warning GMC ACADIA 2011 Owner's Guide

Black plate (13,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-13
3. Pull forward on the recliningseatback strap (B) and push
down on the seatback.
The head restraint will fold down
automatically.
To return the seatback to the
seating position, lift the upper
corner of the seatback and push
it rearward until it locks into place.
Push and pull on the seatback to
make sure it is locked. Pull up on
the head restraint to return it to the
upright, locked position.
Adjusting the Seats
To adjust the second row seats,
pull outward on the seat adjustment
handle (A). Slide the seat forward
or rearward to the desired position.
Release the handle, and push and
pull on the seat to make sure it is
locked.
Third Row Seats
{WARNING
Using the third row seating
position while the second row
is folded, or pushed forward in
the entry position, could cause
injury in a sudden stop or crash.
Be sure to return the seat to the
passenger seating position. Push
and pull on the seat to make sure
it is locked into place.
Folding the Seatback
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. To fold the third row seatback:
1. Remove anything on or under
the seat.2. Disconnect the rear safety beltmini-latch using a key in the
slot on the mini-buckle, and let
the belt retract into the headliner.
Stow the mini-latch in the holder
in the headliner.

Black plate (14,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
3-14 Seats and Restraints
3. Pull up on the release lever onthe back of the seat.
4. Push the seatback forward to lay flat.
Returning the Seat to the
Seating Position
To return the seatback to the
seating position:
1. From the rear of the vehicle,raise the seatback to the upright
position using the pullstrap on
the back of the third row seat,
or lift the seatback and push
it into place from inside the
vehicle.
{WARNING
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.
2. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is locked in place.
{WARNING
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.
3. Reconnect the center safety belt mini-latch to the mini-buckle.
Do not let it twist.
4. Pull on the safety belt to be sure the mini-latch is secure.

Black plate (16,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
3-16 Seats and Restraints
Safety Belts
This section of the manual
describes how to use safety belts
properly. It also describes some
things not to do with safety belts.
{WARNING
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 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.
{WARNING
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
the vehicle is in a seat and using
a safety belt properly.
This vehicle has indicators as a
reminder to buckle the safety belts.
See Safety Belt Reminders on
page 5‑15 for additional information. 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
safety 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!

Black plate (21,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-21
{WARNING
You can be seriously hurt if the
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.Q: What is wrong with this?
A:
The lap belt is too loose.
It will not give nearly as much
protection this way.
{WARNING
You can be seriously hurt if the
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.

Black plate (22,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
3-22 Seats and Restraints
Q: What is wrong with this?
A:The belt is buckled in the wrong
buckle.
{WARNING
You can be seriously injured if
the 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 the belt
into the buckle nearest you. Q: What is wrong with this?
A:
The belt is over an armrest.

Black plate (23,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-23
{WARNING
You can be seriously injured if
the 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 shoulder belt is worn under
the arm. It should be worn over
the shoulder at all times.
{WARNING
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.

Black plate (24,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
3-24 Seats and Restraints
Q: What is wrong with this?
A:The belt is behind the body.
{WARNING
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 twisted across
the body.

Black plate (25,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-25
{WARNING
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 to fix it.
Lap-Shoulder Belt
All seating positions in the vehicle
have a lap-shoulder belt.
If you are using a rear seating
position with a detachable safety
belt and the safety belt is not
attached, see“Returning the
Seat to the Seating Position” under
Third Row Seats on page 3‑13
for instruction on reconnecting
the safety belt to the mini-buckle.
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.

Black plate (30,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
3-30 Seats and Restraints
{WARNING
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 releasethe safety belt as described
previously in this section. Make
sure the shoulder portion of the
belt is on the shoulder and not
falling off of it. The belt should
be close to, but not contacting,
the neck. 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 into its storage
location or on its storage clip.
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.

Black plate (32,1)GMC Acadia/Acadia Denali Owner Manual - 2011
3-32 Seats and Restraints
Safety Belt Care
Keep belts clean and dry.
{WARNING
Do not bleach or dye safety belts.
It may severely weaken them.
In a crash, they might not be able
to provide adequate protection.
Clean safety belts only with mild
soap and lukewarm water.
Replacing Safety Belt
System Parts After a
Crash
{WARNING
A crash can damage the safety
belt system in the vehicle.
A damaged safety belt system
may not properly protect the
person using it, resulting in
serious injury or even death in
a crash. To help make sure the
safety belt systems are working
properly after a crash, have them
inspected and any necessary
replacements made as soon as
possible.After a minor crash, replacement of
safety belts may not be necessary.
But the safety belt assemblies that
were used during any crash may
have been stressed or damaged.
See your dealer to have the safety
belt assemblies inspected or
replaced.
New parts and repairs may be
necessary even if the safety belt
system was not being used at the
time of the crash.
Have the safety belt pretensioners
checked if the vehicle has been in a
crash, or if the airbag readiness light
stays on after you start the vehicle
or while you are driving. See
Airbag
Readiness Light on page 5‑15.