2021 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE airbag

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14637844) - 2021 - CRC - 3/26/21
2 Introduction
Using this Manual
To quickly locate information about the
vehicle, use the Index in the back of the
manual. It is an alphabetical list of what is
in the manual and the page number where
it can be found.
Danger, Warning, and Caution
Warning messages found on vehicle labels
and in this manual describe hazards and
what to do to avoid or reduce them.
{Danger
Danger indicates a hazard with a high
level of risk which will result in serious
injury or death.
{Warning
Warning indicates a hazard that could
result in injury or death.
Caution
Caution indicates a hazard that could
result in property or vehicle damage.
A circle with a slash through it is a safety
symbol which means“Do not,” “Do not do
this,” or“Do not let this happen.”
Symbols
The vehicle has components and labels that
use symbols instead of text. Symbols are
shown along with the text describing the
operation or information relating to a
specific component, control, message, gauge,
or indicator.
M:Shown when the owner’s manual has
additional instructions or information.
*: Shown when the service manual has
additional instructions or information.
0: Shown when there is more information
on another page — “see page.” Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols that may
be found on the vehicle and what they
mean. See the features in this manual for
information.
u:
Air Conditioning System
G:Air Conditioning Refrigerant Oil
9:Airbag Readiness Light
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
$:Brake System Warning Light
9:Dispose of Used Components Properly
P:Do Not Apply High Pressure Water
B:Engine Coolant Temperature
_:Flame/Fire Prohibited
H: Flammable
[:Forward Collision Alert
R:Fuse Block Cover Lock Location
+:Fuses
j:ISOFIX/LATCH System Child Restraints

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14637844) - 2021 - CRC - 3/26/21
34 Seats and Restraints
Seats and Restraints
Head Restraints
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Front Seats
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Power Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Lumbar Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Memory Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Heated and Ventilated Front Seats . . . . . 41
Rear Seats
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Heated Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Third Row Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Seat Belts
Seat Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Buckle To Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
How to Wear Seat Belts Properly . . . . . . 49
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Seat Belt Use During Pregnancy . . . . . . . . 54
Seat Belt Extender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Safety System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Seat Belt Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Replacing Seat Belt System Parts after aCrash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Airbag System
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
When Should an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . 58
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . 59
How Does an Airbag Restrain? . . . . . . . . . 59
What Will You See after an AirbagInflates? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Servicing the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Adding Equipment to the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Airbag System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Replacing Airbag System Parts after a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Child Restraints
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Infants and Young Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Child Restraint Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Where to Put the Restraint . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children(LATCH System) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Replacing LATCH System Parts After a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat Belt in the Rear Seat) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat Belt in the Front Seat) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Head Restraints
Front Seats
{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.
The vehicle's front seats have adjustable
head restraints in the outboard seating
positions.

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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48 Seats and Restraints
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 acrash 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.
Buckle To Drive
If equipped, this feature prevents the vehicle
from shifting out of P (Park) when Teen
Driver is active and the driver seat belt is
not buckled. See Teen Driver0171. If the
engine is running, the driver seat belt is not
buckled, and the brake pedal is pressed with
the vehicle in P (Park), a message displays in
the Driver Information Center (DIC). Buckle the driver seat belt to shift out of P (Park).
Shifting from P (Park) will be prevented once
for each ignition cycle. For some fleet
vehicles, shifting from P (Park) will be
prevented each time these conditions exist
whether Teen Driver is ON or OFF.
On some models, Buckle to Drive may also
prevent shifting out of P (Park) if a front
passenger is unbuckled under similar
conditions. A message displays in the DIC.
Buckle the front passenger seat belt to shift
out of P (Park). This feature may not allow
the vehicle to shift out of P (Park) if an
object, such as a briefcase, handbag, grocery
bag, laptop, or other electronic device, is on
the front passenger seat. If this happens,
remove the object from the seat or buckle
the seat belt to shift out of P (Park).
If the driver or present front passenger
remains unbuckled, the DIC message will
turn off after several seconds and the
vehicle can be shifted out of P (Park). See
“Seat Belts”
and“Child Restraints” in the
Index for information about the importance
of proper restraint use.

Chevrolet Traverse Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
14637844) - 2021 - CRC - 3/26/21
Seats and Restraints 49
If the driver seat belt, and/or the front
passenger seat belt on some vehicles, is
unbuckled when driving, the seat belt
reminder chime and light(s) will come on.
SeeSeat Belt Reminders 0102.
This feature may not function properly if
the airbag readiness light is on. See Airbag
Readiness Light 0103.
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 Children065 or
Infants and Young Children 067. 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.
.Sit up straight and always keep your feet
on the floor in front of you (if possible).
.Always use the correct buckle for your
seating position.
.Wear the lap part of the belt low and
snug on the hips, just touching the
thighs. In a crash, this applies force to the
strong pelvic bones and you would be
less likely to slide under the lap belt.
If you slid under it, the belt would apply
force on your abdomen. This could cause
serious or even fatal injuries.
.Wear the shoulder belt over the shoulder
and across the chest. These parts of the
body are best able to take belt
restraining forces. The shoulder belt locks
if there is a sudden stop or crash.
{Warning
You can be seriously injured, or even
killed, by not wearing your seat belt
properly.

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 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-
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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