the chest. These parts of the body are best able to take belt restraining forces. The safety belt locks if there is a sudden stop or crash. 6. To make the lap part tight, pull down on the buckle end of the belt as you pull up on the shoulder belt. 1-16 Q: What is wrong with this? {CAUTION: You can be seriously hurt if your shoulder belt is too loose. In a crash, you would move forward too much, which could increase injury. The shoulder belt should ﬁt against your body. A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It will not give nearly as much protection this way. 1-17 Q: What is wrong with this? {CAUTION: You can be seriously injured if your belt is buckled in the wrong place like this. In a crash, the belt would go up over your abdomen. The belt forces would be there, not at the pelvic bones. This could cause serious internal injuries. Always buckle your belt into the buckle nearest you. A: The belt is buckled in the wrong place. 1-18 Q: What is wrong with this? A: The belt is over an armrest. {CAUTION: You can be seriously injured if your belt goes over an armrest like this. The belt would be much too high. In a crash, you can slide under the belt. The belt force would then be applied at the abdomen, not at the pelvic bones, and that could cause serious or fatal injuries. Be sure the belt goes under the armrests. 1-19 Q: What is wrong with this? {CAUTION: You can be seriously injured if you wear the shoulder belt under your arm. In a crash, your body would move too far forward, which would increase the chance of head and neck injury. Also, the belt would apply too much force to the ribs, which are not as strong as shoulder bones. You could also severely injure internal organs like your liver or spleen. A: The shoulder belt is worn under the arm. It should be worn over the shoulder at all times. 1-20 Q: What is wrong with this? {CAUTION: You can be seriously injured by a twisted belt. In a crash, you would not have the full width of the belt to spread impact forces. If a belt is twisted, make it straight so it can work properly, or ask your dealer to ﬁx it. A: The belt is twisted across the body. 1-21 Shoulder Belt Height Adjustment Before you begin to drive, move the shoulder belt height adjuster to the height that is right for you. Adjust the height so that the shoulder portion of the belt is centered on your shoulder. The belt should be away from your face and neck, but not falling off your shoulder. To move it down, pull on the center adjuster control labeled PULL. You can move the height adjuster up just by pushing up on the shoulder belt guide. After you move the height adjuster to where you want it, try to move it down without pushing in to make sure it has locked into position. To unlatch the belt, just push the button on the buckle. The belt should go back out of the way. Before you close the door, be sure the belt is out of the way. If you slam the door on it, you can damage both the belt and your vehicle. 1-22 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. 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. Right Front Passenger Position To learn how to wear the right front passenger’s safety belt properly, see Driver Position on page 1-15. The right front passenger’s safety belt works the same way as the driver’s safety belt — except for one thing. If you ever pull the shoulder portion of the belt out all the way, you will engage the child restraint locking feature. If this happens, just let the belt go back all the way and start again. 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. 1-23 Center Passenger Position (3rd, 4th and 5th Row) Lap Belt If your vehicle has third, fourth or ﬁfth row bench seats, someone can sit in the center positions. When you sit in a center seating position in the third, fourth or ﬁfth row, you have a lap safety belt, which has no retractor. To make the belt longer, tilt the latch plate and pull it along the belt. 1-24 To make the belt shorter, pull its free end as shown until the belt is snug. Buckle, position and release it the same way as the lap part of a lap-shoulder belt. If the belt isn’t long enough, see Safety Belt Extender on page 1-31. Make sure the release button on the buckle is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you ever had to. Center Passenger Position (2nd Row) If your vehicle has a second row bench seat, someone can sit in the center position. When you sit in the center position in the second row bench seat, you have a lap-shoulder belt which works the same way as the rear seat outside passengers’ belts. To learn how to wear a lap-shoulder belt see, “Lap-Shoulder Belt” under Rear Outside Passenger Positions on page 1-25. Rear Outside Passenger Positions It’s very important for rear seat passengers to buckle up! Accident statistics show that unbelted people in the rear seat are hurt more often in crashes than those who are wearing safety belts. Rear passengers who aren’t safety belted can be thrown out of the vehicle in a crash. And they can strike others in the vehicle who are wearing safety belts. Lap-Shoulder Belt The positions next to the windows have lap-shoulder belts. Here is how to wear a lap-shoulder belt properly. 1. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you. Do not let it get twisted. 1-25 2. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks. Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure. When the shoulder belt is pulled out all the way, it will lock. If it does, let the belt go back all the way and start again. If the belt is not long enough, see Safety Belt Extender on page 1-31. Make sure the release button on the buckle is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you ever had to. 1-26 3. To make the lap part tight, pull down on the buckle end of the belt as you pull up on the shoulder part. The safety belt locks if there is a sudden stop or a crash. {CAUTION: You can be seriously hurt if your shoulder belt is too loose. In a crash, you would move forward too much, which could increase injury. The shoulder belt should ﬁt against your body. The lap part of the belt should be worn low and snug on the hips, just touching the thighs. In a crash, this applies force to the strong pelvic bones. And you would be less likely to slide under the lap belt. If you slid under it, the belt would apply force at your abdomen. This could cause serious or even fatal injuries. The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across the chest. These parts of the body are best able to take belt restraining forces. 1-27 Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides Rear safety belt comfort guides may provide added safety belt comfort for older children who have outgrown booster seats and for some adults. When installed on a shoulder belt, the comfort guide positions the belt away from the neck and head. There is one guide for each outside passenger position in the rear seats. Here is how to install a comfort guide and use the safety belt: To unlatch the belt, push the button on the buckle. 