Page 54 of 404
Black plate (8,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
3-8 Seats and Restraints
Heated 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.
If available, the switches are on the
outboard sides of the front seats.
To operate, the ignition must be on.This feature will heat the cushion
and back of the seats.
.Press the top of the switch for
the high setting.
.Press the bottom of the switch
for the low setting.
.Put the switch in the center
position to turn this feature off.
The heated seat will turn on at the
last setting if the ignition is turned
off and then back on.
The passenger safety belt must be
fastened for the heated seat feature
to work on the passenger seat.
Page 55 of 404
Black plate (9,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-9
Rear Seats
Rear Seats
(Extended Cab)
On extended cab models, there may
be forward folding seats in the
rear area.To fold a rear seat cushion from
the stored position to the sitting
position, pull the front of the seat
cushion down completely.
The rear seat storage compartments
must be closed before folding the
seat down. See
Rear Storage on
page 4‑1.
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.
A. Hook and Loop Fastener
To store the seat:
1. Secure the safety belt buckle to the inboard side of the seat with
the hook and loop fastener (A),
so that it does not move when
not in use.
2. Push the entire seat up until it is flush with the trim panel.
Page 56 of 404
Black plate (10,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
3-10 Seats and Restraints
Rear Seats (Crew Cab)
On crew cab models, the rear
seatbacks can be folded forward.
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 a rear seatback:
1. Disconnect the rear center
safety belt latch from the
mini-buckle by inserting the tip of
the safety belt tongue into the
slot on the buckle. Let the
belt retract.
2. Pull the loop on the outboardside of the seatback forward
until you hear a click.
3. Fold the seatback forward.
Page 57 of 404
Black plate (11,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
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 58 of 404
Black plate (12,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
3-12 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, injuries can be much
worse than if you are wearing
safety belts. You can be seriously
injured or killed by hitting things
inside the vehicle harder or by
being ejected from the vehicle.
In addition, anyone who is not
buckled up can strike other
passengers in the vehicle.(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
It is extremely dangerous to ride
in a cargo area, inside or outside
of a vehicle. In a collision,
passengers riding in these areas
are more likely to be seriously
injured or killed. Do not allow
passengers to ride in any area of
the vehicle that is not equipped
with seats and safety belts.
Always wear a safety belt, and
check that all passenger(s) are
restrained properly too.
This vehicle has indicators as a
reminder to buckle the safety belts.
See Safety Belt Reminders on
page 5‑9 for additional information.
Why Safety Belts Work
When riding in a vehicle, you travel
as fast as the vehicle does. If the
vehicle stops suddenly, you keep
going until something stops you.
It could be the windshield, the
instrument panel, or the safety belts!
Page 59 of 404
Black plate (13,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-13
When you wear a safety belt, you
and the vehicle slow down together.
There is more time to stop because
you stop over a longer distance and,
when worn properly, your strongest
bones take the forces from the
safety belts. That is why wearing
safety belts makes 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.
Your chance of being conscious
during and after a crash, so you
can unbuckle and get out, is
much greater if you are belted. 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.
Also, in nearly all states and in
all Canadian provinces, the law
requires wearing safety belts.
How to Wear Safety Belts
Properly
This section is only for people of
adult size.
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, see Older
Children on page 3‑36 orInfants
and Young Children on page 3‑38.
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.
There are important things to know
about wearing a safety belt properly.
Page 60 of 404
Black plate (14,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
3-14 Seats and Restraints
.Sit up straight and always keep
your feet on the floor in front
of you.
.Always use the correct buckle
for your seating position.
.Wear the lap part of the belt 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.
.Wear the shoulder belt 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.
{WARNING
You can be seriously injured,
or even killed, by not wearing
your safety belt properly.
.Never allow the lap or
shoulder belt to become
loose or twisted.
.Never wear the shoulder belt
under both arms or behind
your back.
.Never route the lap or
shoulder belt over an
armrest.
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.
SeeLap Belt on page 3‑19 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.
Page 61 of 404
Black plate (15,1)GMC Canyon Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-15
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. SeePassenger
Sensing System on page 3‑28
for more information.
3. Push the latch plate into the
buckle until it clicks.
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 3‑20.
Position the release button on
the buckle so that the safety belt
could be quickly unbuckled if
necessary. 4. 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.
5. To make the lap part tight, pull
up on the shoulder belt.
It may be necessary to pull
stitching on the safety belt
through the latch plate to fully
tighten the lap belt on smaller
occupants.
