2009 GMC Sierra Owners Manual

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2009 GMC Sierra Owner Manual M Seats and Restraint System ............................. 1-1 Head Restraints ......................................... 1-3 Front Seats ............................................... 1-4 Rear Seats .............................................. 1-14 Safety Belts ............................................. 1-16 Child Restraints ....................................... 1-38 Airbag System ......................................... 1-72 Restraint System Check ............................ 1-91 Features and Controls ..................................... 2-1 Keys ........................................................ 2-3 Doors and Locks ...................................... 2-10 Windows ................................................. 2-15 Theft-Deterrent Systems ............................ 2-18 Starting and Operating Your Vehicle ........... 2-22 Mirrors .................................................... 2-57 Object Detection Systems .......................... 2-61 OnStar® System ...................................... 2-70 Universal Home Remote System ................ 2-73 Storage Areas ......................................... 2-80 Sunroof .................................................. 2-84 Your Driving, the Road, and the Vehicle Towing Instrument Panel Overview Climate Controls Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators Driver Information Center (DIC) Audio System(s) Instrument Panel ............................................. 3-1 .......................... 3-4 ...................................... 3-24 ........ 3-33 .................. 3-53 ....................................... 3-84 Driving Your Vehicle ....................................... 4-1 ....... 4-2 ................................................... 4-47 Service and Appearance Care .......................... 5-1 Service ..................................................... 5-4 Fuel ......................................................... 5-6 Checking Things Under the Hood ............... 5-14 Rear Axle ............................................... 5-51 Four-Wheel Drive ..................................... 5-53 Front Axle ............................................... 5-56 Noise Control System ............................... 5-57 Headlamp Aiming ..................................... 5-58 Bulb Replacement .................................... 5-61 Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement ......... 5-66 Tires ...................................................... 5-67 Appearance Care ................................... 5-115 Vehicle Identiﬁcation ............................... 5-122 Electrical System .................................... 5-123 Capacities and Speciﬁcations ................... 5-131 Maintenance Schedule ..................................... 6-1 ................................ 6-2 Maintenance Schedule Customer Assistance Information .................... 7-1 ........... 7-2 ........................... 7-15 ........... 7-17 Index ................................................................ 1 Customer Assistance and Information Reporting Safety Defects Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem, GMC, the GMC Truck Emblem, and the name SIERRA are registered trademarks of General Motors Corporation. This manual includes the latest information at the time it was printed. GM reserves the right to make changes after that time without further notice. For vehicles ﬁrst sold in Canada, substitute the name “General Motors of Canada Limited” for GMC wherever it appears in this manual. This manual describes features that may or may not be on your speciﬁc vehicle. Read this manual from beginning to end to learn about the vehicle’s features and controls. Pictures, symbols, and words work together to explain vehicle operation. If the vehicle has the DURAMAX® Diesel engine, refer to the DURAMAX® Diesel supplement for additional and speciﬁc information on this engine. Keep this manual in the vehicle for quick reference. Litho in U.S.A. Part No. 15911381 B Second Printing Canadian Owners Canadian Owners (Propriétaires Canadiens) A French language copy of this manual can be obtained from your dealer/retailer or from: On peut obtenir un exemplaire de ce guide en français auprès du concessionnaire ou à l’adresse suivante: Helm, Incorporated P.O. Box 07130 Detroit, MI 48207 1-800-551-4123 Numéro de poste 6438 de langue française www.helminc.com Index 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. ©2008 General Motors Corporation. All Rights Reserved. iii Safety Warnings and Symbols 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.” A box with the word CAUTION is used to tell about things that could hurt you or others if you were to ignore the warning. { CAUTION: These mean there is something that could hurt you or other people. A notice tells about something that can damage the vehicle. Notice: These mean there is something that could damage your vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be covered by the vehicle’s warranty, and it could be costly. The notice tells what to do to help avoid the damage. There are also warning labels on the vehicle which use the same words, CAUTION or Notice. Vehicle 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, gage, or indicator. M : This symbol is shown when you need to see your owner manual for additional instructions or information. Cautions tell what the hazard is and what to do to avoid or reduce the hazard. Read these cautions. * : This symbol is shown when you need to see a service manual for additional instructions or information. iv Vehicle Symbol Chart Here are some additional symbols that may be found on the vehicle and what they mean. For more information on the symbol, refer to the index. 0 : Adjustable Pedals 9 : Airbag Readiness Light # : Air Conditioning ! : Antilock Brake System (ABS) g : Audio Steering Wheel Controls or OnStar® $ : Brake System Warning Light " : Charging System I : Cruise Control B : Engine Coolant Temperature O : Exterior Lamps # : Fog Lamps . : Fuel Gage + : Fuses i : Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer j : LATCH System Child Restraints * : Malfunction Indicator Lamp : : Oil Pressure g : Outside Power Foldaway Mirrors } : Power / : Remote Vehicle Start > : Safety Belt Reminders 7 : Tire Pressure Monitor _ : Tow/Haul Mode F : Traction Control M : Windshield Washer Fluid ✍ NOTES vi Section 1 Seats and Restraint System Head Restraints ...............................................1-3 Front Seats ......................................................1-4 Manual Seats ................................................1-4 Power Seats ..................................................1-5 Manual Lumbar ..............................................1-6 Power Lumbar ...............................................1-7 Heated Seats .................................................1-8 Memory Seat, Mirrors, and Pedals ....................1-8 Reclining Seatbacks ......................................1-10 Seatback Latches .........................................1-13 Center Seat .................................................1-13 Rear Seats .....................................................1-14 Rear Seat Operation (Extended Cab Full Bench) .....................................................1-14 Rear Seat Operation (All Split Bench and Hybrid Full Bench) .....................................1-15 Safety Belts ...................................................1-16 Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone ................1-16 How to Wear Safety Belts Properly .................1-22 Lap-Shoulder Belt .........................................1-30 Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy ..................1-36 Lap Belt (Crew and Extended Cab) .................1-36 Safety Belt Extender .....................................1-37 Child Restraints .............................................1-38 Older Children ..............................................1-38 Infants and Young Children ............................1-41 Child Restraint Systems .................................1-45 Where to Put the Restraint .............................1-48 Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) ..................................................1-49 Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Seat Position ...................................................1-58 Securing a Child Restraint in the Center Front Seat Position ....................................1-61 Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position (With Airbag Off Switch) ..........1-62 Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position (With Passenger Sensing System) ...................................................1-66 Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position (Heavy Duty Crew Cab Only) ......1-70 Airbag System ...............................................1-72 Where Are the Airbags? ................................1-75 When Should an Airbag Inﬂate? .....................1-77 What Makes an Airbag Inﬂate? .......................1-79 How Does an Airbag Restrain? .......................1-79 1-1 Section 1 Seats and Restraint System What Will You See After an Airbag Inﬂates? .....1-80 Airbag Off Switch ..........................................1-81 Passenger Sensing System ............................1-84 Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle ...........1-89 Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle ....................................................1-90 Restraint System Check ..................................1-91 Checking the Restraint Systems ......................1-91 Replacing Restraint System Parts After a Crash ...................................................1-92 1-2 Head Restraints The front seats have adjustable head restraints in the outboard seating positions. { CAUTION: 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. Adjust the head restraint so that the top of the restraint is at the same height as the top of the occupant’s head. This position reduces the chance of a neck injury in a crash. 1-3 Front Seats Manual Seats { CAUTION: You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle is moving. The sudden movement could startle and confuse you, or make you push a pedal when you do not want to. Adjust the driver’s seat only when the vehicle is not moving. Pull the head restraint up to raise it. To lower the head restraint, press the button, located on the top of the seatback, and push the restraint down. Push down on the head restraint after the button is released to make sure that it is locked in place. The head restraints are not designed to be removed. The rear seat has head rests that can be adjusted up and down. 1-4 If the vehicle has a manual seat, it can be moved forward or rearward. Power Seats 1. Lift the bar to unlock the seat. 2. Slide the seat to the desired position and release the bar. Try to move the seat with your body to be sure the seat is locked in place. Driver’s Seat with Power Seat Control, Power Recline, and Power Lumbar shown On a vehicle with power seats, the controls used to operate them are located on the outboard side of the seats. Move the seat forward or rearward by sliding the control forward or rearward. 1-5 Your vehicle may have additional features to adjust your vehicle’s power seat: (cid:129) Raise or lower the front part of the seat cushion by moving the front of the control up or down. (cid:129) Raise or lower the rear part of the seat cushion by moving the rear of the control up or down. (cid:129) Raise or lower the entire seat by moving the entire control up or down. On seats with power reclining seatbacks, the control is located behind the power seat control on the outboard side of the seats. See “Power Reclining Seatbacks” under Reclining Seatbacks on page 1-10. A vehicle with a memory function allows seat settings to be saved and recalled. See Memory Seat, Mirrors, and Pedals on page 1-8 for more information. Manual Lumbar On vehicles with this feature the control is located on the outboard side of the seat. Increase or decrease lumbar support by turning the knob forward or rearward. 1-6 Power Lumbar On seats with power lumbar, the controls used to operate this feature are located on the outboard side of the seats. To increase lumbar support, press and hold the front of the control. To decrease lumbar support, press and hold the rear of the control. The vehicle may have additional features to adjust your vehicle’s power seat: To raise the height of the lumbar support, press and hold the top of the control. To lower the height of the lumbar support, press and hold the bottom of the control. Release the control when the lower seatback reaches the desired level of lumbar support. Your vehicle may have a memory function which allows seat settings to be saved and recalled. See Memory Seat, Mirrors, and Pedals on page 1-8 for more information. Keep in mind that as your seating position changes, as it may during long trips, so should the position of your lumbar support. Adjust the seat as needed. 1-7 (cid:129) (cid:129) (cid:129) (cid:129) Heated Seats On vehicles with heated front seats, the controls are located on the driver and passenger doors. I (Heated Seatback): Press to turn on the heated seatback. J (Heated Seat and Seatback): Press to turn on the heated seat and seatback. The light on the button will come on to indicate that the feature is working. Press the button to cycle through the temperature settings of high, medium, and low and to turn the heat to the seat off. Indicator lights will show the level of heat selected: three for high, two for medium, and one for low. The heated seats will be canceled 10 seconds after the ignition is turned off. To use the heated seat feature after restarting the vehicle, press the heated seat or seatback button again. 1-8 Memory Seat, Mirrors, and Pedals Your vehicle may have the memory package. The controls for this feature are located on the driver’s door panel, and are used to program and recall memory settings for the driver’s seat, outside mirrors, and the adjustable throttle and brake pedal. To save seating positions in memory: 1. Adjust the driver’s seat, including the seatback recliner and lumbar, both outside mirrors, and the throttle and brake pedals to a comfortable position. See Outside Power Mirrors on page 2-58 and Adjustable Throttle and Brake Pedal on page 2-26 for more information. Not all mirrors, adjustable throttles and brake pedals, or power lumbar will have the ability to save and recall their positions. 2. Press and hold button 1 until two beeps sound to indicate that the position has been stored. Easy Exit Seat The control for this feature is located on the driver’s door panel between buttons 1 and 2. With the vehicle in PARK (P), the driver’s seat exit position can be recalled by pressing the exit button. You will hear a single beep, and the driver’s seat will move back. If the easy exit seat feature is programmed in the Driver Information Center (DIC), automatic seat movement will occur when the key is removed from the ignition. See “EASY EXIT SEAT” under DIC Vehicle Customization (With DIC Buttons) on page 3-75 for more information. The memory seat and easy exit features can also be programmed using the DIC. For programming information, see DIC Vehicle Customization (With DIC Buttons) on page 3-75. A second seating, lumbar, mirror, and throttle and brake pedal position can be programmed by repeating the above steps and pressing button 2. To recall the memory positions, the vehicle must be in PARK (P). Press and release either button 1 or button 2 corresponding to the desired driving position. The seat, outside mirrors, and adjustable throttle and brake pedals will move to the position previously stored. You will hear a single beep. If you use the remote keyless entry transmitter to enter your vehicle and the remote recall memory feature is on, automatic seat, adjustable mirror, and adjustable pedal movements will occur. See “MEMORY SEAT RECALL” under DIC Vehicle Customization (With DIC Buttons) on page 3-75 for more information. To stop recall movement of the memory function at any time, press one of the power seat controls, memory buttons, power mirror buttons, or adjustable pedal switch. If something has blocked the driver’s seat and/or the adjustable pedals while recalling a memory position, the driver’s seat and/or the adjustable pedals recall may stop working. If this happens, remove the obstruction and press the appropriate control for the area that is not responding for two seconds. Try recalling the memory position again by pressing the appropriate memory button. If the memory position is still not recalling, see your dealer for service. 1-9 Reclining Seatbacks { CAUTION: You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle is moving. The sudden movement could startle and confuse you, or make you push a pedal when you do not want to. Adjust the driver’s seat only when the vehicle is not moving. { CAUTION: If either seatback is not locked, it could move forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always push and pull on the seatbacks to be sure they are locked. 