2012 Chevrolet Tahoe Owners Manual

not want to. Adjust the driver seat only when the vehicle is not moving.

To adjust the seat: 1. Lift the bar under the front edge

of the seat cushion to unlock the seat.

2. Slide the seat to the desired position and release the bar.

3. Try to move the seat back and

forth to be sure the seat is locked in place.

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Seats and Restraints

Center Seat If equipped, the center front seatback doubles as an armrest and cupholder/storage area for the driver and passenger when the center front seat is not used. Do not use it as a seating position when the seatback is folded down.

Power Seat Adjustment

If available, raise or lower the front or rear part of the seat cushion by moving the front or rear of the control up or down. If available, raise or lower the entire seat by moving the entire control up or down.

To adjust the seatback, see “Power Reclining Seatbacks” under Reclining Seatbacks on page 3‑6.

To adjust a power seat, if equipped: . Move the seat forward or

rearward by sliding the control forward or rearward.

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Lumbar Adjustment

Power Lumbar

Manual Lumbar

Seats and Restraints

3-5

. On vehicles with four-way

lumbar, press and hold the front or rear of the control to increase or decrease lumbar support. To raise or lower the height of the support, press and hold the top or bottom of the control.

If equipped, increase or decrease manual lumbar support by turning the knob forward or rearward.

To adjust the power lumbar support, if equipped: . On vehicles with two-way

lumbar, press and hold the top or bottom of the control to increase or decrease lumbar support.

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Manual Reclining Seatbacks

{ WARNING

If either 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 seatbacks to be sure they are locked.

Do not have a seatback reclined if the vehicle is moving.

3-6

Seats and Restraints

Reclining Seatbacks { WARNING

Sitting in a reclined position when the vehicle is in motion can be dangerous. Even when buckled up, the safety belts cannot do their job. The shoulder belt 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 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 the safety belt properly.

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Seats and Restraints

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Power Reclining Seatbacks

To return the seatback to the upright position: 1. Lift the lever fully without applying pressure to the seatback, and the seatback will return to the upright position.

2. Push and pull on the seatback to

make sure it is locked.

To adjust a manual seatback: 1. Lift the lever.

The seatback will automatically fold forward.

2. To recline, move the seatback

rearward to the desired position, then release the lever to lock the seatback in place.

3. Push and pull on the seatback to

make sure it is locked.

To recline a power seatback, if equipped:

Tilt the top of the control rearward to recline. Tilt the top of the control forward to raise.

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Seats and Restraints

Memory Seats

On vehicles with the memory feature, the controls on the driver door are used to program and recall memory settings for the driver seat, outside mirrors, and the adjustable throttle and brake pedals, if equipped.

Storing Memory Positions To save into memory: 1. Adjust the driver seat, seatback

recliner, both outside mirrors, and the throttle and brake pedals, if equipped. See Power Mirrors on page 2‑19
and Adjustable Throttle and Brake Pedal on page 9‑22. Not all mirrors and adjustable throttle and brake pedals will have the ability to save and recall their positions.

2. Press and hold “1” until

two beeps sound.

3. Repeat for a second driver

position using “2.”

To recall, press and release “1” or “2.” The vehicle must be in P (Park). A single beep will sound. The seat, outside mirrors, and adjustable throttle and brake pedals will move to the position previously stored for the identified driver.

Memory Remote Recall The memory feature can recall the driver seat, outside mirrors, and pedals, if equipped, to stored positions when entering the vehicle. To activate, unlock the driver door with the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter. The driver seat, outside mirrors, and adjustable pedals, if equipped, will move to the memory position associated with the transmitter used to unlock the vehicle.

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Easy Exit Driver Seat This feature can move the seat rearward to allow extra room to exit the vehicle. B (Easy Exit Driver Seat): Press to recall the easy exit seat position. The vehicle must be in P (Park). If the easy exit seat feature is programmed on in the vehicle personalization menu, automatic seat movement occurs when the ignition key is removed.

Seats and Restraints

3-9

A single beep sounds. The driver seat moves back approximately 8 cm (3 in). To move the seat back farther, press B again until the seat is all the way back. If something has blocked the driver seat while recalling the exit position, the recall may stop. Remove the obstruction; then press and hold the power seat control rearward for two seconds. Try recalling the exit position again. If the exit position is still not recalling, see your dealer for service. See Vehicle Personalization (With DIC Buttons) on page 5‑47.

This feature can be turned on or off using the vehicle personalization menu. See Vehicle Personalization (With DIC Buttons) on page 5‑47. To stop recall movement, press one of the power seat controls, memory buttons, or power mirror buttons, or the adjustable pedal switch. If something has blocked the driver seat and/or the adjustable pedals while recalling a memory position, the recall may stop. Remove the obstruction; then press and hold the appropriate manual control for the memory item that is not recalling for two seconds. Try recalling the memory position again by pressing the appropriate memory button. If the memory position is still not recalling, see your dealer for service.

