2011 GMC ACADIA Owner's Manual

Black plate (25,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-25
{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.
If you are using a rear seating
position with a detachable safety
belt and the safety belt is not
attached, see“Returning the
Seat to the Seating Position” under
Third Row Seats on page 3‑13
for instruction on reconnecting
the safety belt to the mini-buckle.
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.

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3-26 Seats and Restraints
If the shoulder portion of a
passenger belt 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.
3. Push the latch plate into thebuckle until it clicks. 4. 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 3‑31.
Position the release button on
the buckle so that the safety belt
could be quickly unbuckled if
necessary.
5. If equipped with a shoulder belt height adjuster, move it to the
height that is right for you.
See “Shoulder Belt Height
Adjuster” later in this section
for instructions on use and
important safety information.
6. To make the lap part tight, pull up on the shoulder belt.
It may be necessary to pull
the stitching on the safety belt
through the latch plate to fully
tighten the lap belt on smaller
occupants.

Black plate (27,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-27
To unlatch the belt, push the button
on the buckle. The belt should
return to its stowed position. Slide
the latch plate up the safety belt
webbing when the safety belt is not
in use. The latch plate should rest
on the stitching on the safety belt,
near the guide loop on the side wall.
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 safety belt and the vehicle.
Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster
The vehicle has a shoulder belt
height adjuster for the driver and
right front passenger seating
positions.
Adjust the height so the shoulder
portion of the belt is on the
shoulder but 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 3‑19.
To move it down, push down on
the release button (A) and move
the height adjuster to the desired
position. You can move the height
adjuster up by pushing up on the
shoulder belt guide.
After the adjuster is set to the
desired position, try to move it down
without pushing the release button
to make sure it has locked into
position.

Black plate (28,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
3-28 Seats and Restraints
Safety Belt Pretensioners
This vehicle has safety belt
pretensioners for the 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, for vehicles with 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, they will need to be replaced,
and probably other new parts for
the vehicle's safety belt system.
SeeReplacing Safety Belt System
Parts After a Crash on page 3‑32.
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 shoulder belt
away from the neck and head. Here is how to install a comfort
guide to the safety belt:
Outboard Positions
1. For the outboard positions, remove the guide from its
storage clip on the interior body.
For the third row center position,
locate the comfort guide which
is located in a storage pocket,
at the top of the seat, under
the headrest on the driver's
side of the vehicle.

Black plate (29,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-29
To access the comfort guide,
you will first need to move the
headrest forward by pulling on
the handle behind the seatback.
The comfort guide will now be
accessible.
Third Row Center Position
Pull the comfort guide out of
its storage location and then
return the headrest to its upright
position.
2. Place the guide over the belt and insert the two edges of the
belt into the slots of the guide.3. Be sure that the belt isnot twisted and it lies flat.
The elastic cord must be under
the belt and the guide on top.

Black plate (30,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
3-30 Seats and Restraints
{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.
4. Buckle, position, and releasethe 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 into its storage
location or on its storage clip.
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.

Black plate (31,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-31
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.
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 working
properly. Look for any other loose
or damaged safety belt system parts
that might keep a safety belt system
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. SeeSafety Belt
Reminders on page 5‑15 for more
information.
Keep safety belts clean and dry.
See Safety Belt Care on page 3‑32.

Black plate (32,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
3-32 Seats and Restraints
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.
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 5‑15.