2014 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV airbag

Black plate (26,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-6081529) - 2014 - CRC 1st Edition - 4/23/13
3-26 Seats and Restraints
Where Are the Airbags?
The driver frontal airbag is in the
center of the steering wheel.
The front outboard passenger
frontal airbag is in the instrument
panel on the passenger side.Driver Side Shown, PassengerSide Similar
If the vehicle has seat-mounted side
impact airbags for the driver and
front outboard passenger, they are
in the side of the seatbacks closest
to the door.

Black plate (27,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-6081529) - 2014 - CRC 1st Edition - 4/23/13
Seats and Restraints 3-27
Driver Side Shown, PassengerSide Similar
The roof-rail airbags for the driver,
front outboard passenger, and
second row outboard passengers
are in the ceiling above the side
windows.Driver Side Shown, Passenger Side Similar
If the vehicle has a third row
passenger seat, the roof-rail airbags
are located in the ceiling above the
rear windows for the outboard
passenger positions in the third row.
{Warning
If something is between an
occupant and an airbag, the
airbag might not inflate properly
or it might force the object into (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
that person causing severe injury
or even death. The path of an
inflating airbag must be kept
clear. Do not put anything
between an occupant and an
airbag, and do not attach or put
anything on the steering wheel
hub or on or near any other
airbag covering.
Do not use seat accessories that
block the inflation path of a
seat-mounted side impact airbag.
Never secure anything to the roof
of a vehicle with roof-rail airbags
by routing a rope or tie‐down
through any door or window
opening. If you do, the path of an
inflating roof-rail airbag will be
blocked.

Black plate (28,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-6081529) - 2014 - CRC 1st Edition - 4/23/13
3-28 Seats and Restraints
When Should an Airbag
Inflate?
This vehicle is equipped with
airbags. SeeAirbag System on
page 3-24. Airbags are designed to
inflate if the impact exceeds the
specific airbag system's deployment
threshold. Deployment thresholds
are used to predict how severe a
crash is likely to be in time for the
airbags to inflate and help restrain
the occupants. The vehicle has
electronic sensors that help the
airbag system determine the
severity of the impact. Deployment
thresholds can vary with specific
vehicle design.
Frontal airbags are designed to
inflate in moderate to severe frontal
or near frontal crashes to help
reduce the potential for severe
injuries, mainly to the driver's or
front outboard passenger's head
and chest.
Whether the frontal airbags will or
should inflate is not based primarily
on how fast the vehicle is traveling. It depends on what is hit, the
direction of the impact, and how
quickly the vehicle slows down.
Frontal airbags may inflate at
different crash speeds depending on
whether the vehicle hits an object
straight on or at an angle, and
whether the object is fixed or
moving, rigid or deformable, narrow
or wide.
Frontal airbags are not intended to
inflate during vehicle rollovers, rear
impacts, or many side impacts.
In addition, the vehicle has
advanced technology frontal
airbags. Advanced technology
frontal airbags adjust the restraint
according to crash severity.
The vehicle also has a seat position
sensor that enables the sensing
system to monitor the position of the
driver seat. There may also be a
seat position sensor that monitors
the position of the front outboard
passenger seat. Seat position
sensor(s) provide information that is
used to adjust the deployment of the
frontal airbags.
Seat-mounted side impact airbags,
if equipped, are designed to inflate
in moderate to severe side crashes
depending on the location of the
impact. Seat-mounted side impact
airbags are not designed to inflate in
frontal impacts, near frontal impacts,
rollovers, or rear impacts.
A seat-mounted side impact airbag
is designed to inflate on the side of
the vehicle that is struck.
Roof-rail airbags are designed to
inflate in moderate to severe side
crashes depending on the location
of the impact. In addition, these
roof-rail airbags are designed to
inflate during a rollover or in a
severe frontal impact. Roof-rail
airbags are not designed to inflate in
rear impacts. Both roof-rail airbags
will inflate when either side of the
vehicle is struck, if the sensing
system predicts that the vehicle is
about to roll over on its side, or in a
severe frontal impact.

