GMC CANYON 2021 Owner's Guide

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
14430430) - 2021 - CRC - 9/9/20
20 Keys, Doors, and Windows
Sun Visors
Pull the sun visor down to block glare.
Detach the sun visor from the center mount
to pivot to the side window and,
if equipped, extend along the rod.

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
14430430) - 2021 - CRC - 9/9/20
Seats and Restraints 21
Seats and Restraints
Head Restraints
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Front Seats
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Power Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Lumbar Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Heated and Ventilated Front Seats . . . . . 25
Rear Seats
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Seat Belts
Seat Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Buckle To Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
How to Wear Seat Belts Properly . . . . . . 28
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Seat Belt Use During Pregnancy . . . . . . . . 33
Seat Belt Extender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Safety System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Seat Belt Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Replacing Seat Belt System Parts after aCrash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Airbag System
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
When Should an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . 37 What Makes an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . 37
How Does an Airbag Restrain? . . . . . . . . . 38
What Will You See after an Airbag
Inflates? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Servicing the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Adding Equipment to the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Airbag System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Replacing Airbag System Parts after a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Child Restraints
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Infants and Young Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Child Restraint Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Where to Put the Restraint . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children(LATCH System) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Replacing LATCH System Parts After a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat Belt in the Rear Seat) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat Belt in the Front Seat) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Head Restraints
The vehicle's front seats have adjustable
head restraints in the outboard seating
positions.
{Warning
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.

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
14430430) - 2021 - CRC - 9/9/20
22 Seats and Restraints
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.
The height of the head restraint can be
adjusted. Pull the head restraint up to raise
it. Try to move the head restraint to make
sure that it is locked in place.
To lower the head restraint, press the
button, located on the top of the seatback,
and push the restraint down. Try to move
the head restraint after the button is
released to make sure that it is locked in
place.The front seat outboard head restraints are
not removable.
Rear Head Restraints
Crew Cab
The vehicle’s rear seats have head restraints
in the outboard seating positions that
cannot be adjusted up or down.
The rear outboard head restraints are
designed to be folded. When folding the
seatback down, the head restraint must first
be manually folded forward out of the way
to fold the seatback down.
The head restraint can be folded forward to
allow for better visibility when the rear seat
is unoccupied. To fold the head restraint,
press the button on the side of the head
restraint.
When an occupant is in the seat, always
return the head restraint to the upright
position until it locks into place. Push and
pull on the head restraint to make sure that
it is locked.
If you are installing a child restraint in the
rear seat, see
Lower Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH System) 050.
Extended Cab
The vehicle’s rear seats have headrests in
the outboard seating positions that cannot
be adjusted.
If you are installing a child restraint in the
rear seat, see Lower Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH System) 050.

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
14430430) - 2021 - CRC - 9/9/20
Seats and Restraints 23
Front Seats
Seat Adjustment
{Warning
You can lose control of the vehicle if you
try to adjust a driver seat while the
vehicle is moving. Adjust the driver seat
only when the vehicle is not moving.
To adjust the seat:1. Pull the handle at the front of the seat.
2. Slide the seat to the desired position and release the handle.
3. Try to move the seat back and forth to be sure the seat is locked in place.
Power Seat Adjustment
{Warning
The power seats will work with the
ignition off. Children could operate the
power seats and be injured. Never leave
children alone in the vehicle.
To adjust a power driver seat, if equipped:
.Move the seat forward or rearward by
sliding the control forward or rearward.
.Raise or lower the entire seat by moving
the rear of the control up or down.
.If equipped, raise or lower the front part
of the seat cushion by moving the front
of the control up or down. To adjust the seatback, see
Reclining
Seatbacks 024.
Lumbar Adjustment
Power Lumbar
If equipped, press and hold the top of the
control to increase lumbar support. Press
and hold the bottom of the control to
decrease lumbar support. Release the control
when the seatback reaches the desired level
of lumbar support.

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
14430430) - 2021 - CRC - 9/9/20
24 Seats and Restraints
Reclining Seatbacks
{Warning
Sitting in a reclined position when the
vehicle is in motion can be dangerous.
Even when buckled up, the seat belts
cannot do their job.
The shoulder belt will not be against
your body. Instead, it will be in front of
you. In a crash, you could go into it,
receiving neck or other injuries.
The lap 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
the seat belt properly.
Do not have a seatback reclined if the
vehicle is moving.
{Warning
You can lose control of the vehicle if you
try to adjust a driver seat while the
vehicle is moving. Adjust the driver seat
only when the vehicle is not moving.
{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.
To recline the seatback:1. Lift the lever.
2. Move the seatback to the desired position, and 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 the upright
position: 1. Lift the lever fully without applying pressure to the seatback.
2. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is locked.