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Seats and Restraints

Heated and Ventilated Front Seats

{ WARNING

If you cannot feel temperature change or pain to the skin, the seat heater may cause burns even at low temperatures. To reduce the risk of burns, people with such a condition should use care when using the seat heater, especially for long periods of time. Do not place anything on the seat that insulates against heat, such as a blanket, cushion, cover, or similar item. This may cause the seat heater to overheat. An overheated seat heater may cause a burn or may damage the seat.

Press the button once for the highest setting. With each press of the button, the seat will change to the next lower setting, and then to the off setting. The lights indicate three for the highest setting and one for the lowest. The passenger seat may take longer to heat up. On vehicles with heated seats, the heated seats are canceled 10 seconds after the ignition is turned off. On vehicles with heated and cooled seats, the heated and cooled seats are canceled when the ignition is turned off. To use this feature after restarting the vehicle, press the desired button again.

Heated and Cooled Seat Buttons

Shown, Heated Seat Buttons

Similar

If available,

If available, the buttons are on the front doors. To operate, the ignition must be in ON/RUN. H (Cooled Seat): press to cool the seat. I (Heated Seatback): Press to heat the seatback only. J (Heated Seat and Seatback): Press to heat the seat and seatback.

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Seats and Restraints

3-11

Remote Start Heated Seats When it is cold outside, the heated seats may turn on automatically during a remote vehicle start. The heated seats will be canceled when the ignition is turned on. Press the desired button to use the heated seats after the vehicle is started. The lights on the heated seat buttons do not turn on during a remote start. The temperature performance of an unoccupied seat may be reduced. This is normal. See Remote Vehicle Start on page 2‑6.

Rear Seats

Heated Rear Seats { WARNING

If you cannot feel temperature change or pain to the skin, the seat heater may cause burns even at low temperatures. See the Warning under Heated and Ventilated Front Seats on page 3‑10.

If available, the buttons are on the Rear Seat Audio (RSA) panel on the rear of the center console.

Press M or L to heat the left outboard or right outboard seat cushion. An indicator on the RSA display appears when this feature is on.

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Seats and Restraints

Press the button once for the highest setting. With each press of the button, the heated seat changes to the next lower setting, and then the off setting. Indicator bars next to the symbol show the setting: three for high, two for medium, and one for low. The heated seats are canceled when the ignition is turned off.

Second Row Seats The second row seats can be folded for additional cargo space or folded and tumbled for easy entry and exit to the third row seat, if equipped. The seat has either the manual fold and tumble feature or the automatic seat release fold and tumble feature. Reclining Seatbacks (Bucket Seats Only) On vehicles with second row bucket seats, the seatbacks can be reclined.

To recline the seatback:

1. Lift the lever on the outboard

side of the seat.

2. Move the seatback to the desired position, and then release the lever to lock the seatback in place.

3. Push and pull on the seatback to

make sure it is locked.

To return the seatback to the upright position: 1. Lift the lever fully without applying pressure to the seatback, and the seatback will return to the upright position.

{ WARNING

If either 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 seatbacks to be sure they are locked.

2. Push and pull on the seatback to

make sure it is locked.

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Seats and Restraints

3-13

Manual Fold and Tumble Feature

Folding and Tumbling the Seat To fold and tumble the seat: 1. Make sure that there is nothing under, in front of, or on the seat.

Notice: Folding a rear seat with the safety belts still fastened may cause damage to the seat or the safety belts. Always unbuckle the safety belts and return them to their normal stowed position before folding a rear seat.

2. Lift the lever, on the outboard side of the seat, to release the seatback.

The seatback will fold forward to create a flat load floor. If the seatback cannot fold flat, try moving the front seat forward and/or put the front seatback in the upright position.

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Seats and Restraints

3. Lift the lever again to release the

rear of the seat from the floor. The seat will tumble forward.

Folding and Tumbling the Seat from the Third Row Seat { WARNING Using the third row seating position while the second row is folded, or folded and tumbled, could cause injury in a sudden stop or crash. Be sure to return the seat to the passenger seating position. Push and pull on the seat to make sure it is locked into place.

To fold and tumble the seat from the third row seat, if equipped: 1. Make sure that there is nothing under, in front of, or on the seat.

Notice: Folding a rear seat with the safety belts still fastened may cause damage to the seat or the safety belts. Always unbuckle the safety belts and return them to their normal stowed position before folding a rear seat.

60/40 Split-Bench Seat Shown,

Bucket Seat Similar

2. Lift the lever, on the bottom rear

of the second row seat on the inboard side, to release the seatback. The seatback will fold forward.

3. Lift the same lever again to

release the rear of the seat from the floor. The seat will tumble forward.

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Seats and Restraints

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Automatic Fold and Tumble Feature The transmission must be in P (Park) for this feature to work.