1. Locate the guide in a pocket on the side of the seatback. 1-28 2. Place the guide over the belt and insert the two edges of the belt into the slots of the guide. 3. Be sure the belt is not twisted and it lies ﬂat. The elastic cord must be under the belt and the guide on top. 1-29 {CAUTION: A safety belt that is not properly worn may not provide the protection needed in a crash. The person wearing the belt could be seriously injured. The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across the chest. These parts of the body are best able to take belt restraining forces. 4. Buckle, position, and release the safety belt as described in Rear Outside Passenger Positions on page 1-25. Make sure that the shoulder belt crosses the shoulder. To remove and store the comfort guides, squeeze the belt edges together so that you can take them out of the guides. Slide the guide into its storage pocket on the side of the seatback. 1-30 Safety Belt Pretensioners Your vehicle has safety belt pretensioners for the driver and right front passenger. Although you cannot see them, they are located on the buckle end of the safety belts. They help the safety belts reduce a person’s forward movement in a moderate to severe frontal and near frontal crash. Pretensioners work only once. If they activate in a crash, you will need to get new ones, and probably other new parts for your safety belt system. See Replacing Restraint System Parts After a Crash on page 1-81. 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. It is free. 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, just attach it to the regular safety belt. For more information, see the instruction sheet that comes with the extender. 1-31 Child Restraints Older Children Q: What is the proper way to wear safety belts? A: If possible, an older child should wear a lap-shoulder belt and get the additional restraint a shoulder belt can provide. The shoulder belt should not cross the face or neck. The lap belt should ﬁt snugly below the hips, just touching the top of the thighs. It should never be worn over the abdomen, which could cause severe or even fatal internal injuries in a crash. Accident statistics show that children are safer if they are restrained in the rear seat. In a crash, children who are not buckled up can strike other people who are buckled up, or can be thrown out of the vehicle. Older children need to use safety belts properly. Older children who have outgrown booster seats should wear the vehicle’s safety belts. If you have the choice, a child should sit in a seating position that has a lap-shoulder belt to get the additional restraint a shoulder belt can provide. 1-32 Q: What if a child is wearing a lap-shoulder belt, but the child is so small that the shoulder belt is very close to the child’s face or neck? A: If the child is seated in a rear outside seat position, move the child toward the center of the vehicle. Also see Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides on page 1-28. If the child is sitting in the second row center seat position, move the child toward the safety belt buckle. In either case, be sure that the shoulder belt still is on the child’s shoulder, so that in a crash the child’s upper body would have the restraint that belts provide. If the child is so small that the shoulder belt is still very close to the child’s face or neck, you might want to place the child in a seat that has a lap belt, if your vehicle has one. 1-33 {CAUTION: Never do this. Here two children are wearing the same belt. The belt can not properly spread the impact forces. In a crash, the two children can be crushed together and seriously injured. A belt must be used by only one person at a time. {CAUTION: Never do this. Here a child is sitting in a seat that has a lap-shoulder belt, but the shoulder part is behind the child. If the child wears the belt in this way, in a crash the child might slide under the belt. The belt’s force would then be applied right on the child’s abdomen. That could cause serious or fatal injuries. Wherever the child sits, the lap portion of the belt should be worn low and snug on the hips, just touching the child’s thighs. This applies belt force to the child’s pelvic bones in a crash. 1-34 Infants and Young Children Everyone in a vehicle needs protection! This includes infants and all other children. Neither the distance traveled nor the age and size of the traveler changes the need, for everyone, to use safety restraints. In fact, the law in every state in the United States and in every Canadian province says children up to some age must be restrained while in a vehicle. Every time infants and young children ride in vehicles, they should have the protection provided by appropriate restraints. Young children should not use the vehicle’s adult safety belts alone, unless there is no other choice. Instead, they need to use a child restraint. {CAUTION: People should never hold a baby in their arms while riding in a vehicle. A baby does not weigh much — until a crash. During a crash a baby will become so heavy it is not possible to hold it. For example, in a crash at only 25 mph (40 km/h), a 12 lb (5.5 kg) baby will suddenly become a 240 lb (110 kg) force on a person’s arms. A baby should be secured in an appropriate restraint. 1-35 Q: What are the different types of add-on child restraints? A: Add-on child restraints, which are purchased by the vehicle’s owner, are available in four basic types. Selection of a particular restraint should take into consideration not only the child’s weight, height and age but also whether or not the restraint will be compatible with the motor vehicle in which it will be used. For most basic types of child restraints, there are many different models available. When purchasing a child restraint, be sure it is designed to be used in a motor vehicle. If it is, the restraint will have a label saying that it meets federal motor vehicle safety standards. The restraint manufacturer’s instructions that come with the restraint, state the weight and height limitations for a particular child restraint. In addition, there are many kinds of restraints available for children with special needs. {CAUTION: 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’s 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. 