2023 GMC CANYON ECU

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
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42 Seats and Restraints
Warning (Continued)
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 051 or
Infants and Young Children 052.
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 088.
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.
Driver Side Shown, Passenger Side Similar

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-16510661) - 2023 - CRC - 11/29/22
Seats and Restraints 43
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 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 accessories that block the
inflation path of a seat-mounted side
impact 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 System041. 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 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 either crash severity
or occupant interaction.

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
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46 Seats and Restraints
United States
Canada
The words ON and OFF, or 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, or the symbol
for on and off, will be visible. See Passenger
Airbag Status Indicator 088.
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.

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
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Seats and Restraints 47
.There is a critical problem with the airbag
system or the passenger sensing system.
When the passenger sensing system has
turned off the front outboard passenger
frontal airbag, the OFF indicator will light
and stay lit as a reminder that the airbag is
off. See Passenger Airbag Status Indicator
0 88.
The passenger sensing system is designed to
turn on the front outboard passenger frontal
airbag anytime the system senses that a
person of adult size is sitting properly in the
front outboard passenger seat. When the
passenger sensing system has allowed the
airbag to be enabled, the ON indicator will
light and stay lit as a reminder that the
airbag is active.
For some children, including children in
child restraints, and for very small adults,
the passenger sensing system may or may
not turn off the front outboard passenger
frontal airbag, depending upon the person's
seating posture and body build. Everyone
in the vehicle who has outgrown child
restraints should 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 088
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
Front Seat) 067 or
Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat
Belt in the Rear Seat) 065.
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 024.

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-16510661) - 2023 - CRC - 11/29/22
48 Seats and Restraints
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.
If the Off Indicator Is Lit for an
Adult-Sized Occupant
If a person of adult size is sitting in the
front outboard passenger seat, but the OFF
indicator is lit, it could be because that
person is not sitting properly in the seat or
that the child restraint locking feature is engaged. Use the following steps to allow
the system to detect that person and enable
the front outboard passenger frontal airbag:
1. Turn the vehicle off.
2. Remove any additional material from the seat, such as blankets, cushions, seat
covers, seat heaters, or seat massagers.
3. Place the seatback in the fully upright position.
4. Have the person sit upright in the seat, centered on the seat cushion, with legs
comfortably extended.
5. If the shoulder portion of the belt is pulled out all the way, the child restraint
locking feature will be engaged. This
may unintentionally cause the passenger
sensing system to turn the airbag off for
some adult-sized occupants. If this
happens, unbuckle the belt, let the belt
go back all the way, and then buckle the
belt again without pulling the belt out
all the way.
6. Restart the vehicle and have the person remain in this position for two to
three minutes after the ON indicator
is lit.
{Warning
If the front outboard passenger airbag is
turned off for an adult-sized occupant,
the airbag will not be able to inflate and
help protect that person in a crash,
resulting in an increased risk of serious
injury or even death. An adult-sized
occupant should not ride in the front
outboard passenger seat, if the passenger
airbag off indicator is lit.
Additional Factors Affecting System
Operation
Seat belts help keep the passenger in
position on the seat during vehicle
maneuvers and braking, which helps the
passenger sensing system maintain the
passenger airbag status. See “Seat Belts”
and “Child Restraints” in the Index for
additional information about the importance
of proper restraint use.
A thick layer of additional material, such as
a blanket or cushion, or aftermarket
equipment such as seat covers, seat heaters,
and seat massagers can affect how well the
passenger sensing system operates. We
recommend that you not use seat covers or
other aftermarket equipment except when

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
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Seats and Restraints 53
{Warning
Never hold an infant or a child while
riding in a vehicle. Due to crash forces, an
infant or a child will become so heavy it
is not possible to hold it during a crash.
For example, in a crash at only
40 km/h (25 mph), a 5.5 kg (12 lb) infant
will suddenly become a 110 kg (240 lb)
force on a person's arms. An infant or
child should be secured in an appropriate
child restraint.
{Warning
Children who are up against, or very
close to, any airbag when it inflates can
be seriously injured or killed. Never put a
rear-facing child restraint in the front
outboard seat. Secure a rear-facing child
restraint in a rear seat. It is also better to
secure a forward-facing child restraint in
a rear seat. If you must secure a
forward-facing child restraint in the front
outboard seat, always move the front
passenger seat as far back as it will go.
Child restraints are devices used to restrain,
seat, or position children in the vehicle and
are sometimes called child seats or car seats.
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 and
is designed by a genuine child restraint
manufacturer. 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.

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-16510661) - 2023 - CRC - 11/29/22
54 Seats and Restraints
{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.
Forward-Facing Child Restraint
A forward-facing child restraint provides
restraint for the child's body with the
harness.

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
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Seats and Restraints 55
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 Children051.
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) 057 for
more information. Never use a seat belt
extender when installing a child restraint.
Never use non-regulated aftermarket anchors
or attachments to secure a child restraint.
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
2. Instruction manual provided with the child restraint
3. This vehicle owner's manual
The child restraint instructions are
important, so if they are not available,
obtain a replacement copy from the
manufacturer.
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.
In some areas Certified Child Passenger
Safety Technicians (CPSTs) are available to
inspect and demonstrate how to correctly
use and install child restraints. In the U.S.,
refer to the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) website to locate
the nearest child safety seat inspection
station. For CPST availability in Canada,
check with Transport Canada or the
Provincial Ministry of Transportation office.