Page 46 of 392

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
3-2 Seats and Restraints
Head Restraints
Front Seats
On some crew cab models, the
vehicle's front seats have adjustable
head restraints in the outboard
seating positions.
{WARNING
With head restraints that are not
installed and adjusted properly,
there is a greater chance that
occupants will suffer a neck/
spinal injury in a crash. Do not
drive until the head restraints for
all occupants are installed and
adjusted properly.
Adjust the head restraint so that the
top of the restraint is at the same
height as the top of the occupant's
head. This position reduces the
chance of a neck injury in a crash.The height of the head restraint can
be adjusted. Pull the head restraint
up to raise it. Try to move the head
restraint to make sure that it is
locked in place.
To lower the head restraint, press
the button, located on the top of the
seatback, and push the restraint
down. Try to move the head
restraint after the button is released
to make sure that it is locked in
place.
The front seat outboard head
restraints are not designed to be
removed.
Page 47 of 392
Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-3
Rear Seats
On some crew cab models, the
vehicle's rear seats have adjustable
headrests in the outboard seating
positions that can be adjusted the
same way as the front head
restraints.
Rear outboard headrests are not
designed to be removed.Front Seats
Seat Adjustment
{WARNING
You can lose control of the
vehicle if you try to adjust a
manual driver 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 seat only when
the vehicle is not moving.
To adjust the seat:
1. Lift the bar to unlock the seat.
2. Slide the seat to the desiredposition and release the bar.
3. Try to move the seat back and forth to be sure the seat is
locked in place.
Page 50 of 392

Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
3-6 Seats and Restraints
Manual Reclining Seatbacks
{WARNING
You can lose control of the
vehicle if you try to adjust a
manual driver 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 seat only when
the vehicle is not moving.
{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.If available, the manual recline lever
is on the outboard side of the seat.
To recline the seatback:
1. Lift the lever.
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.
2. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is locked.
Page 51 of 392
Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-7
Power Reclining Seatbacks
If available, use the vertical control
on the outboard side of the seat to
adjust the seatback.
.Tilt the top of the control
rearward to recline.
.Tilt the top of the control forward
to raise.
Seatback Latches
The vehicle may have front
seatbacks that fold forward for easy
access to the rear seats or the
storage area behind the seats.
To fold the seatback forward, push
the lever on the side of the seat
rearward and pull the seatback
forward.
{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.
To return the seatback to the upright
position, push the seatback all the
way back until it latches.
If the seatback was reclined before
being folded forward, it will return to
the reclined position.
Page 55 of 392

Black plate (11,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-11
To return a seatback to the upright
position:
1. Lift the seatback up and push itrearward.
{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 in place.
{WARNING
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. 3. Reconnect the center safety belt
latch plate to the mini buckle.
Make sure the safety belt is not
twisted.
4. Push and pull on the latch plate to be sure it is secure.
When the seatback is not in use, it
should be kept in the upright, locked
position.
Page 59 of 392

Black plate (15,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-15
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 3‑39 orInfants and Young
Children on page 3‑41. 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. 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 floor in front of you. 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
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.
Page 63 of 392

Black plate (19,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-19
Q: What is wrong with this?
A:The belt is twisted across
the body.
{WARNING
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.
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 3‑24 for more
information.
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.
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 you ever pull the shoulder
portion of a passenger belt out
all the way, the child restraint locking feature may be engaged.
If this happens, just 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 3‑32
for more information.
3. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
Page 65 of 392

Black plate (21,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-21
Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster
The vehicle has a shoulder belt
height adjuster for the driver and
right front passenger seating
position.
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. SeeHow
to Wear Safety Belts Properly on
page 3‑15.
To move it up or down, squeeze the
release buttons (A) together and
move the height adjuster to the
desired position.
After the adjuster is set to the
desired position, try to move it down
without squeezing the release
buttons to make sure it has locked
into position.
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 or near
frontal crash if the threshold
conditions for pretensioner
activation are met.
Pretensioners work only once. If the
pretensioners activate in a crash,
they will need to be replaced, and
probably other new parts for the
vehicle's safety belt system. See
Replacing Safety Belt System Parts
After a Crash on page 3‑25.