Page 47 of 620

Black plate (15,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
Returning the Seat(s) to the Sitting
Position To return the seat to the sitting position:
1. Pull the seat down until it latches to the floor. The
seatback cannot be raised if the seat is not latched
to the floor.
{ WARNING: If either seatback is not locked, it could move
forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there. Always
push and pull on the seatbacks to be sure they
are locked.
2. Lift the seatback and push it rearward. Push and
pull on the seatback to make sure it is locked. { WARNING: A safety belt that is improperly routed, not
properly attached, or twisted will not provide the
protection needed in a crash. The person wearing
the belt could be seriously injured. After raising
the rear seatback, always check to be sure that
the safety belts are properly routed and attached,
and are not twisted.
3. Make sure that the safety belt in the center seating
position is not caught between the two seats and is
not twisted.
Bucket Seats If your vehicle has bucket seats, the seatbacks can be
reclined, the seats can be folded for additional cargo
space, or folded and tumbled for easy entry and exit to
the third row seats, if your vehicle has them. These
seats will have either the manual fold and tumble
feature or the automatic seat release fold and tumble
feature.
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Page 51 of 620

Black plate (19,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
Folding and Tumbling the Seat(s) from the
Third Row Seats
{ WARNING: Using the third row seating position while the
second row is folded, or folded and tumbled, could
cause injury in a sudden stop or crash. Be sure to
return the seat to the passenger seating position.
Push and pull on the seat to make sure it is
locked into place.
Notice: Folding a rear seat with the safety belts still
fastened may cause damage to the seat or the
safety belts. Always unbuckle the safety belts and
return them to their normal stowed position before
folding a rear seat. To fold and tumble the seat from the third row seats,
if your vehicle has them:
1. Make sure that there is nothing under, in front of,
or on the seat.
2. Lift the lever, located
on the bottom rear of
the second row seat on
the inboard side, to
release the seatback.
The seatback will fold
forward.
3. Lift the lever again to release the rear of the seat
from the floor. The seat will tumble forward.
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Page 52 of 620

Black plate (20,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
Automatic Seat Release Fold and
Tumble Feature The transmission must be in (P) for this feature
to work.
{ WARNING: Automatically folding and tumbling the seat when
someone is sitting in the seat, could cause injury
to the person sitting there. Always make sure
there is no one sitting in the seat before pressing
the automatic seat release button. Folding and Tumbling the Second Row
Seat(s) from the Third Row Seats or
Outside
{ WARNING: Using the third row seating position while the
second row is folded, or folded and tumbled, could
cause injury in a sudden stop or crash. Be sure to
return the seat to the passenger seating position.
Push and pull on the seat to make sure it is
locked into place.
To fold and tumble the seat from the third row seats,
if your vehicle has them, do the following:
1. Make sure that there is nothing under, in front of,
or on the seat.
Notice: Folding a rear seat with the safety belts still
fastened may cause damage to the seat or the
safety belts. Always unbuckle the safety belts and
return them to their normal stowed position before
folding a rear seat.
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Page 58 of 620

Black plate (26,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
Safety Belts Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone This section of the manual describes how to use safety
belts properly. It also describes some things not to do
with safety belts.
{ WARNING: Do not let anyone ride where a safety belt cannot
be worn properly. In a crash, if you or your
passenger(s) are not wearing safety belts, the
injuries can be much worse. You can hit things
inside the vehicle harder or be ejected from the
vehicle. You and your passenger(s) 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 passenger(s)
are restrained properly too. { WARNING: It is extremely dangerous to 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 properly.
This vehicle has indicators as a reminder to buckle the
safety belts. See Safety Belt Reminders on page 4 ‑ 29
for additional information.
In most states and in all Canadian provinces, the law
requires wearing safety belts. Here is why:
You never know if you will be in a crash. If you do have
a crash, you do not know if it will be a serious one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so
serious that even buckled up, a person would not
survive. But most crashes are in between. In many of
them, people who buckle up can survive and sometimes
walk away. Without safety belts, they could have been
badly hurt or killed.
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Page 71 of 620

Black plate (39,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
Lap-Shoulder Belt All seating positions in the vehicle have a lap-shoulder
belt except for the center front passenger position,
if equipped, which has a lap belt. See Lap Belt
on
page 2 ‑ 47 for more information.
The lap ‐ shoulder belts for the first and second row
seating positions are equipped with free ‐ falling latch
plates. If the vehicle has a third row, the lap ‐ shoulder
belts have either free ‐ falling or cinching latch plates.
Use the following pictures to determine the latch plate
style:
Free-Falling Latch Plate Cinching Latch Plate
The following instructions explain how to wear a
lap-shoulder belt properly.
1. Adjust the seat, if the seat is adjustable, so you
can sit up straight. To see how, see “ Seats ” in the
Index.
2. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.
Do not let it get twisted.
The lap-shoulder belt may lock if you pull the belt
across you very quickly. If this happens, let the belt
go back slightly to unlock it. Then pull the belt
across you more slowly.
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Black plate (43,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
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. See Replacing Restraint System Parts After a
Crash on page 2 ‑ 92 .
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides This vehicle may have rear shoulder belt comfort
guides. If not, they are available through your dealer.
The guides may provide added safety belt comfort for
older children who have outgrown booster seats and for
some adults. When installed and properly adjusted, the
comfort guide positions the belt away from the neck
and head.
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Page 80 of 620

Black plate (48,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
To make the belt shorter, pull its free end as shown until
the belt is snug.
If the belt is not long enough, see Safety Belt Extender
on page 2 ‑ 48 .
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 find 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. 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. 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 fit. 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.
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Page 81 of 620

Black plate (49,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
Child Restraints Older Children
Older children who have outgrown booster seats should
wear the vehicle's safety belts. The manufacturer's instructions that come with the
booster seat, state the weight and height limitations for
that booster. Use a booster seat with a lap-shoulder belt
until the child passes the below fit test: .
Sit all the way back on the seat. Do the knees
bend at the seat edge? If yes, continue. If no,
return to the booster seat. .
Buckle the lap-shoulder belt. Does the shoulder
belt rest on the shoulder? If yes, continue. If no, try
using the rear safety belt comfort guide. See “ Rear
Safety Belt Comfort Guides ” under Lap-Shoulder
Belt
on page 2 ‑ 39 for more information. If the
shoulder belt still does not rest on the shoulder,
then return to the booster seat. .
Does the lap belt fit low and snug on the hips,
touching the thighs? If yes, continue. If no, return
to the booster seat. .
Can proper safety belt fit be maintained for length
of trip? If yes, continue. If no, return to the
booster seat.
If you have the choice, a child should sit in a position
with a lap-shoulder belt and get the additional restraint
a shoulder belt can provide.
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