GMC TERRAIN 2013, TERRAIN DENALI 2013 Owner Manual

Black plate (1,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

2013 GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual M

In Brief . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . .. . . 1-1

Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2

Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . .1-4

Vehicle Features. . . . . . . . . . . . .1-15

Performance and

Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19

Keys, Doors, and

Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1

Keys and Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-1

Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 2-8

Vehicle Security. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12

Exterior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14

Interior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . ... .2-16

Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16

Roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18

Seats and Restraints . . . . . . . . . 3-1

Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2

Front Seats . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . 3-3

Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9

Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11

Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..3-19

Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-33

Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . 4-1

Storage Compartments . . . . . . . . 4-1

Additional Storage Features . . . 4-2

Roof Rack System . . . . . . . .. . . . . 4-2

Instruments and Controls . . . . 5-1

Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2

Warning Lights, Gauges, and

Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6

Information Displays . . . . . . . .. . 5-21

Vehicle Messages.. . . . . . . . . . . 5-24

Vehicle Personalization.. . . . . . 5-31

Universal Remote System . . . . 5-36

Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . 6-1

Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1

Interior Lighting . . . . . . .. . . . . . .. . 6-4

Lighting Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5

Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . 7-1

Introduction . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . 7-1

Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1

Climate Control Systems . . . . . . 8-1

Air Vents.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6

Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . 8-6

Driving and Operating . . . . . . . . 9-1

Driving Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2

Starting and Operating . . . . . . . 9-19

Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25

Automatic Transmission . . . . . .9-26

Drive Systems . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . 9-29

Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30

Ride Control Systems . . . . . . . .9-32

Cruise Control . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . 9-35

Object Detection Systems . . . . 9-37

Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-48

Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-53

Conversions and Add-Ons . . . 9-59

Vehicle Care . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . 10-1

General Information . . . . . . . . . .10-2

Vehicle Checks.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3

Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26

Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-27

Electrical System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-32

Wheels and Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38

Black plate (2,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

2013 GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual M

Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-67

Towing . . . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . . . .10-69

Appearance Care . . . . . . . . . . .10-73

Service and Maintenance . . . 11-1

General Information . . . . . . . . . . 11-1

Maintenance Schedule . . . . . . .11-3

Special Application

Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-8

Additional Maintenance

and Care . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . 11-9

Recommended Fluids,

Lubricants, and Parts . . . . . . 11-12

Maintenance Records . . . . . . . 11-15

Technical Data . . . . . . ......... 12-1

Vehicle Identification.. . . . . . . . 12-1

Vehicle Data. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2

Customer Information . . . . . . . 13-1

Customer Information . . . . . . . . 13-2

Reporting Safety Defects . . . . 13-18

Vehicle Data Recording and

Privacy . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-19

OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . 14-1

OnStar Overview.. . . . . . . . . . . . 14-1

OnStar Services . . . . . . . .. . . . . . 14-2

OnStar Additional

Information . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . 14-5

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i-1

Black plate (3,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

Introduction iii

Please refer to the purchase
documentation relating to your
specific vehicle to confirm each of
the features found on your vehicle.
For vehicles first sold in Canada,
substitute the name “General

The names, logos, emblems,
slogans, vehicle model names, and
vehicle body designs appearing in
this manual including, but not limited
to, GM, the GM logo, GMC, the
GMC Truck Emblem, TERRAIN, and
DENALI are trademarks and/or
service marks of General Motors
LLC, its subsidiaries, affiliates,
or licensors.

This manual describes features that
may or may not be on your specific
vehicle either because they are
options that you did not purchase or
due to changes subsequent to the
printing of this owner manual.

Litho in U.S.A.
Part No. 20960971 A First Printing

Motors of Canada Limited” for GMC
Motor Division wherever it appears
in this manual.

Keep this manual in the vehicle for
quick reference.

Canadian Vehicle Owners

Propriétaires Canadiens

A French language copy of this
manual can be obtained from your
dealer or from:

On peut obtenir un exemplaire de
ce guide en français auprès du
concessionnaire ou à l'adresse
suivante:

Helm, Incorporated
Attention: Customer Service
47911 Halyard Drive
Plymouth, MI 48170

Using this Manual

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.

©

2012 General Motors LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Black plate (4,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

iv Introduction

Danger, Warnings, and Cautions

Warning messages found on vehicle
labels and in this manual describe
hazards and what to do to avoid or
reduce them.

Danger indicates a hazard with a
high level of risk which will result in
serious injury or death.

Warning or Caution indicates a
hazard that could result in injury or
death.

WARNING

{

These mean there is something
that could hurt you or other
people.

Notice: This means there is
something that could result in
property or vehicle damage. This
would not be covered by the
vehicle's warranty.

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.”

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,
gauge, or indicator.

M : This symbol is shown when

you need to see your owner manual
for additional instructions or
information.

* : This symbol is shown when

you need to see a service manual
for additional instructions or
information.

Black plate (5,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

Introduction v

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.

9 : Airbag Readiness Light
# : Air Conditioning

! : Antilock Brake System (ABS)
$ : Brake System Warning Light
" : Charging System

I : Cruise Control

B : Engine Coolant Temperature

O : Exterior Lamps

# : Fog Lamps

. : Fuel Gauge

+ : Fuses

3 : Headlamp High/Low-Beam

Changer

j : LATCH System Child

Restraints

* : Malfunction Indicator Lamp
: : Oil Pressure

J : OnStar

®

} : Power
/ : Remote Vehicle Start
> : Safety Belt Reminders

% : Steering Wheel Controls
7 : Tire Pressure Monitor

d : Traction Control/StabiliTrak

M : Windshield Washer Fluid

®

Black plate (6,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

vi Introduction

2 NOTES

Black plate (1,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

In Brief 1-1

In Brief

Instrument Panel

Instrument Panel . . . . . . .. . . . . . . 1-2

Initial Drive Information

Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-4

Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)

System . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4

Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . 1-4

Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5

Liftgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . 1-6

Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 1-6

Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7

Memory Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8

Heated Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9

Head Restraint Adjustment . . . . 1-9

Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... 1-10

Passenger Sensing

System . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10

Mirror Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10

Steering Wheel

Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11

Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11

Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12

Windshield Wiper/Washer .... 1-12

Climate Controls . . . . . .. . . . . . . 1-13

Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14

Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15

Vehicle Features

Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . 1-15

Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16

Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . 1-16

Driver Information

Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16

Forward Collision Alert (FCA)

System . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17

Lane Departure

Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . ... . 1-17

Side Blind Zone

Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18

Rear Vision

Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18

Ultrasonic Parking Assist . . . . 1-18

Roof Rack System . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18

Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19

Universal Remote System . . . 1-19

Performance and Maintenance

Traction Control

System (TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19

StabiliTrak

Tire Pressure Monitor . . . . . . . . 1-20

Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . 1-20

Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . 1-21

Driving for Better Fuel

Economy .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-21

Roadside Assistance

Program . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . 1-21

OnStar

®

System . . . . . . . . . 1-20

®

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22

Black plate (2,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

1-2 In Brief

Instrument Panel

Black plate (3,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

In Brief 1-3

1. Air Vents on page 8‑6.

2. Turn and Lane-Change Lever.
See Turn and Lane-Change

Signals on page 6‑3.

Exterior Lamp Controls on
page 6‑1.

Fog Lamps on page 6‑4.

3. Horn on page 5‑3.

4. Instrument Cluster on page 5‑7.

5. Windshield Wiper/Washer on

page 5‑3.

Rear Window Wiper/Washer on
page 5‑4.

6. Power Door Locks on page 2‑7.

7. Touchscreen (If Equipped).

8. Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
Display (If Equipped). See

Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
System on page 9‑37.

Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
Indicator (If Equipped). See

Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
on page 9‑46.

9. Safety Locks on page 2‑7.

10. Infotainment on page 7‑1.

Navigation System (If
Equipped). See the
infotainment manual.

11. Hood Release. See Hood on
page 10‑4.

12. Cruise Control on page 9‑35.

Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
Button (If Equipped). See

Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
System on page 9‑37.

Lane Departure Warning
(LDW) Button (If Equipped).
See Lane Departure Warning
(LDW) on page 9‑46.

13. Data Link Connector (DLC)
(Out of View). See Malfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 5‑12.

14. Instrument Panel Illumination
Control on page 6‑4.

15. Steering Wheel Adjustment on
page 5‑2.

16. Steering Wheel Controls on
page 5‑2.

17. Ignition Positions on
page 9‑19.

18. Climate Control Systems on

page 8‑1 (If Equipped).

Automatic Climate Control
System on page 8‑3 (If

Equipped).

19. Shift Lever. See Automatic
Transmission on page 9‑26.

20. Fuel Economy Mode on

page 9‑29 (If Equipped).

®

21. StabiliTrak

System on

page 9‑33.

22. Power Outlets on page 5‑5.

23. CD Player Slot. See the
infotainment manual.

24. Driver Information Center (DIC)
Buttons. See Driver Information
Center (DIC) on page 5‑21.

25. Hazard Warning Flashers on
page 6‑3.

Black plate (4,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

1-4 In Brief

Initial Drive Information

This section provides a brief
overview about some of the
important features that may or may
not be on your specific vehicle.

For more detailed information, refer
to each of the features which can be
found later in this owner manual.

Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System

The Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter may work up to
60 m (195 ft) away from the vehicle.

Press this button to extend the key.
The key can be used for the ignition
and all locks.

K : Press to unlock the driver door

or all doors.

For vehicles with the manual
liftgate, press

5 seconds, to unlock the liftgate.

K twice within

Q : Press to lock all doors.

Lock and unlock feedback can be
personalized.

V : For vehicles with the power

liftgate, press and hold
liftgate begins to move.

V until the

7 : Press and release to initiate

vehicle locator. Press and hold for at
least three seconds to sound the

panic alarm. Press
cancel the panic alarm.

See Keys on page 2‑1 and Remote

Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation on page 2‑3.

7 again to

Remote Vehicle Start

With this feature the engine can be
started from outside of the vehicle.

Starting the Vehicle

1. Press and release Q on the

Remote Keyless Entry
transmitter.

Black plate (5,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

2. Immediately press and hold /

for at least two seconds or until
the signal lamps flash.

The parking lamps will turn on
and remain on as long as the
engine is running. The vehicle's
doors will be locked.

3. The key must be inserted and
turned to ON/RUN before
driving.

The engine will shut off after
10 minutes unless a time extension
is done or the key is inserted and
turned to ON/RUN.

Canceling a Remote Start

To cancel a remote start, do one of
the following:

.

Press / until the parking lamps
turn off.

.

Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.

.

Insert the key and turn it to ON/
RUN and then back to
LOCK/OFF.

See Remote Vehicle Start on
page 2‑4.

Door Locks

To lock or unlock the vehicle from
the outside, press

Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter.

There is a power door lock switch
on the instrument panel.

Q or K on the

In Brief 1-5

There are power door lock switches
on the front door panels.

Q : Press to lock the doors.
K : Press to unlock the doors.

See Door Locks on page 2‑6.

To manually unlock a door from
inside the vehicle, pull once on the
door handle to unlock it, and a
second time to open it.

Black plate (6,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/9/12

1-6 In Brief

Power Liftgate Operation

{ : Press for Safety Locks. See

Safety Locks on page 2‑7.

Liftgate

Manual Liftgate Operation

Unlock the vehicle before opening
the liftgate.

To open the liftgate, press the touch
pad under the liftgate handle and
lift up.

Do not press the touch pad while
closing the liftgate. This may cause
the liftgate to be unlatched.

On vehicles with a power liftgate,
the vehicle must be in P (Park) to
use the power feature. The taillamps
flash when the power liftgate
moves.

Choose the power liftgate mode by
turning the dial on the switch to
either the 3/4 or MAX position.

Press

8 to open or close the

liftgate.

See Liftgate on page 2‑8.

Windows

Press the front of the switch to lower
the window. Pull the switch up to
raise it.

Pushing or pulling the switch part of
the way will open or close the
window as long as the switch is
operated.

See Power Windows on page 2‑17.

Black plate (7,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

Seat Adjustment

Four-Way Power Seat

See Power Seat Adjustment on
page 3‑4.

Eight-Way Power Seat

In Brief 1-7

.

Raise or lower the entire seat by
moving the entire control up
or down.

See Power Seat Adjustment on
page 3‑4.