1-36 {CAUTION: {CAUTION: Newborn infants need complete support, including support for the head and neck. This is necessary because a newborn infant’s neck is weak and its head weighs so much compared with the rest of its body. In a crash, an infant in a rear-facing seat settles into the restraint, so the crash forces can be distributed across the strongest part of an infant’s body, the back and shoulders. Infants always should be secured in appropriate infant restraints. The body structure of a young child is quite unlike that of an adult or older child, for whom the safety belts are designed. A young child’s hip bones are still so small that the vehicle’s regular safety belt may not remain low on the hip bones, as it should. Instead, it may settle up around the child’s abdomen. In a crash, the belt would apply force on a body area that is unprotected by any bony structure. This alone could cause serious or fatal injuries. Young children always should be secured in appropriate child restraints. 1-37 Child Restraint Systems An infant car bed (A), a special bed made for use in a motor vehicle, is an infant restraint system designed to restrain or position a child on a continuous ﬂat surface. Make sure that the infant’s head rests toward the center of the vehicle. A rear-facing infant seat (B) provides restraint with the seating surface against the back of the infant. The harness system holds the infant in place and, in a crash, acts to keep the infant positioned in the restraint. 1-38 A forward-facing child seat (C-E) provides restraint for the child’s body with the harness and also sometimes with surfaces such as T-shaped or shelf-like shields. A booster seat (F-G) is a child restraint designed to improve the ﬁt of the vehicle’s safety belt system. Some booster seats have a shoulder belt positioner, and some high-back booster seats have a ﬁve-point harness. A booster seat can also help a child to see out the window. 1-39 Q: How Should I Use a Child Restraint? A: A child restraint system is any device designed for use in a motor vehicle to restrain, seat, or position children. A built-in child restraint system is a permanent part of the motor vehicle. An add-on child restraint system is a portable one, which is purchased by the vehicle’s owner. To help reduce injuries, an add-on child restraint must be secured in the vehicle. With built-in or add-on child restraints, the child has to be secured within the child restraint. When choosing an add-on child restraint, be sure the child restraint is designed to be used in a vehicle. If it is, it will have a label saying that it meets federal motor vehicle safety standards. Then follow the instructions for the restraint. You may ﬁnd these instructions on the restraint itself or in a booklet, or both. Securing an Add-on Child Restraint in the Vehicle {CAUTION: A child can be seriously injured or killed in a crash if the child restraint is not properly secured in the vehicle. Make sure the child restraint is properly installed in the vehicle using the vehicle’s safety belt or LATCH system, following the instructions that came with that restraint, and also the instructions in this manual. To help reduce the chance of injury, the child restraint must be secured in the vehicle. Child restraint systems must be secured in vehicle seats by lap belts or the lap belt portion of a lap-shoulder belt, or by the LATCH system. See Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-44 for more information. A child can be endangered in a crash if the child restraint is not properly secured in the vehicle. 1-40 {CAUTION: A child can be seriously injured or killed in a crash if the child is not properly secured in the child restraint. Make sure the child is properly secured, following the instructions that came with that restraint. Because there are different systems, it is important to refer to the instructions that come with the restraint. A child can be endangered in a crash if the child is not properly secured in the child restraint. When securing an add-on child restraint, refer to the instructions that come with the restraint which may be on the restraint itself or in a booklet, or both, and to this manual. The child restraint instructions are important, so if they are not available, obtain a replacement copy from the manufacturer. Keep in mind that an unsecured child restraint can move around in a collision or sudden stop and injure people in the vehicle. Be sure to properly secure any child restraint in your vehicle — even when no child is in it. Securing the Child Within the Child Restraint There are several systems for securing the child within the child restraint. One system, the three-point harness, has straps that come down over each of the infant’s shoulders and buckle together at the crotch. The ﬁve-point harness system has two shoulder straps, two hip straps, and a crotch strap. A shield may take the place of hip straps. A T-shaped shield has shoulder straps that are attached to a ﬂat pad which rests low against the child’s body. A shelf- or armrest-type shield has straps that are attached to a wide, shelf-like shield that swings up or to the side. 1-41 Where to Put the Restraint Accident statistics show that children are safer if they are restrained in the rear rather than the front seat. General Motors recommends that child restraints be secured in a rear seat including an infant riding in a rear-facing infant seat, a child riding in a forward-facing child seat and an older child riding in a booster seat. Never put a child in a rear-facing child restraint in the right front passenger seat unless your vehicle has the passenger sensing system or an airbag off switch and the passenger airbag status indicator or the airbag off light shows off. Never put a rear facing child restraint in the right front passenger seat unless the airbag is off. If your vehicle has a rear seat that will accommodate a rear-facing child restraint, there is a label on your sun visor that 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. 1-42 {CAUTION: A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be seriously injured or killed if the right front passenger’s airbag inﬂates. This is because the back of the rear-facing child restraint would be very close to the inﬂating airbag. Even though the passenger sensing system or the airbag off switch is designed to turn off the right front passenger’s frontal airbag if the system detects a rear-facing child restraint, no system is fail-safe, and no one can guarantee that an airbag will not deploy under some unusual circumstance, even though it is turned off. We recommend that rear-facing child restraints be secured in the rear seat, even if the airbag is off. If you need to 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. If your vehicle does not have a rear seat that will accommodate a rear-facing child restraint, never put a child in a rear-facing child restraint in the right front passenger seat the unless passenger airbag status indicator shows off. Never put a rear facing child restraint in the right front passenger seat unless the airbag is off. Here is why: {CAUTION: A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be seriously injured or killed if the right front passenger’s airbag inﬂates. This is because the back of the rear-facing child restraint would be very close to the inﬂating