belt CADILLAC XTS 2017 1.G User Guide

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10292881) - 2017 -
crc - 7/1/16
SEATS AND RESTRAINTS 65
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.
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.

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10292881) - 2017 -
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66 SEATS AND RESTRAINTS
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.
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 use and
important safety information.5. To make the lap part tight, pull
up on the shoulder belt.

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10292881) - 2017 -
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SEATS AND RESTRAINTS 67
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 guide 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 theeffectiveness of the safety belt in a
crash. See
How to Wear Safety Belts
Properly 064.
Push down on 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 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.
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 possibly other parts
of the safety belt system will need to
be replaced. See Replacing Safety Belt
System Parts after a Crash 069.
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.

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68 SEATS AND RESTRAINTS
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.
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 0118.
Keep safety belts clean and dry. See
Safety Belt Care 068.
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.

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10292881) - 2017 -
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SEATS AND RESTRAINTS 69
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)
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 0119.
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.

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10292881) - 2017 -
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70 SEATS AND RESTRAINTS
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:{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? 072.
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.

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10292881) - 2017 -
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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.
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? 072. 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? 071.
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

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10292881) - 2017 -
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SEATS AND RESTRAINTS 77
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.
{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 0119 for
more information, including
important safety information.
If the On Indicator Is Lit for a
Child Restraint
The passenger sensing system is
designed to turn off the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag and knee airbag if the system determines
that an infant is present in 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 (With the
Safety Belt in the Front Seat) 095
or Securing Child Restraints (With
the Safety Belt in the Rear
Seat) 094.
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 050.
6. Restart the vehicle. The passenger sensing system
may or may not turn off the
airbags for a child in a child
restraint depending upon the
child’s size. It is better to secure
the child restraint in a rear seat.
Never put a rear-facing child
restraint in the front seat, even if
the on indicator is not lit.

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78 SEATS AND RESTRAINTS
If the Off Indicator Is Lit for an
Adult-Sized Occupant
If a person of adult size is sitting in
the front outboard passenger seat, but
the off indicator is lit, it could be
because that person is not sitting
properly in the seat. Use the following
steps to allow the system to detect
that person and enable the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag and
knee airbag:1. Turn the vehicle off.
2. Remove any additional material from the seat, such as blankets,
cushions, seat covers, seat heaters, or seat massagers, a
laptop, 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 079 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 frontal
airbag and passenger knee airbag
when liquid is soaked into the
seat. If this happens, the off
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 turn on the passenger
frontal airbag and passenger knee
airbag while a child restraint or
child occupant is on the seat.

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10292881) - 2017 -
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SEATS AND RESTRAINTS 79
If the passenger frontal airbag and
passenger knee airbag are 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 0119 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.
{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
Adding accessories that change the
vehicle's frame, bumper system,
height, front end, or side sheet metal,
may keep the airbag system from
working properly. The operation of the
airbag system can also be affected by
changing or moving any parts of the
front seats, safety belts, the airbag
sensing and diagnostic module,
steering wheel, instrument panel, any
airbag module, ceiling or pillar garnish
trim, overhead console, front sensors,
side impact sensors, or airbag wiring.
Your dealer and the service manual
have information about the location of
the airbag sensors, sensing and
diagnostic module, and airbag wiring.
In addition, the vehicle has a
passenger sensing system for the front
outboard 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