Black plate (29,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-6081529) - 2014 - CRC 1st Edition - 4/23/13
Seats and Restraints 3-29
In any particular crash, no one can
say whether an airbag should have
inflated simply because of the
vehicle damage or the repair costs.
What Makes an Airbag
Inflate?
In a deployment event, the sensing
system sends an electrical signal
triggering a release of gas from the
inflator. Gas from the inflator fills the
airbag causing the bag to break out
of the cover. The inflator, the airbag,
and related hardware are all part of
the airbag module.
For airbag locations, seeWhere Are
the Airbags? on page 3-26.
How Does an Airbag
Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or
near frontal collisions, even belted
occupants can contact the steering
wheel or the instrument panel. In moderate to severe side collisions,
even belted occupants can contact
the inside of the vehicle.
Airbags supplement the protection
provided by safety belts by
distributing the force of the impact
more evenly over the
occupant's body.
Rollover capable roof-rail airbags
are also designed to help contain
the head and chest of occupants in
the outboard seating positions in the
first, second, and third rows. The
rollover capable roof-rail airbags are
designed to help reduce the risk of
full or partial ejection in rollover
events, although no system can
prevent all such ejections.
But airbags would not help in many
types of collisions, primarily
because the occupant's motion is
not toward those airbags. See
When
Should an Airbag Inflate? on
page 3-28 for more information.
Airbags should never be regarded
as anything more than a supplement
to safety belts.
What Will You See after
an Airbag Inflates?
After the frontal airbags and
seat-mounted side impact airbags
inflate, they quickly deflate, so
quickly that some people may not
even realize an airbag inflated.
Roof-rail airbags may still be at least
partially inflated for some time after
they deploy. Some components of
the airbag module may be hot for
several minutes. For location of the
airbag modules, see What Makes
an Airbag Inflate? on page 3-29.
The parts of the airbag that come
into contact with you may be warm,
but not too hot to touch. There may
be some smoke and dust coming
from the vents in the deflated
airbags. Airbag inflation does not
prevent the driver from seeing out of
the windshield or being able to steer
the vehicle, nor does it prevent
people from leaving the vehicle.

Black plate (30,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-6081529) - 2014 - CRC 1st Edition - 4/23/13
3-30 Seats and Restraints
{Warning
When an airbag inflates, there
may be dust in the air. This dust
could cause breathing problems
for people with a history of
asthma or other breathing trouble.
To avoid this, everyone in the
vehicle should get out as soon as
it is safe to do so. If you have
breathing problems but cannot
get out of the vehicle after an
airbag inflates, then get fresh air
by opening a window or a door.
If you experience breathing
problems following an airbag
deployment, you should seek
medical attention.
The vehicle may have a feature that
may automatically unlock the doors,
turn on the interior lamps and
hazard warning flashers, and shut
off the fuel system after the airbags
inflate. You can lock the doors, turn off the interior lamps and hazard
warning flashers by using the
controls for those features.
{Warning
A crash severe enough to inflate
the airbags may have also
damaged important functions in
the vehicle, such as the fuel
system, brake and steering
systems, etc. Even if the vehicle
appears to be drivable after a
moderate crash, there may be
concealed damage that could
make it difficult to safely operate
the vehicle.
Use caution if you should attempt
to restart the engine after a crash
has occurred.
In many crashes severe enough to
inflate the airbag, windshields are
broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may
also occur from the front outboard
passenger airbag.
.Airbags are designed to inflate
only once. After an airbag
inflates, you will need some new
parts for the airbag system.
If you do not get them, the
airbag system will not be there
to help protect you in another
crash. A new system will include
airbag modules and possibly
other parts. The service manual
for the vehicle covers the need
to replace other parts.
.The vehicle has a crash sensing
and diagnostic module which
records information after a
crash. See Vehicle Data
Recording and Privacy on
page 13-14 andEvent Data
Recorders on page 13-14.
.Let only qualified technicians
work on the airbag systems.
Improper service can mean that
an airbag system will not work
properly. See your dealer for
service.