{ WARNING Automatically folding and tumbling the seat when someone is sitting in the seat, could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always make sure there is no one sitting in the seat before pressing the automatic seat release button.

Folding and Tumbling the Second Row Seat from the Third Row Seat or Outside the Vehicle

{ WARNING Using the third row seating position while the second row is folded, or folded and tumbled, could cause injury in a sudden stop or crash. Be sure to return the seat to the passenger seating position. Push and pull on the seat to make sure it is locked into place.

To fold and tumble the seat from the third row seat, if equipped: 1. Make sure that there is nothing under, in front of, or on the seat.

Notice: Folding a rear seat with the safety belts still fastened may cause damage to the seat or the safety belts. Always unbuckle the safety belts and return them to their normal stowed position before folding a rear seat.

Driver Side Rear Panel Button

Shown

2. Press the automatic seat release

button on the panel behind the rear doors. The seatback automatically folds flat and the seat tumbles forward. There will be a slight delay between the folding of the seatback and the tumbling of the seat.

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Seats and Restraints

Returning the Seat to the Sitting Position To return the seat to the sitting position from the tumbled position: 1. Pull the seat down until it latches to the floor. The seatback cannot be raised if the seat is not latched to the floor.

{ WARNING

If either 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 seatbacks to be sure they are locked.

2. Lift the seatback and push it

rearward. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is locked.

3. For the 60/40 split-bench seat, make sure the safety belt in the center seating position is not caught between the two seats and is not twisted.

Third Row Seats If the vehicle has a third row seat, the seatback can be folded, and the entire seat can be tumbled or removed from the vehicle. Folding the Seatback To fold the seatback: 1. Open the liftgate to access the

controls for the seat.

2. Remove all items on the seat

cushion.

Notice: Folding a rear seat with the safety belts still fastened may cause damage to the seat or the safety belts. Always unbuckle the safety belts and return them to their normal stowed position before folding a rear seat.

3. Lift the release lever “1,” on the bottom rear of the seatback on the outboard side of the seat, and the seatback folds forward.

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Seats and Restraints

3-17

Tumbling the Third Row Seat To tumble the seat: 1. Open the liftgate to access the

controls for the seat.

2. Make sure the headrests are

completely lowered and there is nothing under, in front of, or on the seat.

3. Fold the seatbacks forward

using lever “1” and the instructions listed previously under “Folding the Seatback.” The seat cannot be unlatched from the floor unless the seatback is folded.

Returning the Seatback to the Upright Position To return the seatback to the upright position: 1. Open the liftgate to access the

controls for the seat.

2. Raise the seatback to the

upright position.

{ WARNING

If either 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 seatbacks to be sure they are locked.

3. Push and pull on the seatback to

make sure it is locked.

4. Unlatch the seat from the floor

by lifting lever “2” next to the carrying handle on the rear of the seat, near the bottom.

5. Lift the rear of the seat up from

the floor.

6. Tilt the seat fully forward to lock

it into place.

7. Push and pull on the seat to

make sure it is locked.

Put the seat in this position only when necessary for additional cargo space.

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Seats and Restraints

Returning the Third Row Seat from a Tumbled Position To return the seat to the normal seating position: 1. Open the liftgate to access the

controls for the seat.

2. Make sure there is nothing that

could become trapped under the seat.

3. Release the seat from the

tumbled position by lifting lever “2” next to the carrying handle at the bottom rear of the seat.

4. Pull the seat down until it latches to the floor. The seatback cannot be raised to the upright position unless the seat is latched to the floor.

5. Raise the seatback to the

upright position.

{ WARNING

If either 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 seatbacks to be sure they are locked.

6. Push and pull on the seatback to

make sure it is locked.

Removing the Third Row Seat To remove the seat: 1. Open the liftgate to access the

controls for the seat.

2. Fold the seatbacks forward

using lever “1” and the instructions listed previously under “Folding the Seatback.” The seat cannot be unlatched from the floor unless the seatback is folded.

3. Unlatch the seat from the floor

by pulling the handle at the rear of the seat “3 Removal Only” toward the rear of the vehicle. 4. Roll the seat out of the vehicle.

There is a track in the floor to guide the seat wheels out of the vehicle.

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{ 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.

Installing the Third Row Seat To install the seat: 1. Open the liftgate to access the

rear of the vehicle.

2. Slide the front outboard seat

wheels into the track on the floor and roll the seat forward. The front latches should lock into place. If the latches do not lock, try tilting the rear of the seat upward slightly.

3. Lower the rear of the seat and

push down on the seat to engage the rear floor latches.

Seats and Restraints

3-19

4. Push and pull on the seat to

make sure it is locked into place. The seatback cannot be raised to the upright position unless the seat is latched to the floor. 5. Raise the seatback to the

upright position.

6. Push and pull on the seatback to

make sure it is locked.

