belt CADILLAC CTS 2017 3.G User Guide

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293089) -
2017 - crc - 6/22/16
66 SEATS AND RESTRAINTS
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.
. 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.
If you are using a rear seating position
with a detachable safety belt and the
safety belt is not attached, see Rear
Seats 061 for instructions on
reconnecting the safety belt to the
mini-buckle.
The following instructions explain
how to wear a lap-shoulder belt
properly.
1. Adjust the seat, if the seat is adjustable, so you can sit up
straight. To see how, see “Seats”
in the Index.

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293089) -
2017 - crc - 6/22/16
SEATS AND RESTRAINTS 67
2. Pick up the latch plate and pullthe 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 webbing locks in the latch
plate before it reaches the
buckle, tilt the latch plate flat to
unlock.
3. Push the latch plate into thebuckle until it clicks.
Pull up on the latch plate to
make sure it is secure.
Position the release button on
the buckle so that the safety belt
could be quickly unbuckled if
necessary.
4. If equipped with a shoulder belt height adjuster, move it to the
height that is right for you. See
“Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster”
later in this section for
instructions on use and
important safety information.

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293089) -
2017 - crc - 6/22/16
68 SEATS AND RESTRAINTS
5. To make the lap part tight, pullup on the shoulder belt.
To unlatch the belt, push the button
on the buckle. The belt should return
to its stowed position.
Always stow the safety belt slowly.
If the safety belt webbing returns
quickly to the stowed position, the
retractor may lock and cannot be
pulled out. If this happens, pull the
safety belt straight out firmly to
unlock the webbing, and then release
it. If the webbing is still locked in the
retractor, see your dealer. 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 065.
Press the release button and move the
height adjuster to the desired position.
The adjuster can be moved up by
pushing the slide/trim up. After the
adjuster is set to the desired position,
try to move it down without pushing
the release button to make sure it has
locked into position.
Automatic Safety Belt
Tightening System
The vehicle may have the Automatic
Safety Belt Tightening System.
Each time the vehicle is started with
the front safety belts buckled, the
system activates once to tighten the

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293089) -
2017 - crc - 6/22/16
SEATS AND RESTRAINTS 69
safety belts when the forward vehicle
speed exceeds the threshold for
activation.
The system also activates during
emergency braking and/or sudden
driving maneuvers and releases when
driving conditions return to normal.
The system turns off whenever
Competitive Driving Mode is activated,
and will turn back on when
Competitive Driving Mode is
deactivated. SeeCompetitive Driving
Mode 0214.
The system will not activate if the
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control system is not functioning
properly. See Traction Control/
Electronic Stability Control 0209.
If there is a problem with the
Automatic Safety Belt Tightening
System, a message displays on the
Driver Information Center (DIC). See
Safety Belt Messages 0146. Other
safety belt functions are not affected
by the Automatic Safety Belt
Tightening System.Safety Belt Pretensioners
This vehicle has safety belt
pretensioners for front outboard
occupants. Although the safety belt
pretensioners cannot be seen, they are
part of the safety belt assembly. They
can help tighten the safety belts
during the early stages of a moderate
to severe frontal, near frontal, or rear
crash if the threshold conditions for
pretensioner activation are met. Safety
belt pretensioners can also help
tighten the safety belts in a side crash
or a rollover event.
Pretensioners work only once. If the
pretensioners activate in a crash, the
pretensioners and probably other
parts of the vehicle's safety belt
system will need to be replaced. See
Replacing Safety Belt System Parts after
a Crash 070.
Do not sit on the outboard safety belt
while entering or exiting the vehicle or
at any time while sitting in the seat.
Sitting on the safety belt can damage
the webbing and hardware.
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides
Rear safety belt comfort guides may
provide added safety belt comfort for
older children who have outgrown
booster seats and for some adults.
When installed on a shoulder belt, the
comfort guide positions the belt away
from the neck and head.
Comfort guides may be available
through your dealer for the rear
outboard seating positions.
If available, instructions are included
with the guide.
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.

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293089) -
2017 - crc - 6/22/16
70 SEATS AND RESTRAINTS
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 System Check
Check that the safety belt reminder,
safety belts, buckles, latch plates, and
retractors, are all working properly.Look for any other loose or damaged
safety belt system parts that might
keep a safety belt system from
performing properly. See your dealer
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, have it replaced immediately.
Make sure the safety belt reminder
light is working. See
Safety Belt
Reminders 0121.
Keep safety belts clean and dry. See
Safety Belt Care 070.
Safety Belt Care
Keep belts clean and dry.
{Warning
Do not bleach or dye safety belt
webbing. It may severely weaken
the webbing. In a crash, they might
not be able to provide adequate
protection. Clean and rinse safety
belt webbing only with mild soap
and lukewarm water. Allow the
webbing to dry. Safety belts should be properly cared
for and maintained.
Safety belt hardware should be kept
dry and free of dust or debris. As
necessary exterior hard surfaces and
safety belt webbing may be lightly
cleaned with mild soap and water.
Ensure there is not excessive dust or
debris in the mechanism. If dust or
debris exists in the system please see
the dealer. Parts may need to be
replaced to ensure proper
functionality of the system.
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
(Continued)