1-10 { CAUTION: Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle is in motion can be dangerous. Even if you buckle up, your safety belts cannot do their job when you are reclined like this. The shoulder belt cannot do its job. In a crash, you could go into it, receiving neck or other injuries. The lap belt cannot do its job either. In a crash the belt could go up over your abdomen. The belt forces would be there, not at your pelvic bones. This could cause serious internal injuries. For proper protection when the vehicle is in motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit well back in the seat and wear your safety belt properly. 1-11 Manual Reclining Seatbacks On seats with manual reclining seatbacks, the lever used to operate them is located on the outboard side of the seat(s). To recline the seatback: 1. Lift the recline lever. 2. Move the seatback to the desired position, then release the lever to lock the seatback in place. 3. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is locked. To return the seatback to an upright position, do the following: 1. Lift the lever fully without applying pressure to the seatback and the seatback will return to the upright position. 2. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is locked. 1-12 Power Reclining Seatbacks If the seats have power reclining seatbacks, the control used to recline them is located on the outboard side of the seat behind the power seat control. To recline the seatback, tilt the top of the control rearward. To bring the seatback forward, tilt the top of the control forward. Do not have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is moving. Seatback Latches The front seatbacks tilt forward to allow access to the rear of the cab. To tilt the seatback forward, lift the lever located on the outboard side of the seat cushion. { CAUTION: If either seatback is not locked, it could move forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always push and pull on the seatbacks to be sure they are locked. To return the seatback to the upright position, push the seatback rearward until it latches. After returning the seatback to its upright position, push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is locked. Center Seat Your vehicle may have a front center seat. The seatback doubles as an armrest and cupholder/storage area for the driver and passenger when the center seat is not used. Do not use it as a seating position when the seatback is folded down. 1-13 (cid:129) (cid:129) 2. Pull the seat cushion up until it latches with the seatback. 3. After latching the seat cushion up, pull forward on it to make sure it is locked. To fold the seat down, do the following: 1. Push the seat cushion rearward while pulling the release strap, located under the seat cushion. Pull the seat cushion down until it latches. 2. After latching the seat cushion, pull up on it to make sure it is locked. Rear Seats Rear Seat Operation (Extended Cab Full Bench) Folding the Rear Seat To fold the seat up, do the following: Notice: Folding a rear seat with the safety belts still fastened may cause damage to the seat or the safety belts. Always unbuckle the safety belts and return them to their normal stowed position before folding a rear seat. 1. Pull up on the front of the seat cushion while pulling down on the release strap, located under the seat cushion. 1-14 Rear Seat Operation (All Split Bench and Hybrid Full Bench) Folding Rear Seat On a vehicle with a second row 60/40 split seat either side of the rear seat may be folded for added cargo space. Notice: Folding a rear seat with the safety belts still fastened may cause damage to the seat or the safety belts. Always unbuckle the safety belts and return them to their normal stowed position before folding a rear seat. Make sure that nothing is on the seat. To fold the seat, slowly pull the seat cushion up. To return the seat to the normal seating position, slowly pull the seat cushion down. { CAUTION: A safety belt that is improperly routed, not properly attached, or twisted will not provide the protection needed in a crash. The person wearing the belt could be seriously injured. After raising the rear seatback, always check to be sure that the safety belts are properly routed and attached, and are not twisted. 1-15 Safety Belts Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone This part of the manual tells you how to use safety belts properly. It also tells you some things you should not do with safety belts. { CAUTION: Do not let anyone ride where a safety belt cannot be worn properly. In a crash, if you or your passenger(s) are not wearing safety belts, the injuries can be much worse. You can hit things inside the vehicle harder or be ejected from the CAUTION: (Continued) CAUTION: (Continued) vehicle. You and your passenger(s) can be seriously injured or killed. In the same crash, you might not be, if you are buckled up. Always fasten your safety belt, and check that your passenger(s) are restrained properly too. { CAUTION: People riding on the tailgate (if equipped) can easily lose their balance and fall even when the vehicle is operated at low speeds. Falling from a moving vehicle may result in serious injuries or death. 1-16 { CAUTION: It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area, inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision, people riding in these areas are more likely to be seriously injured or killed. Do not allow people to ride in any area of your vehicle that is not equipped with seats and safety belts. Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and using a safety belt properly. Your vehicle has indicators as a reminder to buckle your safety belts. See Safety Belt Reminders on page 3-36. In most states and in all Canadian provinces, the law requires wearing safety belts. Here is why: You never know if you will be in a crash. If you do have a crash, you do not know if it will be a serious one. A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so serious that even buckled up, a person would not survive. But most crashes are in between. In many of them, people who buckle up can survive and sometimes walk away. Without belts they could have been badly hurt or killed. After more than 40 years of safety belts in vehicles, the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does matter... a lot! 1-17 Why Safety Belts Work When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as it goes. Put someone on it. Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it is just a seat on wheels. 1-18 Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider does not stop. The person keeps going until stopped by something. In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield... 1-19 or the instrument panel... 1-20 or the safety belts! With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does. You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance, and your strongest bones take the forces. That is why safety belts make such good sense. Q: If I am a good driver, and I never drive far from home, why should I wear safety belts? A: You may be an excellent driver, but if you are in a crash — even one that is not your fault — you and your passenger(s) can be hurt. Being a good driver does not protect you from things beyond your control, such as bad drivers. Most accidents occur within 25 miles (40 km) of home. And the greatest number of serious injuries and deaths occur at speeds of less than 40 mph (65 km/h). Safety belts are for everyone. Questions and Answers About Safety Belts Q: Will I be trapped in the vehicle after a crash if I am wearing a safety belt? A: You could be — whether you are wearing a safety belt or not. But your chance of being conscious during and after an accident, so you can unbuckle and get out, is much greater if you are belted. And you can unbuckle a safety belt, even if you are upside down. Q: If my vehicle has airbags, why should I have to wear safety belts? A: Airbags are supplemental systems only; so they work with safety belts — not instead of them. Whether or not an airbag is provided, all occupants still have to buckle up to get the most protection. That is true not only in frontal collisions, but especially in side and other collisions. 1-21 How to Wear Safety Belts Properly This section is only for people of adult size. Be aware that there are special things to know about safety belts and children. And there are different rules for smaller children and infants. If a child will be riding in the vehicle, see Older Children on page 1-38 or Infants and Young Children on page 1-41. Follow those rules for everyone’s protection. 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 safety belts. Occupants who are not buckled up can be thrown out of the vehicle in a crash. And they can strike others in the vehicle who are wearing safety belts. First, before you or your passenger(s) wear a safety belt, there is important information you should know. 1-22 Sit up straight and always keep your feet on the ﬂoor in front of you. The lap part of the belt should be worn 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. 