2006 CADILLAC STS seats

Q:If I am a good driver, and I never drive far from
home, why should I wear safety belts?
A:You may be an excellent driver, but if you are in an
accident — even one that is not your fault — you
and your passengers can be hurt. Being a good
driver does not 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 km/h).
Safety belts are for everyone.
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
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 vehicle, seeOlder Children on page 1-26
orInfants and Young Children on page 1-29. Follow
those rules for everyone’s protection.
First, you will want to know which restraint systems
your vehicle has.
We will start with the driver position.
Driver Position
Lap-Shoulder Belt
The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here is how to
wear it properly.
1. Close and lock the door.
2. Adjust the seat so you can sit up straight.
To see how, see “Seats” in the Index.
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{CAUTION:
You can be seriously hurt if your shoulder belt
is too loose. In a crash, you would move
forward too much, which could increase injury.
The shoulder belt should t against your body.
To unlatch the belt, push the button on the buckle.
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides
Rear shoulder 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.
There is one guide for each outboard passenger position
in the rear seat. Here is how to install a comfort guide
and use the safety belt:
1. Pull the elastic cord out from between the edge of
the seatback and the interior body to remove the
guide from its storage clip.
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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. It is free. 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 t. The extender
has been designed for adults. Never use it for securing
child seats. To wear it, just attach it to the regular
safety belt. For more information, see the instruction
sheet that comes with the extender.
Child Restraints
Older Children
Older children who have outgrown booster seats should
wear the vehicle’s safety belts.
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A forward-facing child seat (C-E) provides restraint for
the child’s body with the harness and also sometimes
with surfaces such as T-shaped or shelf-like shields.A booster seat (F-G) is a child restraint designed to
improve the t of the vehicle’s safety belt system.
Some booster seats have a shoulder belt positioner,
and some high-back booster seats have a ve-point
harness. A booster seat can also help a child to see
out the window.
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Q:How Should I Use a Child Restraint?
A:A child restraint system is any device designed for
use in a motor vehicle to restrain, seat, or position
children. A built-in child restraint system is a
permanent part of the motor vehicle. An add-on
child restraint system is a portable one, which
is purchased by the vehicle’s owner. To help
reduce injuries, an add-on child restraint must be
secured in the vehicle. With built-in or add-on
child restraints, the child has to be secured within
the child restraint.
When choosing an add-on child restraint, be sure
the child restraint is designed to be used in a
vehicle. If it is, it will have a label saying that it
meets federal motor vehicle safety standards.
Then follow the instructions for the restraint.
You may nd these instructions on the restraint
itself or in a booklet, or both.
Securing an Add-on Child Restraint in
the Vehicle
{CAUTION:
A child can be seriously injured or killed in a
crash if the child restraint is not properly
secured in the vehicle. Make sure the child
restraint is properly installed in the vehicle
using the vehicle’s safety belt or LATCH
system, following the instructions that came
with that restraint, and also 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. SeeLower Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH) on page 1-37for more information. A child can
be endangered in a crash if the child restraint is not
properly secured in the vehicle.
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To remove the child restraint, if the top tether is attached
to the top tether anchor, disconnect it. Unbuckle the
vehicle’s safety belt and let it go back all the way.
The safety belt will move freely again and be ready
to work for an adult or larger child passenger.
Securing a Child Restraint in the
Right Front Seat Position
Your vehicle has a right front passenger airbag. A rear
seat is a safer place to secure a forward-facing child
restraint. SeeWhere to Put the Restraint on page 1-36.
In addition, your vehicle has a passenger sensing
system. The passenger sensing system is designed
to turn off the right front passenger’s frontal airbag when
an infant in a rear-facing infant seat or a small child
in a forward-facing child restraint or booster seat
is detected. SeePassenger Sensing System on
page 1-59andPassenger Airbag Status Indicator on
page 3-61for more information on this including
important safety information.
A label on your 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.
{CAUTION:
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured or killed if the right front
passenger’s airbag inates. This is because
the back of the rear-facing child restraint
would be very close to the inating airbag.
Even though the passenger sensing system is
designed to turn off the passenger’s frontal
airbag if the system detects a rear-facing child
restraint, no system is fail-safe, and no one
can guarantee that an airbag will not deploy
under some unusual circumstance, even
though it is turned off. We recommend that
rear-facing child restraints be secured in the
rear seat, even if the airbag is off.
If you need to secure a forward-facing child restraint
in the right front seat position, move the seat as far back
as it will go before securing the forward-facing child
restraint. SeePower Seats on page 1-2.
If your child restraint is equipped with the LATCH
system, seeLower Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH) on page 1-37.
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There is no top tether anchor in the right front
passenger’s position. Do not secure a child seat in
this position 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 tether must
be anchored. SeeLower Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH) on page 1-37if your child restraint
has a top tether.
You will be using the lap-shoulder 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.
1. Your vehicle has a right front passenger’s frontal
airbag. SeePassenger Sensing System on
page 1-59. General Motors recommends that
rear-facing child restraints be secured in a rear seat,
even if the airbag is off. If your child restraint is
forward-facing, move the seat as far back as it
will go before securing the child restraint in this
seat. SeePower Seats on page 1-2.
When the passenger sensing system has turned
off the right front passenger’s frontal airbag,
the off indicator in the passenger airbag status
indicator should light and stay lit when the vehicle
is running. SeePassenger Airbag Status Indicator
on page 3-61.2. 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. Buckle the belt. Make sure the release button is
positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the
safety belt quickly if you ever had to.
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Q:Because I have a disability, I have to get my
vehicle modied. How can I nd out whether
this will affect my airbag system?
A:Changing or moving any parts of the front seats,
safety belts, the airbag sensing and diagnostic
module, steering wheel, instrument panel, overhead
console, ceiling headliner, ceiling and pillar garnish
trim, roof-mounted airbag modules, or airbag wiring
can affect the operation of the airbag system. 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 on page 7-2.
Restraint System Check
Checking the Restraint Systems
Now and then, make sure the safety belt reminder light
and all your belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors and
anchorages are working properly. Look for any other
loose or damaged safety belt system parts. If you see
anything that might keep a safety belt system from doing
its job, have it repaired. Keep safety belts clean and dry.
SeeCare of Safety Belts on page 5-97for more
information.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.
Also look for any opened or broken airbag covers, and
have them repaired or replaced. (The airbag system
does not need regular maintenance.)
Notice:If you damage the covering for the driver’s
or the right front passenger’s airbag, or the airbag
covering on the driver’s and right front passenger’s
seatback, or the side impact airbag covering on
the ceiling near the side windows, the bag may
not work properly. You may have to replace
the airbag module in the steering wheel, both the
airbag module and the instrument panel for the right
front passenger’s airbag, the airbag module and
seatback for the driver’s and right front passenger’s
seat-mounted side impact airbags, or side impact
airbag module and ceiling covering for the
roof-mounted side impact airbag. Do not open
or break the airbag coverings.
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