Black plate (31,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-31
{WARNING
Because airbags inflate with great
force and faster than the blink of
an eye, anyone who is up
against, or very close to any
airbag when it inflates can be
seriously injured or killed. Do not
sit unnecessarily close to any
airbag, as you would be if sitting
on the edge of the seat or leaning
forward. Safety belts help keep
you in position before and during
a crash. Always wear a safety
belt, even with airbags. The driver
should sit as far back as possible
while still maintaining control of
the vehicle.
Occupants should not lean on or
sleep against the door or side
windows in seating positions with
seat-mounted side impact airbags
and/or roof-rail airbags.
{WARNING
Children who are up against,
or very close to, any airbag
when it inflates can be seriously
injured or killed. Airbags plus
lap-shoulder belts offer protection
for adults and older children, but
not for young children and infants.
Neither the vehicle safety belt
system nor its airbag system is
designed for them. Young
children and infants need the
protection that a child restraint
system can provide. Always
secure children properly in the
vehicle. To read how, seeOlder
Children on page 3‑45 orInfants
and Young Children on
page 3‑47.
There is an airbag readiness light
on the instrument panel cluster,
which shows the airbag symbol.
The system checks the airbag
electrical system for malfunctions.
The light tells you if there is an
electrical problem. See Airbag
Readiness Light on page 5‑18 for
more information.
Black plate (38,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual - 2012
3-38 Seats and Restraints
Passenger Sensing
System
If the vehicle has the passenger
airbag status indicator pictured in
the following illustration, then the
vehicle has a passenger sensing
system for the right front passenger
position. The passenger airbag
status indicator, if equipped, is
visible on the overhead console
when the vehicle is started.
In addition, if the vehicle has a
passenger sensing system for the
right front passenger position, the
label on the vehicle's sun visors
refers to“ADVANCED AIRBAGS”.
United States
Canada
The words ON and OFF, or the
symbols for on and off, will be
visible during the system check.
If you are using remote start,
if equipped, to start the vehicle from
a distance, you may not see the
system check. When the system
check is complete, either the word
ON or OFF, or the symbol for on or
off, will be visible. See Passenger
Airbag Status Indicator on
page 5‑19.
The passenger sensing system will
turn off the right front passenger
frontal airbag under certain
conditions. The driver airbag,
seat‐mounted side impact airbags
(if equipped) and the roof-rail
airbags are not affected by the
passenger sensing system. The passenger sensing system
works with sensors that are part
of the right front passenger seat
and safety belt. The sensors are
designed to detect the presence of
a properly-seated occupant and
determine if the right front
passenger frontal airbag should be
enabled (may inflate) or not.
According to accident statistics,
children are safer when properly
secured in a rear seat in the correct
child restraint for their weight
and size.
We recommend that children be
secured in a rear seat, including:
an infant or a child riding in a
rear-facing child restraint; a child
riding in a forward-facing child seat;
an older child riding in a booster
seat; and children, who are large
enough, using safety belts.
A label on the sun visor says,
“Never put a rear-facing child seat in
the front.”
This is because the risk to
the rear-facing child is so great,
if the airbag deploys.
Black plate (39,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-39
{WARNING
A child in a rear-facing child
restraint can be seriously injured
or killed if the right front
passenger airbag inflates. This is
because the back of the
rear-facing child restraint would
be very close to the inflating
airbag. A child in a forward-facing
child restraint can be seriously
injured or killed if the right front
passenger airbag inflates and the
passenger seat is in a forward
position.
Even if the passenger sensing
system has turned off the right
front passenger frontal airbag, no
system is fail-safe. No one can
guarantee that an airbag will not
deploy under some unusual
circumstance, even though the
airbag is turned off.(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
Secure rear-facing child
restraints in a rear seat, even if
the airbag is off. If you secure a
forward-facing child restraint in
the right front seat, always move
the front passenger seat as far
back as it will go. It is better to
secure the child restraint in a
rear seat.
The passenger sensing system is
designed to turn off the right front
passenger frontal airbag if:
.The right front passenger seat is
unoccupied.
.The system determines an infant
is present in a child restraint.
.A right front passenger takes
his/her weight off of the seat for
a period of time.
.There is a critical problem with
the airbag system or the
passenger sensing system.
When the passenger sensing
system has turned off the right front
passenger frontal airbag, the off
indicator will light and stay lit as a
reminder that the airbag is off. See
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator
on page 5‑19.
The passenger sensing system is
designed to turn on (may inflate) the
right front passenger frontal airbag
anytime the system senses that a
person of adult size is sitting
properly in the right front
passenger seat.
When the passenger sensing
system has allowed the airbag to be
enabled, the on indicator will light
and stay lit as a reminder that the
airbag is active.
Black plate (40,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual - 2012
3-40 Seats and Restraints
For some children, including
children in child restraints, and for
very small adults, the passenger
sensing system may or may not
turn off the right front passenger
frontal airbag, depending upon the
person's seating posture and body
build. Everyone in the vehicle
who has outgrown child restraints
should wear a safety belt
properly—whether or not there is
an airbag for that person.
{WARNING
If the airbag readiness light ever
comes on and stays on, it means
that something may be wrong
with the airbag system. To help
avoid injury to yourself or others,
have the vehicle serviced right
away. See Airbag Readiness
Light on page 5‑18 for more
information, including important
safety information.
If the On Indicator is Lit for a
Child Restraint
If a child restraint has been installed
and the on indicator is lit:
1. Turn the vehicle off.
2. Remove the child restraint from the vehicle.
3. Remove any additional items from the seat such as blankets,
cushions, seat covers, seat
heaters, or seat massagers.
