GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-14632426) - 2021 - CRC - 11/5/20
74 Seats and Restraints
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 child restraint will have a label saying
that it meets federal motor vehicle safety
standards.
The instruction manual that is provided with
the child restraint states the weight and
height limitations for that particular child
restraint. In addition, there are many kinds
of child restraints available for children with
special needs.
{Warning
To 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.
{Warning
A young child's hip bones are still so
small that the vehicle 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 an
appropriate child restraint.
Child Restraint Systems
Rear-Facing Infant Restraint
A rear-facing child restraint provides
restraint with the seating surface against
the back of the infant.
The harness system holds the infant in place
and, in a crash, acts to keep the infant
positioned in the restraint.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-14632426) - 2021 - CRC - 11/5/20
Seats and Restraints 75
Forward-Facing Child Restraint
A forward-facing child restraint provides
restraint for the child's body with the
harness.Booster Seats
A belt-positioning booster seat is used for
children who have outgrown their
forward-facing child restraint. Boosters are
designed to improve the fit of the vehicle's
seat belt system until the child is large
enough for the vehicle seat belts to fit
properly without a booster seat. See the
seat belt fit test in Older Children071.
Securing an Add-On Child Restraint in
the Vehicle
{Warning
A 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 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) 077 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 following:
1. Instruction labels provided on the child restraint
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-14632426) - 2021 - CRC - 11/5/20
Seats and Restraints 77
{Warning
A 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.
Do not install a child restraint in any rear
seating position where it cannot be installed
securely. 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.
The seat in front of an installed child
restraint should be adjusted to ensure
proper installation according to the child
restraint manual.
Wherever a child restraint is installed, be
sure to follow the instructions that came
with the child restraint and secure the child
restraint properly.
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.
Lower Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH System)
The LATCH system secures a child restraint
during driving or in a crash. LATCH
attachments on the child restraint are used
to attach the child restraint to the anchors
in the vehicle. This system is designed to
make installation of a child restraint easier.
In order to use the LATCH system in your
vehicle, you need a child restraint that has
LATCH attachments. LATCH-compatible
rear-facing and forward-facing child seats can
be properly installed using either the LATCH
anchors or the vehicle’s seat belts. Do not
use both the seat belts and the LATCH
anchorage system to secure a rear-facing or
forward-facing child seat.
Booster seats use the vehicle’s seat belts to
secure the child and the booster seat. If the
manufacturer recommends that the booster
seat be secured with the LATCH system, this
can be done as long as the booster seat can
be positioned properly and there is no
interference with the proper positioning of
the lap-shoulder belt on the child.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-14632426) - 2021 - CRC - 11/5/20
78 Seats and Restraints
Make sure to follow the instructions that
came with the child restraint, and also the
instructions in this manual.
When installing a child restraint with a top
tether, you must also use either the lower
anchors or the seat belts to properly secure
the child restraint. A child restraint must
never be installed using only the top tether.
For a forward-facing 5-pt harness child
restraint where the combined weight of the
child and restraint are up to 29.5 kg (65 lb),
use either the lower LATCH anchorages with
the top tether anchorage, or the seat belt
with the top tether anchorage. Where the
combined weight of the child and restraint
are greater than 29.5 kg (65 lb), use the seat
belt with the top tether anchorage only.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-14632426) - 2021 - CRC - 11/5/20
Seats and Restraints 79
Recommended Methods for Attaching Child Restraints
Restraint Type Combined Weight ofthe Child + Child
Restraint Use Only Approved Attachment Methods Shown with an X
LATCH
–Lower
Anchors Only Seat Belt Only LATCH
–Lower
Anchors and Top
Tether Anchor Seat Belt and Top
Tether Anchor
Rear-Facing Child
Restraint Up to 29.5 kg (65 lb)
X X
Rear-Facing Child
Restraint Greater than
29.5 kg (65 lb) X
Forward-Facing Child
Restraint Up to 29.5 kg (65 lb)
X X
Forward-Facing Child
Restraint Greater than
29.5 kg (65 lb) X
See Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat
Belt in the Center Front Seat) 092 or
Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat Belt
in the Rear Seat) 088 or
Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat Belt
in the Front Passenger Seat) 092. Child restraints built after March 2014 will
be labeled with the specific child weight up
to which the LATCH system can be used to
install the restraint.
The following explains how to attach a child
restraint with these attachments in the
vehicle. Not all vehicle seating positions have lower
anchors. In this case, the seat belt must be
used (with top tether where available) to
secure the child restraint. See
Securing Child
Restraints (With the Seat Belt in the Center
Front Seat) 092 or
Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat Belt
in the Rear Seat) 088 or
Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat Belt
in the Front Passenger Seat) 092.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-14632426) - 2021 - CRC - 11/5/20
Seats and Restraints 81
Regular Cab—Three-Passenger Front Seat
I:Seating positions with top tether
anchors.
Do not install a child restraint in the center
front seating position. See Securing Child
Restraints (With the Seat Belt in the Center
Front Seat) 092 or
Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat Belt
in the Rear Seat) 088 or
Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat Belt
in the Front Passenger Seat) 092 for more
information.
Double and Crew Cab Rear Seat
I: Seating positions with top tether
anchors.
H: Seating positions with two lower
anchors.
To assist in locating the lower anchors on
double and crew cab models, each seating
position with lower anchors has two labels
near the crease between the seatback and
the seat cushion.
For regular cab models, there are top tether
anchor symbols to assist you in locating the
top tether anchors.
Do not install a child restraint in the center
seating position. See Securing Child
Restraints (With the Seat Belt in the Center
Front Seat) 092 or
Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat Belt
in the Rear Seat) 088 or
Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat Belt
in the Front Passenger Seat) 092 for more
information.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-14632426) - 2021 - CRC - 11/5/20
Seats and Restraints 83
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.
SeeWhere to Put the Restraint 076 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.
{Warning
Do 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.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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 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(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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
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 076.
GMC Sierra/Sierra Denali 1500 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-14632426) - 2021 - CRC - 11/5/20
84 Seats and Restraints
Regular Cab Models1. 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 Center Front
Seat) 092 or
Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat
Belt in the Rear Seat) 088 or
Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat
Belt in the Front Passenger Seat) 092.
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:
If the position you are using has an
adjustable head restraint and you
are using a dual tether, route the
tether around the head restraint.
If the position you are using has an
adjustable head restraint and you
are using a single tether, raise the
head restraint and route the tether
under the head restraint and in
between the head restraint posts. 2. Make sure the child restraint top tether
hook is completely closed and secured to
the top tether anchor.
3. Secure the child restraint in the right front seating position with the vehicle
belts. See Securing Child Restraints (With
the Seat Belt in the Center Front Seat)
0 92 or
Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat
Belt in the Rear Seat) 088 or
Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat
Belt in the Front Passenger Seat) 092.
4. Before placing a child in the child restraint, make sure it is securely held in
place. To check, grasp the child restraint
at the belt path and attempt to move it
side to side and back and forth. There
should be no more than 2.5 cm (1 in) of
movement for proper installation.
Double and Crew Cab Models 1. Attach and tighten the lower attachments to the lower anchors. If the
child restraint does not have lower
attachments or the desired seating
position does not have lower anchors,
secure the child restraint with the top
tether and the seat belt. Refer to the
child restraint manufacturer instructions
and the instructions in this manual.