airbag. Be sure the airbag is off before using a rear-facing child restraint in the right front seat position. Even though the passenger sensing system or the airbag off switch is designed to turn off the right front passenger’s frontal airbag if the system detects a rear-facing child restraint, no system is fail-safe, and no one can guarantee that an airbag will not deploy under some CAUTION: (Continued) CAUTION: (Continued) unusual circumstance, even though it is turned off. We recommend that rear-facing child restraints be transported in vehicles with a rear seat that will accommodate a rear-facing child restraint, whenever possible. If you need to 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. If your vehicle has the passenger sensing system or the airbag off switch and you need to secure a rear-facing child restraint in the right front passenger’s seat, the passenger’s frontal airbag must be off. See Passenger Sensing System on page 1-74, Airbag Off Switch on page 1-71,Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position (With Passenger Sensing System) on page 1-56 or Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position (With Airbag Off Switch) on page 1-60 for more on this including important safety information. 1-43 Wherever you install a child restraint, be sure to secure the child restraint properly. Keep in mind that an unsecured child restraint can move around in a collision or sudden stop and injure people in the vehicle. Be sure to properly secure any child restraint in your vehicle — even when no child is in it. Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) Your vehicle has the LATCH system. The LATCH system holds a child restraint during driving or in a crash. This system is designed to make installation of a child restraint easier. The LATCH system uses anchors in the vehicle and attachments on the child restraint that are made for use with the LATCH system Make sure that a LATCH-compatible child restraint is properly installed using the anchors, or use the vehicle’s safety belts to secure the restraint, following the instructions that came with that restraint, and also the instructions in this manual. When installing a child restraint with a top tether, you must also use either the lower anchors or the safety belts to properly secure the child restraint. A child restraint must never be installed using only the top tether strap and anchor. In order to use the LATCH system in your vehicle, you need a child restraint equipped with LATCH attachments. The child restraint manufacturer will provide you with instructions on how to use the child restraint and its attachments. The following explains how to attach a child restraint with these attachments in your vehicle. Your vehicle has lower anchors and top tether anchors. Your child restraint may have lower attachments and a top tether. Not all vehicle seating positions or child restraints have lower anchors and attachments or top tether anchors and attachments. 1-44 Lower Anchors Top Tether Anchor Lower anchors (A) are metal bars built into the vehicle. There are two lower anchors for each LATCH seating position that will accommodate a child restraint with lower attachments (B). A top tether (A, C) anchors the top of the child restraint to the vehicle. A top tether anchor is built into the vehicle. The top tether attachment (B) on the child restraint connects to the top tether anchor in the vehicle in order to reduce the forward movement and rotation of the child restraint during driving or in a crash. Your child restraint may have a single tether (A) or a dual tether (C). Either will have a single attachment (B) to secure the top tether to the anchor. Some top tether-equipped child restraints are designed for use with or without the top tether being attached. Others require the top tether always to be attached. 1-45 In Canada, the law requires that forward-facing child restraints have a top tether, and that the tether be attached. In the United States, some child restraints also have a top tether. Be sure to read and follow the instructions for your child restraint. If the child restraint does not have a top tether, one can be obtained, in kit form, for many child restraints. Ask the child restraint manufacturer whether or not a kit is available. Lower Anchor and Top Tether Anchor Locations See the information following for installing a child restraint with a top tether in the second row center position. Do not install three child restraints in the rear seat and never install two top tethers using the same top tether anchor. i (Top Tether Anchor): Seating positions with top tether anchors. i (Top Tether Anchor): Seating positions with top tether anchors. j (Lower Anchor): Seating positions with two lower anchors. Third and Fourth Row with Three Passenger Bench Seat Second Row 1-46 i (Top Tether Anchor): Seating positions with top tether anchors. There are two top tether anchors in the second row. To install a child restraint in the left outboard seating position, use anchor point (A). To install a child restraint in the right outboard seating position, use anchor point (B). To install a child restraint in the center seating position, use either anchor point (A) or (B). Never install two top tethers using the same top tether anchor. Front Passenger Position To assist you in locating the lower anchors, each seating position with lower anchors has two labels, near the crease between the seatback and the seat cushion, showing where the anchors are located. Second Row — Passenger Van There is a top tether anchor for the center seating positions in the third and fourth rows, if equipped with a three-passenger bench seat. The anchor is located at the bottom rear of the seat cushion. 1-47 Third or Fourth Row — Three Passenger Bench Seat Front Passenger Position There is a top tether anchor for the front passenger position with a front passenger seat. The anchor is located at the rear of the seat cushion on the right front passenger’s seat. There are no top tether anchors or lower anchors in a four passenger fourth or ﬁfth row seat. Do not secure a child restraint in the outside seating positions of the third and fourth rows if the vehicle has a three-passenger bench seat, or in any four-passenger rear bench seat, if a national or local law requires that the top tether be attached, or if the instructions that come with the child restraint say that the top tether must be attached. There is no place to attach the top tether in these positions. 