4. Reinstall the child restraint following the directions
provided by the child restraint
manufacturer and refer to
Securing Child Restraints (Rear
Seat Position) on page 3‑60 or
Securing Child Restraints
(Center Front Seat Position) on
page 3‑63 orSecuring Child
Restraints (Right Front Seat
Position) on page 3‑63. 5. If, after reinstalling the child
restraint and restarting the
vehicle, the on indicator is still lit,
turn the vehicle off. Then slightly
recline the vehicle seatback
and adjust the seat cushion,
if adjustable, to make sure that
the vehicle seatback is not
pushing the child restraint into
the seat cushion.
Also make sure the child
restraint is not trapped under the
vehicle head restraint. If this
happens, adjust the head
restraint. See Head Restraints
on page 3‑2.
6. Restart the vehicle.
The passenger sensing system
may or may not turn off the
airbag for a child in a child
restraint depending upon the
child’s seating posture and body
build. It is better to secure the
child restraint in a rear seat.
Black plate (41,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-41
If the Off Indicator is Lit for an
Adult-Size Occupant
If a person of adult size is sitting in
the right front passenger seat, but
the off indicator is lit, it could be
because that person is not sitting
properly in the seat. If this happens,use the following steps to allow the
system to detect that person and
enable the right front passenger
frontal airbag:
1. Turn the vehicle off.
2. Remove any additional material
from the seat, such as blankets,
cushions, seat covers, seat
heaters, or seat massagers.
3. Place the seatback in the fully upright position.
4. Have the person sit upright in the seat, centered on the seat
cushion, with legs comfortably
extended.
5. Restart the vehicle and have the person remain in this position for
two to three minutes after the on
indicator is lit.
Additional Factors Affecting
System Operation
Safety belts help keep the
passenger in position on the seat
during vehicle maneuvers and
braking, which helps the passenger
sensing system maintain the
passenger airbag status. See
“Safety Belts” and“Child
Restraints” in the Index for
additional information about the
importance of proper restraint use.
If the shoulder portion of the belt is
pulled out all the way, the child
restraint locking feature will be
engaged. This may unintentionally
cause the passenger sensing
system to turn the airbag off for
some adult‐size occupants. If this
happens, let the belt go back all the
way and start again.
Black plate (45,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-45
If the airbag readiness light stays on
after the vehicle is started or comes
on when you are driving, the airbag
system may not work properly. Have
the vehicle serviced right away. See
Airbag Readiness Light on
page 5‑18for more information.Child Restraints
Older Children
Older children who have outgrown
booster seats should wear the
vehicle safety belts. The manufacturer's instructions that
come with the booster seat state the
weight and height limitations for that
booster. Use a booster seat with a
lap-shoulder belt until the child
passes the fit test below:
.Sit all the way back on the seat.
Do the knees bend at the seat
edge? If yes, continue. If no,
return to the booster seat.
.Buckle the lap-shoulder belt.
Does the shoulder belt rest on
the shoulder? If yes, continue.
If no, try using the rear safety
belt comfort guide. See
“Rear
Safety Belt Comfort Guides”
under Lap-Shoulder Belt on
page 3‑22 for more information.
If the shoulder belt still does not
rest on the shoulder, then return
to the booster seat.
.Does the lap belt fit low and
snug on the hips, touching the
thighs? If yes, continue. If no,
return to the booster seat.
Black plate (46,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual - 2012
3-46 Seats and Restraints
.Can proper safety belt fit be
maintained for the length of the
trip? If yes, continue. If no,
return to the booster seat.
Q: What is the proper way to wear safety belts?
A: An older child should wear a
lap-shoulder belt and get the
additional restraint a shoulder
belt can provide. The shoulder
belt should not cross the face or
neck. The lap belt should fit
snugly below the hips, just
touching the top of the thighs.
This applies belt force to the
child's pelvic bones in a crash.
It should never be worn over the
abdomen, which could cause
severe or even fatal internal
injuries in a crash.
Also see “Rear Safety Belt Comfort
Guides” underLap-Shoulder Belt on
page 3‑22. 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.
In a crash, children who are not
buckled up can strike other people
who are buckled up, or can be
thrown out of the vehicle. Older
children need to use safety belts
properly.
{WARNING
Never do this.
Never allow two children to wear
the same safety belt. The safety
belt cannot properly spread the
impact forces. In a crash, the two
children can be crushed together
and seriously injured. A safety
belt must be used by only one
person at a time.
{WARNING
Never do this.
Never allow a child to wear the
safety belt with the shoulder belt
behind their back. A child can be
seriously injured by not wearing
the lap-shoulder belt properly. In a
crash, the child would not be
restrained by the shoulder belt.
(Continued)
Black plate (47,1)GMC Yukon/Yukon XL Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-47
WARNING (Continued)
The child could move too far
forward increasing the chance of
head and neck injury. The child
might also slide under the lap
belt. The belt force would then be
applied right on the abdomen.
That could cause serious or fatal
injuries. The shoulder belt should
go over the shoulder and across
the chest.
Infants and Young
Children
Everyone in a vehicle needs
protection! This includes infants and
all other children. Neither the
distance traveled nor the age and
size of the traveler changes the
need, for everyone, to use safety
restraints. In fact, the law in every
state in the United States and in
every Canadian province says
children up to some age must be
restrained while in a vehicle.
{WARNING
Children can be seriously injured
or strangled if a shoulder belt is
wrapped around their neck and
the safety belt continues to
tighten. Never leave children
unattended in a vehicle and never
allow children to play with the
safety belts.
Airbags plus lap‐shoulder belts offer
protection for adults and older
children, but not for young children
and infants. Neither the vehicle's
safety belt system nor its airbag
system is designed for them. Every
time infants and young children ride
in vehicles, they should have the
protection provided by appropriate
child restraints.