2009 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE Owners Manual

2. The headrest must be locked
into place before sitting in
the seat.
{CAUTION
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 in place.
{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
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
rear seatback, always check to be
sure that the safety belts are
properly routed and attached, and
are not twisted.
4. Reconnect the center safety belt
mini-latch to the mini-buckle.
Do not let it twist.
5. Pull on the safety belt to be sure
the mini-latch is secure.
Removing the Third
Row Seats
1. Remove the cargo management
system, if it is in the vehicle.
SeeCargo Management System
on page 2-55.
2. Remove anything on or under
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 thesafety belts and return them to
their normal stowed position
before folding a rear seat.
3. Fold the seatback down. See
“Folding the Seatback” earlier
in this section.
4. Remove the rear bolts located on
the oor on each side of the seat.
5. Remove the seat by tilting it
slightly upward, and then
pulling it out of the rear of
the vehicle in one motion.
6. Replace the bolts in the oor
holes for storage.Installing the Third Row Seats
1. Before installing the seat the
seatback must be folded forward.
See “Folding the Seatback”
earlier in this section.
The seats must be placed in the
proper locations to attach
correctly. The wider seat must be
installed on the driver side and
the narrower seat on the
passenger side.
Seats and Restraint System 1-13

Remove the bolts from the holes
in the oor before installing the
seats.
2. Place the seat on the vehicle
oor so that the front seat
hooks are on the vehicle bars.
3. Reinstall the bolts, and torque to
55Y(41 lb ft). Pull up on the
seat to make sure it is locked
in place.
4. Raise the seatback to its upright
position. Push and pull on the
seatback to make sure it is
locked into place.
5. Push the headrest up into
position. Push and pull on
the headrest to make sure it is
locked into place.
6. Reconnect the center safety belt
mini-latch to the mini-buckle. Do
not let it twist.Safety Belts
Safety Belts: They Are
for Everyone
This section of the manual describes
how to use safety belts properly.
It also describes some things not to
do with safety belts.
{CAUTION
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, the injuries can be
much worse. You can hit things
inside the vehicle harder or be
ejected from the vehicle. You and
your passenger(s) 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 passenger(s) are restrained
properly too.
{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.
This vehicle has indicators as a
reminder to buckle the safety belts.
SeeSafety Belt Reminders on
page 3-32for additional information.
In most states and in all Canadian
provinces, the law requires wearing
safety belts. Here is why:
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
serious one.
1-14 Seats and Restraint System

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
safety belts they could have been
badly hurt or killed.
After more than 40 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.Put someone on it.
Seats and Restraint System 1-15

Get it up to speed. Then stop the
vehicle. The rider does not stop.The person keeps going until
stopped by something. In a real
vehicle, it could be the windshield...or the instrument panel...
or the safety belts!
1-16 Seats and Restraint System

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.
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:Youcouldbe — whether you are
wearing a safety belt or not. But
your chance of being conscious
during and after an accident,
so youcanunbuckle and get out,
ismuchgreater if you are
belted. And you can unbuckle a
safety belt, even if you are
upside down.
Q:If my vehicle has airbags, why
should I have to wear safety
belts?
A:Airbags are supplemental
systems only; so they workwith
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. That is true
not only in frontal collisions, but
especially in side and other
collisions.
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 a crash — even
one that is not your fault — you
and your passenger(s) 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 section 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 infants. If a child will be riding in
the vehicle, seeOlder Children on
page 1-27orInfants and Young
Children on page 1-29. 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.
Seats and Restraint System 1-17

Occupants who are not buckled up
can be thrown out of the vehicle
in a crash. And they can strike
others in the vehicle who are
wearing safety belts.
First, before you or your
passenger(s) wear a safety belt,
there is important information
you should know.
Sit up straight and always keep your
feet on the oor in front of you.
The lap part of the belt should beworn 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
on 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 shoulder belt locks if there is a
sudden stop or crash.Q:What is wrong with this?
A:The shoulder belt is too loose. It
will not give as much protection
this way.
{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 t
snugly against your body.
1-18 Seats and Restraint System

Q:What is wrong with this?
A:The lap belt is too loose. It will
not give nearly as much
protection this way.
{CAUTION
You can be seriously hurt if your
lap belt is too loose. In a crash,
you could slide under the lap belt
and apply force on your abdomen.
This could cause serious or even
fatal injuries. The lap belt should
be worn low and snug on the
hips, just touching the thighs.
Q:What is wrong with this?
A:The belt is buckled in the wrong
buckle.
{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 on the pelvic bones. This
could cause serious internal
injuries. Always buckle your belt
into the buckle nearest you.
Seats and Restraint System 1-19

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
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
would then be applied on the
abdomen, not on the pelvic
bones, and that could cause
serious or fatal injuries. Be sure
the belt goes under the armrests.
Q:What is wrong with this?
A:The shoulder belt is worn under
the arm. It should be worn over
the shoulder at all times.
{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.
The shoulder belt should go over
the shoulder and across the
chest.
1-20 Seats and Restraint System