Lumbar Adjustment

1. Seat Position Handle

2. Height Adjustment Control

To adjust the seat, if equipped:

.

Move the seat forward or
rearward using the handle under
the front of the seat cushion (1).
See Seat Adjustment on
page 3‑3.

.

Raise or lower the entire seat by

To adjust a power seat, if equipped:

.

Move the seat forward or
rearward by sliding the control
forward or rearward.

.

Raise or lower the front or rear
part of the seat cushion by
moving the front or rear of the
control up or down.

moving the control (2) up
or down.

Eight-Way Power Seat Shown,

Four-Way Similar

If available, press and hold the front
or rear of the switch to increase or
decrease lumbar support. Release
the switch when the seatback
reaches the desired level of lumbar
support.

Black plate (8,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

1-8 In Brief

See Lumbar Adjustment on
page 3‑5.

Reclining Seatbacks

Manual Reclining Seatbacks

To recline a manual 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, and the seatback will
return to the upright position.

2. Push and pull on the seatback to
make sure it is locked.

Power Reclining Seatbacks

To adjust a power seatback,
if available:

.

Tilt the top of the control
rearward to recline.

.

Tilt the top of the control forward
to raise.

See Reclining Seatbacks on
page 3‑5.

Memory Features

If available, the “1” and “2” buttons
on the outboard side of the driver
seat are used to manually save and
recall the driver seat and outside
mirror positions. These manually
stored positions are referred to as
Button Memory positions.

Black plate (9,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

In Brief 1-9

The vehicle will also automatically
save driver seat and outside mirror
positions to the current driver
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter when the ignition is
turned off. These automatically
stored positions are referred to as
RKE Memory positions.

See Memory Seats on page 3‑7 and

Vehicle Personalization on
page 5‑31.

Heated Seats

Uplevel Climate Control System

Shown, Base Similar

If available, the buttons are near the
climate controls. To operate, the
ignition must be in ON/RUN.

Press

z or J to heat the driver or

passenger seat cushion and
seatback.

Indicator lights on the button show
the temperature setting.

See Heated Front Seats on
page 3‑8.

Head Restraint Adjustment

Do not drive until the head restraints
for all occupants are installed and
adjusted properly.

To achieve a comfortable seating
position, change the seatback
recline angle as little as necessary
while keeping the seat and the head
restraint height in the proper
position.

See Head Restraints on page 3‑2
and Seat Adjustment on page 3‑3.

Black plate (10,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

1-10 In Brief

Safety Belts

Refer to the following sections for
important information on how to use
safety belts properly:

.

Safety Belts on page 3‑11.

.

How to Wear Safety Belts
Properly on page 3‑12.

.

Lap-Shoulder Belt on page 3‑13.

.

Lower Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH System) on
page 3‑40.

Passenger Sensing System

United States

Canada

The passenger sensing system will
turn off the right front passenger
frontal airbag under certain
conditions. The driver airbag, seat‐
mounted side impact airbags, and
roof‐rail airbags are not affected by
the passenger sensing system.

The passenger airbag status
indicator will be visible on the
overhead console when the vehicle
is started. See Passenger Sensing
System on page 3‑26 for more
information.

Mirror Adjustment

Exterior

To adjust the mirrors:

1. Move the selector switch to L
(Left) or R (Right) to choose the
driver or passenger mirror.

Black plate (11,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

In Brief 1-11

2. Press the arrows on the control
pad to move each mirror in the
desired direction.

3. Return the selector switch to the
middle position.

See Power Mirrors on page 2‑14.

Steering Wheel Adjustment

Interior

Vehicles with an automatic dimming
inside rearview mirror can
automatically reduce the glare from
the headlamps of the vehicle behind
you. The dimming feature comes on
and the indicator light comes on
each time the vehicle is started.

See Automatic Dimming Rearview
Mirror on page 2‑16.

To adjust the steering wheel:

1. Pull the lever down.

2. Move the steering wheel up
or down.

3. Pull or push the steering wheel
closer or away from you.

4. Pull the lever up to lock the
steering wheel in place.

Do not adjust the steering wheel
while driving.

Interior Lighting

Reading Lamps

These lamps are located on the
overhead console. These lamps
come on automatically when any
door is opened.

For manual operation, press the
button next to each lamp to turn it
on or off.

Dome Lamps

There are front and rear dome
lamps.

The dome lamp controls are located
in the overhead console. To change
the settings, press the following:

* : Turns the lamp off, even when

a door is open.

1 : The lamps come on

automatically when a door is
opened.

+ : Turns the dome lamps on.

The dome lamps can also be turned
on and off by pressing the buttons
next to the lamps.

Black plate (12,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

1-12 In Brief

For more information on interior
lighting, See Instrument Panel
Illumination Control on page 6‑4.

Exterior Lighting

The exterior lamp control is located
on the turn signal lever.

5 : Turns on the headlamps,

together with the parking lamps,
sidemarker lamps, taillamps, license
plate lamps, and instrument panel
lights.

For more information, see:

.

Exterior Lamp Controls on
page 6‑1.

.

Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
on page 6‑2.

.

Fog Lamps on page 6‑4.

Windshield Wiper/Washer

O : Turn to operate the exterior

lamps.

O : Briefly turn to this position to

turn the automatic light control off or
on again.

AUTO: Turns the exterior lamps on
and off automatically depending on
the exterior light.

; : Turns on the parking lamps,

together with the sidemarker lamps,
taillamps, license plate lamps, and
instrument panel lights.

The windshield wiper/washer lever
is located on the right side of the
steering column. With the ignition in
ACC/ACCESSORY or ON/RUN/
START, move the windshield wiper
lever to select the wiper speed.

HI: Use for fast wipes.

LO: Use for slow wipes.

INT: Move the lever up to INT for

intermittent wipes, then turn the

3 INT band up for more frequent

wipes or down for less frequent
wipes.

OFF: Use to turn the wipers off.

8 : For a single wipe, briefly move

the wiper lever down. For several
wipes, hold the wiper lever down.

n L FRONT: Pull the windshield

wiper lever toward you to spray
windshield washer fluid and activate
the wipers.

Black plate (13,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

In Brief 1-13

Rear Window Wiper/Washer

The rear wiper controls are on the
end of the windshield wiper lever.

ON: Press the upper portion of the
button for continuous rear window
wipes.

OFF: The rear wiper turns off when
the button is returned to the middle
position.

INT: Press the lower portion of the
button to set a delay between
wipes.

m = REAR: Push the windshield

wiper lever forward to spray washer
fluid on the rear window.

See Windshield Wiper/Washer on

page 5‑3 and Rear Window Wiper/
Washer on page 5‑4.

Climate Controls

The vehicle's heating, cooling, defrosting, and ventilation can be controlled
with these systems.

Climate Control System

1. Fan Control

2. Air Delivery Mode Controls

3. Temperature Control

4. Outside Air

5. Front Defrost

6. Rear Window Defogger

7. Recirculation

8. Air Conditioning

Black plate (14,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

1-14 In Brief

Automatic Climate Control System

1. Fan Control

2. AUTO (Automatic Operation)

3. Air Delivery Mode Controls

4. Front Defrost

5. Recirculation

6. Temperature Control

7. Power

8. Driver and Passenger Heated
Seats

9. Rear Window Defogger

10. Air Conditioning

See Climate Control Systems on

page 8‑1 (If Equipped) or Automatic
Climate Control System on page 8‑3

(If Equipped).

Parking Brake

To set the parking brake, hold the
regular brake pedal down, then
push the parking brake pedal down.

If the ignition is on, the brake
system warning light will come on.
See Brake System Warning Light on
page 5‑14.

To release the parking brake, hold
the regular brake pedal down, then
push down momentarily on the
parking brake pedal until you feel
the pedal release. Slowly pull your
foot up off the park brake pedal.

Black plate (15,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

In Brief 1-15

See Parking Brake on page 9‑31.

Transmission

Electronic Range Select
(ERS) Mode

ERS or manual mode allows for the
selection of the range of gear
positions. Use this mode when
driving down hill or towing a trailer
to limit the top gear and vehicle
speed.

To use this feature:

1. Move the shift lever to
M (Manual Mode).

2. Press the plus/minus button on
the shift lever, to increase or
decrease the gear range
available.

See Manual Mode on page 9‑28 for
more information.

Fuel Economy Mode

Vehicles with a 2.4L engine have a
Fuel Economy Mode. When
engaged, fuel economy mode can
improve the vehicle's fuel economy.

Press the “eco” (economy) button by
the shift lever to turn this feature on
or off. The “eco” light in the
instrument cluster will come on
when engaged, and a Driver
Information Center (DIC) message
“ECO MODE ON” displays. See
Fuel Economy Mode on page 9‑29.

Vehicle Features

Steering Wheel Controls

Some audio steering wheel controls
can be adjusted at the steering
wheel.

b / g : Press to interact with the

available Bluetooth or OnStar
systems.

Black plate (16,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

1-16 In Brief

> / i : Press to silence the

vehicle speakers only. Press again
to turn the sound on. For vehicles
with OnStar or Bluetooth systems,
press to reject an incoming call,
or end a current call.

_ SRC ^ : Press to select an audio

source.

Toggle up or down to select the next
or previous favorite radio station,
CD, or MP3 track.

+ VOL −: Press + to increase the
volume; press − to decrease the
volume.

For more information, see Steering
Wheel Controls on page 5‑2.

Cruise Control

ON/OFF 5 CRUISE: Press to turn

the cruise control system on and off.

* CANCEL: Press to disengage

cruise control without erasing the
set speed from memory.

RES/+: Move the thumbwheel up to
make the vehicle resume to a
previously set speed or to
accelerate.

SET/−: Move the thumbwheel down
toward SET/- to set a speed and
activate cruise control, or to make
the vehicle decelerate.

See Cruise Control on page 9‑35.

Infotainment System

See the infotainment manual for
information on the radio, audio
players, phone, navigation system,
and voice or speech recognition.
It also includes information on
settings and downloadable
applications (if equipped).

Driver Information Center (DIC)

The DIC display is located in the
center of the instrument panel
cluster. It shows the status of many
vehicle systems.

Black plate (17,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

In Brief 1-17

The DIC buttons are located below
the climate control system.

MENU: Press this button to get to
the Trip/Fuel Menu and the Vehicle
Information Menu.

Q or R : Use these buttons to

scroll through the items in each
menu. A small marker will move
along the page as you scroll through
the items. This shows where each
page is in the menu.

SET/CLR: Use this button to set or
clear the menu item when it is
displayed.

For more information, see Driver

Information Center (DIC) on
page 5‑21.

Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System

For vehicles with FCA, this system
is intended to help avoid or reduce
the harm caused by front-end
crashes. FCA provides a flashing
visual alert and beeps when
approaching a vehicle directly
ahead too quickly. FCA also
provides a visual alert if following
another vehicle much too closely.
The forward-looking FCA camera
sensor is on the windshield ahead
of the rearview mirror. FCA detects
vehicles within a distance of
approximately 60 m (197 ft) and
operates at speeds above 40 km/h
(25 mph).

See Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
System on page 9‑37 for more
information.

Lane Departure Warning (LDW)

For vehicles with LDW, it is intended
to help avoid unintentional lane
departures. It may provide a
warning if the vehicle is crossing a
lane without using a turn signal.
LDW uses a camera sensor to
detect the lane markings. It only
operates at speeds of 56 km
(35 mph) or greater.

The LDW indicator,
green if a lane marking is detected.
It changes to amber, flashes, and
sounds three chimes if the vehicle
crosses a detected lane marking
without using the turn signal.

@ , appears

Black plate (18,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

1-18 In Brief

in the corresponding outside side
mirror and will flash if the turn signal
is on.

See Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA)
on page 9‑41.

Rear Vision Camera (RVC)

If available, the rear vision camera
displays a view of the area behind
the vehicle when the vehicle is

To turn LDW on and off, press the
LANE DEPART button, located on
the steering wheel.

See Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
on page 9‑46 for more information.

Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA)

If available, SBZA will alert the
driver to vehicles in the vehicle's
side blind zone. When the system
detects a vehicle in the side blind
zone, the SBZA display will light up

shifted into R (Reverse). The
display will appear on the radio
screen.

To clean the camera lens above the
license plate, rinse it with water and
wipe it with a soft cloth.