1-48 Accident statistics show that children are safer if they are restrained in the rear rather than the front seat. See Where to Put the Restraint on page 1-42 for additional information. Securing a Child Restraint Designed for the LATCH System {CAUTION: If a LATCH-type child restraint is not attached to anchors, the restraint will not be able to protect the child correctly. In a crash, the child could be seriously injured or killed. Make sure that a LATCH-type child restraint is properly installed using the anchors, or use the vehicle’s safety belts to secure the restraint, following the instructions that came with that restraint, and also the instructions in this manual. {CAUTION: Each top tether anchor and lower anchor in the vehicle is designed to hold only one child restraint. Attaching more than one child restraint to a single anchor could cause the anchor or attachment to come loose or even break during a crash. A child or others could be injured if this happens. To help prevent injury to people and damage to your vehicle, attach only one child restraint per anchor. 1. Attach and tighten the lower attachments 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. 1-49 If the position you are using does not have a 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 and you are using a dual tether, route the tether around the headrest. 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 row only, in the left outboard seating position, use anchor point (A). For the right outboard seating position, use anchor point (B). For the center seating position, use either anchor point (A) or (B). 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 head restraint and you are using a single tether, route the tether over the seatback. 1-50 If the position you are using has an integrated headrest and you are using a single tether, route the tether over the headrest. 3. Push and pull the child restraint in different directions to be sure it is secure. Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Outside Seat Position or the Second Row Center Seat Position If your child restraint is equipped with the LATCH system, see Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-44. For vehicles with a third, fourth or ﬁfth row, there are no top tether anchors in the rear outside seat positions of the third, fourth or ﬁfth row. Do not secure a child seat in these positions 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 tether must be anchored. If your child restraint does not have the LATCH system, you will be using the lap-shoulder 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. 1. Put the child restraint on the seat. 2. 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. 1-51 3. Buckle the belt. Make sure the release button is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you ever had to. 4. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of the retractor to set the lock. 1-52 5. To tighten the belt, pull the shoulder portion of the belt to tighten the lap portion of the belt and feed the shoulder belt back into the retractor. If you are using a forward-facing child restraint, you may ﬁnd it helpful to use your knee to push down on the child restraint as you tighten the belt. 6. If your child restraint manufacturer recommends using a top tether and the position you are using has a top tether anchor, attach and tighten the top tether to the top tether anchor. Refer to the instructions that came with the child restraint and to Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-44. 7. Push and pull the child restraint in different directions to be sure it is secure. To remove the child restraint, if the top tether is attached to the top tether anchor, disconnect it. Unbuckle the vehicle’s safety belt and let it go back all the way. The safety belt will move freely again and be ready to work for an adult or larger child passenger. 1-53 Securing a Child Restraint in a Center Seat Position (3rd, 4th, and 5th Row) If your child restraint is equipped with the LATCH system, see Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-44. There are no top strap anchors in any four-passenger bench seat positions (if equipped). Do not secure a child seat in these positions if a national or local law requires that the top strap must be anchored. If your child restraint does not have the LATCH system, you will be using the lap 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. 1-54 1. Make the belt as long as possible by tilting the latch plate and pulling it along the belt. 2. Put the child restraint on the seat. 3. Run the vehicle’s safety belt through or around the restraint. The child restraint instructions will show you how. 4. Buckle the belt. Make sure the release button is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you ever had to. 5. To tighten the belt, pull its free end while you push down on the child restraint. If you are using a forward-facing child restraint, you may ﬁnd it helpful to use your knee to push down on the child restraint as you tighten the belt. 6. If your child restraint manufacturer recommends using a top tether and the position you are using has a top tether anchor, attach and tighten the top tether to the top tether anchor. Refer to the instructions that came with your child restraint and to Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-44. 7. Push and pull the child restraint in different directions to be sure it is secure. To remove the child restraint, if the top tether is attached to the top tether anchor, disconnect it. Unbuckle the vehicle’s safety belt. It will be ready to work for an adult or larger child passenger. 1-55 Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position (With Passenger Sensing System) Your vehicle has a right front passenger airbag. A rear seat is a safer place to secure a forward-facing child restraint. See Where to Put the Restraint on page 1-42. In addition, your vehicle has the passenger sensing system. The passenger sensing system is designed to turn off the right front passenger’s frontal airbag when an infant in a rear-facing infant seat or a small child in a forward-facing child restraint or booster seat is detected. See Passenger Sensing System on page 1-74 and Passenger Airbag Status Indicator on page 3-29 for more information on this including important safety information. If your vehicle has a rear seat that will accommodate a rear-facing child restraint, there is a label on your sun visor that 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. {CAUTION: A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be seriously injured or killed if the right front passenger’s airbag inﬂates. This is because the back of the rear-facing child restraint would be very close to the inﬂating airbag. Even though the passenger sensing system is designed to turn off the passenger’s frontal airbag if the system detects a rear-facing child restraint, no system is fail-safe, and no one can guarantee that an airbag will not deploy under some unusual circumstance, even though it is turned off. We recommend that rear-facing child restraints be secured in the rear seat, even if the airbag is off. If your vehicle does not have a rear seat that will accommodate a rear-facing child restraint, never put a