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. The shoulder belt locks if there is a sudden stop or crash. Q: What is wrong with this? { CAUTION: You can be seriously hurt if your shoulder belt is too loose. In a crash, you would move forward too much, which could increase injury. The shoulder belt should ﬁt snugly against your body. A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It will not give as much protection this way. 1-23 Q: What is wrong with this? { CAUTION: You can be seriously hurt if your lap belt is too loose. In a crash, you could slide under the lap belt and apply force on your abdomen. This could cause serious or even fatal injuries. The lap belt should be worn low and snug on the hips, just touching the thighs. A: The lap belt is too loose. It will not give nearly as much protection this way. 1-24 Q: What is wrong with this? { CAUTION: You can be seriously injured if your belt is buckled in the wrong place like this. In a crash, the belt would go up over your abdomen. The belt forces would be there, not on the pelvic bones. This could cause serious internal injuries. Always buckle your belt into the buckle nearest you. A: The belt is buckled in the wrong buckle. 1-25 { CAUTION: You can be seriously injured if your belt goes over an armrest like this. The belt would be much too high. In a crash, you can slide under the belt. The belt force would then be applied on the abdomen, not on the pelvic bones, and that could cause serious or fatal injuries. Be sure the belt goes under the armrests. Q: What is wrong with this? A: The belt is over an armrest. 1-26 Q: What is wrong with this? { CAUTION: You can be seriously injured if you wear the shoulder belt under your arm. In a crash, your body would move too far forward, which would increase the chance of head and neck injury. Also, the belt would apply too much force to the ribs, which are not as strong as shoulder bones. You could also severely injure internal organs like your liver or spleen. The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across the chest. A: The shoulder belt is worn under the arm. It should be worn over the shoulder at all times. 1-27 { CAUTION: You can be seriously injured by not wearing the lap-shoulder belt properly. In a crash, you would not be restrained by the shoulder belt. Your body could move too far forward increasing the chance of head and neck injury. You 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. Q: What is wrong with this? A: The belt is behind the body. 1-28 Q: What is wrong with this? { CAUTION: You can be seriously injured by a twisted belt. In a crash, you would not have the full width of the belt to spread impact forces. If a belt is twisted, make it straight so it can work properly, or ask your dealer/retailer to ﬁx it. A: The belt is twisted across the body. 1-29 Lap-Shoulder Belt If your vehicle is a regular cab, then all seating positions in the vehicle have a lap-shoulder belt. If your vehicle is a crew or extended cab, then all seating positions in the vehicle have a lap-shoulder belt except for the center front passenger position (if equipped), which has a lap belt. See Lap Belt (Crew and Extended Cab) on page 1-36 for more information. The following instructions explain how to wear a lap-shoulder belt properly. 1. Adjust the seat, if the seat is adjustable, so you can sit up straight. To see how, see “Seats” in the Index. 2. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you. Do not let it get twisted. The lap-shoulder belt may lock if you pull the belt across you very quickly. If this happens, let the belt go back slightly to unlock it. Then pull the belt across you more slowly. If the shoulder portion of a passenger belt is pulled out all the way, the child restraint locking feature may be engaged. If this happens, let the belt go back all the way and start again. 1-30 Engaging the child restraint locking feature may affect the passenger sensing system. See Passenger Sensing System on page 1-84 for more information. If the belt stops before it reaches the buckle, when using the lap-shoulder belt in a rear center seating position of a crew-cab, tilt the latch plate and keep pulling the safety belt until it can be buckled. 5. To make the lap part tight, pull up on the shoulder belt. It may be necessary to pull stitching on the safety belt through the latch plate to fully tighten the lap belt on smaller occupants. 3. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks. Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure. If the belt is not long enough, see Safety Belt Extender on page 1-37. If the latch plate will not go fully into the buckle, check if the correct buckle is being used. Position the release button on the buckle so that the safety belt could be quickly unbuckled if necessary. 4. If equipped with a shoulder belt height adjuster, move it to the height that is right for you. See “Shoulder Belt Height Adjustment” later in this section. 1-31 Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster The vehicle has a shoulder belt height adjuster for the driver and right front passenger. Adjust the height so that the shoulder portion of the belt is centered on the shoulder. The belt should be away from the face and neck, but not falling off the shoulder. Improper shoulder belt height adjustment could reduce the effectiveness of the safety belt in a crash. To unlatch the belt, push the button on the buckle. The belt should return to its stowed position. Before a door is closed, be sure the safety belt is out of the way. If a door is slammed against a safety belt, damage can occur to both the safety belt and the vehicle. Regular and Crew Cab To move the adjuster down for the regular and crew cabs, squeeze the buttons (A) on the sides of the height adjuster and move the height adjuster to the desired position. 1-32 On the extended cab, push down on the release button (A) and move the height adjuster to the desired position. Extended Cab You can move the adjuster up just by pushing up on the shoulder belt guide. After you move the adjuster to where you want it, try to move it down, without squeezing the buttons for the regular and crew cabs, or without pushing the release button for extended cabs, to make sure it has locked into position. Safety Belt Pretensioners This vehicle has safety belt pretensioners for front outboard occupants. Although the safety belt pretensioners cannot be seen, they are part of the safety belt assembly. They can help tighten the safety belts during the early stages of a moderate to severe frontal, near frontal, or rear crash if the threshold conditions for pretensioner activation are met. And, if your vehicle has side impact airbags, safety belt pretensioners can help tighten the safety belts in a side crash or a rollover event. Pretensioners work only once. If the pretensioners activate in a crash, they will need to be replaced, and probably other new parts for the vehicle’s safety belt system. See Replacing Restraint System Parts After a Crash on page 1-92. 1-33 Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides Rear shoulder belt comfort guides may provide added safety 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 belt away from the neck and head. There is one guide for each outboard passenger position in the rear seat. Here is how to install a comfort guide to the shoulder belt: 1. Remove the guide from its storage clip on the interior body. 1-34 2. Place the guide over the belt and insert the two edges of the belt into the slots of the guide. 3. Be sure that the belt is not twisted and it lies ﬂat. The elastic cord must be under the belt and the guide on top. { CAUTION: A safety 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. 4. Buckle, position, and release the safety belt as described previously in this section. Make sure that the shoulder belt crosses the shoulder. To remove and store the comfort guide, squeeze the belt edges together so that the safety belt can be removed from the guide. Slide the guide onto the storage clip. 1-35 Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy Safety belts work for everyone, including pregnant women. Like all occupants, they are more likely to be seriously injured if they do not wear safety belts. Lap Belt (Crew and Extended Cab) This section is only for the lap belt. To learn how to wear a lap-shoulder belt, see Lap-Shoulder Belt on page 1-30. Your vehicle may have a center seating position. When you sit in the center front seating position, you have a lap safety belt, which has no retractor. A pregnant woman should wear a lap-shoulder belt, and the lap portion should be worn as low as possible, below the rounding, throughout the pregnancy. The best way to protect the fetus is to protect the mother. When a safety belt is worn properly, it is more likely that the fetus will not be hurt in a crash. For pregnant women, as for anyone, the key to making safety belts effective is wearing them properly. 