1997 CADILLAC ELDORADO Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine But don't have a seatback reclined if your vehcle is moving.
.. ..
Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle is
in motion can be dangerous. Even if you buckle
up, your safety belts can't do their job when
you're reclined like this.
The shoulder belt can't
do its job. In a crash you
could
go into it, receiving neck or other injuries.
The
lap belt can't do its job either. In a crash the
belt could go up over your abdomen. The belt
forces would be there, not at your pelvic bones.
This could cause serious internal injuries.
For proper protection
when the vehicle is in
motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit well
back in the seat and wear your safety belt properly.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine s
Slide the head restraint up or down so that the top of the
restraint is closest to the top
of your ears. This position
reduces the chance of
a neck injury in a crash.
The head restraints tilt forward
and rearward also.
If the seatback isn9t locked, it could move
forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there. Always
press rearward on the seatback to be sure it
is locked.
The front seatback folds
forward to let people get
into the
rear seat. The
seatback will
move back
and forth freely unless you
come to
a sudden stop, then
it
will lock into place.
The seatback may not fold without some help from you
if your vehicle is parked going down a fairly steep hill.
In this case, push the seatback toward the rear as you lift
the latch. Then the seatback will fold forward. The latch
must be down for the seat to work properly.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine This part of the manual tells you how to use safety belts
properly. It also tells you some things you should not do
with safety belts.
And it explains the Supplemental Inflatable Restraint (SIR),
or air bag system.
Don’t let anyone ride where he or
she can’t wear
a safety belt properly.
If you are in a crash and
you’re not wearing
a safety belt, your injuries
can be much worse.
You can hit things inside the
vehicle
OF be ejected from it. You can be seriously
injured
or killed. In the same crash, you might
not be if
you are buckled UP. Always fasten your
safety
belt, and check that your passengers’ belts
are fastened
properly too.
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It is extremely dangerous &Q ride in a cargo area,
inside or outside of
a vehicle. In a collision,
people riding in these areas are more likely to be
seriously injured
or killed. Do not allow people
to ride in any area
of your vehicle that is not
equipped with seats and safety belts. Be sure
everyone in your vehicle is in
a seat and using a
safety belt pr~pedgr.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your vehicle has a light that
comes
on as a reminder to
buckle up. (See “Safety
Belt Reminder Eight”
in
the Index.)
In most states and Canadian provinces, the law says to
wear safety belts. Here’s why:
They work.
You never know if you’ll be in a crash. If you do have a
crash,
you don’t know if it will be a bad one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so
serious that even buckled up a person wouldn’t survive.
But
most crashes are in between. In many of them,
people who buckle up
can survive and sometimes walk
away. Without belts they could have been badly
hurt
or krlled.
After
more than 25 years of safety belts in vehicles.
the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does
matter ... a lot! When you ride
in or
on anythmg, you go as fast as it goes.
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it’s just a seat on wheels

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Put someone on it. Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider
doesn’t
stop.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine ...,..I
.. ...... .- ..,. ..
The person keeps going until stopped by something.
In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield ...
or the instrument panel . ..

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine ..
or the safety belts!
With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does.
You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance,
and your strongest bones take the forces. That’s why
safety belts make such good sense.
@ Won’t I be trapped in the vehicle after an
.accident if I’m, weaning a.safety belt?
At You could be -- whether you’re wearing a safety
belt
or not:But you can unbuckle a safety.beB,
even if you’re upside down. And your chance of
being conscious during and after an accident, so
you can unbuckle and get out, is much greater if
you are .belted.
Q.’ If my vehicle has air bags, why should I have to
A: Air bags are in many vehicles today and will
be in most of them in the future. But they are
supplemental systems only; so they work with
safety belts -- not instead of them. Every air bag
system ever offered for sale has required the use of
safety belts. Even if you’re in a vehicle that has air
bags, you still have to buckle up to get the most
protection. That’s tme not only in frontal collisions,
but especially in side and other collisions.
wear safety- belts?

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine : If I’m a good driver, and 1 never drive far from
home, why should I wear safety belts?
A You may be an excellent driver, but if you’re in an
accident
-- even one that isn’t your fault -- you and
your passengers can be hurt. Being
a good driver
doesn’t protect you from things beyond your
control, such as bad drivers.
Most accidents occur within 25 miles (40 km) of
home. And the greatest number of serious injuries
and deaths occur at speeds
of less than 40 mph
(65 kdh).
Safety belts are for everyone.
W Y Y
This part is only for people of adult size.
Be aware that there
are special things to know about safety
belts and children. And there
are different rules for smaller
children and babies.
If a child will be riding in your
Cadillac, see the
part of this manual called “Children.”
Follow those rules for everyone’s protection.
First, you’ll want to know which restraint systems your
vehicle has.
We’ll start with
the driver position.
This part describes the driver’s restraint system.
The driver has
a lap-shoulder belt. Here’s how to wear
it properly.
1. Close and lock the door.
2. Adjust the seat (to see how, see “Seats” in the Index)
so you can sit up straight.