2017 CHEVROLET EXPRESS seats

Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
15555951) - 2022 - CRC - 1/27/22
36 Seats and Restraints
But if a seat belt is not long enough, your
dealer will order you an extender. Only a
GM dealer issued extender should be used.
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
restraints. For more information on the
proper use and fit of seat belt extenders see
the instruction sheet that comes with the
extender.
Safety System Check
Periodically check the seat belt reminder,
seat belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors,
shoulder belt height adjusters (if equipped),
and seat belt anchorages to make sure they
are all in working order. Look for any other
loose or damaged seat belt system parts
that might keep a seat belt system from
performing properly. See your dealer to
have it repaired. Torn, frayed, or twisted
seat belts may not protect you in a crash.
Torn or frayed seat belts can rip apart under
impact forces. If a belt is torn or frayed,
have it replaced immediately. If a belt is
twisted, it may be possible to untwist byreversing the latch plate on the webbing.
If the twist cannot be corrected, ask your
dealer to fix it.
Make sure the seat belt reminder light is
working. See
Seat Belt Reminders 075.
Keep seat belts clean and dry. See Seat Belt
Care 036.
Seat Belt Care
Keep belts clean and dry.
Seat belts should be properly cared for and
maintained.
Seat belt hardware should be kept dry and
free of dust or debris. As necessary, exterior
hard surfaces and seat belt webbing may be
lightly cleaned with mild soap and water.
Ensure there is not excessive dust or debris
in the mechanism. If dust or debris exists in
the system please see the dealer. Parts may
need to be replaced to ensure proper
functionality of the system.
{Warning
Do not bleach or dye seat belt webbing.
It may severely weaken the webbing. In
a crash, they might not be able to
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
provide adequate protection. Clean and
rinse seat belt webbing only with mild
soap and lukewarm water. Allow the
webbing to dry.
Replacing Seat Belt System Parts
after a Crash
{Warning
A crash can damage the seat belt system
in the vehicle. A damaged seat 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 seat 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 seat
belts may not be necessary. But the seat
belt assemblies that were used during any
crash may have been stressed or damaged.
See your dealer to have the seat belt
assemblies inspected or replaced.

Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Seats and Restraints 37
New parts and repairs may be necessary
even if the seat belt system was not being
used at the time of the crash.
Have the seat 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.
SeeAirbag Readiness Light 075.
Airbag System
The vehicle has the following airbag:
.A frontal airbag for the driver
The vehicle may have the following airbags:
.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
Seat-mounted side impact airbags are
only available on vehicles equipped with
roof-rail airbags.
.A roof-rail airbag for the driver on vans
with single row seating
.A roof-rail airbag for the front outboard
passenger on vans with single row
seating
.A roof-rail airbag for the driver and the
passenger seated directly behind the
driver on vans with two row seating
.A roof-rail airbag for the front outboard
passenger and the passenger seated
directly behind the front outboard
passenger on vans with two row seating
If the van is equipped with a sliding door,
the roof-rail airbag for the front outboard
passenger is separate from the roof-rail
airbag for the passenger seated directly
behind the front outboard passenger.
If the van is equipped with a 60/40
swing-out door, a single roof-rail airbag
covers both seating positions.
.A roof-rail airbag for the driver and the
second and third row passengers seated
directly behind the driver on vans with
three or more seating rows
.A roof-rail airbag for the front outboard
passenger and the second and third row
passengers seated directly behind the
front outboard passenger on vans with
three or more seating rows
If the van is equipped with a sliding door,
the roof-rail airbag for the front outboard
passenger is separate from the roof-rail
airbag for the second and third row
passengers seated directly behind the front outboard passenger. If the van is
equipped with a 60/40 swing-out door, a
single roof-rail airbag covers all three
seating positions.
Additionally:
.Vehicles that have a raised or modified
roof —such as school buses, ambulances,
vehicles with adaptive equipment for
mobility, and recreational vehicles —may
or may not be equipped with roof-rail
airbags.
.Vehicles with a GVWR above 4 536 kg
(10,000 lb) may be equipped with
roof-rail airbags.
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 seat-mounted side impact airbags, the
word AIRBAG is on the side of the seatback
or side of the seat closest to the door.
For roof-rail airbags, the word AIRBAG is on
the ceiling or trim.

Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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38 Seats and Restraints
Airbags are designed to supplement the
protection provided by seat belts. Even
though today’s airbags are also designed to
help reduce the risk of injury from the force
of an inflating airbag, 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 seat
belt, even with airbags. Airbags are
designed to work with seat belts, not
replace them. Also, airbags are not
designed to inflate in every crash. In
some crashes seat belts are the only
restraint. SeeWhen Should an Airbag
Inflate? 040.
Wearing your seat belt during a crash
helps reduce your chance of hitting
things inside the vehicle or being ejected
from it. Airbags are “supplemental
restraints” to the seat belts. Everyone in
the vehicle should wear a seat belt
properly, whether or not there is an
airbag for that person.
{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. Seat belts help
keep you in position before and during a
crash. Always wear a seat belt, even with
airbags. The driver should sit as far back
as possible while still maintaining control
of the vehicle. The seat belts and the
front outboard passenger airbags are
most effective when you are sitting well
back and upright in the seat with both
feet on the floor.
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. Always
secure children properly in the vehicle. To
read how, see Older Children 046 or
Infants and Young Children 047.
There is an airbag readiness light on the
instrument panel, 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 075.

Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Seats and Restraints 39
Where Are the Airbags?
The driver frontal airbag is in the center of
the steering wheel.
If the vehicle has a front outboard passenger
frontal airbag, it is in the passenger side
instrument panel.
Driver Side Shown, Passenger Side Similar
If the vehicle has seat-mounted side impact
airbags for the driver and front outboard
passenger, they are in the sides of the
seatbacks closest to the door.
Driver Side Shown, Passenger Side Similar
If the vehicle has a single seating row and it
has roof-rail airbags for the driver and front
outboard passenger, the roof-rail airbags are
in the ceiling above the side windows.

Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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40 Seats and Restraints
Driver Side Shown, Passenger Side Similar
If the vehicle has two seating rows, roof-rail
airbags for the driver, front outboard
passenger, and second row outboard
passengers are in the ceiling above the side
windows. If the vehicle has three or more
seating rows, roof-rail airbags for the driver,
front outboard passenger, and second and
third row outboard passengers are in the
ceiling above the side windows.
{Warning
If something is between an occupant and
an airbag, the airbag might not inflate
properly or it might force the object into (Continued)
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?
This vehicle is equipped with one or more
airbags. SeeAirbag System 037. Airbags are
designed to inflate if the impact exceeds the
specific airbag system's 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. The vehicle has electronic sensors which help the airbag
system determine the severity of the
impact. Deployment thresholds can vary
with specific vehicle design.
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 or front
outboard passenger head and chest.
Whether the frontal airbags will or should
deploy is not based primarily on how fast
the vehicle is traveling. It depends largely
on what you hit, the direction of the
impact, and how quickly the vehicle
slows down.
Frontal airbags may inflate at different crash
speeds depending on whether the vehicle
hits an object straight on or at an angle,
and whether the object is fixed or moving,
rigid or deformable, narrow or wide.
Frontal airbags are not intended to inflate
during vehicle rollovers, rear impacts, or in
many side impacts.
Seat-mounted side impact airbags,
if equipped, are designed to inflate in
moderate to severe side crashes depending
on the location of the impact. Seat-mounted
side impact airbags are not designed to

Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Seats and Restraints 41
inflate in frontal impacts, near-frontal
impacts, rollovers, or rear impacts.
A seat-mounted side impact airbag is
intended to inflate on the side of the vehicle
that is struck.
The vehicle may or may not be equipped
with roof-rail airbags. Roof-rail airbags are
designed to inflate in moderate to severe
side crashes depending on the location of
the impact. In addition, these roof-rail
airbags are designed to inflate during a
rollover. Roof-rail airbags are not designed
to inflate in frontal, near-frontal, or rear
impacts. All roof-rail airbags will inflate
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.
In any particular crash, no one can say
whether an airbag should have inflated
simply because of the vehicle damage or
repair costs.
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 tobreak out of the cover. The inflator, the
airbag, and related hardware are all part of
the airbag module.
For airbag locations, see
Where Are the
Airbags? 039.
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 seat belts by distributing the force of the
impact more evenly over the
occupant's 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, second, and third rows,
if equipped. The rollover capable roof-rail
airbags are designed to help reduce the risk
of full 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?
0 40.
Airbags should never be regarded as
anything more than a supplement to seat
belts.
What Will You See after an
Airbag Inflates?
After frontal and seat-mounted side impact
airbags (if equipped) inflate, they quickly
deflate, so quickly that some people may
not even realize the airbags inflated.
Roof-rail airbags (if equipped) may still be at
least partially inflated for some time after
they inflate. Some components of the airbag
module may be hot for several minutes. For
location of the airbags, see Where Are the
Airbags? 039.
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

Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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42 Seats and Restraints
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 problems
following an airbag deployment, you
should seek medical attention.
The vehicle has a feature that may
automatically unlock the doors (if equipped
with power door locks), turn on the interior
lamps and hazard warning flashers, and shut
off the fuel system after the airbags inflate.
The feature may also activate, without
airbag inflation, after an event that exceeds
a predetermined threshold. After turning the
ignition off and then on again, the fuel
system will return to normal operation; the doors can be locked, the interior lamps can
be turned off, and the hazard warning
flashers can be turned off using the controls
for those features. If any of these systems
are damaged in the crash they may not
operate as normal.
{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 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 front
outboard 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 other
parts. The service manual for the vehicle
covers the need to replace other parts.
.The vehicle has a crash sensing and
diagnostic module which records
information after a crash. See
Vehicle
Data Recording and Privacy 0268 and
Event Data Recorders 0268.
.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 the instrument panel has one of the
switches pictured in the following
illustrations, the vehicle has an airbag on-off
switch that you can use to manually turn
on or off the front outboard passenger
airbag. No other airbag is affected by the
airbag on-off switch.

Chevrolet Express Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Seats and Restraints 43
United States
Canada and MexicoThis switch should only be turned to the
OFF position if the person in the front
outboard 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.
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 front outboard passenger frontal
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 front outboard
passenger frontal airbag unless the
person sitting there is in a risk group.