2013 GMC SIERRA seats

Black plate (24,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
3-24 Seats and Restraints
WARNING (Continued)
that person causing severe injury
or even death. The path of an
inflating airbag must be kept
clear. Do not put anything
between an occupant and an
airbag, and do not attach or put
anything on the steering wheel
hub or on or near any other
airbag covering.
Do not use seat accessories that
block the inflation path of a
seat-mounted side impact airbag.
Never secure anything to the roof
of a vehicle with roof-rail airbags
by routing a rope or tie‐down
through any door or window
opening. If you do, the path of an
inflating roof-rail airbag will be
blocked.
When Should an Airbag
Inflate?
Frontal airbags are designed to
inflate in moderate to severe frontal
or near-frontal crashes to help
reduce the potential for severe
injuries mainly to the driver's or right
front passenger's head and chest.
However, they are only designed to
inflate if the impact exceeds a
predetermined deployment
threshold. Deployment thresholds
are used to predict how severe a
crash is likely to be in time for the
airbags to inflate and help restrain
the occupants.
Whether the frontal airbags will or
should deploy is not based on how
fast your vehicle is traveling.
It depends largely on what you hit,
the direction of the impact, and how
quickly your vehicle slows down.Frontal airbags may inflate at
different crash speeds. For
example:.If the vehicle hits a stationary
object, the airbags could inflate
at a different crash speed than if
the vehicle hits a moving object.
.If the vehicle hits an object that
deforms, the airbags could
inflate at a different crash speed
than if the vehicle hits an object
that does not deform.
.If the vehicle hits a narrow object
(like a pole), the airbags could
inflate at a different crash speed
than if the vehicle hits a wide
object (like a wall).
.If the vehicle goes into an object
at an angle, the airbags could
inflate at a different crash speed
than if the vehicle goes straight
into the object.
Thresholds can also vary with
specific vehicle design.

Black plate (25,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
Seats and Restraints 3-25
Frontal airbags are not intended to
inflate during vehicle rollovers, rear
impacts, or in many side impacts.
If the GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating) of your vehicle is 3 855 kg
(8,500 lb) or above, the vehicle has
single stage airbags. If the GVWR is
below 3 855 kg (8,500 lb) then the
vehicle has dual stage airbags.
Vehicles with a full bench seat are
equipped with single state airbags.
You can find the GVWR on the
certification label on the rear edge
of the driver door. SeeVehicle Load
Limits on page 9‑15 for more
information.
The vehicle may have dual-stage
frontal airbags. Dual-stage airbags
adjust the restraint according to
crash severity. The vehicle has
electronic frontal sensors, which
help the sensing system distinguish
between a moderate frontal impact
and a more severe frontal impact.
For moderate frontal impacts,
dual-stage airbags inflate at a level less than full deployment. For more
severe frontal impacts, full
deployment occurs.
Vehicles with dual stage airbags
also have seat position sensors
which enable the sensing system to
monitor the position of the driver
seat (all models), and on crew cab
and extended cab models the right
front passenger seat on light duty
models only. The seat position
sensor provides information that is
used to determine if the airbags
should deploy at a reduced level or
at full deployment.
The vehicle may or may not have
seat-mounted side impact and
roof-rail airbags. See
Airbag System
on page 3‑20. Seat-mounted side
impact and roof-rail airbags are
intended to inflate in moderate to
severe side crashes. In addition,
these roof-rail airbags are intended
to inflate during a rollover or in a
severe frontal impact. Seat-mounted
side impact and roof-rail airbags will
inflate if the crash severity is above the system's designed threshold
level. The threshold level can vary
with specific vehicle design.
Roof-rail airbags are not intended to
inflate in rear impacts.
A seat-mounted side impact airbag
is intended to deploy on the side of
the vehicle that is struck. Both
roof-rail airbags will deploy when
either side of the vehicle is struck,
or if the sensing system predicts
that the vehicle is about to roll over
on its side, or in a severe frontal
impact.
In any particular crash, no one can
say whether an airbag should have
inflated simply because of the
damage to a vehicle or because of
what the repair costs were. For
frontal airbags, inflation is
determined by what the vehicle hits,
the angle of the impact, and how
quickly the vehicle slows down. For
seat-mounted side impact and
roof-rail airbags, deployment is
determined by the location and
severity of the side impact. In a