See Rear Vision Camera (RVC) on
page 9‑43.

Ultrasonic Parking Assist

If available, this system uses
sensors on the rear bumper to
assist with parking and avoiding
objects while in R (Reverse).
It operates at speeds less than

8 km/h (5 mph). URPA uses audible
beeps to provide distance and
system information.

Keep the sensors on the vehicle's
rear bumper clean to ensure proper
operation.

See Ultrasonic Parking Assist on
page 9‑39.

Roof Rack System

The roof rack cross rails can be
locked in four positions along the
roof rack side rails. Lift the lever to
release and move the cross rail.
Push the lever down to completely
engage into the side rail holes. Slide
the cross rails back and forth until
the lock pins engage in the holes
and a click is heard.

When the roof rack is not in use,
lock one cross rail at the furthest
forward position and lock the other
cross rail at the furthest rearward
position to reduce wind noise. See
Roof Rack System on page 4‑2.

Black plate (19,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

In Brief 1-19

Power Outlets

The accessory power outlets can be
used to connect electrical
equipment, such as a cell phone or
MP3 player.

There are four accessory power
outlets in the following locations:
below the CD slot, inside the center
console storage, on the rear of the
center console storage, and in the
rear cargo compartment.

To use the outlets, remove the cover
and close when not in use.

See Power Outlets on page 5‑5.

Universal Remote System

This system, in the overhead
console, provides a way to replace
up to three remote control
transmitters used to activate
devices such as garage door
openers, security systems, and
home automation devices.

Read the instructions completely
before attempting to program the
Universal Remote system. Because
of the steps involved, it may be
helpful to have another person
available to assist with programming
the Universal Remote system.

See Universal Remote System on
page 5‑36.

Performance and Maintenance

Traction Control System (TCS)

The traction control system limits
wheel spin. The system is on when
the vehicle is started.

.

To turn off traction control,
press and release
console.

appropriate DIC message
displays. See Vehicle Messages
on page 5‑24.

.

Press and release g again to
turn traction control back on.

See Traction Control System (TCS)
on page 9‑32.

i illuminates and the

g on the

Black plate (20,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

1-20 In Brief

StabiliTrak®System

The StabiliTrak system assists with
directional control of the vehicle in
difficult driving conditions. The
system is on when the vehicle is
started.

.

To turn off both Traction
Control and StabiliTrak, press

and hold
illuminate and the appropriate
DIC message displays. See
Vehicle Messages on page 5‑24.

.

Press g again to turn on both
systems.

See StabiliTrak
page 9‑33.

g until g and i

®

System on

Tire Pressure Monitor

This vehicle may have a Tire
Pressure Monitor System (TPMS).

The low tire pressure warning light
alerts to a significant loss in
pressure of one of the vehicle's
tires. If the warning light comes on,
stop as soon as possible and inflate
the tires to the recommended
pressure shown on the Tire and
Loading Information label. See
Vehicle Load Limits on page 9‑14.
The warning light will remain on until
the tire pressure is corrected.

The low tire pressure warning light
may come on in cool weather when
the vehicle is first started, and then
turn off as the vehicle is driven. This
may be an early indicator that the
tire pressures are getting low and
the tires need to be inflated to the
proper pressure.

The TPMS does not replace normal
monthly tire maintenance. Maintain
the correct tire pressures.

See Tire Pressure Monitor System
on page 10‑46.

Engine Oil Life System

The engine oil life system calculates
engine oil life based on vehicle use
and displays the CHANGE ENGINE
OIL SOON message when it is time
to change the engine oil and filter.
The oil life system should be reset
to 100% only following an oil
change.

Resetting the Oil Life System

1. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN,
with the engine off.

2. Press the DIC MENU button to
display the Vehicle
Information menu.

3. Press either the up or down
arrows to view REMAINING
OIL LIFE.

Black plate (21,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

4. Press the SET/CLR button until
100% is displayed.

5. Turn the key to LOCK/OFF.

Or:

1. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN with
the engine off.

2. Fully press and release the
accelerator pedal three times
within five seconds.

See Engine Oil Life System on
page 10‑11.

Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol)

Vehicles that have a yellow fuel cap
can use either unleaded gasoline or
ethanol fuel containing up to 85%
ethanol (E85). See Fuel E85 (85%
Ethanol) on page 9‑50. For all other
vehicles, use only the unleaded
gasoline described under
Recommended Fuel on page 9‑48.

Driving for Better Fuel Economy

Driving habits can affect fuel
mileage. Here are some driving tips
to get the best fuel economy
possible.

.

Avoid fast starts and accelerate
smoothly.

.

Brake gradually and avoid
abrupt stops.

.

Avoid idling the engine for long
periods of time.

.

When road and weather
conditions are appropriate, use
cruise control.

.

Always follow posted speed
limits or drive more slowly when
conditions require.

.

Keep vehicle tires properly
inflated.

.

Combine several trips into a
single trip.

In Brief 1-21

.

Replace the vehicle's tires with
the same TPC Spec number
molded into the tire's sidewall
near the size.

.

Follow recommended scheduled
maintenance.

Roadside Assistance Program

U.S.: 1-888-881-3302

TTY Users (U.S. Only):
1-888-889-2438

Canada: 1-800-268-6800

Mexico: 01-800-466-0801

As the owner of a new GMC, you
are automatically enrolled in the
Roadside Assistance program.

See Roadside Assistance Program

(Mexico) on page 13‑7 or Roadside
Assistance Program (U.S. and
Canada) on page 13‑11.

Black plate (22,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

1-22 In Brief

Roadside Assistance and OnStar
(U.S. and Canada)

If the vehicle has an active OnStar
subscription, contact OnStar and the
vehicle’s current GPS location will
be sent to an OnStar advisor to
assess the situation, contact
Roadside Assistance, and relay the
exact location to send help.

OnStar

If equipped, this vehicle has a
comprehensive, in-vehicle system
that can connect to a live Advisor
for Emergency, Security, Navigation,
Connection, and Diagnostic
Services. See OnStar Overview on
page 14‑1.

®

Black plate (1,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-1

Keys, Doors, and Windows

Keys and Locks

Keys . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . 2-1

Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)

System . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2

Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)

System Operation . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3

Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . 2-4

Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6

Power Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7

Safety Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-7

Doors

Liftgate . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . . 2-8

Exterior Mirrors

Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14

Power Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . ..... 2-14

Heated Mirrors . . . . . . . . ... . . . . 2-14

Blind Spot Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14

Park Tilt Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . ... . 2-15

Interior Mirrors

Manual Rearview Mirror . . . . . . 2-16

Automatic Dimming Rearview

Mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16

Windows

Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...... 2-16

Power Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17

Sun Visors . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . 2-18

Roof

Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 2-18

Vehicle Security

Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . ...... 2-12

Vehicle Alarm System . . . . . . . 2-12

Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13

Immobilizer Operation . . . . . . . 2-13

Keys and Locks

Keys

WARNING

{

Leaving children in a vehicle with
the ignition key is dangerous and
children or others could be
seriously injured or killed. They
could operate the power windows
or other controls or make the
vehicle move. The windows will
function with the keys in the
ignition, and children or others
could be caught in the path of a
closing window. Do not leave
children in a vehicle with the
ignition key.

Black plate (2,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

2-2 Keys, Doors, and Windows

The key that is part of the Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter can
be used for the ignition and all
locks.

Press the button on the RKE
transmitter to extend the key. Press
the button and the key blade to
retract the key.

See your dealer if a new key is
needed.

If the vehicle has an ignition and it
becomes difficult to turn the key,
inspect the key blade for debris.
Periodically clean with a brush
or pick.

If locked out of the vehicle, see

Roadside Assistance Program
(Mexico) on page 13‑7 or Roadside
Assistance Program (U.S. and
Canada) on page 13‑11.

With an active OnStar subscription,
an OnStar Advisor may remotely
unlock the vehicle. See OnStar
Overview on page 14‑1.

Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System

See Radio Frequency Statement on
page 13‑21 for information

regarding Part 15 of the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC)
rules and Industry Canada
Standards RSS-GEN/210/220/310.

If there is a decrease in the RKE
operating range:

.

Check the distance. The
transmitter may be too far from
the vehicle.

Black plate (3,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

.

Check the location. Other
vehicles or objects may be
blocking the signal.

.

Check the transmitter's battery.
See “Battery Replacement” later
in this section.

.

If the transmitter is still not
working correctly, see your
dealer or a qualified technician
for service.

Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System Operation

The Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter may work up to 60 m
(195 ft) away from the vehicle.

There are other conditions which
can affect the performance of the
transmitter. See Remote Keyless
Entry (RKE) System on page 2‑2.

RKE Without Remote Start Shown

The following may be available:

Q (Lock): Press to lock all doors.

The turn signal indicators may flash
and/or the horn may sound to
indicate locking. See “Remote Lock
Feedback” under Vehicle
Personalization on page 5‑31. If a

passenger door is open when
pressed, all doors lock. If the driver

door is open when
doors lock except the driver door.
These settings can be modified.

Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-3

Q is

Q is pressed, all

See “Unlocked Door Anti Lock Out”
under Vehicle Personalization on
page 5‑31.

Pressing
theft-deterrent system. See Vehicle
Alarm System on page 2‑12.

Q may also arm the

K (Unlock): Press to unlock the

driver door or all doors. See
“Remote Door Unlock” under

Vehicle Personalization on
page 5‑31. The turn signal

indicators flash to indicate unlocking
has occurred. For more information
see “Remote Unlock Light
Feedback” under Vehicle
Personalization on page 5‑31.

Pressing
theft-deterrent system. See Vehicle
Alarm System on page 2‑12.

For vehicles with the manual
liftgate, press

5 seconds to unlock the liftgate.

K may also disarm the

K twice within

V (Remote Liftgate Release):

For vehicles with the power liftgate,
press and hold

begins to move.

V until the liftgate

Black plate (4,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

2-4 Keys, Doors, and Windows

7 (Vehicle Locator/Panic

Alarm): Press and release one
time to initiate vehicle locator. The
exterior lamps flash and the horn
chirps three times. Press and hold

7 for at least three seconds to

sound the panic alarm. The horn
sounds and the turn signals flash

until

7 is pressed again or the key

is placed in the ignition and turned
to ON/RUN.

/ (Remote Vehicle Start): For

vehicles with this feature, first press

Q then press and hold / to start

the engine from outside the vehicle
using the RKE transmitter. See

Remote Vehicle Start on page 2‑4

for additional information.

The buttons on the keys are
disabled when there is a key in the
ignition.

Programming Transmitters to
the Vehicle

Only RKE transmitters programmed
to this vehicle will work. If a
transmitter is lost or stolen, a

replacement can be purchased and
programmed through your dealer.
When the replacement transmitter is
programmed to this vehicle, all
remaining transmitters must also be
reprogrammed. Any lost or stolen
transmitters will no longer work
once the new transmitter is
programmed.

Battery Replacement

Replace the battery if the REPLACE
BATTERY IN REMOTE KEY
message displays in the DIC. See
“Replace Battery in Remote Key”
under Key and Lock Messages on
page 5‑27.

The battery is not rechargeable. To
replace the battery:

1. Push the button on the
transmitter to extend the key.

2. Remove the battery cover by
prying with a finger.

3. Remove the battery by pushing
on the battery and sliding it
toward the key blade.

4. Insert the new battery, positive
side facing up. Push the battery
down until it is held in place.
Replace with a CR2032 or
equivalent battery.

5. Snap the battery cover back on
to the transmitter.

Remote Vehicle Start

The vehicle may have this feature
that allows you to start the engine
from outside the vehicle.

/ (Remote Vehicle Start): This

button will be on the RKE
transmitter if the vehicle has remote
start.

The climate control system will use
the previous settings during a
remote start. The rear defog may
come on during remote start based
on cold ambient conditions. The
rear defog indicator light does not
come on during remote start.

Black plate (5,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-5

If the vehicle has heated seats, they
may come on during a remote start.
See Heated Front Seats on
page 3‑8 for more information.

Laws in some local communities
may restrict the use of remote
starters. For example, some laws
require a person using remote start
to have the vehicle in view. Check
local regulations for any
requirements.

There are other conditions which
can affect the performance of the
transmitter. See Remote Keyless
Entry (RKE) System on page 2‑2 for
additional information.