1-36 To make the belt longer, tilt the latch plate and pull it along the belt. Buckle, position, and release it the same way as the lap part of a lap-shoulder belt. To make the belt shorter, pull its free end as shown until the belt is snug. If the belt is not long enough, see Safety Belt Extender on page 1-37. Make sure the release button on the buckle is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if necessary. Safety Belt Extender If the vehicle’s safety belt will fasten around you, you should use it. But if a safety belt is not long enough, your dealer/retailer will order you an extender. When you go in to order it, take the heaviest coat you will wear, so the extender will be long enough for you. To help avoid personal injury, do not let someone else use it, and use it only for the seat it is made to ﬁt. The extender has been designed for adults. Never use it for securing child seats. To wear it, attach it to the regular safety belt. For more information, see the instruction sheet that comes with the extender. 1-37 Child Restraints Older Children Older children who have outgrown booster seats should wear the vehicle’s safety belts. 1-38 The manufacturer’s 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 below ﬁt test: (cid:129) 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. (cid:129) Buckle the lap-shoulder belt. Does the shoulder belt rest on the shoulder? If yes, continue. If no, try using the rear safety belt comfort guide. See “Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides” under Lap-Shoulder Belt on page 1-30 for more information. If the shoulder belt still does not rest on the shoulder, then return to the booster seat. (cid:129) Does the lap belt ﬁt low and snug on the hips, touching the thighs? If yes, continue. If no, return to the booster seat. (cid:129) Can proper safety belt ﬁt be maintained for the length of the trip? If yes, continue. If no, return to the booster seat. If you have the choice, a child should sit in a position with a lap-shoulder belt and get the additional restraint a shoulder belt can provide. (cid:129) { CAUTION: Never do this. Never allow two children to wear the same safety belt. The safety belt can not properly spread the impact forces. In a crash, the two children can be crushed together and seriously injured. A safety belt must be used by only one person at a time. Q: What is the proper way to wear safety 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 Safety Belt Comfort Guides” under Lap-Shoulder Belt on page 1-30. 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. 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 safety belts properly. 1-39 { CAUTION: Never do this. Never allow a child to wear the safety belt with the shoulder belt 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. 1-40 Airbags plus lap-shoulder belts offer protection for adults and older children, but not for young children and infants. Neither the vehicle’s safety belt system nor its airbag system is designed for them. Every time infants and young children ride in vehicles, they should have the protection provided by appropriate child restraints. Children who are not restrained properly can strike other people, or can be thrown out of the vehicle. 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. { CAUTION: Children can be seriously injured or strangled if a shoulder belt is wrapped around their neck and the safety belt continues to tighten. Never leave children unattended in a vehicle and never allow children to play with the safety belts. 1-41 { CAUTION: Never do this. 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 should be secured in an appropriate restraint. 1-42 { CAUTION: Never do this. 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 right front 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 right front seat, always move the front passenger seat as far back as it will go. 1-43 { CAUTION: To reduce the risk of neck and head injury during a crash, infants need complete support. This is because an infant’s neck is not fully developed and its head weighs so much compared with the rest of its body. In a crash, an infant in a rear-facing child restraint settles into the restraint, so the crash forces can be distributed across the strongest part of an infant’s body, the back and shoulders. Infants should always be secured in rear-facing child restraints. Q: What are the different types of add-on child restraints? A: Add-on child restraints, which are purchased by the vehicle’s owner, are available in four basic types. Selection of a particular restraint should take into consideration not only the child’s weight, height, and age but also whether or not the restraint will be compatible with the motor vehicle in which it will be used. For most basic types of child restraints, 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 restraint will have a label saying that it meets federal motor vehicle safety standards. The restraint manufacturer’s instructions that come with the restraint state the weight and height limitations for a particular child restraint. In addition, there are many kinds of restraints available for children with special needs. 1-44 { CAUTION: A young child’s hip bones are still so small that the vehicle’s regular safety 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 appropriate child restraints. Child Restraint Systems A rear-facing infant seat (A) 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. 1-45 A forward-facing child seat (B) provides restraint for the child’s body with the harness. A booster seat (C-D) is a child restraint designed to improve the ﬁt of the vehicle’s safety belt system. A booster seat can also help a child to see out the window. 1-46 Securing an Add-On Child Restraint in the Vehicle { CAUTION: 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’s safety 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 restraint systems 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) on page 1-49 for more information. A child 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 instructions that come with the restraint which may be on the restraint itself or in a booklet, or both, and to this 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. Securing the Child Within the Child Restraint { CAUTION: 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. 1-47 Where to Put the Restraint 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. We recommend that children and child restraints be secured in a rear seat, including: an infant or a child riding in a rear-facing child restraint; a child riding in a forward-facing child seat; an older child riding in a booster seat; and children, who are large enough, using safety belts. A label on the sun visor says, “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 deploys. { CAUTION: A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be seriously injured or killed if the right 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 right front passenger airbag inﬂates and the passenger seat is in a forward position. Even if the passenger sensing system or airbag switch has turned off the right 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 right 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. 1-48 { CAUTION: 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. When securing a child restraint in a rear seating position, study the instructions that came with your child restraint to make sure it is compatible with this vehicle. 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. Wherever a child restraint is installed, be sure to 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 your vehicle — even when no child is in it. Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) The LATCH system holds a child restraint during driving or in a crash. This system is designed to make installation of a child restraint easier. The LATCH system uses anchors in the vehicle and attachments on the child restraint that are made for use with the LATCH system. Make sure that a LATCH-compatible child restraint is properly installed using the anchors, or use the vehicle’s safety belts to secure the restraint, following the instructions that came with that 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 safety belts to properly secure the child restraint. A child restraint must never be installed using only the top tether and anchor. In order to use the LATCH system in your vehicle, you need a child restraint that has LATCH attachments. The child restraint manufacturer will provide you with instructions on how to use the child restraint and its attachments. The following explains how to attach a child restraint with these attachments in your vehicle. Not all vehicle seating positions or child restraints have lower anchors and attachments or top tether anchors and attachments. 