2013 CADILLAC XTS Owners Manual

Black plate (17,1)Cadillac XTS Owner Manual - 2013 - 1st - 4/13/12
Seats and Restraints 3-17
3. Push the latch plate into thebuckle until it clicks.
Pull up on the latch plate to
make sure it is secure. If the belt
is not long enough, see Safety
Belt Extender on page 3‑20.
Position the release button on
the buckle so that the safety belt
could be quickly unbuckled if
necessary.
4. If equipped with a shoulder belt height adjuster, move it to the
height that is right for you. See “Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster”
later in this section for use and
important safety information.
5. To make the lap part tight, pull
up on the shoulder belt.
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
safety belt and the vehicle.
Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster
The vehicle has a shoulder belt
height adjuster for the driver and
right front passenger seating
positions.

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3-18 Seats and Restraints
Adjust the guide so the shoulder
portion of the belt is on the shoulder
and not falling off of it. The belt
should be close to, but not
contacting, the neck. Improper
shoulder belt height adjustment
could reduce the effectiveness of
the safety belt in a crash. SeeHow
to Wear Safety Belts Properly on
page 3‑15.
Push down on the release button
and move the height adjuster to the
desired position. The adjuster can
be moved up by pushing the slide/
trim up. After the height adjuster is set to the
desired position, try to move it down
without pressing the release button
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 or near
frontal 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 or
rear crash. If the vehicle has
roof-rail airbags, the pretensioners
can tighten the safety belts in a
rollover event.
Pretensioners work only once. If the
pretensioners activate in a crash,
the pretensioners and possibly other
parts of the safety belt system will
need to be replaced. See
Replacing
Safety Belt System Parts after a
Crash on page 3‑21.
Rear Safety Belt Comfort
Guides
This vehicle may have rear safety
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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Seats and Restraints 3-19
There is one guide for each outside
passenger position in the rear seat.
To install a comfort guide to the
safety belt:
1. Remove the guide from itsstorage pocket on the side of
the seat.
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 nottwisted and it lies flat. The
elastic cord must be under the
belt and the guide on top.
{WARNING
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
(Continued)

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3-20 Seats and Restraints
WARNING (CONTINUED)
and across the chest. These parts
of the body are best able to take
belt restraining forces.
4. Buckle, position, and release thesafety belt as described
previously in this section. Make
sure the shoulder portion of the
belt is on the shoulder and not
falling off of it. The belt should
be close to, but not contacting,
the neck.
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.
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. See the instruction sheet that
comes with the extender.

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Seats and Restraints 3-21
Safety System Check
Now and then, check that the safety
belt reminder light, safety belts,
buckles, latch plates, retractors, and
anchorages are all working properly.
Look for any other loose or
damaged safety belt system parts
that might keep a safety belt system
from doing its job. See your dealer
to have it repaired. Torn or frayed
safety belts may not protect you in a
crash. They can rip apart under
impact forces. If a belt is torn or
frayed, get a new one right away.
Make sure the safety belt reminder
light is working. SeeSafety Belt
Reminders on page 5‑15.
Keep safety belts clean and dry.
See Safety Belt Care on page 3‑21.
Safety Belt Care
Keep belts clean and dry.
{WARNING
Do not bleach or dye safety belts.
It may severely weaken them. In
a crash, they might not be able to
provide adequate protection.
Clean safety belts only with mild
soap and lukewarm water.
Replacing Safety Belt
System Parts after a
Crash
{WARNING
A crash can damage the safety
belt system in the vehicle.
A damaged safety belt system
may not properly protect the
person using it, resulting in
serious injury or even death in a
(Continued)
WARNING (CONTINUED)
crash. To help make sure the
safety belt systems are working
properly after a crash, have them
inspected and any necessary
replacements made as soon as
possible.
After a minor crash, replacement of
safety belts may not be necessary.
But the safety belt assemblies that
were used during any crash may
have been stressed or damaged.
See your dealer to have the safety
belt assemblies inspected or
replaced.