Starting the Engine Using Remote
Start

To start the engine using the remote
start feature:

1. Press and release

Q on the

RKE transmitter.

2. Immediately press and hold
for at least two seconds or until
the turn signal lamps flash. The
turn signal lamps flashing
confirms the request to remote
start the vehicle has been
received.

The parking lamps will turn on
and remain on as long as the
engine is running. The vehicle's
doors will be locked.

3. The key must be inserted and
turned to ON/RUN before
driving.

The engine will shut off after
10 minutes unless a time
extension is done or the key is
inserted and turned to ON/RUN.

Extending Engine Run Time

For a 10-minute extension, repeat
Steps 1 and 2 while the engine is
still running. The remote start can
be extended once.

When the remote start is extended,
the second 10 minutes will start
immediately.

/

For example, if the engine has
been running for 5 minutes, and
10 minutes are added, the engine
will run for a total of 15 minutes.

A maximum of two remote starts or
remote start attempts are allowed
between ignition cycles.

The vehicle's ignition switch must
be turned to ON/RUN and then back
to LOCK/OFF using the key, before
the remote start procedure can be
used again.

Shutting the Engine Off After a
Remote Start

To shut off the engine:

.

Press / until the parking lamps
turn off.

.

Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.

.

Insert the key and turn it to ON/
RUN and then back to
LOCK/OFF.

Black plate (6,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

2-6 Keys, Doors, and Windows

Conditions in Which Remote Start
Will Not Work

The remote vehicle start feature will
not operate if:

.

The key is in the ignition.

.

The hood or doors are not
closed.

.

The hazard warning flashers
are on.

.

There is an emission control
system malfunction.

.

The engine coolant temperature
is too high.

.

The oil pressure is low.

.

Two remote vehicle starts have
already been used.

.

The vehicle is not in P (Park).

Remote Start Ready

If the vehicle does not have the
remote vehicle start feature, it may
have the remote start ready feature.

This feature allows your dealer to
add the manufacturer's remote
vehicle start feature. See your
dealer to add the manufacturer's
remote vehicle start feature to the
vehicle.

Door Locks

WARNING

{

Unlocked doors can be
dangerous.

.

Passengers, especially
children, can easily open the
doors and fall out of a moving
vehicle. The chance of being
thrown out of the vehicle in a
crash is increased if the
doors are not locked. So, all
passengers should wear
safety belts properly and the
doors should be locked
whenever the vehicle is
driven.

(Continued)

WARNING (CONTINUED)

.

Young children who get into
unlocked vehicles may be
unable to get out. A child can
be overcome by extreme heat
and can suffer permanent
injuries or even death from
heat stroke. Always lock the
vehicle whenever leaving it.

.

Outsiders can easily enter
through an unlocked door
when slowing or stopping the
vehicle. Lock the doors to
help prevent this from
happening.

To lock or unlock a door from the
outside of the vehicle, use the
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter. Pull the handle once
from the inside to unlock the door,
and a second time to open it.

Black plate (7,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-7

Power Door Locks

There is a power door lock switch
on the instrument panel.

There are power door lock switches
on the front door panels.

Q : Press to lock the doors.
K : Press to unlock the doors.

When locking the doors with a
power door lock switch and a door
or the liftgate is open, the doors will
lock five seconds after the last door
is closed. Three chimes sound to
signal the delayed locking feature is
in use.

Pressing the power lock switch
twice or

twice will override the delayed
locking feature and immediately lock
all doors.

This feature can be programmed.
See “Delayed Door Lock” under

Vehicle Personalization on
page 5‑31.

Q on the RKE transmitter

Safety Locks

The rear door safety locks switch is
on the instrument panel.

Black plate (8,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/9/12

2-8 Keys, Doors, and Windows

Rear door safety locks prevent
passengers from opening the rear
doors from inside the vehicle.

Press

{ to activate the safety locks.

When activated, the indicator light in
the switch changes to amber.

{ again to deactivate the

Press
safety locks.

If a rear door handle is pulled when
the safety lock is deactivated, that
door will remain locked and the
indicator light may flash. Release
the handle, then press the safety
lock twice to deactivate the safety
locks.

Doors

Liftgate

WARNING

{

Exhaust gases can enter the
vehicle if it is driven with the
liftgate or trunk/hatch open,
or with any objects that pass
through the seal between the
body and the trunk/hatch or
liftgate. Engine exhaust contains
carbon monoxide (CO) which
cannot be seen or smelled. It can
cause unconsciousness and even
death.

If the vehicle must be driven with
the liftgate or trunk/hatch open:

.

Close all of the windows.

.

Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.

(Continued)

WARNING (CONTINUED)

.

Adjust the climate control
system to a setting that
brings in only outside air and
set the fan speed to the
highest setting. See “Climate
Control Systems” in the
Index.

.

If the vehicle is equipped with
a power liftgate, disable the
power liftgate function.

See Engine Exhaust on
page 9‑25.

Notice: To avoid damage to the
liftgate or liftgate glass, make
sure the area above and behind
the liftgate is clear before
opening it.

Black plate (9,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/9/12

Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-9

Manual Liftgate

To unlock the liftgate, press the
power door lock switch or press

on the Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) transmitter twice. See

Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation on page 2‑3.

To open the liftgate, press the touch
pad under the liftgate handle and
lift up.

Use the pull cup to lower and close
the liftgate. Do not press the touch
pad while closing the liftgate. This
may cause the liftgate to be
unlatched.

Always close the liftgate before
driving.

K

Power Liftgate

On vehicles with a power liftgate,
the vehicle must be in P (Park) to
operate. The taillamps flash when
the power liftgate moves.

WARNING

{

You or others could be injured if
caught in the path of the power
liftgate. Make sure there is no one
in the way of the liftgate as it is
opening and closing.

The power liftgate has three modes
of operation. Mode selection is
controlled by the interior mode
switch.

Choose the power liftgate mode by
turning the dial on the switch until
the indicator lines up with the
desired position. The vehicle must
be in P (Park).

The three modes are:

MAX: The liftgate power opens to
the full open height.

3/4: The liftgate power opens to a
reduced open height that can be set
by the vehicle operator. Use this
setting to prevent the liftgate from
opening into overhead obstructions
such as a garage door or roof
mounted cargo during power
operation. The liftgate can still be
fully opened manually.

OFF: The liftgate only operates
manually in this position.

Manual operation of a liftgate that
also has power operation requires
more effort than a standard manual
liftgate.

Black plate (10,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

2-10 Keys, Doors, and Windows

The liftgate can be opened manually
by pressing the touch pad under the
liftgate handle, with the doors
unlocked and lifting up.

In either the MAX or the 3/4 mode,
the liftgate can be power opened
and closed by:

.

Pressing and holding V on the
RKE transmitter until the liftgate
starts moving. See Remote

Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation on page 2‑3.

.

Pressing the power liftgate
button in the center of the mode
switch on the overhead console,
with the driver door unlocked.

Press and release 8 on the
liftgate adjacent to the latch to close
the liftgate.

Pressing any button, or the touch
pad switch, while the liftgate is
moving stops it. Pressing the button
or RKE transmitter again reverses
the direction. The touch pad switch
will stop the liftgate from moving.
There is a minimum distance that
the power liftgate must already be
open for the system to hold it open.
If movement is stopped below that
minimum, the liftgate closes.

Do not force the liftgate open or
closed during a power cycle.

The power liftgate may be
temporarily disabled under extreme
temperatures or low battery
conditions. If this occurs, the liftgate
can still be operated manually.

If the vehicle is shifted out of
P (Park) while the power function is
in progress, the liftgate power
function will continue to completion.
If the vehicle is shifted out of
P (Park) and accelerated before the
power liftgate latch is closed, the
liftgate may reverse to the open
position. Cargo could fall out of the
vehicle. Always make sure the
power liftgate is closed and latched
before driving away.

If the liftgate is power opened and
the liftgate support struts have lost
pressure, the turn signals flash and
a chime will sound. The liftgate
stays open temporarily, and then
slowly closes. See a dealer for
service before using the liftgate.

Black plate (11,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-11

Obstacle Detection Features

If the liftgate encounters an obstacle
during a power open or close cycle,
a warning chime will sound and the
liftgate will automatically reverse
direction to the full closed or open
position. After removing the
obstruction, the power liftgate
operation can be used again. If the
liftgate encounters multiple
obstacles on the same power cycle,
the power function will deactivate
and a message will display in the
Driver Information Center (DIC), see

Object Detection System Messages
on page 5‑27. After removing the

obstructions, the liftgate will resume
normal power operation.

Pinch sensors are located on the
side edges of the liftgate. If an
object is caught between the liftgate
and the vehicle and presses against
this sensor, the liftgate will reverse
direction and open fully. The liftgate
will remain open until it is activated
again or closed manually.

Power Liftgate 3/4 Mode

To program the liftgate opening
height:

1. Turn the liftgate switch to either
the MAX, or the 3/4 mode
position and power open the
liftgate.

2. Stop the liftgate movement at
the desired height by pressing
any liftgate switch. Manually
adjust the liftgate position if
required.

3. Press and hold the button on the
liftgate adjacent to the latch until
the turn signals flash and a beep
sounds to indicate that the new
setting is recorded.

When power opened with the 3/4
mode selected, the liftgate stops at
the new set position.

If there is no audible and visual
feedback when setting the
intermediate stop position, the
liftgate height is being set below the
3/4 open height minimum
(approximately 1.5 m or 5 ft). The
liftgate cannot be set below that
minimum and the new setting will
not be recorded.

Manual Operation of Power
Liftgate

To change the liftgate to manual
operation, turn the mode switch to
the OFF position.

With the power liftgate disabled and
all of the doors unlocked, the liftgate
can be manually opened and
closed. Manual operation of a
liftgate that also has power
operation requires more effort than
a standard manual liftgate.

Black plate (12,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

2-12 Keys, Doors, and Windows

To open the liftgate, press the touch
pad on the handle on the outside of
the liftgate, and lift the gate open. To
close the liftgate, use the pull cup to
lower the liftgate and close. With the
power liftgate disabled, the liftgate
electric latch will still power latch
once contact is made with the
striker. Always close the liftgate
before driving.

If

V on the RKE transmitter is

pressed while power operation is
disabled, the turn signals flash and
the liftgate will not move.

The liftgate has an electric latch.
If the battery is disconnected or has
low voltage, the liftgate will not
open. The liftgate will resume
operation when the battery is
reconnected and charged.

Vehicle Security

This vehicle has theft-deterrent
features; however, they do not make
the vehicle impossible to steal.

Vehicle Alarm System

This vehicle has an anti-theft alarm
system.

Arming the System

To arm the system, do one of the
following:

.

Press Q on the RKE transmitter.

.

Lock the vehicle using the key in
the driver door.

The alarm automatically arms after
about 30 seconds. The security
light, located on the instrument
panel, flashes.

V on the RKE transmitter to

Press
open the liftgate without setting off
the alarm. The system rearms when
the liftgate is closed.

Disarming the System

To disarm the system, do one of the
following:

.

Press K on the RKE transmitter.

.

Turn the ignition to ON/RUN.

.

Allow the alarm to time out after
about 30 seconds and reset
itself.

If the system is armed and any door
is unlocked without pressing

the RKE transmitter, the alarm
sounds.

K on

How to Detect a Tamper
Condition

If K is pressed and the horn
sounds, an attempted break-in has
occurred while the system was
armed.

If the alarm has been activated, the
THEFT ATTEMPTED message will
appear on the DIC. See Key and
Lock Messages on page 5‑27 for
additional information.

Black plate (13,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-13

Immobilizer

See Radio Frequency Statement on
page 13‑21 for information

regarding Part 15 of the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC)
rules and Industry Canada
Standards RSS-GEN/210/220/310.

Immobilizer Operation

This vehicle has a passive
theft-deterrent system.

The system does not have to be
manually armed or disarmed.

The vehicle is automatically
immobilized when the key is
removed from the ignition.

The system is automatically
disarmed when the vehicle is
started with the correct key. The key
uses a transponder that matches an
immobilizer control unit in the
vehicle and automatically disarms
the system. Only an authorized key
starts the vehicle. The vehicle may
not start if the key is damaged.

The security light in the instrument
cluster comes on if there is a
problem with arming or disarming
the theft-deterrent system.

