2012 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE Owners Manual

Black plate (45,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-45
Depending on where you place the
child restraint and the size of the
child restraint, you may not be able
to access adjacent safety belt
assemblies or LATCH anchors for
additional passengers or child
restraints. Adjacent seating
positions should not be used if the
child restraint prevents access to or
interferes with the routing of the
safety belt.
Wherever a child restraint is
installed, be sure to secure the child
restraint properly.
Keep in mind that an unsecured
child restraint can move around in a
collision or sudden stop and injure
people in the vehicle. Be sure to
properly secure any child restraint in
your vehicle—even when no child
is in it.Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children
(LATCH System)
The LATCH system holds a child
restraint during driving or in a crash.
This system is designed to make
installation of a child restraint easier.
The LATCH system uses anchors in
the vehicle and attachments on the
child restraint that are made for use
with the LATCH system.
Make sure that a LATCH-compatible
child restraint is properly installed
using the anchors, or use the
vehicle's safety belts to secure the
restraint, following the instructions
that came with that restraint, and
also the instructions in this manual.
When installing a child restraint with
a top tether, you must also use
either the lower anchors or the
safety belts to properly secure the
child restraint. A child restraint must
never be installed using only the top
tether and anchor. In order to use the LATCH
system in your vehicle, you need a
child restraint that has LATCH
attachments. The child restraint
manufacturer will provide you with
instructions on how to use the child
restraint and its attachments. The
following explains how to attach a
child restraint with these
attachments in your vehicle.
Not all vehicle seating positions or
child restraints have lower anchors
and attachments or top tether
anchors and attachments.

Black plate (46,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
3-46 Seats and Restraints
Lower Anchors
Lower anchors (A) are metal bars
built into the vehicle. There are
two lower anchors for each
LATCH seating position that will
accommodate a child restraint
with lower attachments (B).
Top Tether Anchor
A top tether (A, C) anchors the
top of the child restraint to the
vehicle. A top tether anchor is built
into the vehicle. The top tether
attachment (B) on the child restraint
connects to the top tether anchor in
the vehicle in order to reduce the
forward movement and rotation of
the child restraint during driving or in
a crash.Your child restraint may have
a single tether (A) or a dual
tether (C). Either will have a single
attachment (B) to secure the top
tether to the anchor.
Some child restraints that have
top tethers are designed for use
with or without the top tether being
attached. Others require the top
tether always to be attached.
In Canada, the law requires that
forward-facing child restraints have
a top tether, and that the tether be
attached. Be sure to read and follow
the instructions for your child
restraint.

Black plate (47,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-47
Lower Anchor and Top Tether
Anchor Locations
Rear Seat
i(Top Tether Anchor):Seating
positions with top tether anchors.
j(Lower Anchor): Seating
positions with two lower anchors.
The right side rear passenger and
center seating positions have
exposed metal anchors located in
the crease between the seatback
and the seat cushion.
To assist you in locating the top
tether anchors, the top tether anchor
symbol is located near the top tether
anchors.
The top tether anchors are located
on the back of the rear seat frame
above the floor for each rear seating
position. Fold down the rear
seatback(s) to access the anchors. See
Rear Seats on page 3‑10.
Be sure to use an anchor located on
the same side of the vehicle as the
seating position where the child
restraint will be placed.
Do not secure a child restraint in a
position without a top tether anchor
if a national or local law requires
that the top tether be attached, or if
the instructions that come with the
child restraint say that the top tether
must be attached.
According to accident statistics,
children and infants are safer when
properly restrained in a child
restraint system or infant restraint
system secured in a rear seating
position. See Where to Put the
Restraint on page 3‑43 for
additional information.

Black plate (48,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
3-48 Seats and Restraints
Securing a Child Restraint
Designed for the LATCH
System
{WARNING
If a LATCH-type child restraint is
not attached to anchors, the child
restraint will not be able to protect
the child correctly. In a crash, the
child could be seriously injured or
killed. Install a LATCH-type child
restraint properly using the
anchors, or use the vehicle safety
belts to secure the restraint,
following the instructions that
came with the child restraint and
the instructions in this manual.
{WARNING
Do not attach more than one child
restraint to a single anchor.
Attaching more than one child
restraint to a single anchor could
cause the anchor or attachment
to come loose or even break
during a crash. A child or others
could be injured. To reduce the
risk of serious or fatal injuries
during a crash, attach only one
child restraint per anchor.
{WARNING
Children can be seriously injured
or strangled if a shoulder belt is
wrapped around their neck and
the safety belt continues to
tighten. Buckle any unused safety
belts behind the child restraint so(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
children cannot reach them. Pull
the shoulder belt all the way out
of the retractor to set the lock,
if the vehicle has one, after the
child restraint has been installed.
Notice: Do not let the LATCH
attachments rub against the
vehicle’ s safety belts. This may
damage these parts. If necessary,
move buckled safety belts to
avoid rubbing the LATCH
attachments.