child in a rear-facing child restraint in the right front passenger seat the unless passenger airbag status indicator shows off. Never put a rear facing child restraint in the right front passenger seat unless the airbag is off. 1-56 Here is why: {CAUTION: A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be seriously injured or killed if the right front passenger’s airbag inﬂates. This is because the back of the rear facing child restraint would be very close to the inﬂating airbag. Be sure the airbag is off before using a rear-facing child restraint in the right front seat position. Even though the passenger sensing system is designed to turn off the passenger’s frontal airbag if the system detects a rear-facing child restraint, no system is fail-safe, and no one can guarantee that an airbag will not deploy under some unusual circumstance, even though it is turned off. We recommend that rear-facing child restraints be transported in vehicles with a rear seat that will accommodate a rear-facing child restraint, whenever possible. If you need to secure a forward-facing child restraint in the right front seat position, move the seat as far back as it will go before securing the forward-facing child restraint. See Manual Seats on page 1-3 or Power Seat on page 1-4. If your child restraint is equipped with the LATCH system, see Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-44. You will be using the lap-shoulder 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. 1. Your vehicle has a right front passenger’s frontal airbag. See Passenger Sensing System on page 1-74. General Motors recommends that rear-facing child restraints be secured in a rear seat, even if the airbag is off. If your child restraint is forward-facing, move the seat as far back as it will go before securing the child restraint in this seat. See Manual Seats on page 1-3 or Power Seat on page 1-4. When the passenger sensing system has turned off the right front passenger’s frontal airbag, the off indicator in the passenger airbag status indicator should light and stay lit when you turn the ignition to RUN or START. See Passenger Airbag Status Indicator on page 3-29. 1-57 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. Buckle the belt. Make sure the release button is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you ever had to. 1-58 5. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of the retractor to set the lock. 8. Push and pull the child restraint in different directions to be sure it is secure. 9. If the airbag is off, the off indicator on the instrument panel will be lit and stay lit when the key is turned to RUN or START. If a child restraint has been installed and the on indicator is lit, turn the vehicle off. Remove the child restraint from the vehicle and reinstall the child restraint. If after reinstalling the child restraint and restarting the vehicle, the on indicator is still lit, check to make sure that the vehicle’s seatback is not pressing the child restraint into the seat cushion. If this happens, slightly recline the vehicle’s seatback and adjust the seat cushion if possible. Also make sure the child restraint is not trapped under the vehicle head restraint. If this happens, adjust the head restraint. If the on indicator is still lit, secure the child in the child restraint in a rear seat position in the vehicle and check with your dealer. To remove the child restraint, if the top tether is attached to the top tether anchor, disconnect it. Unbuckle the vehicle’s safety belt and let it go back all the way. The safety belt will move freely again and be ready to work for an adult or larger child passenger. 1-59 6. To tighten the belt, push down on 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. If you are using a forward-facing child restraint, you may ﬁnd it helpful to use your knee to push down on the child restraint as you tighten the belt. You should not be able to pull more of the belt from the retractor once the lock has been set. 7. If your child restraint manufacturer recommends using a top tether and the position you are using has a top tether anchor, attach and tighten the top tether to the top tether anchor. Refer to the instructions that came with the child restraint and to Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-44. CAUTION: (Continued) unusual circumstance, even though it is turned off. We recommend that rear-facing child restraints be transported in vehicles with a rear seat that will accommodate a rear-facing child restraint, whenever possible. If you need to secure a forward-facing child restraint in the passenger seat, always move the passenger seat as far back as it will go. Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position (With Airbag Off Switch) Your vehicle has a right front passenger airbag. There is a switch on the instrument panel that you can use to turn off the right front passenger’s frontal airbag. See Airbag Off Switch on page 1-71 for more on this, including important safety information. {CAUTION: A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be seriously injured or killed if the passenger’s airbag inﬂates. This is because the back of the rear-facing child restraint would be very close to the inﬂating airbag. Do not use a rear-facing child restraint in this vehicle unless the passenger’s airbag has been turned off. Even though the airbag off switch is designed to turn off the passenger’s frontal airbag, no system is fail-safe, and no one can guarantee that an airbag will not deploy under some CAUTION: (Continued) United States Canada 1-60 Never put a rear facing child restraint in the right front passenger’s seat unless the airbag is off. Here is why: {CAUTION: {CAUTION: A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be seriously injured or killed if the right front passenger’s airbag inﬂates. This is because the back of the rear-facing child restraint would be very close to the inﬂating airbag. Be sure the airbag is off before using a rear-facing child restraint in the right front seat position. If you secure a forward-facing child restraint in the right front seat, always move the right front passenger seat as far back as it will go. A rear seat is a safer place to secure a forward facing child restraint. See Where to Put the Restraint on page 1-42. If you need to secure a forward-facing child restraint in the right front seat position, move the seat as far back as it will go before securing a forward-facing child restraint. See Manual Seats on page 1-3 or Power Seat on page 1-4. If the airbag readiness light in the instrument panel cluster ever comes on when you have turned off the airbag, it means that something may be wrong with the airbag system. The right front passenger’s airbag could inﬂate even though the switch is off. If this ever happens, have the vehicle serviced promptly. Until you have the vehicle serviced, do not let anyone whom the national government has identiﬁed as a member of a passenger airbag risk group sit in the right front passenger’s position (for example, do not secure a rear-facing child restraint in the right front passenger’s seat). See Airbag Off Switch on page 1-71. If your child restraint is equipped with the LATCH system, see Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-44. 