1-49 Lower Anchors Top Tether Anchor Lower anchors (A) are metal bars built into the vehicle. There are two lower anchors for each LATCH seating position that will accommodate a child restraint with lower attachments (B). A top tether (A, C) anchors the top of the child restraint to the vehicle. A top tether anchor is built into the vehicle. The top tether attachment (B) on the child restraint connects to the top tether anchor in the vehicle in order to reduce the forward movement and rotation of the child restraint during driving or in a crash. Your child restraint may have a single tether (A) or a dual tether (C). Either will have a single attachment (B) to secure the top tether to the anchor. 1-50 Some child restraints that have a top tether are designed for use with or without the top tether being attached. Others require the top tether always to be attached. In Canada, the law requires that forward-facing child restraints have a top tether, and that the tether be attached. Be sure to read and follow the instructions for your child restraint. If the child restraint does not have a top tether, one can be obtained, in kit form, for many child restraints. Ask the child restraint manufacturer whether or not a kit is available. Lower Anchor and Top Tether Anchor Locations Regular Cab — Two-Passenger Front Seat i (Top Tether Anchor): Seating positions with top tether anchors. Cab — Three-Passenger Regular Front Seat Do not install a child restraint in the center front seat position. See Securing a Child Restraint in the Center Front Seat Position on page 1-61 for more information. 1-51 i (Top Tether Anchor): Seating positions with top tether anchors. j (Lower Anchor): Seating positions with two lower anchors. For regular cab models, there is an anchor symbol on the covers to assist you in locating the top tether anchors. Crew and Extended Cab Rear Seat For crew and extended cab models, the rear outboard seating positions have exposed metal lower anchors located in the crease between the seatback and the seat cushion. 1-52 Regular Cab Do not install a child restraint in the center seat position. See Securing a Child Restraint in the Center Front Seat Position on page 1-61 for more information. For regular cab models, the top tether anchors are located under covers on the back panel behind the passenger seat. Remove the trim plug to access the anchor. Be sure to use an anchor located on the same side of the vehicle as the seating position where the child restraint will be placed. Crew Cab Shown, Extended Cab Similar For crew and extended cab models, the top tether anchors are the loops located near the top of the seatback for each rear seating position. These loops will be used to route the top tether through, as well as, to secure the top tether in the vehicle. Be sure to use an anchor (loop) located on the same side of the vehicle as the seating position where the child restraint will be placed. Be sure to read the instructions following to properly install a child restraint using these loops. 1-53 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 on page 1-48 for additional information. Securing a Child Restraint Designed for the LATCH System { CAUTION: If a LATCH-type child restraint is not attached to anchors, the child restraint will not be able to protect the child correctly. In a crash, the child could be seriously injured or killed. Install a LATCH-type child restraint properly using the anchors, or use the vehicle’s safety belts to secure the restraint, following the instructions that came with the child restraint and the instructions in this manual. 1-54 { CAUTION: Do not attach more than one child restraint to a single anchor, except for the center top tether anchors in the crew and extended cabs. 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. 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. { CAUTION: Children can be seriously injured or strangled if a shoulder belt is wrapped around their neck and the safety belt continues to tighten. Buckle any unused safety 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, if your vehicle has one, after the child restraint has been installed. 1.2. Find the top tether anchor. 1.3. Remove the cover to expose the anchor. 1.4. 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 headrest or head restraint and you are using a dual tether, route the tether around the headrest or head restraint. Notice: Do not let the LATCH attachments rub against the vehicle’s safety belts. This may damage these parts. If necessary, move buckled safety belts to avoid rubbing the LATCH attachments. Do not fold the empty rear seat with a safety belt buckled. This could damage the safety belt or the seat. Unbuckle and return the safety belt to its stowed position, before folding the seat. Regular Cab Models 1. 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. Pull the passenger seatback forward by pulling the recliner handle upward to access the top tether anchor. See Reclining Seatbacks on page 1-10 for additional information. 1-55 Crew and Extended 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 safety belts. Refer to your child restraint manufacturer instructions and the instructions in this manual. 1.1. Find the lower anchors for the desired seating position. 1.2. Put the child restraint on the seat. 1.3. Attach and tighten the lower attachments on the child restraint to the lower anchors. If the position you are using has an adjustable headrest or head restraint and you are using a single tether, raise the headrest or head restraint and route the tether under the headrest or head restraint and in between the headrest or head restraint posts. 2. See Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position (With Airbag Off Switch) on page 1-62 or Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position (With Passenger Sensing System) on page 1-66 or Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position (Heavy Duty Crew Cab Only) on page 1-70 for instructions on installing the child restraint using the safety belts. 3. Push and pull the child restraint in different directions to be sure it is secure. 1-56 2. If the child restraint manufacturer recommends that the top tether be attached, attach and tighten the top tether to the top tether anchor (loop), if your vehicle has one. Refer to the child restraint instructions and the following steps: Example — Rear Driver’s Side Position Example — Rear Driver’s Side Position 2.1. When using a child restraint with a top tether in the rear driver side position: A. Raise the headrest or head restraint. B. Route the top tether (B) between the headrest or head restraint posts, through the loop (A), behind the inboard headrest or head restraint post, and under the center shoulder belt (C). C. Attach the top tether (B) to the top tether anchor (loop) (D) at the center rear seating position. 1-57 2.2. When using a child restraint with a top tether in the rear center position: A. Route the top tether (B) through the center loop (D), and behind the inboard passenger side headrest or head restraint post. B. Attach the top tether (B) to the top tether anchor (loop) at the rear passenger side seating position. 2.3. When using a child restraint with a top tether in the rear passenger position: A. Raise the headrest or head restraint. B. Route the top tether (B) between the headrest or head restraint posts, through the loop on the passenger side and behind the inboard headrest or head restraint post. C. Attach the top tether (B) to the top tether anchor (loop) (D) at the center rear seating position. 2.4. Tighten the top tether when and as the child restraint manufacturer’s instructions say. When the top tether is tightened, the anchor (loop) may bend. This is normal and will not damage the vehicle. 3. Push and pull the child restraint in different directions to be sure it is secure. 