GMC ACADIA 2011 Owner's Manual

Black plate (55,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-55
SeeLower Anchors and Tethers
for Children (LATCH System) on
page 3‑57 for more information.
Children can be endangered in a
crash if the child restraint is not
properly secured in the vehicle.
When securing an add-on child
restraint, refer to the 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. 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.
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 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.

Black plate (56,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
3-56 Seats and Restraints
A label on the sun visor says,
“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 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
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
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.
SeePassenger Sensing System
on page 3‑41 for additional
information.
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. Child restraints and booster seats
vary considerably in size, and some
may fit in certain seating positions
better than others. Always make
sure the child restraint is properly
secured.
Depending on where you place the
child restraint and the size of the
child restraint you may not be able
to access adjacent safety belt
assemblies 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
safety belt.
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
the vehicle
—even when no child is
in it.

Black plate (57,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-57
Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children
(LATCH System)
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 restraintwith 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 attached 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.
Lower Anchors
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).

Black plate (58,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
3-58 Seats and Restraints
Top Tether Anchor
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.
Some child restraints with top
tethers 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.
Lower Anchor and Top Tether
Anchor Locations
Second Row
—Bucket
i(Top Tether Anchor): Seating
positions with top tether anchors.
j(Lower Anchor): Seating
positions with two lower anchors.

Black plate (59,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-59
Second Row—60/40 Bench
i(Top Tether Anchor): Seating
positions with top tether anchors.
j(Lower Anchor): Seating
positions with two lower anchors.
Third Row
i(Top Tether Anchor): Seating
positions with top tether anchors.
To assist you in locating the lower
anchors, each second row anchor
position has a label, near the crease
between the seatback and the seat
cushion.

Black plate (60,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
3-60 Seats and Restraints
To assist you in locating the top
tether anchors, the top tether anchor
symbol is located on the cover,
if equipped, or near the anchor.
The top tether anchors are located
at the bottom rear of the seatback
for each seating position in the
second row.
Second Row—Bucket Shown,
Bench Similar
Some vehicles have top tether
anchors with a cover. Open the
cover to access the anchors.Second Row —Bucket Shown,
Bench Similar
Some vehicles have exposed top
tether anchors.
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.

Black plate (61,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-61
Third Row
The third row has one top tether
anchor located at the bottom rear of
the center seatback. This anchor
should be used for the center
seating position only. Never install
two top tethers using the same top
tether anchor. 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 3‑55 for
additional information.
Securing a Child Restraint
Designed for the LATCH
System
{WARNING
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 safety
belts to secure the restraint,
following the instructions that
came with the child restraint and
the instructions in this manual.

Black plate (62,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
3-62 Seats and Restraints
{WARNING
Do not attach more than one
child restraint to a single anchor.
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.
{WARNING
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.(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
Pull the shoulder belt all the way
out of the retractor to set the lock,
if the vehicle has one, after the
child restraint has been installed.
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.
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. Recline the seatback to the full reclined position.
Make sure the second
row bench seatbacks are
aligned at the same angle
before placing the child
restraint on the seat. Make
sure the third row bench
seatbacks are both upright
before placing the child
restraint on the seat.

Black plate (63,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-63
1.3. Put the child restraint onthe seat.
1.4. Attach and tighten the lower attachments on the child
restraint to the lower
anchors.
2. If the child restraint manufacturer recommends that the top tether
be attached, attach and tighten
the top tether to the top tether
anchor, if the vehicle has one.
Refer to the child restraint
instructions and the following
steps:
2.1. Find the top tether anchor.
2.2. If the anchor is covered, flip open the cover to expose
the anchor. 2.3. Route, attach, and tighten
the top tether according
to your child restraint
instructions and the
following instructions:
If the position you are using
does not have a headrest
or head restraint and you
are using a single tether,
route the tether over the
seatback.
If the position you are using
does not have a headrest
or head restraint and you
are using a dual tether,
route the tether over the
seatback.

Black plate (64,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
3-64 Seats and Restraints
If the position you are using
has a fixed headrest or
head restraint and you
are using a dual tether,
route the tether around the
headrest or head restraint.If the position you are using
has a fixed headrest or
head restraint and you are
using a single tether, route
the tether over the headrest
or head restraint.
3. Before placing a child in the child restraint, make sure it
is securely held in place.
To check, grasp the child
restraint at the LATCH path
and attempt to move it side
to side and back and forth.
There should be no more than
2.5 cm (1 in) of movement,
for proper installation.
Replacing LATCH System
Parts After a Crash
{WARNING
A crash can damage the
LATCH system in the vehicle.
A damaged LATCH system may
not properly secure the child
restraint, resulting in serious
injury or even death in a crash.
To help make sure the LATCH
system is working properly after
a crash, see your dealer to have
the system inspected and any
necessary replacements made
as soon as possible.
If the vehicle has the LATCH system
and it was being used during a
crash, new LATCH system parts
may be needed.
New parts and repairs may be
necessary even if the LATCH
system was not being used at
the time of the crash.