2010 CADILLAC DTS Owners Manual

{WARNING:
A young child’s hip bones are still so small that
the vehicle’s regular safety belt may not remain
low on the hip bones, as it should. Instead, it may
settle up around the child’s abdomen. In a crash,
the belt would apply force on a body area that is
unprotected by any bony structure. This alone
could cause serious or fatal injuries. To reduce the
risk of serious or fatal injuries during a crash,
young children should always be secured in
appropriate child restraints.
Child Restraint Systems
A rear-facing infantseat (A) provides restraintwith the seating surfaceagainst the back ofthe infant.
The harness system holds the infant in place and, in acrash, acts to keep the infant positioned in the restraint.
A forward-facing childseat (B) provides restraintfor the child’s bodywith the harness.
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A booster seat (C-D) is a child restraint designed toimprove the fit of the vehicle’s safety belt system.A booster seat can also help a child to see outthe window.
Securing an Add-On Child Restraint in
the Vehicle
{WARNING:
A child can be seriously injured or killed in a crash
if the child restraint is not properly secured in the
vehicle. Secure the child restraint properly in the
vehicle using the vehicle’s safety belt or LATCH
system, following the instructions that came with
that child restraint and the instructions in this
manual.
To help reduce the chance of injury, the child restraintmust be secured in the vehicle. Child restraint systemsmust be secured in vehicle seats by lap belts or thelap belt portion of a lap-shoulder belt, or by the LATCHsystem. SeeLower Anchors and Tethers for Children(LATCH) on page 2-45for more information. A child canbe endangered in a crash if the child restraint is notproperly secured in the vehicle.
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When securing an add-on child restraint, refer to theinstructions that come with the restraint which may be onthe restraint itself or in a booklet, or both, and to thismanual. The child restraint instructions are important, soif they are not available, obtain a replacement copyfrom the manufacturer.
Keep in mind that an unsecured child restraint canmove around in a collision or sudden stop and injurepeople in the vehicle. Be sure to properly secureany child restraint in the vehicle — even when no childis in it.
Securing the Child Within the Child
Restraint
{WARNING:
A child can be seriously injured or killed in a crash
if the child is not properly secured in the child
restraint. Secure the child properly following the
instructions that came with that child restraint.
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Where to Put the Restraint
According to accident statistics, children and infants aresafer when properly restrained in a child restraintsystem or infant restraint system secured in a rearseating position.
We recommend that children and child restraints besecured in a rear seat, including: an infant or achild riding in a rear-facing child restraint; a child ridingin a forward-facing child seat; an older child riding ina booster seat; and children, who are large enough,using safety belts.
A label on your sun visor says, “Never put a rear-facingchild seat in the front.” This is because the risk to therear-facing child is so great, if the airbag deploys.
{WARNING:
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured or killed if the right front passenger
airbag inflates. This is because the back of the
rear-facing child restraint would be very close to the
inflating airbag. A child in a forward-facing child
restraint can be seriously injured or killed if the right
front passenger airbag inflates 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 2-67for
additional information.
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{WARNING:
A child in a child restraint in the center front seat
can be badly injured or killed by the frontal airbags
if they inflate. 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 seatposition.
When securing a child restraint in a rear seatingposition, study the instructions that came with your childrestraint to make sure it is compatible with this vehicle.
Wherever a child restraint is installed, be sure to securethe child restraint properly.
Keep in mind that an unsecured child restraint canmove around in a collision or sudden stop and injurepeople in the vehicle. Be sure to properly secureany child restraint in your vehicle — even when no childis in it.
Lower Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH)
The LATCH system holds a child restraint during drivingor in a crash. This system is designed to makeinstallation of a child restraint easier. The LATCHsystem uses anchors in the vehicle and attachments onthe child restraint that are made for use with theLATCH system.
Make sure that a LATCH-compatible child restraint isproperly installed using the anchors, or use the vehicle’ssafety belts to secure the restraint, following theinstructions that came with that restraint, and also theinstructions in this manual. When installing a childrestraint with a top tether, you must also use either thelower anchors or the safety belts to properly securethe child restraint. A child restraint must never beinstalled using only the top tether and anchor.
In order to use the LATCH system in your vehicle, youneed a child restraint that has LATCH attachments.The child restraint manufacturer will provide youwith instructions on how to use the child restraint and itsattachments. The following explains how to attach achild restraint with these attachments in your vehicle.
Not all vehicle seating positions or child restraints havelower anchors and attachments or top tether anchorsand attachments.
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Lower Anchors
Lower anchors (A) are metal bars built into the vehicle.There are two lower anchors for each LATCH seatingposition that will accommodate a child restraint withlower attachments (B).
Top Tether Anchor
A top tether (A, C) anchors the top of the child restraintto the vehicle. A top tether anchor is built into thevehicle. The top tether attachment (B) on the childrestraint connects to the top tether anchor in the vehiclein order to reduce the forward movement and rotationof the child restraint during driving or in a crash.
Your child restraint may have a single tether (A) or adual tether (C). Either will have a single attachment (B)to secure the top tether to the anchor.
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Some child restraints that have top tethers are designedfor use with or without the top tether being attached.Others require the top tether always to be attached. InCanada, the law requires that forward-facing childrestraints have a top tether, and that the tether beattached. Be sure to read and follow the instructions foryour child restraint.
If the child restraint does not have a top tether, one canbe obtained, in kit form, for many child restraints. Askthe child restraint manufacturer whether or not a kitis available.
Lower Anchor and Top Tether Anchor
Locations
i(Top Tether Anchor):
Seating positions with toptether anchors.
j(Lower Anchor): Seating
positions with two loweranchors.
To assist you in locatingthe lower anchors, eachseating position with loweranchors has two labels,near the crease betweenthe seatback and theseat cushion.
To assist you in locatingthe top tether anchors, thetop tether anchor symbolis located on the cover.
The top tether anchors are located under the covers onthe rear seatback filler panel. Pull open the cover toaccess the anchors. Be sure to use an anchor locatedon the same side of the vehicle as the seatingposition where the child restraint will be placed.
Rear Seat
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Do not secure a child restraint in a position without atop tether anchor if a national or local law requires thatthe top tether be attached, or if the instructions thatcome with the child restraint say that the top tether mustbe attached.
Accident statistics show that children are safer if theyare restrained in the rear rather than the front seat. SeeWhere to Put the Restraint on page 2-44for additionalinformation.
Securing a Child Restraint Designed for
the LATCH System
{WARNING:
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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