2016 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE Owners Manual

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9159264) - 2016 - crc - 8/17/15
64 Seats and Restraints
Q: If my vehicle has airbags, whyshould 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 083
iior Infants and Young
Children 084ii. 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.
.
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.

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9159264) - 2016 - crc - 8/17/15
Seats and Restraints 65
Lap-Shoulder Belt
All seating positions in the vehicle
have a lap-shoulder belt.
If you are using a rear seating
position with a detachable safety
belt and the safety belt is not
attached, see“Returning the Seat to
the Seating Position” underThird
Row Seats 060
iifor instruction on
reconnecting the safety belt to the
mini-buckle.
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.
If the shoulder portion of a
passenger belt is pulled out all
the way, the child restraint
locking feature may be
engaged. If this happens, let
the belt go back all the way
and start again.3. Push the latch plate into thebuckle 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 069
ii.
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.

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9159264) - 2016 - crc - 8/17/15
66 Seats and Restraints
5. To make the lap part tight, pullup on the shoulder belt.
It may be necessary to pull the
stitching on the safety belt
through the latch plate to fully
tighten the lap belt on smaller
occupants.To unlatch the belt, push the button
on the buckle. The belt should
return to its stowed position. Slide
the latch plate up the safety belt
webbing when the safety belt is not
in use. The latch plate should rest
on the stitching on the safety belt,
near the guide loop on the side wall.
Always stow the safety belt slowly.
If the safety belt webbing returns
quickly to the stowed position, the
retractor may lock and cannot be
pulled out. If this happens, pull the
safety belt straight out firmly to
unlock the webbing, and then
release it. If the webbing is still
locked in the retractor, see your
dealer. Before a door is closed, be sure the
safety belt is out of the way. If a
door is slammed against a safety
belt, damage can occur to both the
safety belt and the vehicle.
Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster
The vehicle has a shoulder belt
height adjuster for the driver and
front outboard passenger seating
positions.
Adjust the height so the shoulder
portion of the belt is on the shoulder
but not falling off of it. The belt
should be close to but not
contacting the neck. Improper
shoulder belt height adjustment
could reduce the effectiveness of
the safety belt in a crash. See
How
to Wear Safety Belts Properly 064
ii.

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9159264) - 2016 - crc - 8/17/15
Seats and Restraints 67
To move it down, push down on the
release button and move the height
adjuster to the desired position. You
can move the height adjuster up by
pushing up on the shoulder belt
guide.
After the adjuster is set to the
desired position, try to move it down
without pushing the release button
to make sure it has locked into
position.
Safety Belt Pretensioners
This vehicle has safety belt
pretensioners for the front outboard
occupants. Although the safety belt
pretensioners cannot be seen, theyare part of the safety belt assembly.
They can help tighten the safety
belts during the early stages of a
moderate to severe frontal, near
frontal, or rear crash if the threshold
conditions for pretensioner
activation are met. Safety belt
pretensioners can also help tighten
the safety belts in a side crash or a
rollover event.
Pretensioners work only once. If the
pretensioners activate in a crash,
they will need to be replaced, and
the vehicle’
s safety belt system will
probably need other new parts. See
Replacing Safety Belt System Parts
after a Crash 070
ii.
Rear Safety Belt Comfort
Guides
{Warning
A safety belt that is not properly
worn may not provide the
protection needed in a crash. The
person wearing the belt could be
seriously injured. The shoulder
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
belt should go over the shoulder
and across the chest. These parts
of the body are best able to take
belt restraining forces.
Rear safety belt comfort guides may
provide added safety belt comfort
for older children who have
outgrown booster seats and for
some adults. When installed on a
shoulder belt, the comfort guide
positions the shoulder belt away
from the neck and head.
Second Row Outboard Seating
Positions
The vehicle has comfort guides for
the second row outboard seating
positions. The comfort guides are
stored on a clip on the interior trim
next to the outboard seatback.

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9159264) - 2016 - crc - 8/17/15
68 Seats and Restraints
To install:
1. Remove the guide from itsstorage clip on the interior trim
next to the outboard seatback.
2. Place the guide over the belt,and insert the two edges of the
belt into the slots of the guide.
3. Be sure that the belt is nottwisted and it lies flat. The
elastic cord must be behind the
belt with the plastic guide on
the front.
4. Buckle, position, and release
the safety belt as described
previously in this section. Make
sure the shoulder portion of the
belt is on the shoulder and not
falling off of it. The belt should
be close to, but not contacting,
the neck.