7. Make sure the safety belts are returned to the original position over the seatbacks.

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Seats and Restraints

Safety Belts This section of the manual describes how to use safety belts properly. It also describes some things not to do with safety belts.

{ WARNING

Do not let anyone ride where a safety belt cannot be worn properly. In a crash, if you or your passenger(s) are not wearing safety belts, injuries can be much worse than if you are wearing safety belts. You can be seriously injured or killed by hitting things inside the vehicle harder or by being ejected from the vehicle. In addition, anyone who is not buckled up can strike other passengers in the vehicle.

(Continued)

WARNING (Continued)

It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area, inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision, passengers riding in these areas are more likely to be seriously injured or killed. Do not allow passengers to ride in any area of the vehicle that is not equipped with seats and safety belts. Always wear a safety belt, and check that all passenger(s) are restrained properly too.

This vehicle has indicators as a reminder to buckle the safety belts. See Safety Belt Reminders on page 5‑17.

Why Safety Belts Work

When riding in a vehicle, you travel as fast as the vehicle does. If the vehicle stops suddenly, you keep going until something stops you. It could be the windshield, the instrument panel, or the safety belts!

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Q: If my vehicle has airbags, why

should I have to wear safety belts?

A: Airbags are supplemental

systems only; so they work with safety belts — not instead of them. Whether or not an airbag is provided, all occupants still have to buckle up to get the most protection. Also, in nearly all states and in all Canadian provinces, the law requires wearing safety belts.

When you wear a safety belt, you and the vehicle slow down together. There is more time to stop because you stop over a longer distance and, when worn properly, your strongest bones take the forces from the safety belts. That is why wearing safety belts makes such good sense. Questions and Answers About Safety Belts Q: Will I be trapped in the vehicle after a crash if I am wearing a safety belt?

A: You could be — whether you are

wearing a safety belt or not. Your chance of being conscious during and after a crash, so you can unbuckle and get out, is much greater if you are belted.

Seats and Restraints

3-21

How to Wear Safety Belts Properly This section is only for people of adult size. There are special things to know about safety belts and children. And there are different rules for smaller children and infants. If a child will be riding in the vehicle, see Older Children on page 3‑47 or Infants and Young Children on page 3‑49. Follow those rules for everyone's protection. It is very important for all occupants to buckle up. Statistics show that unbelted people are hurt more often in crashes than those who are wearing safety belts.

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Seats and Restraints

There are important things to know about wearing a safety belt properly.

. Sit up straight and always keep

your feet on the floor in front of you.

. Always use the correct buckle

for your seating position.

. Wear the lap part of the belt 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

Lap-Shoulder Belt All seating positions in the vehicle have a lap-shoulder belt except for the center front passenger position, if equipped, which has a lap belt. See Lap Belt on page 3‑28 for more information. The lap‐shoulder belts for the first and second row seating positions are equipped with free‐falling latch plates. If the vehicle has a third row, the lap‐shoulder belts have either free‐falling or cinching latch plates.

would apply force on your abdomen. This could cause serious or even fatal injuries.

. Wear the shoulder belt over the shoulder and across the chest. These parts of the body are best able to take belt restraining forces. The shoulder belt locks if there is a sudden stop or crash.

{ WARNING

You can be seriously injured, or even killed, by not wearing your safety belt properly. . Never allow the lap or

shoulder belt to become loose or twisted.

. Never wear the shoulder belt

under both arms or behind your back.

. Never route the lap or shoulder belt over an armrest.

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Use the following pictures to determine the latch plate style:

Free-Falling Latch Plate

Cinching Latch Plate

The following instructions explain how to wear a lap-shoulder belt properly. 1. Adjust the seat, if the seat is adjustable, so you can sit up straight. To see how, see “Seats” in the Index.

2. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you. Do not let it get twisted.

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3-23

The lap-shoulder belt may lock if you pull the belt across you very quickly. If this happens, let the belt go back slightly to unlock it. Then pull the belt across you more slowly. If the shoulder portion of a passenger belt with a free‐falling latch plate is pulled out all the way, the child restraint locking feature may be engaged. If this happens, let the belt go back all the way and start again. Engaging the child restraint locking feature in the right front seating position may affect the passenger sensing system, if equipped. See Passenger Sensing System on page 3‑39
for more information.

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Seats and Restraints

4.

If equipped with a shoulder belt height adjuster, move it to the height that is right for you. See “Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster” in this section for instructions on use and important safety information.

If the belt stops before it reaches the buckle, for lap‐shoulder belts with cinching latch plates, tilt the latch plate and keep pulling the safety belt until it can be buckled.

3. Push the latch plate into the

buckle until it clicks. If you find that the latch plate will not go fully into the buckle, see if you are using the correct buckle. 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 3‑29. Position the release button on the buckle so that the safety belt could be quickly unbuckled if necessary.

5. To make the lap part tight, pull

up on the shoulder belt. It may be necessary to pull stitching on the safety belt through the latch plate to fully tighten the lap belt on smaller occupants.