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
14430430) - 2021 - CRC - 9/9/20
Seats and Restraints 25
Heated and Ventilated Front
Seats
{Warning
If temperature change or pain to the skin
cannot be felt, the seat heater may cause
burns. To reduce the risk of burns, use
care when using the seat heater,
especially for long periods of time. Do
not place anything on the seat that
insulates against heat, such as a blanket,
cushion, cover, or similar item. This may
cause the seat heater to overheat. An
overheated seat heater may cause a burn
or may damage the seat.
If equipped, the buttons are on the center
stack. To operate, the engine must be
running.
If equipped, press
+to heat the driver or
passenger seatback only.
Press
zto heat the driver or passenger
cushion and seatback.
If equipped, press
{to ventilate the driver
or passenger seat. A ventilated seat has a
fan that pulls or pushes air through the
seat. The air is not cooled.
The indicator light on the button comes on
when this feature is on.
Press the button once for the highest
setting. With each press of the button, the
seat will change to the next lower setting,
and then to the off setting. The indicator
lights next to the buttons indicate three for
the highest setting and one for the lowest.
If the heated seats are on high for an
extended time, their level may automatically
be lowered.
Remote Start Auto Heated and Ventilated
Seats
During a remote start, the heated or
ventilated seats can be turned on
automatically. When it is cold outside, the heated seats turn on, and when it is hot
outside the ventilated seats turn on. The
heated or ventilated seats are canceled
when the ignition is turned on. Press the
heated or ventilated seat button to use the
heated or ventilated seats after the vehicle
is started.
The heated or ventilated seat indicator lights
do not turn on during a remote start.
The temperature performance of an
unoccupied seat may be reduced. This is
normal.
The heated or ventilated seats will not turn
on during a remote start unless they are
enabled in the vehicle personalization menu.
Rear Seats
Rear Seat Reminder
If equipped, the message REAR SEAT
REMINDER LOOK IN REAR SEAT displays
under certain conditions indicating there
may be an item or passenger in the rear
seat. Check before exiting the vehicle.
This feature will activate when a second row
door is opened while the vehicle is on or up
to 10 minutes before the vehicle is turned
on. There will be an alert when the vehicle

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
14430430) - 2021 - CRC - 9/9/20
26 Seats and Restraints
is turned off. The alert does not directly
detect objects in the rear seat; instead,
under certain conditions, it detects when a
rear door is opened and closed, indicating
that there may be something in the
rear seat.
The feature is active only once each time
the vehicle is turned on and off, and will
require reactivation by opening and closing
the second row doors. There may be an
alert even when there is nothing in the rear
seat; for example, if a child entered the
vehicle through the rear door and left the
vehicle without the vehicle being shut off.
The feature can be turned on or off. See
Vehicle Personalization099.
Folding the Rear Seat
On crew cab models, the rear seatbacks can
be folded forward.
Caution
Folding a rear seat with the seat belts
still fastened may cause damage to the
seat or the seat belts. Always unbuckle
the seat belts and return them to their
normal stowed position before folding a
rear seat. To fold a rear seatback:
1. Fold the head restraint. See Head
Restraints 021.
2. Disconnect the rear center seat belt latch
from the mini-buckle by inserting the tip
of the seat belt tongue into the slot on
the buckle. Let the belt retract.
3. Pull the release strap on the outboardside of the seatback.
4. Fold the seatback forward.
To return a seatback to the upright position: 1. Lift the seatback up and push it rearward.
2. Return the head restraint to the upright position. See Head Restraints 021.
{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.

