Page 57 of 620

Black plate (25,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
Installing the Third Row Seat To install the seat, do the following:
1. Open the liftgate to access the rear of the vehicle.
2. Slide the front outboard seat wheels into the track
on the floor and roll the seat forward. The front
latches should lock into place. If the latches do not
lock, try tilting the rear of the seat upward slightly.
3. Lower the rear of the seat and push down on the
seat to engage the rear floor latches.
{ WARNING: A seat that is not locked into place properly can
move around in a collision or sudden stop. People
in the vehicle could be injured. Be sure to lock the
seat into place properly when installing it.
4. Push and pull on the seat to make sure it is locked
into place. The seatback cannot be raised to the
upright position unless the seat is secured to the
floor.
5. Pull up on the seatback until it locks into the
upright position. { 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.
6. 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.
7. Make sure the safety belts are returned to the
original position over the seatbacks.
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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 59 of 620
Black plate (27,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
After more than 40 years of safety belts in vehicles,
the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does
matter ... a lot!
Why Safety Belts Work When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as
it goes.
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it is just a seat on
wheels. Put someone on it.
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Page 60 of 620
Black plate (28,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider
does not stop. The person keeps going until stopped by something. In
a real vehicle, it could be the windshield...
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Page 61 of 620
Black plate (29,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
or the instrument panel... or the safety belts!
With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does.
You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance,
and your strongest bones take the forces. That is why
safety belts make such good sense.
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Page 62 of 620

Black plate (30,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
Questions and Answers About Safety
Belts Q: Will I be trapped in the vehicle after a crash if I
am wearing a safety belt?
A: You could be — whether you are wearing a safety
belt or not. But your chance of being conscious
during and after an accident, so you can unbuckle
and get out, is much greater if you are belted. And
you can unbuckle a safety belt, even if you are
upside down.
Q: If my vehicle has airbags, why should I have to
wear safety belts?
A: Airbags are supplemental systems only; so they
work with safety belts — not instead of them.
Whether or not an airbag is provided, all occupants
still have to buckle up to get the most protection.
That is true not only in frontal collisions, but
especially in side and other collisions. 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 a
crash — even one that is not your fault — you and
your passenger(s) 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 section 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 infants. If a child will be riding in
the vehicle, see Older Children
on page 2 ‑ 49 or Infants
and Young Children on page 2 ‑ 52 . Follow those rules
for everyone's protection.
It is very important for all occupants to buckle up.
Statistics show that unbelted people are hurt more often
in crashes than those who are wearing safety belts.
Occupants who are not buckled up can be thrown out of
the vehicle in a crash. And they can strike others in the
vehicle who are wearing safety belts.
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Page 63 of 620
Black plate (31,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
First, before you or your passenger(s) wear a safety
belt, there is important information you should know.
Sit up straight and always keep your feet on the floor in
front of you. The lap part of the belt should be worn low
and snug on the hips, just touching the thighs. In a crash, this applies force to the strong pelvic bones and
you would be less likely to slide under the lap belt.
If you slid under it, the belt would apply force on your
abdomen. This could cause serious or even fatal
injuries. 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.
The shoulder belt locks if there is a sudden stop or
crash.
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Page 64 of 620
Black plate (32,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2010
Q: What is wrong with this?
A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It will not give as
much protection this way. { WARNING: 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 fit snugly against your body.
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