1-58 Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Seat Position When securing a child restraint in a rear seating position, study the instructions that came with the child restraint to make sure it is compatible with this vehicle. If the child restraint has the LATCH system, see Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-49 for how and where to install the child restraint using LATCH. If a child restraint is secured in the vehicle using a safety belt and it uses a top tether, see Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-49 for top tether anchor locations. Do not secure a child seat in a position without a top tether anchor if a national or local law requires that the top tether be anchored, or if the instructions that come with the child restraint say that the top strap must be anchored. In Canada, the law requires that forward-facing child restraints have a top tether, and that the tether be attached. If the child restraint does not have the LATCH system, you will be using the safety belt to secure the child restraint in this position. Be sure to follow the instructions that came with the child restraint. Secure the child in the child restraint when and as the instructions say. If more than one child restraint needs to be installed in the rear seat, be sure to read Where to Put the Restraint on page 1-48. 1. Put the child restraint on the seat. 2. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap and shoulder portions of the vehicle’s safety belt through or around the restraint. The child restraint instructions will show you how. For crew cab second row seatings positions, tilt the latch plate to adjust the belt if needed. 3. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks. Position the release button on the buckle so that the safety belt could be quickly unbuckled if necessary. 1-59 4. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of the retractor to set the lock. 5. To tighten the belt, push down on the child restraint, pull the shoulder portion of the belt to tighten the lap portion of the belt and feed the shoulder belt back into the retractor. When installing a forward-facing child restraint, it may be helpful to use your knee to push down on the child restraint as you tighten the belt. 1-60 6. If the child restraint has a top tether, follow the child restraint manufacturer’s instructions regarding the use of the top tether. See Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-49 for more information. 7. Push and pull the child restraint in different directions to be sure it is secure. To remove the child restraint, unbuckle the vehicle safety belt and let it return to the stowed position. If the top tether is attached to a top tether anchor, disconnect it. Securing a Child Restraint in the Center Front Seat Position { CAUTION: 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. 1-61 Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position (With Airbag Off Switch) This vehicle has airbags. A rear seat is a safer place to secure a forward-facing child restraint. See Where to Put the Restraint on page 1-48. There may be a switch in the glove box that you can use to turn off the right front passenger frontal airbag. See Airbag Off Switch on page 1-81 for more information, including important safety information. A label on the sun visor says, “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 deploys. { CAUTION: A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be seriously injured or killed if the right 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 right front passenger airbag inﬂates and the passenger seat is in a forward position. Even if the airbag switch has turned off the right 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 right 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. 1-62 { CAUTION: If the airbag readiness light ever comes on and stays on, it means that something may be wrong with the airbag system. For example, the right front passenger airbag could inﬂate even though the airbag on-off switch is turned off. To help avoid injury to yourself or others, have the vehicle serviced right away. See Airbag Readiness Light on page 3-37 for more information, including important safety information. 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. If the child restraint has the LATCH system, see Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-49 for how and where to install the child restraint using LATCH. If a child restraint is secured using a safety belt and it uses a top tether, see Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-49 for top tether anchor locations. 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 anchored, or if the instructions that come with the child restraint say that the top strap must be anchored. In Canada, the law requires that forward-facing child restraints have a top tether, and that the tether be attached. You will be using the lap-shoulder belt to secure the child restraint in this position. Follow the instructions that came with the child restraint. 1. Move the seat as far back as it will go before securing the forward-facing child restraint. If you have no other choice but to install a rear-facing child restraint in this seat, make sure the airbag is off once the child restraint has been installed. When the airbag off switch has turned off the right front passenger frontal airbag, the off indicator in the airbag off light should light and stay lit when you start the vehicle. See Airbag Off Light on page 3-38. 2. Put the child restraint on the seat. 3. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap and shoulder portions of the vehicle’s safety belt through or around the restraint. The child restraint instructions will show you how. 1-63 4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks. Position the release button so that the safety belt could be quickly unbuckled if necessary. 5. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of the retractor to set the lock. 1-64 7. If your vehicle does not have a rear seat and your child restraint has a top tether, follow the child restraint manufacturer’s instructions regarding the use of the top tether. See Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-49. 8. Push and pull the child restraint in different directions to be sure it is secure. To remove the child restraint, unbuckle the vehicle safety belt and let it return to the stowed position. If the top tether is attached to a top tether anchor, disconnect it. If you turned the airbag off with the switch, turn on the right front passenger airbag when you remove the child restraint from the vehicle unless the person who will be sitting there is a member of a passenger airbag risk group. See Airbag Off Switch on page 1-81. 6. To tighten the belt, push down on the child restraint, pull the shoulder portion of the belt to tighten the lap portion of the belt and feed the shoulder belt back into the retractor. When installing a forward-facing child restraint, it may be helpful to use your knee to push down on the child restraint as you tighten the belt. 1-65 Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position (With Passenger Sensing System) This vehicle has airbags. A rear seat is a safer place to secure a forward-facing child restraint. See Where to Put the Restraint on page 1-48. In addition, the vehicle may have a passenger sensing system which is designed to turn off the right front passenger frontal airbag under certain conditions. See Passenger Sensing System on page 1-84 and Passenger Airbag Status Indicator on page 3-40 for more information on this, including important safety information. A label on the sun visor says, “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 deploys. 1-66 { CAUTION: A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be seriously injured or killed if the right 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 right front passenger airbag inﬂates and the passenger seat is in a forward position. Even if the passenger sensing system has turned off the right 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 right 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. See Passenger Sensing System on page 1-84 for additional information. 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. If your child restraint has the LATCH system, see Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-49 for how and where to install your child restraint using LATCH. If you secure a child restraint using a safety belt and it uses a top tether, see Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-49 for top tether anchor locations. Do not secure a child seat in a position without a top tether anchor if a national or local law requires that the top tether be anchored, or if the instructions that come with the child restraint say that the top strap must be anchored. In Canada, the law requires that forward-facing child restraints have a top tether, and that the tether be attached. You will be using the lap-shoulder belt to secure the child restraint in this position. Follow the instructions that came with the child restraint. 