2009 CADILLAC ESCALADE Owners Manual

5. To make the lap part tight, pull up on the
shoulder belt.
It may be necessary to pull stitching on the safety
belt through the latch plate to fully tighten the
lap belt on smaller occupants.To unlatch the belt, push the button on the buckle.
The belt should return to its stowed position.
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 belt and the vehicle.
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Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster
The vehicle has a shoulder belt height adjuster for
the driver and right front passenger positions.
Adjust the height so that the shoulder portion of the belt
is centered on the shoulder. The belt should be away
from the face and neck, but not falling off the shoulder.
Improper shoulder belt height adjustment could
reduce the effectiveness of the safety belt in a crash.
Squeeze the buttons (A)
on the sides of the height
adjuster and move the
height adjuster to the
desired position.
The adjuster can be moved up just by pushing up on
the shoulder belt guide.
After the adjuster is set to the desired position, try to
move it down without squeezing the buttons 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. And, if
the vehicle has side impact airbags, safety belt
pretensioners can help tighten the safety belts in a side
crash or a rollover event.
Pretensioners work only once. If the pretensioners
activate in a crash, they will need to be replaced, and
probably other new parts for the vehicle’s safety
belt system. SeeReplacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash on page 1-94.
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.
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There is one guide for each outside passenger position
in the second row seat and the third row, if the vehicle
has one. Here is how to install a comfort guide to the
safety belt:
1. For the second row, remove the guide from its
storage clip on the interior body.If your vehicle has a third row, remove the guide
from its storage pocket on the side of the seat.
Second Row
Third Row
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2. Place the guide over the belt, and insert the
two edges of the belt into the slots of the guide.3. Be sure that the belt is not twisted and it lies at.
The elastic cord must be under the belt and the
guide on top.
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{CAUTION:
A safety belt that is not properly worn may not
provide the protection needed in a crash. The
person wearing the belt could be seriously injured.
The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and
across the chest. These parts of the body are best
able to take belt restraining forces.
4. Buckle, position, and release the safety belt as
described previously in this section. Make sure
that the shoulder belt crosses the shoulder.
To remove and store the comfort guide, squeeze the
belt edges together so that the safety belt can be
removed from the guide. Slide the guide into its storage
clip on the interior body or storage pocket on the
side of the seat.
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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.
Lap Belt
This part is only for the lap belt. To learn how to wear a
lap-shoulder belt, seeLap-Shoulder Belt on page 1-40.
You vehicle may have a center seating position.
When you sit in the center front seating position, you
have a lap safety belt, which has no retractor.
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To make the belt longer, tilt the latch plate and pull it
along the belt.
Buckle, position and release it the same way as the lap
part of a lap-shoulder belt.To make the belt shorter, pull its free end as shown
until the belt is snug.
If the belt is not long enough, seeSafety Belt Extender
on page 1-50.
Make sure the release button on the buckle is positioned
so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt
quickly if necessary.
If you nd that the latch plate will not go fully into the
buckle, see if you are using the correct buckle. Be sure
that the latch plate clicks when inserted into the buckle.
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Safety Belt Extender
If the safety belt will fasten around you, you should use it.
But if a safety belt is not long enough, your
dealer/retailer will order you an extender. 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, 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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