GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/15/18
Seats and Restraints 101
{ WarningChildren can be seriously injured
or strangled if a shoulder belt is
wrapped around their neck. The
shoulder belt can tighten but
cannot be loosened if it is locked.
The shoulder belt locks when it is
pulled all the way out of the
retractor. It unlocks when the
shoulder belt is allowed to go all
the way back into the retractor,
but it cannot do this if it is
wrapped around a child ’ s neck.
If the shoulder belt is locked and
tightened around a child ’ s neck,
the only way to loosen the belt is
to cut it.
Never leave children unattended
in a vehicle and never allow
children to play with the seat
belts.
Every time infants and young
children ride in vehicles, they should
have the protection provided by appropriate child restraints. Neither
the vehicle's seat belt system nor its
airbag system is designed for them.
Children who are not restrained
properly can strike other people,
or can be thrown out of the vehicle.
{ WarningNever hold an infant or a child
while riding in a vehicle. Due to
crash forces, an infant or a child
will become so heavy it is not
possible to hold it during a crash.
For example, in a crash at only
40 km/h (25 mph), a 5.5 kg (12 lb)
infant will suddenly become a
110 kg (240 lb) force on a person's
arms. An infant or child should be
secured in an appropriate
restraint.
{ WarningChildren who are up against,
or very close to, any airbag when
it inflates can be seriously injured
or killed. Never put a rear-facing
child restraint in the front
outboard seat. Secure a
rear-facing child restraint in a rear
seat. It is also better to secure a
forward-facing child restraint in a
rear seat. If you must secure a
forward-facing child restraint in
the front outboard seat, always
move the front passenger seat as
far back as it will go.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/15/18
102 Seats and Restraints
Child restraints are devices used to
restrain, seat, or position children in
the vehicle and are sometimes
called child seats or car seats.
There are three basic types of
child restraints:
.
Forward-facing child restraints
.
Rear-facing child restraints
.
Belt-positioning booster seats
The proper child restraint for your
child depends on their size, weight,
and age, and also on whether the
child restraint is compatible with the
vehicle in which it will be used. For each type of child restraint,
there are many different models
available. When purchasing a child
restraint, be sure it is designed to be
used in a motor vehicle. If it is, the
restraint will have a label saying that
it meets federal motor vehicle safety
standards. The restraint
manufacturer's instructions that
come with the restraint state the
weight and height limitations for a
particular child restraint. In addition,
there are many kinds of restraints
available for children with special
needs.
{ WarningTo reduce the risk of neck and
head injury in a crash, infants and
toddlers should be secured in a
rear-facing child restraint until age
two, or until they reach the
maximum height and weight limits
of their child restraint. { WarningA young child's hip bones are still
so small that the vehicle's regular
seat belt may not remain low on
the hip bones, as it should.
Instead, it may settle up around
the child's abdomen. In a crash,
the belt would apply force on a
body area that is unprotected by
any bony structure. This alone
could cause serious or fatal
injuries. To reduce the risk of
serious or fatal injuries during a
crash, young children should
always be secured in appropriate
child restraints.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/15/18
104 Seats and Restraints Securing an Add-On Child
Restraint in the Vehicle
{ WarningA child can be seriously injured or
killed in a crash if the child
restraint is not properly secured in
the vehicle. Secure the child
restraint properly in the vehicle
using the vehicle ’ s seat belt or
LATCH system, following the
instructions that came with that
child restraint and the instructions
in this manual.
To help reduce the chance of injury,
the child restraint must be secured
in the vehicle. Child restraints must
be secured in vehicle seats by lap
belts or the lap belt portion of a
lap-shoulder belt, or by the LATCH
system. See Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) 0 106 for more information.
Children can be endangered in a
crash if the child restraint is not
properly secured in the vehicle. When securing an add-on child
restraint, refer to the instructions
that come with the restraint which
may be on the restraint itself or in a
booklet, or both, and to this manual.
The child restraint instructions are
important, so if they are not
available, obtain a replacement
copy from the manufacturer.
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
the vehicle — even when no child is
in it.
In some areas of the United States
and Canada, Certified Child
Passenger Safety Technicians
(CPSTs) are available to inspect
and demonstrate how to correctly
use and install child restraints. In
the U.S., refer to the National
Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) website to
locate the nearest child safety seat
inspection station. For CPST availability in Canada, check with
Transport Canada or the Provincial
Ministry of Transportation office.
Securing the Child Within the
Child Restraint
{ WarningA child can be seriously injured or
killed in a crash if the child is not
properly secured in the child
restraint. Secure the child
properly following the instructions
that came with that child restraint.
Where to Put the
Restraint According to accident statistics,
children and infants are safer when
properly restrained in an appropriate
child restraint secured in a rear
seating position.
Whenever possible, children aged
12 and under should be secured in
a rear seating position.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/15/18
Seats and Restraints 105Never put a rear-facing child
restraint in the front. This is because
the risk to the rear-facing child is so
great if the airbag deploys.
{ WarningA child in a rear-facing child
restraint can be seriously injured
or killed if the 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
front passenger airbag inflates
and the passenger seat is in a
forward position.
Even if the passenger sensing
system has turned off the 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 it 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 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.
See Passenger Sensing System
0 92 for additional information.
{ WarningA child in a child restraint in the
center front seat can be badly
injured or killed by the frontal
airbags if they inflate. Never
secure a child restraint in the
center front seat. It is always
better to secure a child restraint in
a rear seat.
