2021 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN Airbags

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13690484) - 2021 - crc - 8/17/20
36 Seats and Restraints
Seats and Restraints
Head Restraints
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Front Seats
Power Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Lumbar Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Memory Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Heated and Ventilated Front Seats . . . . . 43
Rear Seats
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Heated Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Second Row Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Third Row Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Seat Belts
Seat Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
How to Wear Seat Belts Properly . . . . . . . 53
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Seat Belt Use During Pregnancy . . . . . . . . 58
Seat Belt Extender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Safety System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Seat Belt Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Replacing Seat Belt System Parts after aCrash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Airbag System
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
When Should an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . 62
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . 63
How Does an Airbag Restrain? . . . . . . . . . 63
What Will You See after an Airbag
Inflates? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Servicing the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Adding Equipment to the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Airbag System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Replacing Airbag System Parts after a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Child Restraints
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Infants and Young Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Child Restraint Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Where to Put the Restraint . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children(LATCH System) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Replacing LATCH System Parts After a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat Belt in the Rear Seat) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat Belt in the Front Passenger Seat) . . . . . 85
Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat Belt in the Center Front Seat) . . . . . . . . 87
Head Restraints
The vehicle’s front seats have adjustable
head restraints in the outboard seating
positions.
{Warning
With 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.
If your vehicle has rear head restraints
that fold down, always return them to
the full upright position whenever an
occupant is seated in the seat.

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
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Seats and Restraints 53
Warning (Continued)
injured or killed. Do not allow passengers
to ride in any area of the vehicle that is
not equipped with seats and seat belts.
Always wear a seat belt, and check that
all passenger(s) are restrained
properly too.
This vehicle has indicators as a reminder to
buckle the seat belts. See Seat Belt
Reminders 0108.
Why Seat Belts Work
When riding in a vehicle, you travel as fast
as the vehicle does. If the vehicle stops
suddenly, you keep going until something
stops you. It could be the windshield, the
instrument panel, or the seat belts!
When you wear a seat belt, you and the
vehicle slow down together. There is more
time to stop because you stop over a longer
distance and, when worn properly, your
strongest bones take the forces from the
seat belts. That is why wearing seat belts
makes such good sense.
Questions and Answers About Seat Belts
Q: Will I be trapped in the vehicle after a
crash if I am wearing a seat belt?
A: You could be— whether you are
wearing a seat belt or not. Your chance
of being conscious during and after a
crash, so you canunbuckle and get out,
is much greater if you are belted.
Q: If my vehicle has airbags, why should I have to wear seat belts?
A: Airbags are supplemental systems only.
They work withseat 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 seat belts.
How to Wear Seat Belts Properly
Follow these rules for everyone's protection.
There are additional things to know about
seat belts and children, including smaller
children and infants. If a child will be riding
in the vehicle, see
Older Children070 or
Infants and Young Children 071. Review and
follow the rules for children in addition to
the following rules.
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 seat belts.
There are important things to know about
wearing a seat belt properly.

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13690484) - 2021 - crc - 8/17/20
Seats and Restraints 59
{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.
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.
See
Airbag Readiness Light 0108.
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 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 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
or 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.

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13690484) - 2021 - crc - 8/17/20
60 Seats and Restraints
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? 062.
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
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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 front center armrest or
console in vehicles with a front center
airbag.
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 070 or
Infants and Young Children 071.
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 0108.

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13690484) - 2021 - crc - 8/17/20
Seats and Restraints 61
Where Are the Airbags?
The driver frontal airbag is in the center of
the steering wheel.
The front outboard passenger frontal airbag
is in the passenger side instrument panel.
If the vehicle has a front center airbag, it is
in the inboard side of the driver seatback.
Driver Side Shown, Passenger Side Similar
The driver and front outboard passenger
seat-mounted side impact airbags are in the
side of the seatbacks closest to the door.

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13690484) - 2021 - crc - 8/17/20
62 Seats and Restraints
Driver Side Shown, Passenger Side Similar
The roof-rail airbags for the driver, front
outboard passenger, and second and third
row outboard seating positions 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
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 (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
do not attach or put anything on the
steering wheel hub or on or near any
other airbag covering.
Do not use seat or console accessories
that block the inflation path of a
seat-mounted side impact airbag or the
front center airbag, if equipped.
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 airbags. See
Airbag System059. 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 that 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's or
front outboard passenger's head and chest.
Whether the frontal airbags will or should
inflate is not based primarily on how fast
the vehicle is traveling. It depends on what
is 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 many side impacts.
In addition, the vehicle has advanced
technology frontal airbags. Advanced
technology frontal airbags adjust the
restraint according to crash severity.
The front center airbag, if equipped, is
designed to inflate in moderate to severe
side crashes depending upon the location of

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13690484) - 2021 - crc - 8/17/20
Seats and Restraints 63
the impact, when either side of the vehicle
is struck. In addition, the front center airbag
is designed to inflate when the sensing
system predicts that the vehicle is about to
roll over on its side. The front center airbag
is not designed to inflate in frontal impacts,
near frontal impacts, or rear impacts.
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
rollovers or in rear impacts. The driver side
seat-mounted side impact airbag is not
designed to inflate in frontal impacts or in
near frontal impacts. The passenger side
seat-mounted side impact airbag is designed
to inflate in moderate to severe frontal
impacts or in near frontal 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 a severe frontal
impact. Roof-rail airbags are not designed to
inflate in rear impacts. Both roof-rail airbagswill inflate when either side of the vehicle is
struck, 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 the
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? 061.
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.
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 62.
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. The front center
airbag and roof-rail airbags may still be at

Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-13690484) - 2021 - crc - 8/17/20
64 Seats and Restraints
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, seeWhere Are the
Airbags? 061.
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. (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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 (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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 0410 and
Event Data Recorders 0411.