2023 GMC TERRAIN warning

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-16540740) - 2023 - CRC - 6/16/22
58 Seats and Restraints
In addition, the vehicle has a passenger
sensing system for the front outboard
passenger position, which includes sensors
that are part of the passenger seat. The
passenger sensing system may not operate
properly if the original seat trim is replaced
with non-GM covers, upholstery, or trim; or
with GM covers, upholstery, or trim
designed for a different vehicle. Any object,
such as an aftermarket seat heater or a
comfort-enhancing pad or device, installed
under or on top of the seat fabric, could
also interfere with the operation of the
passenger sensing system. This could either
prevent proper deployment of the passenger
airbag(s) or prevent the passenger sensing
system from properly turning off the
passenger airbag(s). SeePassenger Sensing
System 054.
If the vehicle has rollover roof-rail airbags,
see Different Size Tires and Wheels 0303 for
additional important information.
If the vehicle must be modified because you
have a disability and have questions about
whether the modifications will affect the
vehicle's airbag system, or if you have
questions about whether the airbag system will be affected if the vehicle is modified for
any other reason, call Customer Assistance.
See
Customer Assistance Offices 0341.
Airbag System Check
The airbag system does not need regularly
scheduled maintenance or replacement.
Make sure the airbag readiness light is
working. See Airbag Readiness Light 099.
Caution
If an airbag covering is damaged, opened,
or broken, the airbag may not work
properly. Do not open or break the airbag
coverings. If there are any opened or
broken airbag coverings, have the airbag
covering and/or airbag module replaced.
For the location of the airbags, see Where
Are the Airbags? 050. See your dealer
for service.
Replacing Airbag System Parts
after a Crash
{Warning
A crash can damage the airbag systems
in the vehicle. A damaged airbag system
may not properly protect you and your
passenger(s) in a crash, resulting in
serious injury or even death. To help
make sure the airbag systems are
working properly after a crash, have
them inspected and any necessary
replacements made as soon as possible.
If an airbag inflates, you will need to
replace airbag system parts. See your dealer
for service.
If the airbag readiness light stays on after
the vehicle is started or comes on when you
are driving, the airbag system may not work
properly. Have the vehicle serviced right
away. See Airbag Readiness Light 099.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-16540740) - 2023 - CRC - 6/16/22
Seats and Restraints 59
Child Restraints
Older Children
Older children who have outgrown booster
seats should wear the vehicle’s seat belts.
Refer toHow to Wear Seat Belts Properly
0 43.
The manufacturer instructions that come
with the booster seat state the weight and
height limitations for that booster. Use a
booster seat with a lap-shoulder belt until
the child passes the fit test below:
.Sit all the way back on the seat. Do the
knees bend at the seat edge? If yes,
continue. If no, return to the booster seat.
.Buckle the lap-shoulder belt. Does the
shoulder belt rest on the shoulder? If yes,
continue. If no, try using the rear seat
belt comfort guide, if available. See “Rear
Seat Belt Comfort Guides” under
Lap-Shoulder Belt 045. If a comfort guide
is not available, or if the shoulder belt
still does not rest on the shoulder, then
return to the booster seat.
.Does the lap belt fit low and snug on the
hips, touching the thighs? If yes, continue.
If no, return to the booster seat.
.Can proper seat belt fit be maintained for
the length of the trip? If yes, continue.
If no, return to the booster seat.
Q: What is the proper way to wear seat belts?
A: An older child should wear a lap-shoulder
belt and get the additional restraint a
shoulder belt can provide. The shoulder
belt should not cross the face or neck.
The lap belt should fit snugly below the
hips, just touching the top of the thighs.
This applies belt force to the child's
pelvic bones in a crash. It should never
be worn over the abdomen, which could
cause severe or even fatal internal
injuries in a crash. Also see
“Rear Seat Belt Comfort Guides”
under Lap-Shoulder Belt 045.
According to accident statistics, children are
safer when properly restrained in a rear
seating position.
In a crash, children who are not buckled up
can strike other people who are buckled up,
or can be thrown out of the vehicle. Older
children need to use seat belts properly.