Black plate (26,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
3-26 Seats and Restraints
rollover event, roof-rail airbag
deployment is determined by the
direction of the roll.
What Makes an Airbag
Inflate?
In a deployment event, the sensing
system sends an electrical signal
triggering a release of gas from the
inflator. Gas from the inflator fills the
airbag causing the bag to break out
of the cover and deploy. The inflator,
the airbag, and related hardware are
all part of the airbag module.
Frontal airbag modules are located
inside the steering wheel and
instrument panel. For vehicles with
seat‐mounted side impact airbags,
there are airbags modules in the
side of the front seatbacks closest
to the door. For vehicles with
roof-rail airbags, there are airbag
modules in the ceiling of the vehicle,
near the side windows that have
occupant seating positions.
How Does an Airbag
Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or
near frontal collisions, even belted
occupants can contact the steering
wheel or the instrument panel. In
moderate to severe side collisions,
even belted occupants can contact
the inside of the vehicle.
Airbags supplement the protection
provided by safety belts. Frontal
airbags distribute the force of the
impact more evenly over the
occupant's upper body, stopping the
occupant more gradually. Seat‐
mounted side impact and roof-rail
airbags distribute the force of the
impact more evenly over the
occupant's upper body.
Rollover capable roof-rail airbags
are designed to help contain the
head and chest of occupants in the
outboard seating positions in the
first and second rows. The rollover
capable roof-rail airbags are
designed to help reduce the risk offull or partial ejection in rollover
events, although no system can
prevent all such ejections.
But airbags would not help in many
types of collisions, primarily
because the occupant's motion is
not toward those airbags. See
When
Should an Airbag Inflate? on
page 3‑24 for more information.
Airbags should never be regarded
as anything more than a supplement
to safety belts.
What Will You See after
an Airbag Inflates?
After the frontal airbags and
seat-mounted side impact airbags
inflate, they quickly deflate, so
quickly that some people may not
even realize an airbag inflated.
Roof-rail airbags may still be at least
partially inflated for some time after
they deploy. Some components of
the airbag module may be hot for
several minutes. For location of the
airbag modules, see What Makes
an Airbag Inflate? on page 3‑26.

Black plate (27,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
Seats and Restraints 3-27
The parts of the airbag that come
into contact with you may be warm,
but not too hot to touch. There may
be some smoke and dust coming
from the vents in the deflated
airbags. Airbag inflation does not
prevent the driver from seeing out of
the windshield or being able to steer
the vehicle, nor does it prevent
people from leaving the vehicle.
{WARNING
When an airbag inflates, there
may be dust in the air. This dust
could cause breathing problems
for people with a history of
asthma or other breathing trouble.
To avoid this, everyone in the
vehicle should get out as soon as
it is safe to do so. If you have
breathing problems but cannot
get out of the vehicle after an
airbag inflates, then get fresh air
by opening a window or a door.
If you experience breathing(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
problems following an airbag
deployment, you should seek
medical attention.
The vehicle may have a feature that
may automatically unlock the doors,
turn on the interior lamps and
hazard warning flashers, and shut
off the fuel system after the airbags
inflate. You can lock the doors, turn
off the interior lamps and hazard
warning flashers by using the
controls for those features.
{WARNING
A crash severe enough to inflate
the airbags may have also
damaged important functions in
the vehicle, such as the fuel
system, brake and steering
systems, etc. Even if the vehicle
appears to be drivable after a (Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
moderate crash, there may be
concealed damage that could
make it difficult to safely operate
the vehicle.
Use caution if you should attempt
to restart the engine after a crash
has occurred.
In many crashes severe enough to
inflate the airbag, windshields are
broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may
also occur from the right front
passenger airbag.
.Airbags are designed to inflate
only once. After an airbag
inflates, you will need some new
parts for the airbag system.
If you do not get them, the
airbag system will not be there
to help protect you in another
crash. A new system will include
airbag modules and possibly