When trying to start the vehicle, the
security light comes on briefly when
the ignition is turned on.

If the engine does not start and the
security light stays on, there is a
problem with the system. Turn the
ignition off and try again.

If the engine still does not start, and
the key appears to be undamaged
or the light continues to stay on, try
another ignition key. If the engine
does not start with the other key, the
vehicle needs service. If the vehicle
does start, the first key may be
damaged. See your dealer who can
service the theft-deterrent system
and have a new key made.

Do not leave the key or device that
disarms or deactivates the
theft-deterrent system in the vehicle.

Black plate (14,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

2-14 Keys, Doors, and Windows

Exterior Mirrors

Power Mirrors

Convex Mirrors

WARNING

{

A convex mirror can make things,
like other vehicles, look farther
away than they really are. If you
cut too sharply into the right lane,
you could hit a vehicle on the
right. Check the inside mirror or
glance over your shoulder before
changing lanes.

The passenger side mirror is convex
shaped. A convex mirror's surface is
curved so more can be seen from
the driver seat.

To adjust the mirrors:

1. Move the selector switch to L
(Left) or R (Right) to choose the
driver or passenger mirror.

2. Press the arrows on the control
pad to move each mirror in the
desired direction.

3. Return the selector switch to the
middle position.

Heated Mirrors

For vehicles with heated mirrors:

The heated outside rearview mirrors
turn on when the rear window
defogger is on and help to clear fog
or frost from the surface of the
mirrors.

1 (Rear Window Defogger): This

button is on the climate control
panel.

See “Rear Window Defogger” under

Automatic Climate Control System
on page 8‑3 for more information.

Blind Spot Mirrors

The blind spot mirror is a small
convex mirror built into the upper
and outer corner of both outside
mirrors. It can show objects that
may be in the vehicle's blind zone.

Black plate (15,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-15

Driving with the Blind Spot
Mirror

1. When the approaching vehicle is
a long distance away, the image
in the main mirror is small and
near the inboard edge of the
mirror.

2. As the vehicle gets closer, the
image in the main mirror gets
larger and moves outboard.

3. As the vehicle enters the blind
zone, the image transitions from
the main mirror to the blind spot
mirror.

4. When the vehicle is in the blind
zone, the image only appears in
the blind spot mirror.

Using the Outside Mirror with
the Blind Spot Mirror

1. Set the main mirror so that the
side of the vehicle can just be
seen and the blind spot mirror
has an unobstructed view.

2. When checking for traffic or
before changing a lane, look at

Actual Mirror View

the main driver/passenger side
mirror to observe traffic in the
adjacent lane, behind your

vehicle. Check the blind spot
mirror for a vehicle in the blind
zone. Then, glance over your
shoulder to double check before
moving slowly into the
adjacent lane.

Park Tilt Mirrors

If the vehicle is equipped with
memory mirrors, there is an option
to have the mirrors tilt down, when
in R (Reverse), to more easily see
the ground near the vehicle.

When the vehicle is shifted to
R (Reverse), both the driver and
passenger mirrors will tilt downward.
They will return to their previous
position when the vehicle is shifted
out of R (Reverse), the ignition is
turned to OFF, or the vehicle is left
in R (Reverse) for an extended
period of time.

This feature can be turned on or off.
See Vehicle Personalization on
page 5‑31.

Black plate (16,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

2-16 Keys, Doors, and Windows

Interior Mirrors

Automatic Dimming Rearview Mirror

Manual Rearview Mirror

Hold the inside rearview mirror in
the center and move it for a clearer
view behind the vehicle. Adjust the
mirror to avoid glare from the
headlamps behind you. Push the
tab forward for daytime use and pull
it for nighttime use.

®

Vehicles with OnStar
control buttons located at the
bottom of the mirror. See your
dealer for more information on the
system and how to subscribe to
OnStar. See OnStar Overview on
page 14‑1.

have three

The vehicle may have an automatic
dimming inside rearview mirror.
Automatic dimming reduces the
glare from the headlamps of the
vehicle behind you. The dimming
feature comes on and the indicator
light comes on each time the vehicle
is started.

O (On/Off): Press to turn automatic

dimming on or off.

Vehicles with OnStar® have three
additional control buttons located at
the bottom of the mirror. See your
dealer for more information on the
system and how to subscribe to
OnStar. See OnStar Overview on
page 14‑1.

Cleaning the Mirror

Do not spray glass cleaner directly
on the mirror. Use a soft towel
dampened with water.

Windows

WARNING

{

Never leave a child, a helpless
adult, or a pet alone in a vehicle,
especially with the windows
closed in warm or hot weather.
They can be overcome by the
extreme heat and suffer
permanent injuries or even death
from heat stroke.

Black plate (17,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-17

The vehicle aerodynamics are
designed to improve fuel economy
performance. This may result in a
pulsing sound when either rear
window is down and the front
windows are up. To reduce the
sound, open either a front window
or the sunroof (if equipped).

Power Windows

WARNING

{

Children could be seriously
injured or killed if caught in the
path of a closing window. Never
leave keys in a vehicle with
children. When there are children
in the rear seat, use the window
lockout button to prevent
operation of the windows. See
Keys on page 2‑1.

The power windows work when the
ignition is in ON/RUN or ACC/
ACCESSORY, or in Retained
Accessory Power (RAP). See

Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
on page 9‑22.

Press the front of the switch to open
the window. Pull the switch up to
close it.

Express Down Windows

Windows that have the
express-down feature allow the
windows to be lowered without
holding the switch. Press the

window switch fully and release it to
activate the express-down feature.
The express mode can be canceled
at any time by briefly pressing,
or pulling the switch.

Window Lockout

o (Window Lockout): This feature
prevents the rear passenger
windows from operating, except
from the driver position.

Black plate (18,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

2-18 Keys, Doors, and Windows

Press v to activate the rear
window lockout switch. The
indicator light comes on when
activated.

v again to deactivate the

Press
lockout switch.

Sun Visors

Pull the sun visor down to block
glare. Detach the sun visor from the
center mount to pivot to the side
window, or to extend along the rod,
if available.

Roof

Sunroof

On vehicles with a sunroof, the
switches used to operate it are on
the headliner above the rearview
mirror. The ignition must be in ON/
RUN or ACC/ACCESSORY, or in
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) to
operate the sunroof. See Ignition

Positions on page 9‑19 and
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
on page 9‑22.

.

Press and hold the front or rear
of the driver side switch to open
or close the sunroof. The
sunshade automatically opens
with the sunroof, but must be
closed manually.

.

Press and hold the rear of the
passenger side switch to vent
the sunroof. Press and hold the
front of the switch to close.

Black plate (19,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

Express-open/Express-close

Press and release the front or rear
of the driver side switch to
express-open or express-close the
sunroof.

Anti-Pinch Feature

If an object is in the path of the
sunroof when it is closing, the
anti-pinch feature detects the object
and stops the sunroof from closing
at the point of the obstruction. The
sunroof then returns to the full-open
position.

Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-19

Dirt and debris may collect on the
sunroof seal or in the track. This
could cause an issue with sunroof
operation, noise, or plugging the
water drainage system. Periodically
open the sunroof and remove any
obstacles or loose debris. Wipe the
sunroof seal and roof sealing area
using a clean cloth, mild soap, and
water. Do not remove grease from
the sunroof.

Black plate (20,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

2-20 Keys, Doors, and Windows

2 NOTES

Black plate (1,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

Seats and Restraints 3-1

Seats and Restraints

Head Restraints

Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . .... . . 3-2

Front Seats

Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3

Power Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . 3-4

Lumbar Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5

Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . 3-5

Memory Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7

Heated Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8

Rear Seats

Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . ..... . . . . . 3-9

Safety Belts

Safety Belts . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . 3-11

How to Wear Safety Belts

Properly .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 3-12

Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13

Safety Belt Use During

Pregnancy .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17

Safety Belt Extender . . . . . . . . . 3-17

Safety System Check . . . . . . . . 3-17

Safety Belt Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-18

Replacing Safety Belt System

Parts after a Crash . . . . . . . . . 3-18

Airbag System

Airbag System . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. 3-19

Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . 3-21

When Should an Airbag

Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . 3-22

What Makes an Airbag

Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . 3-24

How Does an Airbag

Restrain? . . . . . . . . . . . . ..... . . 3-24

What Will You See after an

Airbag Inflates? . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-24

Passenger Sensing

System . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26

Servicing the Airbag-Equipped

Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-30

Adding Equipment to the

Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . 3-30

Airbag System Check . . . . . . . . 3-32

Replacing Airbag System

Parts after a Crash . . . . . . . . . 3-32

Child Restraints

Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-33

Infants and Young

Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . 3-35

Child Restraint Systems . . . . . 3-37

Where to Put the Restraint . . . 3-39
Lower Anchors and Tethers

for Children (LATCH

System) . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . . . 3-40

Replacing LATCH System

Parts After a Crash . . . . . . . . . 3-45

Securing Child Restraints

(Rear Seat) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 3-45

Securing Child Restraints

(Front Passenger Seat) . . . . 3-48

Black plate (2,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

3-2 Seats and Restraints

Head Restraints

Front Seats

The vehicle's front seats have 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.

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.

Black plate (3,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

Seats and Restraints 3-3

To lower the head restraint, press
the button, located on the top of the
seatback, and push the head
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 designed to be
removed.

Rear Seats

The vehicle's rear seat has head
restraints in the outboard seating
positions that cannot be adjusted.

Rear outboard head restraints are
not designed to be removed.

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 a manual seat:

1. Pull the handle at the front of the
seat cushion.

2. Move the seat forward or
rearward to adjust the seat
position.

3. Release the handle to stop the
seat from moving.

4. Try to move the seat back and
forth to be sure it is locked in
place.

Black plate (4,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

3-4 Seats and Restraints

Power Seat Adjustment

Four-Way Power Seat

1. Seat Position Handle

2. Height Adjustment Control

To adjust a power seat, if equipped:

.

Move the seat forward or
rearward using the handle under
the front of the seat cushion (1).
See Seat Adjustment on
page 3‑3.

.

Raise or lower the entire seat by
moving the control (2) up
or down.

To adjust the seatback, see
Reclining Seatbacks on page 3‑5.

To adjust the lumbar support, see
Lumbar Adjustment on page 3‑5.

Eight-Way Power Seats

To adjust a power seat, if equipped:

.

Move the seat forward or
rearward by sliding the control
forward or rearward.

.

Raise or lower the front or rear
part of the seat cushion by
moving the front or rear of the
control up or down.

.

Raise or lower the entire seat by
moving the entire control up
or down.

Black plate (5,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

Seats and Restraints 3-5

To adjust the seatback, see
Reclining Seatbacks on page 3‑5.

To adjust the lumbar support, see
Lumbar Adjustment on page 3‑5.

Lumbar Adjustment

Power Lumbar

Eight-Way Power Seat Shown,

Four-Way Similar

If available, press and hold the front
or rear of the switch to increase or
decrease lumbar support. Release

the switch when the seatback
reaches the desired level of lumbar
support.

Reclining Seatbacks

WARNING

{

Sitting in a reclined position when
the vehicle is in motion can be
dangerous. Even when buckled
up, the safety 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.

(Continued)

WARNING (CONTINUED)

For proper protection when the
vehicle is in motion, have the
seatback upright. Then sit well
back in the seat and wear the
safety belt properly.

Do not have a seatback reclined if
the vehicle is moving.

Black plate (6,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

3-6 Seats and Restraints

Manual Reclining Seatbacks

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 a manual 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, and the seatback will
return to the upright position.

2. Push and pull on the seatback to
make sure it is locked.

Power Reclining Seatbacks

To adjust a power seatback,
if available:

.

Tilt the top of the control
rearward to recline.

.

Tilt the top of the control forward
to raise.

Black plate (7,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

Seats and Restraints 3-7

Memory Seats

If available, the “1” and “2” buttons
on the outboard side of the driver
seat are used to manually save and
recall the driver seat and outside
mirror positions. These manually
stored positions are referred to as
Button Memory positions.

The vehicle will also automatically
save driver seat and outside mirror
positions to the current driver
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter when the ignition is
turned off. These automatically

stored positions are referred to as
RKE Memory positions. See

Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation on page 2‑3.

