2009 CADILLAC DTS Owners Manual

Some child restraints that have top tethers are designed
for use with or without the top tether being attached.
Others require the top tether always to be attached.
In Canada, the law requires that forward-facing
child restraints have a top tether, and that the tether
be attached. Be sure to read and follow the instructions
for your child restraint.
If the child restraint does not have a top tether, one
can be obtained, in kit form, for many child restraints.
Ask the child restraint manufacturer whether or not a kit
is available.
Lower Anchor and Top Tether Anchor
Locations
i(Top Tether Anchor):
Seating positions with top
tether anchors.
j(Lower Anchor): Seating
positions with two lower
anchors.To assist you in locating
the lower anchors, each
seating position with lower
anchors has two labels,
near the crease between
the seatback and the
seat cushion.
To assist you in locating
the top tether anchors, the
top tether anchor symbol
is located on the cover.
Rear Seat
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The top tether anchors are located under the covers on
the rear seatback ller panel. Pull open the cover to
access the anchors. Be sure to use an anchor located
on the same side of the vehicle as the seating
position where the child restraint will be placed.
Do not secure a child restraint in a position without a
top tether anchor if a national or local law requires that
the top tether be attached, or if the instructions that
come with the child restraint say that the top tether must
be attached.Accident statistics show that children are safer if they
are restrained in the rear rather than the front seat. See
Where to Put the Restraint on page 1-42for additional
information.
Securing a Child Restraint Designed for
the LATCH System
{CAUTION:
If a LATCH-type child restraint is not attached to
anchors, the child restraint will not be able to protect
the child correctly. In a crash, the child could be
seriously injured or killed. Install a LATCH-type
child restraint properly using the anchors, or use
the vehicle’s safety belts to secure the restraint,
following the instructions that came with the child
restraint and the instructions in this manual.
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{CAUTION:
Do not attach more than one child restraint to a
single anchor. Attaching more than one child
restraint to a single anchor could cause the anchor
or attachment to come loose or even break during
a crash. A child or others could be injured. To
reduce the risk of serious or fatal injuries during a
crash, attach only one child restraint per anchor.
{CAUTION:
Children can be seriously injured or strangled if a
shoulder belt is wrapped around their neck and
the safety belt continues to tighten. Buckle any
unused safety belts behind the child restraint so
children cannot reach them. Pull the shoulder belt
all the way out of the retractor to set the lock, if
your vehicle has one, after the child restraint has
been installed.Notice:Do not let the LATCH attachments rub
against the vehicle’s safety belts. This may damage
these parts. If necessary, move buckled safety
belts to avoid rubbing the LATCH attachments.
Do not fold the empty rear seat with a safety belt
buckled. This could damage the safety belt or
the seat. Unbuckle and return the safety belt to its
stowed position, before folding the seat.
1. Attach and tighten the lower attachments to the
lower anchors. If the child restraint does not have
lower attachments or the desired seating position
does not have lower anchors, secure the child
restraint with the top tether and the safety belts.
Refer to your child restraint manufacturer
instructions and the instructions in this manual.
1.1. Find the lower anchors for the desired
seating position.
1.2. Put the child restraint on the seat.
1.3. Attach and tighten the lower attachments on
the child restraint to the lower anchors.
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2. If the child restraint manufacturer recommends that
the top tether be attached, attach and tighten the
top tether to the top tether anchor, if equipped.
Refer to the child restraint instructions and
the following steps:
2.1. Find the top tether anchor.
2.2. Pull open the top tether anchor cover to
expose the anchor.
2.3. If you have an adjustable headrest or head
restraint, raise the headrest or head restraint.
2.4. Route, attach and tighten the top tether
according to your child restraint instructions
and the following instructions:
If the position you are
using has a xed headrest
or head restraint and
you are using a single
tether, route the tether
over the headrest or
head restraint.If the position you are
using has a xed or
adjustable headrest or
head restraint and you
are using a dual tether,
route the tether around
the headrest or head
restraint.
If the position you are
using has an adjustable
headrest or head restraint
and you are using a
single tether, route the
tether under the headrest
or head restraint and
in between the headrest
or head restraint posts.
3. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure it is secure.
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Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear
Seat Position
When securing a child restraint in a rear seating position,
study the instructions that came with the child restraint to
make sure it is compatible with this vehicle.
If the child restraint has the LATCH system, see
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) on
page 1-43for how and where to install the child restraint
using LATCH. If a child restraint is secured in the
vehicle using a safety belt and it uses a top tether,
seeLower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH)
on page 1-43for top tether anchor locations.
Do not secure a child seat in a position without a top
tether anchor 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 strap must be
anchored.In Canada, the law requires that forward-facing child
restraints have a top tether, and that the tether be
attached.
If the child restraint does not have the LATCH system,
you will be using the safety 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.
If more than one child restraint needs to be installed
in the rear seat, be sure to readWhere to Put the
Restraint on page 1-42.
1. Put the child restraint on the seat.
2. 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.
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3. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
Position the release button on the buckle so that the
safety belt could be quickly unbuckled if necessary.4. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of
the retractor to set the lock.
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5. To tighten the belt, push down on the child restraint,
pull the shoulder portion of the belt to tighten the
lap portion of the belt and feed the shoulder
belt back into the retractor. When installing a
forward-facing child restraint, it may be helpful to
use your knee to push down on the child restraint
as you tighten the belt.6. If the child restraint has a top tether, follow the child
restraint manufacturer’s instructions regarding the
use of the top tether. SeeLower Anchors and
Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 1-43for
more information.
7. Push and pull the child restraint in different
directions to be sure it is secure.
To remove the child restraint, unbuckle the vehicle safety
belt and let it return to the stowed position. If the top
tether is attached to a top tether anchor, disconnect it.
Securing a Child Restraint in the
Center Front Seat Position
{CAUTION:
A child in a child restraint in the center front seat
can be badly injured or killed by the frontal airbags
if they inate. Never secure a child restraint in the
center front seat. It is always better to secure a
child restraint in a rear seat.
Do not use child restraints in the center front seat
position.
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Securing a Child Restraint in the
Right Front Seat Position
This vehicle has airbags. A rear seat is a safer place to
secure a forward-facing child restraint. SeeWhere to
Put the Restraint on page 1-42.
In addition, the vehicle has a passenger sensing system
which is designed to turn off the right front passenger
frontal airbag and seat-mounted side impact airbag
under certain conditions. SeePassenger Sensing
System on page 1-64andPassenger Airbag Status
Indicator on page 3-55for more information, including
important safety information.
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.
{CAUTION:
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured or killed if the right front passenger
airbag inates. This is because the back of the
rear-facing child restraint would be very close to the
inating airbag. A child in a forward-facing child
restraint can be seriously injured or killed if the right
front passenger airbag inates and the passenger
seat is in a forward position.
Even if the passenger sensing system has turned
off the right front passenger frontal airbag, no
system is fail-safe. No one can guarantee that
an airbag will not deploy under some unusual
circumstance, even though it is turned off.
Secure rear-facing child restraints in a rear
seat, even if the airbag is off. If you secure a
forward-facing child restraint in the right front seat,
always move the front passenger seat as far back
as it will go. It is better to secure the child restraint
in a rear seat.
SeePassenger Sensing System on page 1-64for
additional information.
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