GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-12146071) - 2019 - crc - 7/27/18
Seats and Restraints 77
4. Buckle, position, and releasethe seat belt as described
previously in this section. Make
sure the shoulder belt crosses
the shoulder. The belt should
be close to, but not contacting,
the neck.
To remove and store the comfort
guide, squeeze the belt edges
together so that the seat belt can be
removed from the guide. Slide the
guide back into its storage pocket
on the side of the seatback.
Seat Belt Use During
Pregnancy
Seat belts work for everyone,
including pregnant women. Like all
occupants, they are more likely to
be seriously injured if they do not
wear seat 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 seat
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 seat
belts effective is wearing them
properly.
Seat Belt Extender
If the vehicle's seat belt will fasten
around you, you should use it.
But if a seat 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 restraints. For more
information on the proper use and fit
of seat belt extenders see the
instruction sheet that comes with
the extender.
GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-12146071) - 2019 - crc - 7/27/18
78 Seats and Restraints
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 by reversing 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. SeeSeat Belt
Reminders 0131.
Keep seat belts clean and dry. See
Seat Belt Care 078.
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 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.
GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-12146071) - 2019 - crc - 7/27/18
Seats and Restraints 79
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 0131.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 the passenger seated
directly behind the driver
. A roof-rail airbag for the front
outboard passenger and the
passenger seated directly
behind the front outboard
passenger
All vehicle airbags have the word
AIRBAG on the trim or on a 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 seat 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 seat
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 seat belt, even with
airbags. Airbags are designed to
(Continued)
GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-12146071) - 2019 - crc - 7/27/18
80 Seats and Restraints
Warning (Continued)
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? 082.
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
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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, seeOlder Children 091 or
Infants and Young Children 093.
There is an airbag readiness light
on the instrument 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 0131.
GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-12146071) - 2019 - crc - 7/27/18
Seats and Restraints 83
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 many side impacts.
In addition, the vehicle has
advanced technology frontal
airbags. Advanced technology
frontal airbags adjust the restraint
according to crash severity.
Seat-mounted side impact airbags
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 inflate in frontal
impacts, near frontal impacts,
rollovers, or rear impacts.
A seat-mounted side impact airbag
is designed to inflate on the side of
the vehicle that is struck.
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 or in asevere frontal impact. Roof-rail
airbags are not designed to inflate in
rear impacts. Both 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, or in a
severe frontal impact.
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 to break 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? 081.
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 and second rows. 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.
GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-12146071) - 2019 - crc - 7/27/18
84 Seats and Restraints
But airbags would not help in many
types of collisions, primarily
because the occupant's motion is
not toward those airbags. SeeWhen
Should an Airbag Inflate? 082.
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 inflate, they quickly
deflate, so quickly that some people
may not even realize the airbags
inflated. Roof-rail airbags 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? 081.
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
problems following an airbag
deployment, you should seek
medical attention.
The vehicle has 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. 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.
(Continued)
GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-12146071) - 2019 - crc - 7/27/18
Seats and Restraints 85
Warning (Continued)
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 0407 andEvent Data
Recorders 0407.
. 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.
Passenger Sensing
System
The vehicle has a passenger
sensing system for the front
outboard passenger position. The
passenger airbag status indicator
will light on the overhead console
when the vehicle is started.
The words ON and OFF will be
visible during the system check.
When the system check is complete, either the word ON or
OFF will be visible. See
Passenger
Airbag Status Indicator 0132.
The passenger sensing system
turns off the front outboard
passenger frontal airbag under
certain conditions. No other airbag
is affected by the passenger
sensing system.
The passenger sensing system
works with sensors that are part of
the front outboard passenger seat
and seat belt. The sensors are
designed to detect the presence of
a properly seated occupant and
determine if the front outboard
passenger frontal airbag should be
allowed to 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.
Whenever possible, children aged
12 and under should be secured in
a rear seating position.
GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-12146071) - 2019 - crc - 7/27/18
Seats and Restraints 87
wear a seat 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 0131 for more information,
including important safety
information.
If the On Indicator Is Lit for a
Child Restraint
The passenger sensing system is
designed to turn off the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag if
the system determines that an infant
is present in 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 (With
the Seat Belt in the Rear Seat)
0104 orSecuring Child
Restraints (With the Seat Belt
in the Front Seat) 0106.
Make sure the seat belt
retractor is locked by pulling
the shoulder belt all the way
out of the retractor when
installing the child restraint,
even if the child restraint is
equipped with a seat belt lock
off. When the retractor lock is
set, the belt can be tightened
but not pulled out of the
retractor. 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
0 58.
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 size. It is better to
secure the child restraint in a rear
seat. Never put a rear-facing child
restraint in the front seat, even if the
ON indicator is not lit.