Storing Button Memory Positions

To save positions into Button
Memory:

1. Adjust the driver seat, seatback
recliner, and both outside mirrors
to the desired driving positions.

2. Press and hold MEM (Memory)
and “1” at the same time until a
beep sounds.

3. Repeat Steps 1 and 2 for a
second driver using “2.”

Recalling Button Memory
Positions

To recall the Button Memory
positions, press and hold “1” or “2.”
The driver seat and outside mirrors
move to the positions stored to
those buttons when pressed.
Releasing “1” or “2” before the
stored positions are reached stops
the recall.

If something has blocked the driver
seat while recalling a memory
position, the recall may stop.
Remove the obstruction; then press
and hold the appropriate manual
control for the memory item that is
not recalling 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.

Recalling RKE Memory Positions
(Memory Remote Recall)

The Memory Remote Recall feature
can recall the driver seat and
outside mirrors to previously stored
RKE Memory positions when
entering the vehicle.

Every time the ignition is turned off,
the positions of the driver seat and
outside mirrors are automatically
stored to the RKE transmitter that
was used to start the vehicle. These
positions are called RKE Memory
positions and may be different than
the previously mentioned Button

Black plate (8,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

3-8 Seats and Restraints

Memory positions saved to the
“1” or “2” buttons. To recall RKE
Memory positions, unlock the driver
door with the RKE transmitter and
open the driver door. If the driver
door is already open, pressing the

RKE transmitter
activate the RKE Memory recall.
The driver seat and outside mirrors
will move to the previously saved
RKE Memory positions.

This feature is turned on or off using
the vehicle personalization menu.
See Vehicle Personalization on
page 5‑31.

To stop recall movement, press any
of the memory, power mirror,
or power seat controls.

If something has blocked the driver
seat while recalling a memory
position, the recall may stop.
Remove the obstruction; then press
and hold the appropriate manual
control for the memory item that is
not recalling for two seconds. Try
recalling the memory position again
by opening the driver door and

K button will also

pressing the RKE
memory position is still not recalling,
see your dealer for service.

Easy Exit Driver Seat

This feature moves the seat
rearward allowing the driver more
room to exit the vehicle.

To activate, turn the ignition off and
open the driver door. If the driver
door is already open, turning the
ignition off will activate the recall.

This feature can be turned on or off
using the vehicle personalization
menu. See Vehicle Personalization
on page 5‑31.

To stop recall movement, press one
of the memory or power seat
controls.

If something has blocked the driver
seat while recalling the exit position,
the recall may stop. Remove the
obstruction; then press and hold the
power seat control rearward for
two seconds. Try recalling the exit

K button. If the

position again. If the exit position is
still not recalling, see your dealer for
service.

Heated Front Seats

WARNING

{

If you cannot feel temperature
change or pain to the skin, the
seat heater may cause burns. To
reduce the risk of burns, people
with such a condition should 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.

Black plate (9,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

Seats and Restraints 3-9

Uplevel Climate Control System

Shown, Base Similar

If available, the buttons are near the
climate controls. To operate, the
ignition must be in ON/RUN.

Press

z or J to heat the driver or

passenger seat cushion and
seatback.

Press the button once for the
highest setting. With each press of
the button, the heated seat will
change to the next lower setting,

and then the off setting. Three lights
indicate the highest setting, and one
light indicates the lowest.

The passenger seat may take
longer to heat up.

Remote Start Heated Seats

When it is cold outside, the heated
seats can be programmed to turn on
automatically during a remote
vehicle start. The heated seats will
be canceled when the ignition is
turned on. Press the heated seat
button to use the heated seats after
the vehicle is started.

The heated seat button lights will
not turn on during a remote start.

The temperature of an unoccupied
seat may be reduced.

To program the heated seat feature
to enabled, see Vehicle
Personalization on page 5‑31.

Rear Seats

Split Folding Seatbacks

With this feature, either side of the
rear seatback can be folded down
for more cargo space.

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.

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

(Continued)

Black plate (10,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

3-10 Seats and Restraints

WARNING (CONTINUED)

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.

To fold the seatback down:

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. Unbuckle the rear safety belts
and place the front seatbacks in
the upright position. See

Reclining Seatbacks on
page 3‑5.

2. Lift the lever on the top of the
seatback.

3. Fold the seatback forward.

The filler panel behind the seat
will fold with the seatback to
span the gap between the rear
of the seat and the cargo area,
creating a flat load floor. Do not
lift the filler panel.

Keep the seatback in the upright,
locked position when not in use.

To recline the seatback:

1. Lift and hold the lever on top of
the seatback.

2. Tilt the seatback rearward, then
release the lever when the
seatback is in the desired
position.

To slide the entire seat forward or
rearward:

1. Lift and hold the release bar
under the front of the seat
cushion to unlock the seat.

2. Slide the seat to the desired
position.

3. Release the bar.

4. Try to move the seat back and
forth to ensure the seat is locked
into place.

Black plate (11,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

Seats and Restraints 3-11

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, injuries can be much
worse than if you are wearing
safety 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.

(Continued)

WARNING (CONTINUED)

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 safety belts.

Always wear a safety belt, and
check that all passenger(s) are
restrained properly too.

This vehicle has indicators as a
reminder to buckle the safety belts.
See Safety Belt Reminders on
page 5‑10.

Why Safety 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 safety belts!

When you wear a safety 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

Black plate (12,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

3-12 Seats and Restraints

safety belts. That is why wearing
safety belts makes such good
sense.

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.
Your chance of being conscious
during and after a crash, so you

can unbuckle and get out, is
much greater if you are belted.

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.

Also, in nearly all states and in
all Canadian provinces, the law
requires wearing safety belts.

How to Wear Safety Belts Properly

This section is only for people of
adult size.

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 3‑33 or Infants
and Young Children on page 3‑35.

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.

There are important things to know
about wearing a safety belt properly.

.

Sit up straight and always keep
your feet on the floor in front
of you.

.

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.

Black plate (13,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

.

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 safety belt properly.

.

Never allow the lap or
shoulder belt to become
loose or twisted.

.

Never wear the shoulder belt
under both arms or behind
your back.

.

Never route the lap or
shoulder belt over an
armrest.

Lap-Shoulder Belt

All seating positions in the vehicle
have a lap-shoulder belt.

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.

Seats and Restraints 3-13

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 3‑17.

Position the release button on
the buckle so that the safety belt
could be quickly unbuckled if
necessary.

Black plate (14,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

3-14 Seats and Restraints

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 for
instructions on use and
important safety information.

5. To make the lap part tight, pull
up on the shoulder belt.

To unlatch the belt, push the button
on the buckle.

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 seating
positions.

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 3‑12.

Move the height adjuster up to the
desired position by pushing up on
the height adjuster.

Black plate (15,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

Seats and Restraints 3-15

After the height adjuster is set to the
desired position, try to move it down
without pressing the release button
to make sure it has locked into
position. Press the release button to
lower the height adjuster.

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 and near
frontal crash if the threshold
conditions for pretensioner
activation are met. And, if the
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 are activated in a
crash, the pretensioners and
possibly other parts of the safety
belt system will need to be replaced.
See Replacing Safety Belt System
Parts after a Crash on page 3‑18.

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.

There is one guide for each outside
passenger position in the rear seat.
Here is how to install a comfort
guide to the safety belt:

1. Remove the guide from its
storage pocket on the side of the
seatback.

Black plate (16,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

3-16 Seats and Restraints

WARNING (CONTINUED)

and across the chest. These parts
of the body are best able to take
belt restraining forces.

2. Place the guide over the belt,
and insert the two edges of the
belt into the slots of the guide.

3. The belt should not be twisted
and it should lie 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

(Continued)

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.

Black plate (17,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

Seats and Restraints 3-17

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 back into its storage
pocket located on the side of the
seatback.

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.

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.

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 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. See the instruction sheet that
comes with the extender.

Safety System Check

Now and then, check that the safety
belt reminder light, safety belts,
buckles, latch plates, retractors, and
anchorages are all working properly.
Look for any other loose or
damaged safety belt system parts
that might keep a safety belt system
from doing its job. See your dealer

Black plate (18,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

3-18 Seats and Restraints

to have it repaired. Torn or frayed
safety belts may not protect you in a
crash. They can rip apart under
impact forces. If a belt is torn or
frayed, get a new one right away.

Make sure the safety belt reminder
light is working. See Safety Belt
Reminders on page 5‑10.

Keep safety belts clean and dry.
See Safety Belt Care on page 3‑18.

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 5‑10.

Black plate (19,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

Seats and Restraints 3-19

Airbag System

The vehicle has the following
airbags:

.

A frontal airbag for the driver.

.

A frontal airbag for the right front
passenger.

.

A seat-mounted side impact
airbag for the driver.

.

A seat-mounted side impact
airbag for the right front
passenger.

.

A roof-rail airbag for the driver
and the passenger seated
directly behind the driver.

.

A roof-rail airbag for the right
front passenger and the
passenger seated directly
behind the right front passenger.

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 seat-mounted side impact
airbags, the word AIRBAG will
appear on the side of the seatback
closest to the door.

With roof-rail airbags, the word
AIRBAG will appear along the 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:

WARNING

{

You can be severely injured or
killed in a crash if you are not
wearing your safety belt, even
with airbags. Airbags are
designed to work with safety
belts, not replace them. Also,
airbags are not designed to inflate
in every crash. In some crashes
safety belts are the only restraint.
See When Should an Airbag
Inflate? on page 3‑22.

Wearing your safety belt during a
crash helps reduce the chance of
hitting things inside the vehicle or
being ejected from it. Airbags are
“supplemental restraints” to the
safety belts. Everyone in the
vehicle should wear a safety belt
properly, whether or not there is
an airbag for that person.

Black plate (20,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

3-20 Seats and Restraints

WARNING

{

Because airbags inflate with great
force and 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 any
airbag, as you would be if sitting
on the edge of the seat or leaning
forward. Safety belts help keep
you in position before and during
a crash. Always wear a 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
seat-mounted side impact airbags
and/or roof-rail airbags.

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 the
vehicle. To read how, see Older

Children on page 3‑33 or Infants
and Young Children on
page 3‑35.

WARNING

{

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 5‑10 for
more information.

Black plate (21,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

Where Are the Airbags?

Seats and Restraints 3-21

The right front passenger frontal
airbag is in the instrument panel on

The driver frontal airbag is in the
middle of the steering wheel.

the passenger side.

Driver Side Shown, Passenger

Side Similar

The seat-mounted side impact
airbags for the driver and right front
passenger are in the side of the
seatbacks closest to the door.

Black plate (22,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

3-22 Seats and Restraints

WARNING (CONTINUED)

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.

Driver Side Shown, Passenger

Side Similar

The roof-rail airbags for the driver,
right front passenger, and second
row outboard passengers are in the
ceiling above the side windows.

WARNING

{

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

(Continued)

Do not use seat accessories that
block the inflation path of a
seat-mounted side impact airbag.

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.

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 deployment
threshold. Deployment thresholds
are used to predict how severe a
crash is likely to be in time for the
airbags to inflate and help restrain
the occupants.

Whether the frontal airbags will or
should deploy is not based on how
fast your vehicle is traveling.
It depends largely on what you hit,
the direction of the impact, and how
quickly your vehicle slows down.

Black plate (23,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

Seats and Restraints 3-23

Frontal airbags may inflate at
different crash speeds. For
example:

.

If the vehicle hits a stationary
object, the airbags could inflate
at a different crash speed than if
the vehicle hits a moving object.

.

If the vehicle hits an object that
deforms, the airbags could
inflate at a different crash speed
than if the vehicle hits an object
that does not deform.

.

If the vehicle hits a narrow object
(like a pole), the airbags could
inflate at a different crash speed
than if the vehicle hits a wide
object (like a wall).

.

If the vehicle goes into an object
at an angle, the airbags could
inflate at a different crash speed
than if the vehicle goes straight
into the object.

Thresholds can also vary with
specific vehicle design.

Frontal airbags are not intended to
inflate during vehicle rollovers, rear
impacts, or in many side impacts.

In addition, the vehicle has
dual-stage frontal airbags.
Dual-stage airbags adjust the
restraint according to crash severity.
The vehicle has electronic frontal
sensors, which help the sensing
system distinguish between a
moderate frontal impact and a more
severe frontal impact. For moderate
frontal impacts, dual-stage airbags
inflate at a level less than full
deployment. For more severe frontal
impacts, full deployment occurs.

