2021 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE warning

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14637844) - 2021 - CRC - 3/26/21
50 Seats and Restraints
Never allow the lap or shoulder belt to
become loose or twisted.Never wear the shoulder belt under both
arms or behind your back.
Always use the correct buckle for your
seating position.
Never route the lap or shoulder belt over an
armrest.
{Warning
The seat belt can be pinched if it is
routed under plastic trim on the seat,
such as trim around the rear seatback
folding handle or side airbag. In a crash,
pinched seat belts might not be able to
provide adequate protection. Never allow
seat belts to be routed under plastic trim
pieces.
Lap-Shoulder Belt
All seating positions in the vehicle have a
lap-shoulder belt.

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Seats and Restraints 53
Rear Seat Belt Comfort Guides
{Warning
A seat 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
belt should go over the shoulder and
across the chest. These parts of the body
are best able to take belt restraining
forces.
Rear seat belt comfort guides may provide
added seat 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 in a pocket on the
side of the seatback. To install:
1. Remove the guide from its storage
pocket on the side of the seat.
2. Place the guide over the belt, and insertthe two edges of the belt into the slots
of the guide.
3. Be sure that the belt is not twisted andit lies flat. The elastic cord must be
behind the belt with the plastic guide on
the front.

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Seats and Restraints 55
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 0102.
Keep seat belts clean and dry. See Seat Belt
Care 055.
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.
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 0103.
Airbag System
The vehicle has the following airbags:
.A frontal airbag for the driver
.A frontal airbag for the front outboard
passenger
.A front center airbag for the driver and
front outboard passenger
.A seat-mounted side impact airbag for the
driver
.A seat-mounted side impact airbag for the
front outboard passenger

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14637844) - 2021 - CRC - 3/26/21
56 Seats and Restraints
.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
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. 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. See
When Should an Airbag
Inflate? 058.
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.

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Seats and Restraints 57
{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 065 or
Infants and Young Children 067.
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 0103.
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.
The front center airbag is in the inboard side
of the driver seatback.
Driver Side Shown, Passenger Side Similar

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14637844) - 2021 - CRC - 3/26/21
58 Seats and Restraints
The driver and front outboard passenger
seat-mounted side impact airbags are in the
side of the seatbacks closest to the door.
Driver Side Shown, Passenger Side Similar
The 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
that person causing severe injury or even
death. The path of an inflating airbag (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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 or console accessories
that block the inflation path of a
seat-mounted side impact airbag or the
front center 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 airbags. See
Airbag System055. 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, in rear impacts,
or in 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 is designed to inflate
in moderate to severe side crashes
depending upon the location of the impact,

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14637844) - 2021 - CRC - 3/26/21
60 Seats and Restraints
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.
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 0347 and
Event Data Recorders 0348.
.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.

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Seats and Restraints 61
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, and the symbols for
on and off, will be visible during the system
check. When the system check is complete,
either the word ON or OFF, and the symbol
for on or off, will be visible. SeePassenger
Airbag Status Indicator 0103.
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.
Never put a rear-facing child seat in the
front. This is because the risk to the
rear-facing child is so great, if the airbag
inflates.
{Warning
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can
be seriously injured or killed if the
passenger frontal 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 passenger
frontal airbag inflates and the passenger
seat is in a forward position.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
Even if the passenger sensing system has
turned off the passenger frontal airbag,
no system is fail-safe. No one can
guarantee that an airbag will not deploy
under some unusual circumstance, even
though the airbag is turned off.
Never put a rear-facing child restraint in
the front seat, even if the airbag is off.
If securing a forward-facing child restraint
in the front outboard passenger seat,
always move the seat as far back as it
will go. It is better to secure child
restraints in the rear seat. Consider using
another vehicle to transport the child
when a rear seat is not available.
The passenger sensing system is designed to
turn off the front outboard passenger
frontal airbag if:
.The front outboard passenger seat is
unoccupied.
.The system determines an infant is
present in a child restraint.
.A front outboard passenger takes his/her
weight off of the seat for a period
of time.