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9159264) - 2016 - crc - 8/17/15
Seats and Restraints 69
To remove and store the comfort
guide, squeeze the belt edges
together so that the safety belt can
be removed from the guide. Slide
the guide onto its storage clip.
Third Row Seating Positions
Comfort guides are available
through your dealer for the third row
seating positions. Instructions are
included with the guide.
Safety Belt Use During
Pregnancy
Safety belts work for everyone,
including pregnant women. Like all
occupants, they are more likely to
be seriously injured if they do not
wear safety belts.
A pregnant woman should wear a
lap-shoulder belt, and the lap
portion should be worn as low as
possible, below the rounding,
throughout the pregnancy.
The best way to protect the fetus is
to protect the mother. When a safety
belt is worn properly, it is more likely
that the fetus will not be hurt in a
crash. For pregnant women, as for
anyone, the key to making safety
belts effective is wearing them
properly.
Safety Belt Extender
If the vehicle's safety belt will fasten
around you, you should use it.But if a safety belt is not long
enough, your dealer will order you
an extender. When you go in to
order it, take the heaviest coat you
will wear, so the extender will be
long enough for you. To help avoid
personal injury, do not let someone
else use it, and use it only for the
seat it is made to fit. The extender
has been designed for adults. Never
use it for securing child seats. To
wear it, attach it to the regular safety
belt. For more information, see the
instruction sheet that comes with
the extender.
Safety System Check
Now and then, check that the safety
belt reminder light, safety belts,
buckles, latch plates, retractors, and
anchorages are all working properly.
Look for any other loose or
damaged safety belt system parts
that might keep a safety belt system
from doing its job. See your dealer
to have it repaired. Torn or frayed
safety belts may not protect you in a
crash. They can rip apart under
impact forces. If a belt is torn or
frayed, get a new one right away.

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9159264) - 2016 - crc - 8/17/15
70 Seats and Restraints
Make sure the safety belt reminder
light is working. SeeSafety Belt
Reminders 0120
ii.
Keep safety belts clean and dry.
See Safety Belt Care 070
ii.
Safety Belt Care
Keep belts clean and dry.
{Warning
Do not bleach or dye safety belts.
It may severely weaken them. In
a crash, they might not be able to
provide adequate protection.
Clean safety belts only with mild
soap and lukewarm water.
Replacing Safety Belt
System Parts after a
Crash
{Warning
A crash can damage the safety
belt system in the vehicle.
A damaged safety belt system
may not properly protect the
person using it, resulting in
serious injury or even death in a
crash. To help make sure the
safety belt systems are working
properly after a crash, have them
inspected and any necessary
replacements made as soon as
possible.
After a minor crash, replacement of
safety belts may not be necessary.
But the safety belt assemblies that
were used during any crash may
have been stressed or damaged.
See your dealer to have the safety
belt assemblies inspected or
replaced. New parts and repairs may be
necessary even if the safety belt
system was not being used at the
time of the crash.
Have the safety belt pretensioners
checked if the vehicle has been in a
crash, or if the airbag readiness light
stays on after you start the vehicle
or while you are driving. See
Airbag
Readiness Light 0121
ii.

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Seats and Restraints 71
Airbag System
The vehicle has the following
airbags:
.A frontal airbag for the driver.
. A frontal airbag for the front
outboard passenger.
. A seat-mounted side impact
airbag for the driver.
. A seat-mounted side impact
airbag for the front outboard
passenger.
. A roof-rail airbag for the driver
and for the second and third row
passengers seated directly
behind the driver.
. A roof-rail airbag for the front
outboard passenger and the
second and third row
passengers seated directly
behind the front outboard
passenger.
The vehicle may have the following
airbag:
. A front center airbag for the
driver and front outboard
passenger. All vehicle airbags have the word
AIRBAG on the trim or on an
attached label near the deployment
opening.
For frontal airbags, the word
AIRBAG is on the center of the
steering wheel for the driver and on
the instrument panel for the front
outboard passenger.
For the front center airbag, the word
AIRBAG is on the inboard side of
the driver seatback.
For seat-mounted side impact
airbags, the word AIRBAG is on the
side of the seatback closest to
the door.
For roof-rail airbags, the word
AIRBAG is on the ceiling or trim.
Airbags are designed to supplement
the protection provided by safety
belts. Even though today's airbags
are also designed to help reduce
the risk of injury from the force of an
inflating bag, all airbags must inflate
very quickly to do their job.
Here are the most important things
to know about the airbag system:
{Warning
You can be severely injured or
killed in a crash if you are not
wearing your safety belt, even
with airbags. Airbags are
designed to work with safety
belts, not replace them. Also,
airbags are not designed to inflate
in every crash. In some crashes
safety belts are the only restraint.
See
When Should an Airbag
Inflate? 074
ii.
Wearing your safety belt during a
crash helps reduce the chance of
hitting things inside the vehicle or
being ejected from it. Airbags are
“supplemental restraints” to the
safety belts. Everyone in the
vehicle should wear a safety belt
properly, whether or not there is
an airbag for that person.