The vehicle has seat-mounted side
impact and roof-rail airbags. See
Airbag System on page 3‑19.
Seat-mounted side impact and
roof-rail airbags are intended to
inflate in moderate to severe side
crashes. In addition, these roof-rail
airbags are intended to inflate
during a rollover or in a severe
frontal impact. Seat-mounted side
impact and roof-rail airbags will
inflate if the crash severity is above

the system's designed threshold
level. The threshold level can vary
with specific vehicle design.

Seat-mounted side impact airbags
are not intended to inflate in frontal
impacts, near-frontal impacts,
rollovers, or rear impacts. Roof-rail
airbags are not intended to inflate in
rear impacts. A seat-mounted side
impact airbag is intended to deploy
on the side of the vehicle that is
struck. Both roof-rail airbags will
deploy when either side of the
vehicle is struck, or if the sensing
system predicts that the vehicle is
about to roll over, or in a severe
frontal impact.

In any particular crash, no one can
say whether an airbag should have
inflated simply because of the
damage to a vehicle or because of
what the repair costs were. For
frontal airbags, inflation is
determined by what the vehicle hits,
the angle of the impact, and how
quickly the vehicle slows down. For
seat-mounted side impact and
roof-rail airbags, deployment is

Black plate (24,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

3-24 Seats and Restraints

determined by the location and
severity of the side impact. In a
rollover event, roof-rail airbag
deployment is determined by the
direction of the roll.

What Makes an Airbag Inflate?

In a deployment event, the sensing
system sends an electrical signal
triggering a release of gas from the
inflator. Gas from the inflator fills the
airbag causing the bag to break out
of the cover. The inflator, the airbag,
and related hardware are all part of
the airbag module.

For airbag location, see Where Are
the Airbags? on page 3‑21.

How Does an Airbag Restrain?

In moderate to severe frontal or
near frontal collisions, even belted
occupants can contact the steering
wheel or the instrument panel. In

moderate to severe side collisions,
even belted occupants can contact
the inside of the vehicle.

Airbags supplement the protection
provided by safety belts. Frontal
airbags distribute the force of the
impact more evenly over the
occupant's upper body, stopping the
occupant more gradually. Seat‐
mounted side impact and roof-rail
airbags distribute the force of the
impact more evenly over the
occupant's upper body.

Rollover capable roof-rail airbags
are designed to help contain the
head and chest of occupants in the
outboard seating positions in the
first and second rows. The rollover
capable roof-rail airbags are
designed to help reduce the risk of
full or partial ejection in rollover
events, although no system can
prevent all such ejections.

But airbags would not help in many
types of collisions, primarily
because the occupant's motion is

not toward those airbags. See When

Should an Airbag Inflate? on
page 3‑22 for more information.

Airbags should never be regarded
as anything more than a supplement
to safety belts.

What Will You See after an Airbag Inflates?

After the frontal airbags and
seat-mounted side impact airbags
inflate, they quickly deflate, so
quickly that some people may not
even realize an airbag inflated.
Roof-rail airbags may still be at least
partially inflated for some time after
they inflate. Some components of
the airbag module may be hot for
several minutes. For location of the
airbags, see Where Are the
Airbags? on page 3‑21.

The parts of the airbag that come
into contact with you may be warm,
but not too hot to touch. There may
be some smoke and dust coming
from the vents in the deflated
airbags. Airbag inflation does not

Black plate (25,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

Seats and Restraints 3-25

prevent the driver from seeing out of
the windshield or being able to steer
the vehicle, nor does it prevent
people from leaving the vehicle.

WARNING

{

When an airbag inflates, there
may be dust in the air. This dust
could cause breathing problems
for people with a history of
asthma or other breathing trouble.
To avoid this, everyone in the
vehicle should get out as soon as
it is safe to do so. If you have
breathing problems but cannot
get out of the vehicle after an
airbag inflates, then get fresh air
by opening a window or a door.
If you experience breathing
problems following an airbag
deployment, you should seek
medical attention.

The vehicle has a feature that may
automatically unlock the doors, turn
the interior lamps on, turn the

hazard warning flashers on, and
shut off the fuel system after the
airbags inflate. You can lock the
doors, turn the interior lamps off,
and turn the hazard warning
flashers off by using the controls for
those features.

WARNING

{

A crash severe enough to inflate
the airbags may have also
damaged important functions in
the vehicle, such as the fuel
system, brake and steering
systems, etc. Even if the vehicle
appears to be drivable after a
moderate crash, there may be
concealed damage that could
make it difficult to safely operate
the vehicle.

Use caution if you should attempt
to restart the engine after a crash
has occurred.

In many crashes severe enough to
inflate the airbag, windshields are
broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may
also occur from the front outboard
passenger airbag.

.

Airbags are designed to inflate
only once. After an airbag
inflates, you will need some new
parts for the airbag system.
If you do not get them, the
airbag system will not be there
to help protect you in another
crash. A new system will include
airbag modules and possibly
other parts. The service manual
for the vehicle covers the need
to replace other parts.

.

The vehicle has a crash sensing
and diagnostic module which
records information after a
crash. See Vehicle Data

Recording and Privacy on
page 13‑19 and Event Data
Recorders on page 13‑19.

Black plate (26,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

3-26 Seats and Restraints

.

Let only qualified technicians
work on the airbag systems.
Improper service can mean that
an airbag system will not work
properly. See your dealer for
service.

Passenger Sensing System

The vehicle has a passenger
sensing system for the right front
passenger position. The passenger
airbag status indicator will be visible
on the overhead console when the
vehicle is started.

United States

Canada and Mexico

The words ON and OFF, or the
symbol for on and off, are visible
during the system check. If you are
using remote start, if equipped, to
start the vehicle from a distance,
you may not see the system check.
When the system check is
complete, either the word ON or
OFF, or the symbol for on or off, will
be visible. See Passenger Airbag
Status Indicator on page 5‑11.

The passenger sensing system
turns off the right front passenger
frontal airbag under certain
conditions. The driver airbag,
seat-mounted side impact airbags
and the roof-rail airbags are not
affected by the passenger sensing
system.

The passenger sensing system
works with sensors that are part of
the right front passenger seat. The
sensors are designed to detect the
presence of a properly-seated
occupant and determine if the right
front passenger frontal airbag
should be enabled (may inflate)
or not.

According to accident statistics,
children are safer when properly
secured in a rear seat in the correct
child restraint for their weight
and size.

We recommend that children 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.

Black plate (27,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

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
guarantee that an airbag will not
deploy under some unusual
circumstance, even though the
airbag is turned off.

(Continued)

WARNING (CONTINUED)

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.

The passenger sensing system is
designed to turn off the right front
passenger frontal airbag if:

.

The right front passenger seat is
unoccupied.

.

The system determines that an
infant is present in a child
restraint.

.

A right front passenger takes
his/her weight off of the seat for
a period of time.

Seats and Restraints 3-27

.

There is a critical problem with
the airbag system or the
passenger sensing system.

When the passenger sensing
system has turned off the right front
passenger frontal airbag, the off
indicator will light and stay lit to
remind you that the airbag is off.
See Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator on page 5‑11.

The passenger sensing system is
designed to turn on (may inflate) the
right front passenger frontal airbag
anytime the system senses that a
person of adult size is sitting
properly in the right front
passenger seat.

When the passenger sensing
system has allowed the airbag to be
enabled, the on indicator will light
and stay lit to remind you that the
airbag is active.

Black plate (28,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

3-28 Seats and Restraints

For some children, including
children in child restraints, and for
very small adults, the passenger
sensing system may or may not turn
off the right front passenger frontal
airbag, depending upon the
person’s seating posture and body
build. Everyone in the vehicle who
has outgrown child restraints should
wear a safety belt properly —
whether or not there is an airbag for
that person.

WARNING

{

If the airbag readiness light ever
comes on and stays on, it means
that something may be wrong
with the airbag system. To help
avoid injury to yourself or others,
have the vehicle serviced right
away. See Airbag Readiness
Light on page 5‑10 for more
information, including important
safety information.

If the On Indicator is Lit for a
Child Restraint

If a child restraint has been installed
and the on indicator is lit:

1. Turn the vehicle off.

2. Remove the child restraint from
the vehicle.

3. Remove any additional items
from the seat such as blankets,
cushions, seat covers, seat
heaters, or seat massagers.

4. Reinstall the child restraint
following the directions provided
by the child restraint
manufacturer and refer to

Securing Child Restraints (Front
Passenger Seat) on page 3‑48
or Securing Child Restraints
(Rear Seat) on page 3‑45.

5. If, after reinstalling the child
restraint and restarting the
vehicle, the on indicator is still lit,
turn the vehicle off. Then slightly
recline the vehicle seatback and
adjust the seat cushion,
if adjustable, to make sure that
the vehicle seatback is not
pushing the child restraint into
the seat cushion.

Also make sure the child
restraint is not trapped under the
vehicle head restraint. If this
happens, adjust the head
restraint. See Head Restraints
on page 3‑2.

6. Restart the vehicle.

The passenger sensing system
may or may not turn off the
airbag for a child in a child
restraint depending upon the
child’s seating posture and body
build. It is better to secure the
child restraint in a rear seat.

Black plate (29,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

Seats and Restraints 3-29

If the Off Indicator is Lit for an
Adult-Size Occupant

If a person of adult-size is sitting in
the right front passenger seat, but
the off indicator is lit, it could be
because that person is not sitting
properly in the seat. If this happens,
use the following steps to allow the
system to detect that person and
enable the right front passenger
frontal airbag:

1. Turn the vehicle off.

2. Remove any additional material
from the seat, such as blankets,
cushions, seat covers, seat
heaters, seat massagers,
laptops, or other electronic
devices.

3. Place the seatback in the fully
upright position.

4. Have the person sit upright in
the seat, centered on the seat
cushion, with legs comfortably
extended.

5. Restart the vehicle and have the
person remain in this position for
two to three minutes after the on
indicator is lit.

Additional Factors Affecting
System Operation

Safety belts help keep the
passenger in position on the seat
during vehicle maneuvers and
braking, which helps the passenger
sensing system maintain the
passenger airbag status. See
“Safety Belts” and “Child Restraints”

in the Index for additional
information about the importance of
proper restraint use.

A thick layer of additional material,
such as a blanket or cushion,
or aftermarket equipment such as
seat covers, seat heaters, and seat
massagers can affect how well the
passenger sensing system
operates. We recommend that you
not use seat covers or other
aftermarket equipment except when
approved by GM for your specific
vehicle. See Adding Equipment to

the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on
page 3‑30 for more information

about modifications that can affect
how the system operates.

A wet seat can affect the
performance of the passenger
sensing system. Here is how:

.

The passenger sensing system
may turn off the passenger
airbag when liquid is soaked into
the seat. If this happens, the off

Black plate (30,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

3-30 Seats and Restraints

indicator will be lit, and the
airbag readiness light on the
instrument panel will also be lit.

.

Liquid pooled on the seat that
has not soaked in may make it
more likely that the passenger
sensing system will enable (turn
on) the passenger airbag while a
child restraint or child occupant
is on the seat. If the passenger
airbag is turned on, the on
indicator will be lit.

If the passenger seat gets wet, dry
the seat immediately. If the airbag
readiness light is lit, do not install a
child restraint or allow anyone to
occupy the seat. See Airbag
Readiness Light on page 5‑10 for
important safety information.

The on indicator may be lit if an
object, such as a briefcase,
handbag, grocery bag, laptop or
other electronic device, is put on an
unoccupied seat. If this is not
desired remove the object from
the seat.

WARNING

{

Stowing of articles under the
passenger seat or between the
passenger seat cushion and
seatback may interfere with the
proper operation of the passenger
sensing system.

Servicing the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle

Airbags affect how the vehicle
should be serviced. There are parts
of the airbag system in several
places around the vehicle. Your
dealer and the service manual have
information about servicing the
vehicle and the airbag system. To
purchase a service manual, see

Service Publications Ordering
Information on page 13‑17.

