GMC Sierra Owners Manual
Lap-Shoulder BeltSeats and Restraints / Safety Belts / Lap-Shoulder Belt
If the vehicle is a regular cab, then all seating positions in the vehicle have a lap-shoulder belt. If the 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 3‑20 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.
Engaging the child restraint locking feature may affect the passenger sensing system, if equipped. See Passenger Sensing System on page 3‑35 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.
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 3‑21.
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 Adjuster” later in this section.
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.
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.
Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster
The vehicle has a shoulder belt height adjuster for the driver and right front passenger.
Adjust the height so 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. Improper shoulder belt height adjustment could reduce the effectiveness of the safety belt in a crash. See How to Wear Safety Belts Properly on page 3‑13.
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.
On the extended cab, push down on the release button (A) and move the height adjuster to the desired position.
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 Safety Belt System Parts after a Crash on page 3‑22.
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides
This vehicle may have rear shoulder belt comfort guides. If not, they are available through your dealer. The guides may provide added safety belt comfort for older children who have outgrown booster seats and for some adults. When installed and properly adjusted, the comfort guide positions the belt away from the neck and head.
Here is how to install a comfort guide to the shoulder belt:
1. Remove the guide from its storage clip on the interior body.
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.
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 release the 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 onto the storage clip.