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To unlatch the belt, push the button on the buckle. The belt should return to its stowed position. Before a door is closed, be sure the safety belt is out of the way. If a door is slammed against a safety belt, damage can occur to both the belt and the vehicle. Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster The vehicle has a shoulder belt height adjuster for the driver and right front passenger positions. Adjust the height so the shoulder portion of the belt is on the shoulder and not falling off of it. The belt should be close to, but not contacting, the neck. Improper shoulder belt height adjustment could reduce the effectiveness of the safety belt in a crash. See How to Wear Safety Belts Properly on page 3‑21.

Squeeze the buttons (A) on the sides of the height adjuster and move the height adjuster to the desired position. The adjuster can be moved up just by pushing up on the shoulder belt guide. After the adjuster is set to the desired position, try to move it down without squeezing the buttons to make sure it has locked into position.

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Safety Belt Pretensioners This vehicle has safety belt pretensioners for front outboard occupants. Although the safety belt pretensioners cannot be seen, they are part of the safety belt assembly. They can help tighten the safety belts during the early stages of a moderate to severe frontal, near frontal, or rear crash if the threshold conditions for pretensioner activation are met. And, if the vehicle has side impact airbags, safety belt pretensioners can help tighten the safety belts in a side crash or a rollover event. Pretensioners work only once. If the pretensioners activate in a crash, the pretensioners and probably other parts of the vehicle's safety belt system will need to be replaced. See Replacing Safety Belt System Parts after a Crash on page 3‑30.

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Seats and Restraints

Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides This vehicle may have rear shoulder belt comfort guides. If not, they are available through your dealer. The guides may provide added safety belt comfort for older children who have outgrown booster seats and for some adults. When installed and properly adjusted, the comfort guide positions the belt away from the neck and head. There is one guide, if equipped, for each outside passenger position in the second row seat.

Here is how to install a comfort guide to the safety belt: 1. Remove the guide from its

storage clip on the interior body.

2. Place the guide over the belt,

and insert the two edges of the belt into the slots of the guide.

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Seats and Restraints

3-27

{ WARNING

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.

3. Be sure that the belt is not twisted and it lies flat. The elastic cord must be under the belt and the guide on top.

4. Buckle, position, and release

the safety belt as described previously in this section. Make sure the shoulder portion of the belt is on the shoulder and not falling off of it. The belt should be close to, but not contacting, the neck.

To remove and store the comfort guide, squeeze the belt edges together so that the safety belt can be removed from the guide. Slide the guide onto its storage clip on the interior body.

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Seats and Restraints

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.

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.

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.

Lap Belt This part is only for the lap belt. To learn how to wear a lap-shoulder belt, see Lap-Shoulder Belt on page 3‑22. The vehicle may have a center seating position. When you sit in the center front seating position, 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. Buckle, position and release it the same way as the lap part of a lap-shoulder belt.

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Seats and Restraints

3-29

from doing its job. See your dealer to have it repaired. Torn or frayed safety belts may not protect you in a crash. They can rip apart under impact forces. If a belt is torn or frayed, get a new one right away. Make sure the safety belt reminder light is working. See Safety Belt Reminders on page 5‑17. Keep safety belts clean and dry. See Safety Belt Care on page 3‑29.

Safety Belt Care Keep belts clean and dry. { WARNING

Do not bleach or dye safety belts. It may severely weaken them. In a crash, they might not be able to provide adequate protection. Clean safety belts only with mild soap and lukewarm water.

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. 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, attach it to the regular safety belt. For more information, see the instruction sheet that comes with the extender.

Safety System Check Now and then, check that the safety belt reminder light, safety belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors, and anchorages are all working properly. Look for any other loose or damaged safety belt system parts that might keep a safety belt system

To make the belt shorter, pull its free end as shown until the belt is snug. If the belt is not long enough, see Safety Belt Extender on page 3‑29. Make sure the release button on the buckle is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if necessary. If you find that the latch plate will not go fully into the buckle, see if you are using the correct buckle. Be sure that the latch plate clicks when inserted into the buckle.

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Replacing Safety Belt System Parts after a Crash

{ WARNING

A crash can damage the safety belt system in the vehicle. A damaged safety belt system may not properly protect the person using it, resulting in serious injury or even death in a crash. To help make sure the safety belt systems are working properly after a crash, have them inspected and any necessary replacements made as soon as possible.

After a minor crash, replacement of safety belts may not be necessary. But the safety belt assemblies that were used during any crash may have been stressed or damaged. See your dealer to have the safety belt assemblies inspected or replaced. New parts and repairs may be necessary even if the safety belt system was not being used at the time of the crash. Have the safety belt pretensioners checked if the vehicle has been in a crash, or if the airbag readiness light stays on after you start the vehicle or while you are driving. See Airbag Readiness Light on page 5‑18.