{Warning
Never allow more than one child to wear
the same seat belt. The seat belt cannot
properly spread the impact forces. In a
crash, they can be crushed together and
seriously injured. A seat belt must be
used by only one person at a time.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-16540740) - 2023 - CRC - 6/16/22
60 Seats and Restraints
{Warning
Never allow a child to wear the seat belt
shoulder belt under both arms or behind
their back. A child can be seriously
injured by not wearing the lap-shoulder
belt properly. In a crash, the child would
not be restrained by the shoulder belt.
The child could move too far forward
increasing the chance of head and neck
injury. The child might also slide under
the lap belt. The belt force would then be
applied right on the abdomen. That could
cause serious or fatal injuries. The
shoulder belt should go over the shoulder
and across the chest.
Infants and Young Children
Everyone in a vehicle needs protection! This
includes infants and all other children.
Neither the distance traveled nor the age
and size of the traveler changes the need,
for everyone, to use safety restraints. In
fact, the law in every state in the United
States and in every Canadian province says
children up to some age must be restrained
while in a vehicle.
{Warning
Children can be seriously injured or killed
if the shoulder belt is worn behind their
back, under their legs, or wrapped around(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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 the
child. Never leave children unattended in
a vehicle and never allow children to
improperly wear, or play with, the seat
belts.
Every time infants and young children ride
in vehicles, they should have the protection
provided by appropriate child restraints.
Neither the vehicle's seat belt system nor its
airbag system is designed for them.
Children who are not restrained properly can
strike other people, or can be thrown out of
the vehicle.
{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 (Continued)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-16540740) - 2023 - CRC - 6/16/22
Seats and Restraints 61
Warning (Continued)
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(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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.
{Warning
To reduce the risk of neck and head
injury in a crash, infants and toddlers
should be secured in a rear-facing child (Continued)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-16540740) - 2023 - CRC - 6/16/22
62 Seats and Restraints
Warning (Continued)
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 Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-16540740) - 2023 - CRC - 6/16/22
Seats and Restraints 63
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 Children059.
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) 065 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.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-16540740) - 2023 - CRC - 6/16/22
64 Seats and Restraints
Securing the Child Within the Child
Restraint
{Warning
A child can be seriously injured or killed
in a crash if the child is not properly
secured in the child restraint. Secure the
child properly following the instructions
that came with that child restraint.
Where to Put the Restraint
According to accident statistics, children and
infants are safer when properly restrained in
an appropriate child restraint secured in a
rear seating position.
Whenever possible, children aged 12 and
under should be secured in a rear seating
position.
Never put a rear-facing child restraint in the
front. This is because the risk to the
rear-facing child is so great if the airbag
deploys.
{Warning
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can
be seriously injured or killed if the front
passenger 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 front passenger airbag inflates and
the passenger seat is in a forward
position.
Even if the passenger sensing system has
turned off the front passenger frontal
airbag, no system is fail-safe. No one can
guarantee that an airbag will not deploy
under some unusual circumstance, even
though it is turned off.
Secure rear-facing child restraints in a
rear seat, even if the airbag is off. If you
secure a forward-facing child restraint in
the front seat, always move the front
passenger seat as far back as it will go.
It is better to secure the child restraint in
a rear seat.
SeePassenger Sensing System 054 for
additional information. 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.

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/
Mexico-16540740) - 2023 - CRC - 6/16/22
68 Seats and Restraints
To assist in locating the lower anchors, each
second row anchor position has a label, near
the crease between the seatback and the
seat cushion.
To assist in locating the top tether anchors,
the top tether anchor symbol is near the
top tether anchors.
Top Tether Anchors
The top tether anchors for each rear seating
position are on the back of the rear
seatback. Be sure to use an anchor located
directly behind the seating position where
the child restraint will be placed.
For models with a cargo cover, the top
tether anchors are on the back of the rear
seatbacks. Remove the cargo cover before
installing the top tether. The cargo cover
should remain off while the top tether is in use. Be sure to use an anchor directly
behind the seating position where the child
restraint will be placed.
Do not secure a child restraint in a position
without a top tether anchor if a national or
local law requires that the top tether be
attached, or if the instructions that come
with the child restraint say that the top
tether must be attached.
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.
See
Where to Put the Restraint 064 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.