Page 65 of 478

Black plate (9,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-9
To return the seatback to the upright
position:
1. Lift the lever fully withoutapplying 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.
Power Reclining Seatbacks
To adjust a power seatback,
if equipped:
.Tilt the top of the control
rearward to recline.
.Tilt the top of the control forward
to raise.
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.
Heated and Ventilated
Seat Buttons Shown,
Heated Seat Buttons Similar
If available, the buttons are on the
center console. To operate, the
engine must be running.
I (Heated Seatback): If available,
press to heat the seatback only.
H(Ventilated Seat): If available,
press to ventilate the entire seat.
Page 67 of 478

Black plate (11,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-11
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 the folding armrests in the upright position.
4. Make sure that the safety belt is unfastened and in the stowed
position.
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.
Page 68 of 478

Black plate (12,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
3-12 Seats and Restraints
Returning the Seat to the
Seating Position
To return the second row seat to its
normal seating position:
1. Remove objects on the floorbehind 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, and 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 Seatback
To fold the second row seatbacks:
1. Remove anything on or underthe seat.
2. Place the armrest in the upright position, and unfasten the
safety belt.
Page 69 of 478

Black plate (13,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-13
3. Pull forward on the recliningseatback 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.
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.
Folding the Seatback
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 third row 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, and let
the belt retract into the headliner.
Stow the mini-latch in the holder
in the headliner.
Page 70 of 478

Black plate (14,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
3-14 Seats and Restraints
3. Pull up on the release lever onthe back of the seat.
4. Push the seatback forward to lay flat.
Returning the Seat to the
Seating Position
To return the seatback to the
seating position:
1. From the rear of the vehicle,raise the seatback to the upright
position using the pullstrap on
the back of the third row seat,
or lift the seatback and push
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 71 of 478

Black plate (15,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-15
Removing the Third Row Seats
To remove a third row seat:
1. Remove the cargomanagement system,
if available and installed.
See Cargo Management
System on page 4‑3.
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 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
To reinstall a third row seat:
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 the 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 76 of 478

Black plate (20,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
3-20 Seats and Restraints
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 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.
Page 81 of 478

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.