Black plate (22,1)Cadillac XTS Owner Manual - 2013 - 1st - 4/13/12
3-22 Seats and Restraints
New parts and repairs may be
necessary even if the safety belt
system was not being used at the
time of the crash.
Have the safety belt pretensioners
checked if the vehicle has been in a
crash, or if the airbag readiness light
stays on after you start the vehicle
or while you are driving. SeeAirbag
Readiness Light on page 5‑16.Airbag System
Airbag System (Sedan)
The vehicle has the following
airbags:
.A frontal airbag for the driver.
.A frontal airbag for the front
outboard passenger.
.A knee airbag for the driver.
.A knee airbag for the front
outboard passenger.
.A seat-mounted side impact
airbag for the driver.
.A seat-mounted side impact
airbag for the front outboard
passenger.
.Seat-mounted side impact
airbags for the second row
outboard passengers.
.A roof-rail airbag for the driver
and the passenger seated
directly behind the driver.
.A roof-rail airbag for the front
outboard passenger and the
passenger seated directly
behind the front outboard
passenger.
All vehicle airbags have the word
AIRBAG on the trim or on a label
near the deployment opening.
For frontal airbags, the word
AIRBAG is on the center of the
steering wheel for the driver and on
the instrument panel for the front
outboard passenger.
For knee airbags, the word AIRBAG
is on the lower part of the
instrument panel.
For seat-mounted side impact
airbags, the word AIRBAG is on the
side of the seatback closest to
the door.
For roof-rail airbags, the word
AIRBAG is on the ceiling or trim.
Airbags are designed to supplement
the protection provided by safety
belts. Even though today's airbags
are also designed to help reduce

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Seats and Restraints 3-23
the risk of injury from the force of an
inflating bag, all airbags must inflate
very quickly to do their job.
Here are the most important things
to know about the airbag system:
{WARNING
You can be severely injured or
killed in a crash if you are not
wearing your safety belt, even
with airbags. Airbags are
designed to work with safety
belts, not replace them. Also,
airbags are not designed to inflate
in every crash. In some crashes
safety belts are the only restraint.
SeeWhen Should an Airbag
Inflate? (Sedan) on page 3‑30 or
When Should an Airbag Inflate?
(Professional Vehicle) on
page 3‑31.
Wearing your safety belt during a
crash helps reduce the chance of
hitting things inside the vehicle or
(Continued)
WARNING (CONTINUED)
being ejected from it. Airbags are
“supplemental restraints” to the
safety belts. Everyone in the
vehicle should wear a safety belt
properly, whether or not there is
an airbag for that person.
{WARNING
Because airbags inflate with great
force and faster than the blink of
an eye, anyone who is up
against, or very close to any
airbag when it inflates can be
seriously injured or killed. Do not
sit unnecessarily close to any
airbag, as you would be if sitting
on the edge of the seat or leaning
forward. Safety belts help keep
you in position before and during
a crash. Always wear a safety
belt, even with airbags. The driver
(Continued)
WARNING (CONTINUED)
should sit as far back as possible
while still maintaining control of
the vehicle.
Occupants should not lean on or
sleep against the door or side
windows in seating positions with
seat-mounted side impact airbags
and/or roof-rail airbags.
{WARNING
Children who are up against,
or very close to, any airbag when
it inflates can be seriously injured
or killed. Airbags plus
lap-shoulder belts offer protection
for adults and older children, but
not for young children and infants.
Neither the vehicle's safety belt
system nor its airbag system is
designed for them. Young
(Continued)

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3-24 Seats and Restraints
WARNING (CONTINUED)
children and infants need the
protection that a child restraint
system can provide. Always
secure children properly in the
vehicle. To read how, seeOlder
Children on page 3‑41 orInfants
and Young Children on
page 3‑43.
There is an airbag readiness light
on the instrument cluster, which
shows the airbag symbol. The
system checks the airbag electrical
system for malfunctions. The light
tells you if there is an electrical
problem. See Airbag Readiness
Light on page 5‑16 for more
information.
Airbag System
(Professional Vehicle)
The vehicle has the following
airbags:
.A frontal airbag for the driver.
.A frontal airbag for the front
outboard passenger.
.A knee airbag for the driver.
.A knee airbag for the front
outboard passenger.
.A seat-mounted side impact
airbag for the driver.
.A seat-mounted side impact
airbag for the front outboard
passenger.
.A roof-rail airbag for the driver.
.A roof-rail airbag for the front
outboard passenger.
The vehicle may have the following
airbags:
.Seat-mounted side impact
airbags for the second row
outboard passengers.
.A roof-rail airbag for the driver
and the passenger seated
directly behind the driver.
.A roof-rail airbag for the front
outboard passenger and the
passenger seated directly
behind the front outboard
passenger.
All vehicle airbags have the word
AIRBAG on the trim or on a label
near the deployment opening.
For frontal airbags, the word
AIRBAG is on the center of the
steering wheel for the driver and on
the instrument panel for the front
outboard passenger.
For knee airbags, the word AIRBAG
is on the lower part of the
instrument panel.
For seat-mounted side impact
airbags, the word AIRBAG is on the
side of the seatback closest to
the door.
For roof-rail airbags, the word
AIRBAG is on the ceiling or trim.