Black plate (31,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-6081529) - 2014 - CRC 1st Edition - 4/23/13
Seats and Restraints 3-31
Passenger Sensing
System
If the vehicle has the passenger
airbag status indicator pictured in
the following illustration, then the
vehicle has a passenger sensing
system for the front outboard
passenger position. The passenger
airbag status indicator, if equipped,
is visible on the overhead console
when the vehicle is started.
In addition, if the vehicle has a
passenger sensing system for the
front outboard passenger position,
the label on the vehicle's sun visors
refers to“ADVANCED AIRBAGS”.
United States
Canada and Mexico
The words ON and OFF, or the
symbols for on and off, will be
visible during the system check.
If you are using remote start,
if equipped, to start the vehicle from
a distance, you may not see the
system check. When the system
check is complete, either the word
ON or OFF, or the symbol for on or
off, will be visible. See Passenger
Airbag Status Indicator on
page 5-13. The passenger sensing system will
turn off the front outboard
passenger frontal airbag under
certain conditions. No other airbag
is affected by the passenger
sensing system.
The passenger sensing system
works with sensors that are part of
the front outboard passenger seat
and safety belt. The sensors are
designed to detect the presence of
a properly-seated occupant and
determine if the front outboard
passenger frontal airbag should be
allowed to inflate or not.
According to accident statistics,
children are safer when properly
secured in a rear seat in the correct
child restraint for their weight
and size.
Whenever possible, children age
12 and under should be secured in
a rear seating position.
Never put a rear-facing child seat in
the front. This is because the risk to
the rear-facing child is so great,
if the airbag deploys.

Black plate (32,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-6081529) - 2014 - CRC 1st Edition - 4/23/13
3-32 Seats and Restraints
{Warning
A child in a rear-facing child
restraint can be seriously injured
or killed if the passenger frontal
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
passenger frontal airbag inflates
and the passenger seat is in a
forward position.
Even if the passenger sensing
system has turned off the
passenger frontal airbag, no
system is fail-safe. No one can
guarantee that an airbag will not
inflate under some unusual
circumstance, even though the
airbag is off.(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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 front outboard passenger
seat, always move the seat as far
back as it will go. It is better to
secure the child restraint in a
rear seat.
The passenger sensing system is
designed to turn off the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag if:
.The front outboard passenger
seat is unoccupied.
.The system determines an infant
is present in a child restraint.
.A front outboard passenger
takes his/her weight off of the
seat for a period of time.
.There is a critical problem with
the airbag system or the
passenger sensing system. When the passenger sensing
system has turned off the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag,
the off indicator will light and stay lit
as a reminder that the airbag is off.
See
Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator on page 5-13.
The passenger sensing system is
designed to turn on the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag
anytime the system senses that a
person of adult size is sitting
properly in the front outboard
passenger seat.
When the passenger sensing
system has allowed the airbag to be
enabled, the on indicator will light
and stay lit as a reminder that the
airbag is active.
For some children, including
children in child restraints, and for
very small adults, the passenger
sensing system may or may not turn
off the front outboard passenger
frontal airbag, depending upon the
person's seating posture and body
build. Everyone in the vehicle who

Black plate (33,1)Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./
Canada/Mexico-6081529) - 2014 - CRC 1st Edition - 4/23/13
Seats and Restraints 3-33
has outgrown child restraints should
wear a safety belt properly—
whether or not there is an airbag for
that person.
{Warning
If the airbag readiness light ever
comes on and stays on, it means
that something may be wrong
with the airbag system. To help
avoid injury to yourself or others,
have the vehicle serviced right
away. See Airbag Readiness
Light on page 5-13 for more
information, including important
safety information.
If the On Indicator is Lit for a
Child Restraint
The passenger sensing system is
designed to turn off the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag if
the system determines that an infant
is present in a child restraint. If a
child restraint has been installed
and the on indicator is lit:
1. Turn the vehicle off.
2. Remove the child restraint from the vehicle.
3. Remove any additional items from the seat such as blankets,
cushions, seat covers, seat
heaters, or seat massagers.
4. Reinstall the child restraint following the directions provided
by the child restraint
manufacturer and refer to
Securing Child Restraints (Rear
Seat Position) on page 3-52 or
Securing Child Restraints (Front
Outboard Seat Position) on
page 3-55. 5. If, after reinstalling the child
restraint and restarting the
vehicle, the on indicator is still lit,
turn the vehicle off. Then slightly
recline the vehicle seatback and
adjust the seat cushion,
if adjustable, to make sure that
the vehicle seatback is not
pushing the child restraint into
the seat cushion.
Also make sure the child
restraint is not trapped under the
vehicle head restraint. If this
happens, adjust the head
restraint. See Head Restraints
on page 3-2.
6. Restart the vehicle.
The passenger sensing system
may or may not turn off the
airbag for a child in a child
restraint depending upon the
child’s size. It is better to secure
the child restraint in a rear seat.