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293089) -
2017 - crc - 6/22/16
SEATS AND RESTRAINTS 71
Warning (Continued)
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 0122.
Airbag System
The vehicle has the following airbags:
.
A frontal airbag for the driver.
. A frontal airbag for the front
outboard passenger.
. A knee airbag for the driver.
. A knee airbag for the front
outboard passenger.
. A seat-mounted side impact airbag
for the driver.
. A seat-mounted side impact airbag
for the front outboard passenger.
. Seat-mounted side impact airbags
for the second row outboard
passengers.
. A roof-rail airbag for the driver
and the passenger seated directly
behind the driver.
. A roof-rail airbag for the front
outboard passenger and the
passenger seated directly behind
the front outboard passenger.
All vehicle airbags have the word
AIRBAG on the trim or on a label near
the deployment opening. For frontal airbags, the word AIRBAG
is on the center of the steering wheel
for the driver and on the instrument
panel for the front outboard
passenger.
For knee airbags, the word AIRBAG is
on the lower part of the instrument
panel.
For seat-mounted side impact airbags,
the word AIRBAG is on the side of the
seatback closest to the door.
For roof-rail airbags, the word AIRBAG
is on the ceiling or 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:

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293089) -
2017 - crc - 6/22/16
72 SEATS AND RESTRAINTS
{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. SeeWhen Should an
Airbag Inflate? 074.
Wearing your safety belt during a
crash helps reduce your 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.
{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. The safety belts and the
front outboard passenger airbags
are most effective when you are
sitting well back and upright in the
seat with both feet on the floor.
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.
{Warning
Children who are up against,
or very close to, any airbag when it
inflates can be seriously injured or
killed. Always secure children
properly in the vehicle. To read
how, see Older Children 083 or
Infants and Young Children 084.
There is an airbag readiness light on
the instrument 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 0122 for more
information.

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293089) -
2017 - crc - 6/22/16
SEATS AND RESTRAINTS 75
In addition, the vehicle has advanced
technology frontal airbags. Advanced
technology frontal airbags adjust the
restraint according to crash severity.
Knee airbags are designed to inflate in
moderate to severe frontal or near
frontal impacts. Knee airbags are not
designed to inflate during vehicle
rollovers, in rear impacts, or in many
side impacts.
The vehicle also has a seat position
sensor that enables the sensing
system to monitor the position of the
front outboard passenger seat. The
passenger seat position sensor and the
passenger safety belt buckle provide
information that is used to determine
if the passenger knee airbag should
inflate.
Seat-mounted side impact airbags are
designed to inflate in moderate to
severe side crashes depending on the
location of the impact. Seat-mounted
side impact airbags are not designed
to inflate in frontal impacts, near
frontal impacts, rollovers, or rear
impacts. A seat-mounted side impact
airbag is designed to inflate on the
side of the vehicle that is struck.Roof-rail airbags are designed to
inflate in moderate to severe side
crashes depending on the location of
the impact. In addition, these roof-rail
airbags are designed to inflate during
a rollover or in a severe frontal
impact. Roof-rail airbags are not
designed to inflate in rear impacts.
Both roof-rail airbags will inflate when
either side of the vehicle is struck,
if the sensing system predicts that the
vehicle is about to roll over on its
side, or in a severe frontal impact.
In any particular crash, no one can
say whether an airbag should have
inflated simply because of the vehicle
damage or repair costs.
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 locations, see
Where Are the
Airbags? 073.
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 by
distributing the force of the impact
more evenly over the occupant's 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.

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293089) -
2017 - crc - 6/22/16
76 SEATS AND RESTRAINTS
But airbags would not help in many
types of collisions, primarily because
the occupant's motion is not toward
those airbags. SeeWhen Should an
Airbag Inflate? 074.
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, knee, 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? 073.
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 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
on the interior lamps and hazard
warning flashers, and shut off the fuel
system after the airbags inflate. The
feature may also activate, without
airbag inflation, after an event that exceeds a predetermined threshold.
You can lock the doors, turn off the
interior lamps, and turn off the hazard
warning flashers 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.

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293089) -
2017 - crc - 6/22/16
78 SEATS AND RESTRAINTS
{Warning
A child in a rear-facing child
restraint can be seriously injured or
killed if the passenger frontal 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 passenger frontal airbag
inflates and the passenger seat is in
a forward position.
Even if the passenger sensing
system has turned off the front
outboard passenger airbag(s), no
system is fail-safe. No one can
guarantee that an airbag will not
deploy under some unusual
circumstance, even though the
airbag(s) are off.
Never put a rear-facing child
restraint in the front seat, even if
the airbag is off. If securing a
forward-facing child restraint in the
front outboard passenger seat,(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
always move the seat as far back as
it will go. It is better to secure child
restraints in the rear seat. Consider
using another vehicle to transport
the child when a rear seat is not
available.
The passenger sensing system is
designed to turn off the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag and
knee airbag if:
. The front outboard passenger seat
is unoccupied.
. The system determines that an
infant is present in a child
restraint.
. A front outboard passenger takes
his/her weight off of the seat for a
period of time.
. There is a critical problem with
the airbag system or the passenger
sensing system.
When the passenger sensing system
has turned off the front outboard
passenger frontal airbag and knee airbag, the off indicator will light and
stay lit to remind you that the airbags
are off. See
Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator 0122.
The passenger sensing system is
designed to turn on the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag and
knee airbag anytime the system
senses that a person of adult size is
sitting properly in the front outboard
passenger seat.
When the passenger sensing system
has allowed the airbags to be enabled,
the on indicator will light and stay lit
as a reminder that the airbags are
active.
For some children, including children
in child restraints, and for very small
adults, the passenger sensing system
may or may not turn off the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag and
knee 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.