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
14430430) - 2021 - CRC - 9/9/20
Seats and Restraints 27
3. Push and pull on the seatback to makesure it is locked in place.
{Warning
A seat 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 seat belts are properly routed and
attached, and are not twisted.
4. Reconnect the center seat belt latch plate to the mini-buckle. Make sure the
seat belt is not twisted.
5. Push and pull on the latch plate to be sure it is secure.
When the seatback is not in use, it should
be kept in the upright, locked position.
Seat Belts
This section describes how to use seat belts
properly, and some things not to do.
{Warning
Do not let anyone ride where a seat belt
cannot be worn properly. In a crash,
if you or your passenger(s) are not
wearing seat belts, injuries can be much
worse than if you are wearing seat belts.
You can be seriously injured or killed by
hitting things inside the vehicle harder or
by being ejected from the vehicle. In
addition, anyone who is not buckled up
can strike other passengers in the vehicle.
It is extremely dangerous to ride in a
cargo area, inside or outside of a vehicle.
In a collision, passengers riding in these
areas are more likely to be seriously
injured or killed. Do not allow passengers
to ride in any area of the vehicle that is
not equipped with seats and seat belts.
Always wear a seat belt, and check that
all passenger(s) are restrained
properly too.
This vehicle has indicators as a reminder to
buckle the seat belts. See Seat Belt
Reminders 085.
Why Seat Belts Work
When riding in a vehicle, you travel as fast
as the vehicle does. If the vehicle stops
suddenly, you keep going until something
stops you. It could be the windshield, the
instrument panel, or the seat belts!
When you wear a seat belt, you and the
vehicle slow down together. There is more
time to stop because you stop over a longer
distance and, when worn properly, your
strongest bones take the forces from the
seat belts. That is why wearing seat belts
makes such good sense.

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
14430430) - 2021 - CRC - 9/9/20
28 Seats and Restraints
Questions and Answers About Seat Belts
Q: Will I be trapped in the vehicle after acrash if I am wearing a seat belt?
A: You could be— whether you are
wearing a seat belt or not. Your chance
of being conscious during and after a
crash, so you canunbuckle and get out,
is much greater if you are belted.
Q: If my vehicle has airbags, why should I have to wear seat belts?
A: Airbags are supplemental systems only.
They work withseat belts —not instead
of them. Whether or not an airbag is
provided, all occupants still have to
buckle up to get the most protection.
Also, in nearly all states and in all
Canadian provinces, the law requires
wearing seat belts.
Buckle To Drive
If equipped, this feature prevents the vehicle
from being shifted out of P (Park) when
Teen Driver is active, and the driver seat
belt is not buckled. See Teen Driver0153.
If the engine is running, the driver seat belt
is not buckled, and the brake pedal is
pressed with the vehicle in P (Park), a
message displays in the Driver Information Center (DIC). Buckle the driver seat belt to
shift out of P (Park). Shifting from P (Park)
will be prevented once for each ignition
cycle.
For some fleet vehicles, shifting from
P (Park) will be prevented each time the
above conditions exist whether Teen Driver
is ON or OFF.
On some models, Buckle to Drive may also
prevent shifting out of P (Park) if a front
passenger is unbuckled under similar
conditions. A message displays in the DIC.
Buckle the front passenger seat belt to shift
out of P (Park). This feature may not allow
the vehicle to shift out of P (Park) if an
object, such as a briefcase, handbag, grocery
bag, laptop, or other electronic device, is on
the front passenger seat. If this happens,
remove the object from the seat or buckle
the seat belt to shift out of P (Park).
If the driver, or on some vehicles, the
present front passenger, remains unbuckled,
the DIC message will turn off after several
seconds and the vehicle can be shifted out
of P (Park). See
“Seat Belts”and“Child
Restraints” in the Index for information
about the importance of proper
restraint use. If the driver seat belt, and in some vehicles
the front passenger seat belt, are unbuckled
when driving, the seat belt reminder chime
and/or light(s) will come on. See
Seat Belt
Reminders 085.
This feature may not function properly if
the airbag readiness light is on. See Airbag
Readiness Light 086.
How to Wear Seat Belts Properly
Follow these rules for everyone's protection.
There are additional things to know about
seat belts and children, including smaller
children and infants. If a child will be riding
in the vehicle, see Older Children044 or
Infants and Young Children 045. Review
and follow the rules for children in addition
to the following rules.
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 seat belts.
There are important things to know about
wearing a seat belt properly.

GMC Canyon/Canyon Denali Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
14430430) - 2021 - CRC - 9/9/20
Seats and Restraints 29
.Sit up straight and always keep your feet
on the floor in front of you (if possible).
.Always use the correct buckle for your
seating position.
.Wear the lap part of the belt 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.
.Wear the shoulder belt 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.
{Warning
You can be seriously injured, or even
killed, by not wearing your seat belt
properly.
Never allow the lap or shoulder belt to
become loose or twisted.