Do not use child restraints in the
center front seat position. If the vehicle does not have a rear
seat that will accommodate a
rear-facing child restraint, a
rear-facing child restraint should not
be installed in the vehicle, even if
the airbag is off.
When securing a child restraint with
the seat belts in a rear seat position,
study the instructions that came with
the 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.
Depending on where you place the
child restraint and the size of the
child restraint, you may not be able
to access adjacent seat belts 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 seat belt.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/15/18
110 Seats and Restraints
Passenger Side Loop (Double and
Crew Cab)
For double and crew cab models,
the top tether is routed through
loops (2) to the top tether
anchors (1). Be sure to use the
correct anchor for the seating
position where the child restraint will
be placed.
Be sure to read the following
instructions to properly install a child
restraint using these loops and
anchors.
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. See Where to Put the
Restraint 0 104 for additional
information.
Securing a Child Restraint
Designed for the LATCH
System
{ Warning
A child could be seriously injured
or killed in a crash if the child
restraint is not properly attached
to the vehicle using either the
LATCH anchors or the vehicle
seat belt. Follow the instructions
that came with the child restraint
and the instructions in this
manual. { WarningDo not attach more than one child
restraint to a single anchor,
except for the center top tether
anchors in the crew cab models.
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.
{ Warning
Children can be seriously injured
or strangled if a shoulder belt is
wrapped around their neck. The
shoulder belt can tighten but
cannot be loosened if it is locked.
The shoulder belt locks when it is
pulled all the way out of the
(Continued)
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/15/18
Seats and Restraints 111Warning (Continued)retractor. It unlocks when the
shoulder belt is allowed to go all
the way back into the retractor,
but it cannot do this if it is
wrapped around a child ’ s neck.
If the shoulder belt is locked and
tightened around a child ’ s neck,
the only way to loosen the belt is
to cut it.
Buckle any unused seat belts
behind the child restraint so
children cannot reach them. Pull
the shoulder belt all the way out
of the retractor to set the lock,
and tighten the belt behind the
child restraint after the child
restraint has been installed.
Caution
Do not let the LATCH
attachments rub against the
vehicle ’ s seat belts. This may
(Continued) Caution (Continued) damage these parts. If necessary,
move buckled seat belts to avoid
rubbing the LATCH attachments.
Do not fold the rear seat cushion
when the seat is occupied. Do not
fold the empty rear seat with a
seat belt buckled. This could
damage the seat belt or the seat.
Unbuckle and return the seat belt
to its stowed position, before
folding the seat.
If you need to secure more than one
child restraint in the rear seat, see
Where to Put the Restraint 0 104 .
Regular Cab Models
1. For models without a rear seat,
forward-facing child restraints
should only be installed in the
right front seating position with
belts and a top tether. See Securing Child Restraints
(With the Seat Belt in the Front
Outboard Seat) 0 121 or
Securing Child Restraints (In
the Center Front Seat) 0 120 or
Securing Child Restraints (With
the Seat Belt in the Rear Seat)
0 117 .
If the child restraint
manufacturer recommends that
the top tether be attached,
attach and tighten the top
tether to the top tether anchor,
if your vehicle has one. Refer
to the child restraint
instructions and the following
steps:
1.1. Find the top tether
anchor.
1.2. Route, attach, and tighten
the top tether according
to your child restraint
instructions and the
following instructions:
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/15/18
116 Seats and Restraints Head Restraint or Headrest
Removal and Reinstallation The second row outboard head
restraints or center headrest can be
removed if they interfere with the
proper installation of the child
restraint.
To remove the second row head
restraints or center headrest:
1. Press both buttons on the head
restraint or headrest posts at
the same time, and pull up on
the head restraint or headrest.
2. Store the head restraint or
headrest in a secure place. 3. When the child restraint is
removed, reinstall the head
restraint or headrest before the
seating position is used.
{ WarningWith head restraints that are not
installed and adjusted properly,
there is a greater chance that
occupants will suffer a neck/
spinal injury in a crash. Do not
drive until the head restraints for
all occupants are installed and
adjusted properly.
To reinstall the head restraint or
headrest: 1. Insert the head restraint or
headrest posts into the holes in
the top of the seatback. The
notches on the posts must face
the driver side of the vehicle.
2. Push the head restraint or
headrest down.
3. Try to move the head restraint
or headrest to make sure that it
is locked in place.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-1500-11698638) - 2019 - crc - 5/15/18
Seats and Restraints 117
Replacing LATCH System
Parts After a Crash
{ WarningA 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. 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
(With the Seat Belt in the
Rear Seat) When securing a child restraint with
the seat belts in a rear seat position,
study the instructions that came with
the child restraint to make sure it is
compatible with this vehicle.
If the child restraint has the LATCH
system, see Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) 0 106 for how and where to
install the child restraint using
LATCH. If a child restraint is secured
in the vehicle using a seat belt and
it uses a top tether, see Lower
Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH System) 0 106 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 tether
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 or vehicle seat
position does not have the LATCH
system, you will be using the seat
belt to secure the child restraint. Be
sure to follow the instructions that
came with the child restraint.
If more than one child restraint
needs to be installed in the rear
seat, be sure to read Where to Put
the Restraint 0 104 .
Double Cab 1. Remove the head restraint or
headrest prior to installing a
forward-facing child restraint in
an outboard rear seating
position. See “ Head Restraint
or Headrest Removal and
Reinstallation ” under Lower
Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH System)
0 106 .
2. Put the child restraint on
the seat.