1. Move the seat as far back as it will go before securing the forward-facing child restraint. When the passenger sensing system has turned off the right front passenger frontal airbag, the off indicator in the passenger airbag status indicator should light and stay lit when you start the vehicle. See Passenger Airbag Status Indicator on page 3-40. 2. Put the child restraint on the seat. 3. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap and shoulder portions of the vehicle’s safety belt through or around the restraint. The child restraint instructions will show you how. 1-67 4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks. Position the release button so that the safety belt could be quickly unbuckled if necessary. 5. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of the retractor to set the lock. 1-68 6. To tighten the belt, push down on the child restraint, pull the shoulder portion of the belt to tighten the lap portion of the belt and feed the shoulder belt back into the retractor. When installing a forward-facing child restraint, it may be helpful to use your knee to push down on the child restraint as you tighten the belt. 7. If the vehicle does not have a rear seat and the child restraint has a top tether, follow the child restraint manufacturer’s instructions regarding the use of the top tether. See Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-49 for more information. 8. Push and pull the child restraint in different directions to be sure it is secure. If the airbag is off, the off indicator in the passenger airbag status indicator will come on and stay on when the vehicle is started. If a child restraint has been installed and the on indicator is lit, see “If the On Indicator is Lit for a Child Restraint ” under Passenger Sensing System on page 1-84 for more information. To remove the child restraint, unbuckle the vehicle safety belt and let it return to the stowed position. If the top tether is attached to a top tether anchor, disconnect it. 1-69 Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position (Heavy Duty Crew Cab Only) Your vehicle has airbags. A rear seat is a safer place to secure a forward-facing child restraint. See Where to Put the Restraint on page 1-48. A label on the sun visor says, “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 deploys. Never put a rear-facing child restraint in the right front passenger seat. Here is why: { CAUTION: A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be seriously injured or killed if the right front passenger’s airbag inﬂates. This is because the back of the rear-facing child restraint would be very close to the inﬂating airbag. Always secure a rear-facing child restraint in a rear seat. 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. If your child restraint has the LATCH system, see Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-49 for how and where to install your child restraint using LATCH. If you secure a child restraint using a safety belt and it uses a top tether, see Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-49 for top tether anchor locations. Do not secure a child seat in a position without a top tether anchor if a national or local law requires that the top tether be anchored, or if the instructions that come with the child restraint say that the top strap must be anchored. In Canada, the law requires that forward-facing child restraints have a top tether, and that the tether be attached. You will be using the lap-shoulder belt to secure the child restraint in this position. Follow the instructions that came with the child restraint. 1. Move the seat as far back as it will go before securing the forward-facing child restraint. 2. Put the child restraint on the seat. 1-70 3. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap and shoulder portions of the vehicle’s safety belt through or around the restraint. The child restraint instructions will show you how. 5. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of the retractor to set the lock. 4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks. Make sure the release button is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if necessary. 1-71 7. If your child restraint has a top tether, follow the child restraint manufacturer’s instructions regarding the use of the top tether. See Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-49 for more information. 8. Push and pull the child restraint in different directions to be sure it is secure. To remove the child restraint, unbuckle the vehicle safety belt and let it return to the stowed position. If the top tether is attached to a top tether anchor, disconnect it. Airbag System The vehicle has the following airbags: (cid:129) A frontal airbag for the driver. (cid:129) A frontal airbag for the right front passenger. The vehicle may have the following airbags: (cid:129) A roof-rail airbag for the driver and the passenger seated directly behind the driver. (cid:129) A roof-rail airbag for the right front passenger and the person seated directly behind the right front passenger. 6. To tighten the belt, push down on the child restraint, pull the shoulder portion of the belt to tighten the lap portion of the belt and feed the shoulder belt back into the retractor. If you are using a forward-facing child restraint, you may ﬁnd it helpful to use your knee to push down on the child restraint as you tighten the belt. 1-72 All of the airbags in the vehicle will have the word AIRBAG embossed in the trim or on an attached label near the deployment opening. For frontal airbags, the word AIRBAG will appear on the middle part of the steering wheel for the driver and on the instrument panel for the right front passenger. With roof-rail airbags, the word AIRBAG will appear along the headliner or trim. Airbags are designed to supplement the protection provided by safety 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: { CAUTION: You can be severely injured or killed in a crash if you are not wearing your safety belt — even if you have airbags. Airbags are designed to work with safety belts, but do not replace them. Also, airbags are not designed to deploy in every crash. In some crashes safety belts are your only restraint. See When Should an Airbag Inﬂate? on page 1-77. Wearing your safety 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 safety belts. Everyone in your vehicle should wear a safety belt properly — whether or not there is an airbag for that person. 1-73 { CAUTION: { CAUTION: Airbags inﬂate with great force, faster than the blink of an eye. Anyone who is up against, or very close to, any airbag when it inﬂates can be seriously injured or killed. Do not sit unnecessarily close to the airbag, as you would be if you were sitting on the edge of your seat or leaning forward. Safety belts help keep you in position before and during a crash. Always wear your safety belt, even with airbags. The driver should sit as far back as possible while still maintaining control of the vehicle. Occupants should not lean on or sleep against the door or side windows in seating positions with roof-rail airbags. 1-74 Children who are up against, or very close to, any airbag when it inﬂates can be seriously injured or killed. Airbags plus lap-shoulder belts offer protection for adults and older children, but not for young children and infants. Neither the vehicle’s safety belt system nor its airbag system is designed for them. Young children and infants need the protection that a child restraint system can provide. Always secure children properly in your vehicle. To read how, see Older Children on page 1-38 or Infants and Young Children on page 1-41. There is an airbag readiness light on the instrument panel 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 on page 3-37 for more information. Where Are the Airbags? The driver’s airbag is in the middle of the steering wheel. The right front passenger’s airbag is in the instrument panel on the passenger’s side. 1-75 { CAUTION: 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 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. 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. Driver Side shown, Passenger Side similar If your vehicle has roof-rail airbags for the driver, right front passenger, and second row outboard passengers, they are in the ceiling above the side windows. 1-76 When Should an Airbag Inﬂate? 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 right front passenger’s head and chest. However, they are only designed to inﬂate if the impact exceeds a predetermined

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2009 GMC Sierra Owners Manual