Page 65 of 454

Black plate (11,1)Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-11
Rear Seats
A. Seat Adjustment Handle
B. Reclining Seatback Strap
C. Sliding Seat Lever
Entering and Exiting the
Third Row
{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.
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.
To access the third row:
1. Remove objects on the floor in front of or on the second row
seat, or in the seat tracks on
the floor.
2. Move the front center console armrest completely forward.
See Center Console Storage
on page 4‑2.
3. Place folding armrests in the upright position.
4. Ensure that the safety belt is unfastened and in the stowed
position.
Page 66 of 454

Black plate (12,1)Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual - 2011
3-12 Seats and Restraints
5. Pull the sliding seat lever (C)forward and move the seatback
forward. The seat cushion will
fold, and the entire seat will slide
forward. The head restraints will
fold out of the way automatically.
Returning the Seat to the
Seating Position
To return the second row seat to its
normal seating position:
1. Remove objects on the floor
behind the second row seat or in
the seat tracks on the floor.
2. Pull the seatback rearward until it is locked in place.
3. Slide the seat rearward by pushing on the seatback until it
is locked into place.
4. Return the head restraint to the upright position by reaching
behind the seat and pulling the
head restraint forward until it
locks into place. Push and pull on the head
restraint to make sure that it
is locked.
5. Push down on the rear of the seat cushion until it is locked
in place.
6. Push and pull on the seatback and seat cushion to make sure
they are locked in place.
7. Check that the safety belt is not under the seat cushion.
Reclining the Seatbacks
To recline the seatback:
1. Leaning forward in the seat, pullthe reclining seatback strap (B).
2. Move the seatback to the desired position, then release
the strap to lock the seatback
in place.
3. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is locked.
Folding the Rear Seat
To fold the second row seats:
1. Remove anything on or underthe seat.
2. Place the armrest in the upright position, and unfasten the
safety belt.
3. Pull forward on the reclining seatback strap (B) and push
down on the seatback.
The head restraint will fold down
automatically.
To return the seatback to the
seating position, lift the upper
corner of the seatback and push it
rearward until it locks into place.
Push and pull on the seatback to
make sure it is locked. Pull up on
the head restraint to return it to the
upright, locked position.
Page 67 of 454

Black plate (13,1)Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-13
Adjusting the Seats
To adjust the second row seats, pull
outward on the seat adjustment
handle (A). Slide the seat forward or
rearward to the desired position.
Release the handle and push and
pull on the seat to make sure it
is locked.
Third Row Seats
{WARNING
Using the third row seating
position while the second row is
folded, or pushed forward in the
entry position, 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.
The third row seats can be folded
forward or removed.
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. To fold the seatback:
1. Remove anything on or under
the seat.
2. Disconnect the rear safety beltmini-latch, using a key in the slot
on the mini-buckle, let the belt
retract into the headliner. Stow
the mini-latch in the holder
located in the headliner.
Page 68 of 454

Black plate (14,1)Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual - 2011
3-14 Seats and Restraints
3. Pull up on the release leverlocated on the back of the seat.
4. Push the seatback forward to lay flat. To return the seatback to the
seating position:
1. Raise the seatback into place by
using the pullstrap from the rear
of the vehicle, or by pushing it
into place from inside the
vehicle.
{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 mini-latch to the mini-buckle.
Do not let it twist.
4. Pull on the safety belt to be sure the mini-latch is secure.
Page 69 of 454

Black plate (15,1)Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-15
Removing the Third Row Seats
1. Remove the cargo managementsystem, if it is in the vehicle. See
Cargo Management System
on
page 4‑4.
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 the
safety 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 floor 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 floor 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. Remove the
bolts from the holes in the floor
before installing the seats. 2. Place the seat on the vehicle
floor 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. Reconnect the center safety belt mini-latch to the mini-buckle.
Do not let it twist.
Page 70 of 454

Black plate (16,1)Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual - 2011
3-16 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, 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.
{WARNING
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.
See Safety Belt Reminders
on
page 5‑14for 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.
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!
Page 71 of 454
Black plate (17,1)Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-17
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.
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...
Page 72 of 454

Black plate (18,1)Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual - 2011
3-18 Seats and Restraints
or the instrument panel...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.
Questions and Answers About
Safety Belts
Q: Will I be trapped in the vehicleafter a crash if I am wearing a
safety belt?
A: You could be—whether you are
wearing a safety belt or not. But
your chance of being conscious
during and after an accident, so
you canunbuckle and get out, is
much greater 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 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. That is true not
only in frontal collisions, but
especially in side and other
collisions.