Black plate (49,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-49
Do not fold the empty rear seat
with a safety belt buckled. This
could damage the safety belt or
the seat. Unbuckle and return the
safety belt to its stowed position,
before folding the seat.
1. If the child restraint manufacturerrecommends that the top tether
be attached, attach the top
tether to the top tether anchor,
if equipped. Refer to the child
restraint instructions and the
following steps:
1.1. To access the top tether anchors, raise the seat
cushion by pulling up on the
strap loop at the rear of the
seat cushion and fold the
seat cushion forward. Then
fold the seatback forward
until it is flat. See Rear
Seats on page 3‑10 for
additional information.
1.2. Place the child restraint in the vehicle, near the
seating position that you
are using. 1.3. Route the top tether
according to your child
restraint instructions and
the following instructions:
If the position you are using
does not have a headrest
or head restraint and you
are using a single tether,
route the tether over the
seatback.
If the position you are using
does not have a headrest
or head restraint and you
are using a dual tether,
route the tether over the
seatback.

Black plate (50,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
3-50 Seats and Restraints
If the position you are using
has an adjustable headrest
or head restraint and you
are using a dual tether,
route the tether around the
headrest or head restraint.If the position you are using
has an adjustable headrest
or head restraint and you
are using a single tether,
raise the headrest or head
restraint and route the
tether under the headrest or
head restraint and in
between the headrest or
head restraint posts.
1.4. Attach the top tether attachment to the top tether
anchor.
{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.
1.5. Lift the seatback up and push it rearward. Then
lower the seat cushion until
the seatback and the seat
cushion lock into position.
2. Attach the lower attachments to the lower anchors. If the child
restraint does not have lower
attachments or the desired
seating position does not have
lower anchors, secure the child
restraint with the top tether and
the safety belts. Refer to your
child restraint manufacturer
instructions and the instructions
in this manual.

Black plate (51,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-51
2.1. Find the lower anchors forthe desired seating
position.
2.2. Put the child restraint on the seat.
2.3. Attach and tighten the lower attachments on the child
restraint to the lower
anchors.
3. Tighten the top tether.
4. Before placing a child in the child restraint, make sure it is
securely held in place. To check,
grasp the child restraint at the
LATCH path and attempt to
move it side‐to‐side and
back‐and‐forth. There should
be no more than 2.5 cm (1 in) of
movement for proper installation.Replacing LATCH System
Parts After a Crash
{WARNING
A crash can damage the
LATCH system in the vehicle.
A damaged LATCH system may
not properly secure the child
restraint, resulting in serious
injury or even death in a crash.
To help make sure the LATCH
system is working properly after a
crash, see your dealer to have
the system inspected and any
necessary replacements made as
soon as possible.
If the vehicle has the LATCH system
and it was being used during a
crash, new LATCH system parts
may be needed.
New parts and repairs may be
necessary even if the LATCH
system was not being used at the
time of the crash.
Securing Child Restraints
(Rear Seat Position)
When securing a child restraint in a
rear seating position, study the
instructions that came with the
child restraint to make sure it is
compatible with this vehicle.
If the child restraint has the LATCH
system, see Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) on page 3‑45 for how and
where to install the child restraint
using LATCH. If you secure a child
restraint using a safety belt and it
uses a top tether, see Lower
Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH System) on page 3‑45 for
top tether anchor locations.
Do not secure a child restraint in a
position without a top tether anchor
if a national or local law requires
that the top tether be anchored, or if
the instructions that come with the
child restraint say that the top strap
must be anchored.

Black plate (52,1)Chevrolet Avalanche Owner Manual - 2012
3-52 Seats and Restraints
In Canada, the law requires that
forward-facing child restraints have
a top tether, and that the tether be
attached.
If the child restraint does not have
the LATCH system, you will be
using the safety belt to secure the
child restraint in this position. Be
sure to follow the instructions that
came with the child restraint. Secure
the child in the child restraint when
and as the instructions say.
If more than one child restraint
needs to be installed in the rear
seat, be sure to readWhere to Put
the Restraint on page 3‑43.
If the child restraint manufacturer
recommends using a top tether,
attach and tighten the top tether to
the top tether anchor. Refer to the
instructions that came with the child restraint and see
Lower Anchors
and Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) on page 3‑45.
1. Put the child restraint on
the seat.
2. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap and shoulder portions of
the vehicle's safety belt through
or around the restraint. The child
restraint instructions will show
you how.
3. Push the latch plate into thebuckle until it clicks. Position the release button on
the buckle so that the safety belt
could be quickly unbuckled if
necessary.
4. Pull the shoulder belt all the way
out of the retractor to set the
lock. When the retractor lock is
set, the belt can be tightened but
not pulled out of the retractor.