1-61 You will be using the lap-shoulder 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. 1. Your vehicle has a right front passenger’s frontal airbag. See Airbag Off Switch on page 1-71. If your child restraint is forward-facing, move the seat as far back as it will go before securing the restraint in this seat. See Manual Seats on page 1-3 or Power Seat on page 1-4. If you need to use a rear-facing child restraint in this seat, make sure the airbag is off once the child restraint has been installed. When the airbag off switch has turned off the right front passenger’s frontal airbag, the off indicator in the airbag off light should light and stay lit when you turn the ignition to RUN or START. See Airbag Off Light on page 3-28. 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. 1-62 4. Buckle the belt. Make sure the release button is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you ever had to. 5. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of the retractor to set the lock. 6. To tighten the belt, push down on the child restraint, pull the shoulder belt to tighten the lap belt portion and feed the shoulder belt back into the retractor. If you are using a forward-facing child restraint, you may ﬁnd it helpful to use your knee to push down on the child restraint as you tighten the belt. You should not be able to pull more of the belt out of the retractor once the lock has been set. 1-63 7. If your child restraint manufacturer recommends using a top tether and the position you are using has a top tether anchor, attach and tighten the top tether to the top tether anchor. Refer to the instructions that came with the child restraint and to Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-44. 8. Push and pull the child restraint in different directions to be sure it is secure. To remove the child restraint, if the top tether is attached to the top tether anchor, disconnect it. Unbuckle the vehicle’s safety belt and let it go back all the way. The safety belt will move freely again and be ready to work for an adult or larger child passenger. If you had turned the airbag off with the switch, remember to be sure to use the airbag off switch to turn on the right front passenger’s airbag when you remove the child restraint from the vehicle unless the person who will be sitting there is a member of a passenger airbag risk group. See Airbag Off Switch on page 1-71. {CAUTION: If the right front passenger’s 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’s airbag unless the person sitting there is in a risk group. See Airbag Off Switch on page 1-71 for more on this, including important safety information. 1-64 Airbag System If it says AIR BAG on the middle part of the steering wheel but it does not say AIR BAG on the instrument panel in front of the right front passenger’s seat, your vehicle has an airbag for the driver only. If it says AIR BAG on the middle part of the steering wheel, but there is no right front passenger seat, your vehicle has an airbag for the driver only. Frontal airbags are designed to help reduce the risk of injury from the force of an inﬂating airbag. But these airbags must inﬂate very quickly to do their job and comply with federal regulations. If it says AIR BAG on the middle part of the steering wheel and AIR BAG on the instrument panel in front of the right front passenger’s seat, your vehicle has an airbag for the driver and an airbag for the right front passenger. 1-65 Here are the most important things to know about the airbag system: {CAUTION: Airbags inﬂate with great force, faster than the blink of an eye. If you are too close to an inﬂating airbag, as you would be if you were leaning forward, it could seriously injure you. 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. {CAUTION: You can be severely injured or killed in a crash if you are not wearing your safety belt — even if you have airbags. 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. Airbags are “supplemental restraints” to the safety belts. Airbags are designed to work with safety belts, but do not replace them. Airbags are designed to deploy in moderate to severe frontal and near frontal crashes. They are not designed to inﬂate in rollover, rear crashes, or in many side crashes. And, for some unrestrained occupants, airbags may provide less protection in frontal crashes than more forceful airbags have provided in the past. Everyone in your vehicle should wear a safety belt properly — whether or not there is an airbag for that person. 1-66 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 3-27 for more information. Where Are the Airbags? If your vehicle has an airbag for the right front passenger read this. {CAUTION: Anyone who is up against, or very close to, any airbag when it inﬂates can be seriously injured or killed. Airbags plus lap-shoulder belts offer the best protection for adults, but not for young children and infants. Neither the vehicle’s 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 your vehicle. To read how, see Older Children on page 1-32 and Infants and Young Children on page 1-35. There is an airbag readiness light on the instrument panel, which shows the airbag symbol. The driver’s airbag is in the middle of the steering wheel. 1-67 {CAUTION: If something is between an occupant and an airbag, the bag 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. When Should an Airbag Inﬂate? The driver’s and right front passenger’s frontal airbags are designed to inﬂate in moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal crashes. But they are designed to inﬂate only if the impact exceeds a predetermined deployment threshold. Deployment thresholds take into account a variety of desired deployment and non-deployment events and are used to predict how severe a crash is likely to be in time for the airbags to inﬂate and help restrain the occupants. Whether your frontal airbags will or should deploy is not based on how fast your vehicle is traveling. It depends largely on what you hit, the direction of the impact and how quickly your vehicle slows down. If your vehicle has one, the right front passenger’s airbag is in the instrument panel on the passenger’s side. 1-68 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. The frontal airbags (driver and right front passenger) are not intended to inﬂate during vehicle rollovers, rear impacts, or in many side impacts. 