Black plate (28,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
3-28 Seats and Restraints
other parts. The service manual
for your vehicle covers the need
to replace other parts.
.The vehicle has a crash sensing
and diagnostic module which
records information after a
crash. SeeVehicle Data
Recording and Privacy on
page 13‑19 andEvent Data
Recorders on page 13‑19.
.Let only qualified technicians
work on the airbag systems.
Improper service can mean that
an airbag system will not work
properly. See your dealer for
service.
Airbag On-Off Switch
If one of the switches pictured in the
following illustrations is located in
the glove box, the vehicle has an
airbag on-off switch that you can
use to manually turn on or off the
right front passenger airbag.
United States
Canada and Mexico If the vehicle does not have an
airbag off switch, it may have a
passenger sensing system. See
Passenger Sensing System on
page 3‑31.
This switch should only be turned to
the off position if the person in the
right front passenger position is a
member of a passenger risk group
identified by the national
government as follows:
Infant. An infant (less than 1 year
old) must ride in the front seat
because:
.My vehicle has no rear seat;
.My vehicle has a rear seat too
small to accommodate a
rear-facing infant seat; or
.The infant has a medical
condition which, according to the
infant's physician, makes it
necessary for the infant to ride in
the front seat so that the driver
can constantly monitor the
child's condition.

Black plate (29,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
Seats and Restraints 3-29
Child age 1 to 12. A child
age 1 to 12 must ride in the front
seat because:
.My vehicle has no rear seat;
.Although children ages 1 to 12
ride in the rear seat(s) whenever
possible, children ages 1 to 12
sometimes must ride in the front
because no space is available in
the rear seat(s) of my vehicle; or
.The child has a medical
condition which, according to the
child's physician, makes it
necessary for the child to ride in
the front seat so that the driver
can constantly monitor the
child's condition.
Medical Condition. A passenger
has a medical condition which,
according to his or her physician:
.Causes the passenger airbag to
pose a special risk for the
passenger; and
.Makes the potential harm from
the passenger airbag in a crash
greater than the potential harm
from turning off the airbag and
allowing the passenger, even if
belted, to hit the instrument
panel or windshield in a crash.
{WARNING
If the right front passenger airbag
is turned off for a person who is
not in a risk group identified by
the national government, that
person will not have the extra
protection of an airbag. In a
crash, the airbag will not be able
to inflate and help protect the
person sitting there. Do not turn
off the passenger airbag unless
the person sitting there is in a risk
group.
United States
Canada and Mexico

Black plate (30,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
3-30 Seats and Restraints
To turn off the right front passenger
airbag, insert the ignition key into
the switch, push in, and move the
switch to the off position.
The word OFF or the off symbol will
come on in the passenger airbag
status indicator located in the
overhead console to let you know
that the right front passenger airbag
is off, after the system check is
completed. The airbag off light will
come on and stay on to let you
know that the right front passenger's
airbag is off. SeeAirbag On-Off
Light on page 5‑18.{WARNING
If the airbag readiness light ever
comes on and stays on, it means
that something may be wrong
with the airbag system. For
example, the right front
passenger airbag could inflate
even though the airbag on-off
switch is turned off.
To help avoid injury to yourself or
others, have the vehicle serviced
right away. See Airbag Readiness
Light on page 5‑17 for more
information, including important
safety information.
United States
Canada and Mexico

Black plate (31,1)GMC Sierra Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/14/12
Seats and Restraints 3-31
To turn the right front passenger
airbag on again, insert the ignition
key into the switch, push in, and
move the switch to the on position.
The right front passenger frontal
airbag is now enabled (may inflate).
SeeAirbag On-Off Light on
page 5‑18 for more information.
Passenger Sensing
System
If the vehicle has one of the
indicators pictured in the following
illustrations, then the vehicle has a
passenger sensing system for the
right front passenger position,
unless there is an airbag off switch
located in the glove box. If there is
an airbag off switch, the vehicle
does not have a passenger sensing
system. See Airbag On-Off Switch
on page 3‑28 for more information.
The passenger airbag status
indicator will be 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 and Mexico
The words ON and OFF, or the
symbol for on and off, will be visible
during the system check. If you are
using remote start to start the
vehicle from a distance, if equipped,
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 (if equipped) 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.