Airbag System The vehicle has the following airbags: . A frontal airbag for the driver. . A frontal airbag for the right front

passenger.

. A roof-rail airbag for the driver and passenger directly behind the driver.

. A roof-rail airbag for the right

front passenger and the person seated directly behind that passenger.

The vehicle may have the following airbags: . A seat‐mounted side impact

airbag for the driver.

. A seat‐mounted side impact

airbag for the right front passenger. If the vehicle has a third row seat, it will have a third row roof-rail airbag.

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All of the airbags in the vehicle will have the word AIRBAG embossed in the trim or on an attached label near the deployment opening. For frontal airbags, the word AIRBAG will appear on the middle part of the steering wheel for the driver and on the instrument panel for the right front passenger. With seat‐mounted side impact airbags, the word AIRBAG will appear on the side of the seatback closest to the door. With roof-rail airbags, the word AIRBAG will appear along the headliner or trim. Airbags are designed to supplement the protection provided by safety belts. Even though today's airbags are also designed to help reduce the risk of injury from the force of an inflating bag, all airbags must inflate very quickly to do their job.

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Here are the most important things to know about the airbag system:

{ WARNING

{ WARNING

You can be severely injured or killed in a crash if you are not wearing your safety belt — even if you have airbags. Airbags are designed to work with safety belts, but do not replace them. Also, airbags are not designed to deploy in every crash. In some crashes safety belts are your only restraint. See When Should an Airbag Inflate? on page 3‑35. 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. Everyone in your vehicle should wear a safety belt properly — whether or not there is an airbag for that person.

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. Safety belts help keep you in position before and during a crash. Always wear a safety belt, even with airbags. The driver should sit as far back as possible while still maintaining control of the vehicle. 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.

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{ WARNING

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 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 the vehicle. To read how, see Older Children on page 3‑47 or Infants and Young Children on page 3‑49.

Where Are the Airbags?

There is an airbag readiness light on the instrument panel cluster, 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 on page 5‑18 for more information.

The driver frontal airbag is in the middle of the steering wheel.

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The right front passenger frontal airbag is in the instrument panel on the passenger's side.

Driver Side Shown, Passenger

Driver Side Shown, Passenger

Side Similar

Side Similar

If the vehicle has seat‐mounted side impact airbags for the driver and right front passenger, they are in the side of the seatbacks closest to the door.

The roof-rail airbags for the driver, right front passenger, and second row outboard passengers are in the ceiling above the side windows.

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{ WARNING If something is between an occupant and an airbag, the airbag might not inflate properly or it might force the object into that person causing severe injury or even death. The path of an inflating airbag must be kept clear. Do not put anything between an occupant and an airbag, and do not attach or put anything on the steering wheel hub or on or near any other airbag covering.

(Continued)

WARNING (Continued)

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.

Driver Side Shown, Passenger

Side Similar

If the vehicle has a third row passenger seat, the roof-rail airbags are located in the ceiling above the rear windows for the outboard passenger positions in the third row.

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When Should an Airbag Inflate? 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's or right front passenger's head and chest. However, they are only designed to inflate if the impact exceeds a predetermined 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. Whether the frontal airbags will or should deploy is not based 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. 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 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.

Thresholds can also vary with specific vehicle design.

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Frontal airbags are not intended to inflate during vehicle rollovers, rear impacts, or in many side impacts. In addition, the vehicle has dual-stage frontal airbags. Dual-stage airbags adjust the restraint according to crash severity. The vehicle has electronic frontal sensors, which help the sensing system distinguish between a moderate frontal impact and a more severe frontal impact. For moderate frontal impacts, dual-stage airbags inflate at a level less than full deployment. For more severe frontal impacts, full deployment occurs. The vehicle has a seat position sensor. Vehicles with dual stage airbags also have seat position sensors which enable the sensing system to monitor the position of the driver seat and may or may not monitor the position of the front passenger seat.

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The seat position sensor provides information that is used to determine if the airbags should deploy at a reduced level or at full deployment. The vehicle may or may not have seat‐mounted side impact airbags. The vehicle has roof-rail airbags. See Airbag System on page 3‑30. Seat‐mounted side impact airbags and roof-rail airbags are intended to inflate in moderate to severe side crashes. In addition, these roof-rail airbags are intended to inflate during a rollover or in a severe frontal impact. Seat‐mounted side impact airbags and roof-rail airbags will inflate if the crash severity is above the system's designed threshold level. The threshold level can vary with specific vehicle design.

Roof-rail airbags are not intended to inflate in rear impacts. A seat‐mounted side impact airbag is intended to deploy on the side of the vehicle that is struck. Both roof-rail airbags will deploy when either side of the vehicle is struck or if the sensing system predicts that the vehicle is about to roll over, or in a severe frontal impact. 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. For frontal airbags, inflation is determined by what the vehicle hits, the angle of the impact, and how quickly the vehicle slows down. For seat‐mounted side impact and roof-rail airbags, deployment is determined by the location and severity of the side impact. In a rollover event, roof-rail airbag deployment is determined by the direction of the roll.