WARNING

{

For up to 10 seconds after the
vehicle is turned off and the
battery is disconnected, an airbag
can still inflate during improper
service. You can be injured if you
are close to an airbag when it
inflates. Avoid yellow connectors.
They are probably part of the
airbag system. Be sure to follow
proper service procedures, and
make sure the person performing
work for you is qualified to do so.

Adding Equipment to the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle

Q: Is there anything I might add

to or change about the vehicle
that could keep the airbags
from working properly?

A: Yes. If you add things that

change the vehicle's frame,
bumper system, height, front end
or side sheet metal, they may

Black plate (31,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

Seats and Restraints 3-31

keep the airbag system from
working properly. Changing or
moving any parts of the front
seats, safety belts, the airbag
sensing and diagnostic module,
steering wheel, instrument
panel, roof-rail airbag modules,
ceiling headliner or pillar garnish
trim, overhead console, front
sensors, side impact sensors,
rollover sensor module, or airbag
wiring can affect the operation of
the airbag system.

In addition, the vehicle has a
passenger sensing system for
the right front passenger
position, which includes sensors
that are part of the passenger
seat. The passenger sensing
system may not operate properly
if the original seat trim is
replaced with non-GM covers,
upholstery or trim, or with GM
covers, upholstery or trim
designed for a different vehicle.
Any object, such as an
aftermarket seat heater or a
comfort enhancing pad or

device, installed under or on top
of the seat fabric, could also
interfere with the operation of
the passenger sensing system.
This could either prevent proper
deployment of the passenger
airbag(s) or prevent the
passenger sensing system from
properly turning off the
passenger airbag(s). See

Passenger Sensing System on
page 3‑26.

If you have questions, call
Customer Assistance. The
phone numbers and addresses
for Customer Assistance are in
Step Two of the Customer
Satisfaction Procedure in this
manual. See Customer

Satisfaction Procedure (U.S. and
Canada) on page 13‑2 or
Customer Satisfaction
Procedure (Mexico) on
page 13‑4.

If the vehicle has rollover
roof-rail airbags, see Different

Size Tires and Wheels on
page 10‑54 for additional

important information.

Q: Because I have a disability,

I have to get my vehicle
modified. How can I find out
whether this will affect my
airbag system?

A: If you have questions, call

Customer Assistance. The
phone numbers and addresses
for Customer Assistance are in
Step Two of the Customer
Satisfaction Procedure in this
manual. See Customer

Satisfaction Procedure (U.S. and
Canada) on page 13‑2 or
Customer Satisfaction
Procedure (Mexico) on
page 13‑4.

In addition, your dealer and the
service manual have information
about the location of the airbag
sensors, sensing and diagnostic
module and airbag wiring.

Black plate (32,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

3-32 Seats and Restraints

Airbag System Check

The airbag system does not need
regularly scheduled maintenance or
replacement. Make sure the airbag
readiness light is working. See

Airbag Readiness Light on
page 5‑10.

Notice: If an airbag covering is
damaged, opened, or broken, the
airbag may not work properly. Do
not open or break the airbag
coverings. If there are any
opened or broken airbag covers,
have the airbag covering and/or
airbag module replaced. For the
location of the airbags, see

Where Are the Airbags? on
page 3‑21. See your dealer for

service.

Replacing Airbag System Parts after a Crash

WARNING

{

A crash can damage the airbag
systems in the vehicle.
A damaged airbag system may
not work properly and may not
protect you and your
passenger(s) in a crash, resulting
in serious injury or even death. To
help make sure the airbag
systems are working properly
after a crash, have them
inspected and any necessary
replacements made as soon as
possible.

If an airbag inflates, you will need to
replace airbag system parts. See
your dealer for service.

If the airbag readiness light stays on
after the vehicle is started or comes
on when you are driving, the airbag
system may not work properly. Have
the vehicle serviced right away. See

Airbag Readiness Light on
page 5‑10.

Black plate (33,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

Child Restraints

Older Children

Older children who have outgrown
booster seats should wear the
vehicle safety belts.

The manufacturer 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 fit test below:

.

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.

.

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 3‑13. If the shoulder belt
still does not rest on the
shoulder, then return to the
booster seat.

.

Does the lap belt fit low and
snug on the hips, touching the
thighs? If yes, continue. If no,
return to the booster seat.

Seats and Restraints 3-33

.

Can proper safety belt fit be
maintained for the length of the
trip? If yes, continue. If no,
return to the booster seat.

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 3‑13.

Black plate (34,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

3-34 Seats and Restraints

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.

WARNING

{

Never allow more than one child
to wear the same safety belt. The
safety belt cannot properly spread
the impact forces. In a crash, they
can be crushed together and
seriously injured. A safety belt
must be used by only one person
at a time.

WARNING

{

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.

(Continued)

WARNING (CONTINUED)

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.

Black plate (35,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

Seats and Restraints 3-35

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.

WARNING

{

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.

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.

WARNING

{

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

(Continued)

WARNING (CONTINUED)

arms. An infant should be
secured in an appropriate
restraint.

WARNING

{

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

(Continued)

Black plate (36,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

3-36 Seats and Restraints

WARNING (CONTINUED)

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.

Q: What are the different types of

add-on child restraints?

A: Add-on child restraints, which

are purchased by the vehicle
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
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.

WARNING

{

To reduce the risk of neck and
head injury during a crash, infants
need complete support. In a
crash, if an infant is in a
rear-facing child restraint, 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.

Black plate (37,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

Seats and Restraints 3-37

WARNING

{

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

Rear-Facing Infant Seat

A rear-facing infant seat 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.

Forward-Facing Child Seat

A forward-facing child seat provides
restraint for the child's body with the
harness.

Black plate (38,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

3-38 Seats and Restraints

Booster Seats

A booster seat 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.

Securing an Add-On Child
Restraint in the Vehicle

WARNING

{

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 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 System) on page 3‑40.

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

Black plate (39,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

Seats and Restraints 3-39

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.

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.

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

(Continued)

WARNING (CONTINUED)

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 3‑26 for additional
information.

Black plate (40,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

3-40 Seats and Restraints

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
your vehicle — even when no child
is in it.

Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH System)

The LATCH system secures a child
restraint during driving or in a crash.
LATCH attachments on the child
restraint are used to attach the child
restraint to anchors in the vehicle.
This system is designed to make
installation of a child restraint easier.

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.

Black plate (41,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

Seats and Restraints 3-41

Lower Anchors

Lower anchors (1) 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 (2).

Top Tether Anchor

A top tether (3, 4) anchors the top of
the child restraint to the vehicle.
A top tether anchor is built into the
vehicle. The top tether
attachment (2) 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 (3) or a dual tether (4).
Either will have a single
attachment (2) to secure the top
tether to the anchor.

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.

Black plate (42,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

3-42 Seats and Restraints

Lower Anchor and Top Tether
Anchor Locations

Rear Seat

i (Top Tether Anchor): Seating

positions with top tether anchors.

j (Lower Anchor): Seating

positions with two lower anchors.

The rear outboard seating positions
have exposed metal anchors
located in the crease between the
seatback and the seat cushion.

Top Tether Anchors

The top tether anchors for each rear
seating position are located on the
back of the rear seatback. The rear
compartment storage panel/cover
might need to be adjusted to access
the 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.

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 3‑39 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

(Continued)

Black plate (43,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

Seats and Restraints 3-43

WARNING (CONTINUED)

belts to secure the restraint,
following the instructions that
came with the child restraint and
the instructions in this manual.

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.

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 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.

{

WARNING

If you need to secure more than one
child restraint in the rear seat, see

Where to Put the Restraint on
page 3‑39.

This system is designed to make
installation of child restraints easier.
When using lower anchors, do not
use the vehicle's safety belts.
Instead, use the vehicle's anchors
and child restraint attachments to
secure the restraints. Some
restraints also use another vehicle
anchor to secure a top tether.

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 the
child restraint manufacturer
instructions and the instructions
in this manual.

Black plate (44,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

3-44 Seats and Restraints

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.

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 equipped. Refer to the
child restraint instructions and
the following steps:

2.1. Find the top tether anchor.

2.2. Route, attach and tighten

the top tether according to
your child restraint
instructions and the
following instructions:

.

If the position being used
does not have a headrest
or head restraint and a
single tether is being used,
route the tether over the
seatback.

.

If the position being used
does not have a headrest
or head restraint and a dual
tether is being used, route
the tether over the
seatback.

.

If the position being used
has a fixed headrest or
head restraint and a dual
tether is being used, route
the tether around the
headrest or head restraint.

Black plate (45,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

Seats and Restraints 3-45

Replacing LATCH System Parts After a Crash

{

A crash can damage the LATCH
system in the vehicle. A damaged
LATCH system may not properly

.

If the position being used
has a fixed headrest or
head restraint and a single
tether is being used, 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.

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.

WARNING

Securing Child Restraints (Rear Seat)

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
System) on page 3‑40 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 System) on
page 3‑40 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.

Black plate (46,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

3-46 Seats and Restraints

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 3‑39.

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.

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.

4. Pull the shoulder belt all the way
out of the retractor to set the
lock. When the retractor lock is
set, the belt can be tightened but
not pulled out of the retractor.

Black plate (47,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

Seats and Restraints 3-47

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.

Try to pull the belt out of the
retractor to make sure the
retractor is locked. If the
retractor is not locked, repeat
Steps 4 and 5.

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
System) on page 3‑40 for more

information.

7. Before placing a child in the
child restraint, make sure it is
securely held in place. To check,
grasp the child restraint at the
safety belt path and attempt to
move it side to side and back
and forth. When the child
restraint is properly installed,
there should be no more than

2.5 cm (1 in) of movement.

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.

Armrest Retaining Strap

WARNING

{

A rear center armrest that is not
properly stowed and secured
could fall forward during a sudden
stop or collision. The armrest
could contact an infant secured in
a rear‐facing child restraint in the
center seat position. Fasten the
retaining strap onto the stowed
armrest before installing a rear‐
facing child restraint in the rear
center seat position.

Black plate (48,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

3-48 Seats and Restraints

When new, the vehicle's glove box
materials included an armrest
retaining strap. Use it to secure the
center armrest before installing a
rear-facing child restraint in the
second row center seat position.

Stow the rear seat center armrest.
Attach the retaining strap to the
armrest loop (1) and to the center
top tether anchor on the
seatback (2). Make sure the
retaining strap's clips are firmly
attached.

Install the rear-facing child
restraint using the child restraint
manufacturer's instructions and the
instructions described previously.

Remove the armrest retaining strap
before installing a forward facing
child restraint in the center seat
position, as it may interfere with the
attachment of the top tether to the
top tether anchor on the seatback.

Securing Child Restraints (Front Passenger Seat)

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 3‑39.

In addition, the vehicle has 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 3‑26 and
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator
on page 5‑11 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.

Black plate (49,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

Seats and Restraints 3-49

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
guarantee that an airbag will not
deploy under some unusual
circumstance, even though it is
turned off.

(Continued)

WARNING (CONTINUED)

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 3‑26 for additional
information.

If the child restraint has the LATCH
system, see Lower Anchors and

Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) on page 3‑40 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 System) on page 3‑40 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.

Black plate (50,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

3-50 Seats and Restraints

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
and seat‐mounted side impact
airbag, the off indicator on the
passenger airbag status
indicator should light and stay lit
when you start the vehicle. See

Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator on page 5‑11.

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.

4. 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.

5. Pull the shoulder belt all the way
out of the retractor to set the
lock. When the retractor lock is
set, the belt can be tightened but
not pulled out of the retractor.

Black plate (51,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

Seats and Restraints 3-51

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.

Try to pull the belt out of the
retractor to make sure the
retractor is locked. If the
retractor is not locked, repeat
Steps 5 and 6.

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 System) on
page 3‑40 for more information.

7. Before placing a child in the
child restraint, make sure it is
securely held in place. To check,
grasp the child restraint at the
safety belt path and attempt to
move it side to side and back
and forth. When the child
restraint is properly installed,
there should be no more than

2.5 cm (1 in) of movement.

If the airbags are 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 3‑26 for more
information.

To remove the child restraint,
unbuckle the vehicle safety belt and
let it return to the stowed position.

Black plate (52,1)

GMC Terrain/Terrain Denali Owner Manual - 2013 - crc 1st edition - 5/8/12

3-52 Seats and Restraints

2 NOTES