2012 CADILLAC ESCALADE Owners Manual

Black plate (51,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-51
Depending on where you place the
child restraint and the size of the
child restraint, you may not be able
to access adjacent safety belt
assemblies or LATCH anchors for
additional passengers or child
restraints. Adjacent seating
positions should not be used if the
child restraint prevents access to or
interferes with the routing of the
safety belt.
Wherever a child restraint is
installed, be sure to secure the
child restraint properly.
Keep in mind that an unsecured
child restraint can move around in a
collision or sudden stop and injure
people in the vehicle. Be sure to
properly secure any child restraint in
your vehicle—even when no child
is in it.Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children
(LATCH System)
The LATCH system holds a child
restraint during driving or in a crash.
This system is designed to make
installation of a child restraint easier.
The LATCH system uses anchors in
the vehicle and attachments on the
child restraint that are made for use
with the LATCH system.
Make sure that a LATCH-compatible
child restraint is properly installed
using the anchors, or use the
vehicle's safety belts to secure the
restraint, following the instructions
that came with that restraint, and
also the instructions in this manual.
When installing a child restraint with a top tether, you must also use
either the lower anchors or the
safety belts to properly secure the
child restraint. A child restraint must
never be attached using only the top
tether and anchor.
In order to use the LATCH system
in your vehicle, you need a
child restraint that has LATCH
attachments. The child restraint
manufacturer will provide you
with instructions on how to use the
child restraint and its attachments.
The following explains how to
attach a child restraint with these
attachments in your vehicle.
Not all vehicle seating positions or
child restraints have lower anchors
and attachments or top tether
anchors and attachments.

Black plate (52,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012
3-52 Seats and Restraints
Lower Anchors
Lower anchors (A) are metal bars
built into the vehicle. There are
two lower anchors for each
LATCH seating position that will
accommodate a child restraint with
lower attachments (B).
Top Tether Anchor
A top tether (A, C) anchors the
top of the child restraint to the
vehicle. A top tether anchor is
built into the vehicle. The top tether
attachment (B) on the child restraint
connects to the top tether anchor in
the vehicle in order to reduce the
forward movement and rotation of
the child restraint during driving or in
a crash.Your child restraint may have
a single tether (A) or a dual
tether (C). Either will have a
single attachment (B) to secure
the top tether to the anchor.
Some child restraints with 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.

Black plate (53,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-53
Lower Anchor and Top Tether
Anchor Locations
Second Row—60/40
H(Lower Anchor): Seating
positions with two lower anchors.
I(Top Tether Anchor): Seating
positions with top tether anchors.
For models with 60/40 second
row seating, the rear right side
passenger and center seating
positions have exposed metal
anchors in the crease between the
seatback and the seat cushion.
Second Row —Bucket
H(Lower Anchor): Seating
positions with two lower anchors.
I(Top Tether Anchor): Seating
positions with top tether anchors.
For models with second row bucket
seats, both rear seating positions
have exposed metal anchors in the
crease between the seatback and
the seat cushion.
Third Row Seat
I(Top Tether Anchor): Seating
positions with top tether anchors.
There is one top tether anchor that
can be used for either the third row
center or driver side seating position
but not both at the same time.
For models with a third row seat,
see the information following for
installing a child restraint with a top
tether in the third row. Never install
two top tethers using the same top
tether anchor.

Black plate (54,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012
3-54 Seats and Restraints
To assist in locating the top tether
anchors, the top tether anchor
symbol appears near the anchors.
Second Row Seat—Bucket
For models with bucket second row
seating, the top tether anchors are
at the bottom rear of the seat
cushion for each seating position in
the second row. Be sure to use an anchor on the same side of the
vehicle as the seating position
where the child restraint will be
placed.
Second Row Seat
—60/40
For models with 60/40 second row
seating, the top tether anchors
are at the bottom rear of the seat
cushion for each seating position in
the second row. Be sure to use an
anchor on the same side of the
vehicle as the seating position
where the child restraint will be
placed.
Third Row Seat
For vehicles with a third row seat,
there is one top tether anchor
at the bottom rear of the seat
cushion that can be used for
either the third row center or driver
side seating position. Never install
two top tethers using the same top
tether anchor.

Black plate (55,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-55
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.
According to accident statistics,
children and infants are safer
when properly restrained in a child
restraint system or infant restraint
system secured in a rear seating
position. SeeWhere to Put the
Restraint on page 3‑49 for
additional information.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 safety
belts to secure the restraint,
following the instructions that
came with the child restraint and
the instructions in this manual.
{WARNING
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.

Black plate (56,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012
3-56 Seats and Restraints
{WARNING
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 the 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. 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. Route, attach, and tighten
the top tether according to
your child restraint
instructions and the
following instructions:
.If the position you are using
does not have a headrest
or head restraint and you

Black plate (57,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-57
are using a single tether,
route the tether over the
seatback.
.If the position you are using
does not have a headrest
or head restraint and you
are using a dual tether,
route the tether over the
seatback.
.If the position you are using
has an adjustable headrest
or head restraint and you
are using a single tether,
raise the headrest or head
restraint and route the
tether under the headrest
or head restraint and in
between the headrest or
head restraint posts.
.If the position you are using
has a fixed headrest or
head restraint and you are
using a single tether, route
the tether around the
inboard or outboard side
of the headrest or head
restraint.

Black plate (58,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual - 2012
3-58 Seats and Restraints
.If the position you are using
has a fixed or an adjustable
headrest or head restraint
and you are using a dual
tether, route the tether
around the headrest or
head restraint.
3. Before placing a child in the child restraint, make sure it is
securely held in place. To check,
grasp the child restraint at the
LATCH path and attempt to
move it side‐to‐side and
back‐and‐forth. There should
be no more than 2.5 cm (1 in)
of movement, for proper
installation.
Replacing LATCH System
Parts After a Crash
{WARNING
A crash can damage the LATCH
system in the vehicle. A damaged
LATCH system may not properly
secure the child restraint,
resulting in serious injury or even
death in a crash. To help make
sure the LATCH system is
working properly after a crash,
see your dealer to have the
system inspected and any
necessary replacements made
as soon as possible.
If the vehicle has the LATCH system
and it was being used during a
crash, new LATCH system parts
may be needed.
New parts and repairs may be
necessary even if the LATCH
system was not being used at the
time of the crash.
Securing Child Restraints
(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
System) on page 3‑51 for 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,
see Lower Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH System) on
page 3‑51 for 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.