What Makes an Airbag Inflate? In a deployment event, the sensing system sends an electrical signal triggering a release of gas from the inflator. Gas from the inflator fills the airbag causing the bag to break out of the cover and deploy. The inflator, the airbag, and related hardware are all part of the airbag module. Frontal airbag modules are located inside the steering wheel and instrument panel. For vehicles with seat‐mounted side impact airbags, there are airbags modules in the side of the front seatbacks closest to the door. For vehicles with roof-rail airbags, there are airbag modules in the ceiling of the vehicle, near the side windows that have occupant seating positions.

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How Does an Airbag Restrain? In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal collisions, even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or the instrument panel. In moderate to severe side collisions, even belted occupants can contact the inside of the vehicle. Airbags supplement the protection provided by safety belts. Frontal airbags distribute the force of the impact more evenly over the occupant's upper body, stopping the occupant more gradually. Seat‐mounted side impact and roof-rail airbags distribute the force of the impact more evenly over the occupant's upper 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 with a third row seat. 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? on page 3‑35 for more information. Airbags should never be regarded as anything more than a supplement to safety belts.

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What Will You See after an Airbag Inflates? After the frontal airbags and seat-mounted side impact airbags inflate, they quickly deflate, so quickly that some people may not even realize an airbag inflated. Roof-rail airbags may still be at least partially inflated for some time after they deploy. Some components of the airbag module may be hot for several minutes. For location of the airbag modules, see What Makes an Airbag Inflate? on page 3‑36.

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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.

off the interior lamps and hazard warning flashers by using the controls for those features. { WARNING

A crash severe enough to inflate the airbags may have also damaged important functions in the vehicle, such as the fuel system, brake and steering systems, etc. Even if the vehicle appears to be drivable after a moderate crash, there may be concealed damage that could make it difficult to safely operate the vehicle. Use caution if you should attempt to restart the engine after a crash has occurred.

{ 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 may have a feature that may automatically unlock the doors, turn on the interior lamps and hazard warning flashers, and shut off the fuel system after the airbags inflate. You can lock the doors, turn

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In many crashes severe enough to inflate the airbag, windshields are broken by vehicle deformation. Additional windshield breakage may also occur from the right front passenger airbag. . Airbags are designed to inflate

only once. After an airbag inflates, you will need some new parts for the airbag system. If you do not get them, the airbag system will not be there to help protect you in another crash. A new system will include airbag modules and possibly other parts. The service manual for your vehicle covers the need to replace other parts. The vehicle has a crash sensing and diagnostic module which records information after a crash. See Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy on page 13‑20 and Event Data Recorders on page 13‑20.

Let only qualified technicians work on the airbag systems. Improper service can mean that an airbag system will not work properly. See your dealer for service.

Passenger Sensing System If the vehicle has the passenger airbag status indicator pictured in the following illustration, then the vehicle has a passenger sensing system for the right front passenger position. The passenger airbag status indicator, if equipped, is visible on the overhead console when the vehicle is started. In addition, if the vehicle has a passenger sensing system for the right front passenger position, the label on the vehicle's sun visors refers to “ADVANCED AIRBAGS”.

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United States

Canada and Mexico

The words ON and OFF, or the symbols for on and off, will be visible during the system check. If you are using remote start, if equipped, to start the vehicle from a distance, you may not see the system check. When the system check is complete, either the word ON or OFF, or the symbol for on or off, will be visible. See Passenger Airbag Status Indicator on page 5‑18.

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The passenger sensing system will turn off the right front passenger frontal airbag under certain conditions. The driver airbag, seat‐mounted side impact airbags (if equipped) and the roof-rail airbags are not affected by the passenger sensing system. The passenger sensing system works with sensors that are part of the right front passenger seat and safety belt. The sensors are designed to detect the presence of a properly-seated occupant and determine if the right front passenger frontal airbag should be enabled (may inflate) or not. According to accident statistics, children are safer when properly secured in a rear seat in the correct child restraint for their weight and size.

We recommend that children be secured in a rear seat, including: an infant or a child riding in a rear-facing child restraint; a child riding in a forward-facing child seat; an older child riding in a booster seat; and children, who are large enough, using safety belts. A label on the sun visor says, “Never put a rear-facing child seat in the front.” This is because the risk to the rear-facing child is so great, if the airbag deploys.

{ WARNING

A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be seriously injured or killed if the right front passenger airbag inflates. This is because the back of the rear-facing child restraint would be very close to the inflating airbag. A child in a forward-facing child restraint can be seriously injured or killed if the right front

(Continued)

WARNING (Continued)

passenger airbag inflates and the passenger seat is in a forward position. Even if the passenger sensing system has turned off the right front passenger frontal airbag, no system is fail-safe. No one can guarantee that an airbag will not deploy under some unusual circumstance, even though the airbag is turned off. Secure rear-facing child restraints in a rear seat, even if the airbag is off. If you secure a forward-facing child restraint in the right front seat, always move the front passenger seat as far back as it will go. It is better to secure the child restraint in a rear seat.

