2012 GMC SIERRA 1500 ECU

Black plate (47,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
Seats and Restraints 3-47
When securing a child restraint in a
rear seating position, study the
instructions that came with your
child restraint to make sure it is
compatible with this vehicle.
Child restraints and booster seats
vary considerably in size, and some
may fit in certain seating positions
better than others. Always make
sure the child restraint is properly
secured.
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.
If the vehicle does not have a rear
seat that will accommodate a
rear-facing child restraint, arear-facing child restraint should not
be installed in the vehicle, even if
the airbag is off.
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 (48,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
3-48 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 a
top tether 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 (49,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
Seats and Restraints 3-49
Lower Anchor and Top Tether
Anchor Locations
Regular Cab—Two-Passenger
Front Seat
Regular Cab —Three-Passenger
Front Seat
i(Top Tether Anchor): Seating
positions with top tether anchors.
Do not install a child restraint in
the center front seat position. See
Securing Child Restraints (Center
Front Seat Position) on page 3‑58
or Securing Child Restraints (Right
Front Seat Position) on page 3‑58
or Securing Child Restraints (Rear
Seat Position) on page 3‑55 for
more information.
Crew and Extended Cab Rear Seat
i(Top Tether Anchor): Seating
positions with top tether anchors.
j(Lower Anchor): Seating
positions with two lower anchors.
For crew and extended cab models,
the rear outboard seating positions
have exposed metal lower anchors
located in the crease between the
seatback and the seat cushion.

Black plate (50,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
3-50 Seats and Restraints
For regular cab models, there is an
anchor symbol on the covers to
assist you in locating the top tether
anchors.
Regular Cab
Do not install a child restraint in the
center seat position. See Securing
Child Restraints (Center Front Seat
Position) on page 3‑58 orSecuring Child Restraints (Right Front Seat
Position) on page 3‑55
orSecuring
Child Restraints (Rear Seat
Position) on page 3‑55 for more
information.
For regular cab models, the top
tether anchors are located under
covers on the back panel behind the
passenger seat. Remove the trim
plug to access the anchor. 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.
Crew Cab Shown, Extended Cab
Similar
For crew and extended cab models,
the top tether anchors are the loops
located near the top of the seatback
for each rear seating position.
These loops will be used to route
the top tether through, as well as, to
secure the top tether in the vehicle.
Be sure to use an anchor (loop)
located on the same side of the
vehicle as the seating position
where the child restraint will be
placed.

Black plate (51,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
Seats and Restraints 3-51
Be sure to read the instructions
following to properly install a child
restraint using these loops.
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. SeeWhere to Put the
Restraint on page 3‑45 for
additional information.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,
except for the center top tether
anchors in the crew and extended
cabs. 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.

Black plate (53,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
Seats and Restraints 3-53
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.2. See
Securing Child Restraints
(Center Front Seat Position) on
page 3‑58 orSecuring Child
Restraints (Right Front Seat
Position) on page 3‑58 or
Securing Child Restraints (Rear
Seat Position) on page 3‑55 for
instructions on installing the
child restraint using the safety
belts.
3. 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. Crew and Extended Cab Models
1. Attach and tighten 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.
1.1. Find the lower anchors for the desired seating
position.
1.2. Put the child restraint on the seat.
1.3. Attach and tighten the lower attachments on the child
restraint to the lower
anchors.

Black plate (55,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
Seats and Restraints 3-55
2.3. When using a child restraintwith a top tether in the rear
passenger position:
A. Raise the headrest
or head restraint.
B. Route the top tether (B) between
the headrest or
head restraint posts,
through the loop on
the passenger side
and behind the
inboard headrest or
head restraint post.
C. Attach the top tether (B) to
the top tether
anchor (loop) (D) at
the center rear
seating position.
2.4. Tighten the top tether when and as the child
restraint manufacturer's
instructions say. When the top tether is
tightened, the anchor (loop)
may bend. This is normal
and will not damage the
vehicle.
3. 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.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
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.

Black plate (56,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2012 - CRC - 11/15/11
3-56 Seats and Restraints
If the child restraint has the LATCH
system, seeLower Anchors and
Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) on page 3‑47 for how and
where to install the child restraint
using LATCH. If a child restraint is
secured in the vehicle using a
safety belt and it uses a top tether,
see Lower Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH System) on
page 3‑47 for top tether anchor
locations.
Do not secure a child seat 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.
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 read
Where to Put
the Restraint 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.
For crew cab second row
seatings positions, tilt the latch
plate to adjust the belt if needed.