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. Inﬂation is determined by what the vehicle hits, the angle of the impact, and how quickly the vehicle slows down in front or near-frontal impacts. If the GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) of your vehicle is 8,500 lb (3 855 kg) or above, your vehicle has single stage airbags. If the GVWR is below 8,500 lb (3 855 kg) then your vehicle has dual stage airbags. You can ﬁnd the GVWR on the certiﬁcation label on the rear edge of the driver’s door. See Loading Your Vehicle on page 4-30 for more information. Single Stage Airbags If your vehicle has frontal airbags with single stage deployment and your vehicle goes straight into a wall that does not move or deform, the threshold level is about 9 to 16 mph (14 to 26 km/h). (The threshold level can vary, however, with speciﬁc vehicle design, so that it can be somewhat above or below this range.) Dual Stage Airbags If your vehicle has frontal airbags with dual stage deployment, the restraint will adjust according to the crash severity. Your vehicle is equipped with electronic frontal sensors which help the sensing system distinguish between a moderate and a more severe frontal impact. For moderate frontal impacts, these airbags inﬂate at a level less than full deployment. For more severe frontal impacts, full deployment occurs. If the front of your vehicle goes straight into a wall that does not move or deform, the threshold level for the reduced deployment is about 12 to 16 mph (19 to 26 km/h), and the threshold level for a full deployment is about 16 to 25 mph (26 to 40 km/h). (The threshold level can vary, however, with speciﬁc vehicle design, so that it can be somewhat above or below this range.) 1-69 Vehicles with dual stage airbags are also equipped with special sensors which enable the sensing system to monitor the position of both the driver and passenger front seats. The seat position sensors provide information which is used to determine if the airbags should deploy at a reduced level or at full deployment. What Makes an Airbag Inﬂate? In an impact of sufficient severity, the airbag sensing system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. The sensing system triggers a release of gas from the inﬂator, which inﬂates the airbag. The inﬂator, airbag, and related hardware are all part of the airbag modules inside the steering wheel and in the instrument panel in front of the right front passenger. 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. Airbags supplement the protection provided by safety belts. Airbags distribute the force of the impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper body, stopping the occupant more gradually. But airbags would not help you in many types of collisions, including rollovers, rear impacts and many side impacts, primarily because an occupant’s motion is not toward those airbags. Airbags should never be regarded as anything more than a supplement to safety belts, and then only in moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions. What Will You See After an Airbag Inﬂates? After an airbag inﬂates, it quickly deﬂates, so quickly that some people may not even realize the airbag inﬂated. Some components of the airbag module — the steering wheel hub for the driver’s airbag, or the instrument panel for the right front passenger’s airbag —will be hot for a short time. The parts of the airbag that come into contact with you may be warm, but not too hot to touch. There will be some smoke and dust coming from the vents in the deﬂated airbags. Airbag inﬂation does not prevent the driver from seeing or being able to steer the vehicle, nor does it stop people from leaving the vehicle. 1-70 {CAUTION: When an airbag inﬂates, there is 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. • Let only qualiﬁed technicians work on your airbag system. Improper service can mean that your airbag system will not work properly. See your dealer for service. Airbag Off Switch If your vehicle has one of the switches pictured in the following illustrations, your vehicle has an airbag off switch that you can use to turn off the right front passenger’s airbag. • Airbags are designed to inﬂate only once. After an airbag inﬂates, you will need some new parts for your 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 your vehicle covers the need to replace other parts. • Your vehicle is equipped with a crash sensing and diagnostic module which records information after a crash. See Vehicle Data Collection and Event Data Recorders on page 7-10. United States Canada If your vehicle does not have an airbag off switch, it may have a passenger sensing system. See Passenger Sensing System on page 1-74. 1-71 This switch should only be turned to airbag OFF if the person in the right front passenger’s 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. 1-72 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 dashboard or windshield in a crash. {CAUTION: If the right front passenger’s 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’s airbag unless the person sitting there is in a risk group. See Airbag Off Switch on page 1-71. United States Canada To turn off the right front passenger’s airbag, insert your 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 that the right front passenger’s airbag is off. The light will stay on to remind you that the airbag is off. The right front passenger’s airbag will remain off until you turn it back on. {CAUTION: If the airbag readiness light ever comes on when you have turned off the airbag, it means that something may be wrong with the airbag system. The right front passenger’s airbag could inﬂate even though the switch is off. If this ever happens, do not let anyone whom the national government has identiﬁed as a member of a passenger airbag risk group sit in the right front passenger’s position (for example, do not secure a rear-facing child restraint in your vehicle) until you have your vehicle serviced. 1-73 United States Canada If your vehicle does not have a passenger sensing system, it may have an airbag off switch. See Airbag Off Switch on page 1-71. The passenger airbag status indicator on the instrument panel will be visible when you turn your ignition key to RUN or START. The words ON and OFF or the symbol for on and off, will be visible on the instrument panel 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 3-29. The passenger sensing system will turn off the right front passenger’s frontal airbag under certain conditions. The driver’s airbag is not part of the passenger sensing system. United States Canada To turn the right front passenger’s airbag on, insert your ignition key into the switch, push in, and move the switch to the on position. Passenger Sensing System If your instrument panel has one of the indicators pictured in the following illustrations, your vehicle has a passenger sensing system. 1-74

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2006 GMC Savana Owners Manual