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The passenger sensing system is designed to turn off the right front passenger frontal airbag if:

The right front passenger seat is unoccupied. The system determines an infant is present in a child restraint. . A right front passenger takes

his/her weight off of the seat for a period of time. There is a critical problem with the airbag system or the passenger sensing system.

When the passenger sensing system has turned off the right front passenger frontal airbag, the off indicator will light and stay lit as a reminder that the airbag is off. See Passenger Airbag Status Indicator on page 5‑18.

The passenger sensing system is designed to turn on (may inflate) the right front passenger frontal airbag anytime the system senses that a person of adult size is sitting properly in the right front passenger seat. When the passenger sensing system has allowed the airbag to be enabled, the on indicator will light and stay lit as a reminder that the airbag is active. For some children, including children in child restraints, and for very small adults, the passenger sensing system may or may not turn off the right front passenger frontal airbag, depending upon the person's seating posture and body build. Everyone in the vehicle who has outgrown child restraints should wear a safety belt properly — whether or not there is an airbag for that person.

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{ WARNING

If the airbag readiness light ever comes on and stays on, it means that something may be wrong with the airbag system. To help avoid injury to yourself or others, have the vehicle serviced right away. See Airbag Readiness Light on page 5‑18 for more information, including important safety information.

If the On Indicator is Lit for a Child Restraint If a child restraint has been installed and the on indicator is lit: 1. Turn the vehicle off. 2. Remove the child restraint from

the vehicle.

3. Remove any additional items

from the seat such as blankets, cushions, seat covers, seat heaters, or seat massagers.

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4. Reinstall the child restraint

6. Restart the vehicle.

5.

following the directions provided by the child restraint manufacturer and refer to Securing Child Restraints (Rear Seat Position) on page 3‑63 or Securing Child Restraints (Right Front Seat Position) on page 3‑66 or Securing Child Restraints (Center Front Seat Position) on page 3‑66. If, after reinstalling the child restraint and restarting the vehicle, the on indicator is still lit, turn the vehicle off. Then slightly recline the vehicle seatback and adjust the seat cushion, if adjustable, to make sure that the vehicle seatback is not pushing the child restraint into the seat cushion. Also make sure the child restraint is not trapped under the vehicle head restraint. If this happens, adjust the head restraint. See Head Restraints on page 3‑2.

The passenger sensing system may or may not turn off the airbag for a child in a child restraint depending upon the child’s seating posture and body build. It is better to secure the child restraint in a rear seat.

If the Off Indicator is Lit for an Adult-Size Occupant

If a person of adult size is sitting in the right front passenger seat, but the off indicator is lit, it could be because that person is not sitting

properly in the seat. If this happens, use the following steps to allow the system to detect that person and enable the right front passenger frontal airbag: 1. Turn the vehicle off. 2. Remove any additional material from the seat, such as blankets, cushions, seat covers, seat heaters, or seat massagers.

3. Place the seatback in the fully

upright position.

4. Have the person sit upright in the seat, centered on the seat cushion, with legs comfortably extended.

5. Restart the vehicle and have the person remain in this position for two to three minutes after the on indicator is lit.

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{ WARNING

Stowing of articles under the passenger seat or between the passenger seat cushion and seatback may interfere with the proper operation of the passenger sensing system.

Additional Factors Affecting System Operation Safety belts help keep the passenger in position on the seat during vehicle maneuvers and braking, which helps the passenger sensing system maintain the passenger airbag status. See “Safety Belts” and “Child Restraints” in the Index for additional information about the importance of proper restraint use. If the shoulder portion of the belt is pulled out all the way, the child restraint locking feature will be engaged. This may unintentionally cause the passenger sensing system to turn the airbag off for some adult‐size occupants. If this happens, let the belt go back all the way and start again.

A thick layer of additional material, such as a blanket or cushion, or aftermarket equipment such as seat covers, seat heaters, and seat massagers, can affect how well the passenger sensing system operates. We recommend that you not use seat covers or other aftermarket equipment except when approved by GM for your specific vehicle. See Adding Equipment to the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on page 3‑44 for more information about modifications that can affect how the system operates. The on indicator may be lit if an object, such as a briefcase, handbag, grocery bag, laptop, or other electronic device, is put on an unoccupied seat. If this is not desired, remove the object from the seat.

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Servicing the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle Airbags affect how the vehicle should be serviced. There are parts of the airbag system in several places around the vehicle. Your dealer and the service manual have information about servicing the vehicle and the airbag system. To purchase a service manual, see Service Publications Ordering