2011 Sierra regular cab and child seat

[neilbedwell]

OK, the wife and I just got our first foster child. He's a 14 month old little boy. We hope to adopt him someday, God willing. I haven't posted here in a while, but to give some background I currently own a 2011 GMC Sierra regular cab, short bed, 4x4 Work Truck with the 4.3L V6 and auto transmission. I bought it brand new a little over a year ago and it has 9060 miles on the clock. I just assumed when I bought this truck that I could put a child's car seat in the middle of the bench seat and the wife and I could both ride along with the kiddo. Well, according to what the owner's manual says that's not so. There is a tether anchor behind the center seat, though. What's that for? If I can't put a child's seat in there then that tether anchor makes no sense.

 

I guess I'm off to the dealer to try and find a used truck to replace the one I have now. I really hate to get rid of it because I've almost got it paid for. Is there any way possible to mount a car seat so that two adults can also ride in the cab?

 

Thanks so much!!!!!

[TimmyG]

I am not sure, but good luck, my child is why i bought a crew cab!

 

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[RyanbabZ71]

Welcome to gov regulations, I believe it's mainly due to the airbags

 

I used to ride in my dads 79 reg cab never had an issue

 

 

Ryan

 

 

[snarkee]

Hmmm I had an 08 reg cab and could have sworn a car seat was able to go in the middle.

 

 

[Roscopcoletrain]

I would say it would only go in the passenger side, not the middle as you cant turn off the drivers air bag. As for the teather, I believe the correct way to rout them is through the loop directly behind the seat, then to either the left or right loop. Thats why there is one in the middle.

 

When I mount the seat in the rear of my CC, i go through the middle loop, then to the passenger side loop. Snug it up. When I mount the seat on the passenger side, i go through the rear loop, then to the middle seat loop.

[TimmyG]

One teather is used for booster seats i think!

 

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[iminaquagmire]

As far as I know, you can put a safety seat in, but not a rear facing seat. Mine has a belt in the console and the mounting point on the cab wall for a child seat.

[ruggedlife]

i have a perfect idea for you just keep an open mind... bed rug, camper shell, and a bed full of balls like at chuck e cheese he'll be fine back there

[Chris]

Id say u need an ext cab

[TimmyG]

Id say u need an ext cab

the problem i had with ext cab is the front seat needed to be as far as it would go

 

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Do like i did take the car seat with you!

 

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[Chris]

ive never put a car seat in my truck. im 23, single, no kids. i do take my brothers around. one is a jr in high school and the other just turned 18 and got his license 2 days ago but the 4runner isnt running for him yet. both are aout 5'11 230lbs. one has to go in the back seat

[MikeNH]

An extended cab would be tight, especially rear-facing. Before I moved I used to watch the son of some friends of mine when they both worked Saturdays and both the forward facing seat and then later the booster seat required quite a bit of space to give the kiddo some leg room, even more if you didn't want shoe prints on the seatback when you were done.

[thornmz71]

If your going to swap out your truck get a crew cab I just traded my ext cab because my little one could not fit behind the seat so I had no choice but to put her in the middle so she could rest her feet on the middle console. I'd be very surprised if a rear facing carseat would fit back there unless your and your wife are very short and if your wife doesn't mind her knees at the dash. But with the crew cab everyone is comfortable and room to spare. It cost me a lot of money to swap out a 2year old truck for my new one so everyone could be SAFE and confortable.

[GMCustomerService]

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.

 

If the vehicle does not have a rear seat that will accommodate a rear-facing child restraint, a rear-facing child restraint should not be installed in the vehicle, even if the airbag is off.

 

Your vehicle should have anchors as described on page 3-59 of your owner's manual. I hope this helps.

 

Tricia, GM Customer Service.

[dsr611]

If you decide on another truck, go with a crew cab. I got mine for that very reason. I had an ext cab 98 (w/o 3rd door option) and it was tough trying to get my daughter into her car seat and buckled. There was hardly any room to get her in and then try to squeeze between the seat and door pillar to get her buckled in. No telling how many times I hit her head on the door jamb trying to get her back there. Now with a crew cab, it is no problem at all, especially now that she can get in and get buckled in by herself!!!