2016 CADILLAC ESCALADE seats

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369153) -
2016 - crc - 6/19/15
Seats and Restraints 77
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 0129.Airbag System
The vehicle has the following
airbags:
.
A frontal airbag for the driver.
. A frontal airbag for the front
outboard passenger.
. A front center airbag for the
driver and 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
and for the second and third row
passengers seated directly
behind the driver.
. A roof-rail airbag for the front
outboard passenger and the
second and third row
passengers seated directly
behind the front outboard
passenger. All vehicle airbags have the word
AIRBAG on the trim or on an
attached 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 the front center airbag, the word
AIRBAG is on the inboard side of
the driver seatback.
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
the risk of injury from the force of an
inflating bag, all airbags must inflate
very quickly to do their job.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369153) -
2016 - crc - 6/19/15
78 Seats and Restraints
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? 080.
Wearing your safety belt during a
crash helps reduce the chance of
hitting things inside the vehicle or
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
should sit as far back as possible
while still maintaining control of
the vehicle. The safety belts and
the front outboard passenger
airbags are most effective when
you are sitting well back and
upright in the seat with both feet
on the floor.
Occupants should not lean on or
sleep against the front center
armrest or console in vehicles
with a front center airbag.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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. Always secure children
properly in the vehicle. To read
how, seeOlder Children 089 or
Infants and Young Children 091.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369153) -
2016 - crc - 6/19/15
Seats and Restraints 79
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. SeeAirbag
Readiness Light 0129.
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 passenger
side instrument panel.
The front center airbag is in the
inboard side of the driver seatback.
Driver Side Shown, Passenger
Side Similar
The driver and front outboard
passenger seat-mounted side
impact airbags are in the side of the
seatbacks closest to the door.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369153) -
2016 - crc - 6/19/15
80 Seats and Restraints
Driver Side Shown, PassengerSide Similar
The roof-rail airbags for the driver,
front outboard passenger, and
second and third row outboard
passengers are in the ceiling above
the side windows.
{Warning
If something is between an
occupant and an airbag, the
airbag might not inflate properly
or it might force the object into
that person causing severe injury
or even death. The path of an (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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 or console
accessories that block the
inflation path of a seat-mounted
side impact airbag or the front
center 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.
When Should an Airbag
Inflate?
This vehicle is equipped with
airbags. SeeAirbag System 077.
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

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369153) -
2016 - crc - 6/19/15
Seats and Restraints 81
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. The seat position sensor
provides information that is used to
adjust the deployment of the driver
frontal airbag.
The front center airbag is designed
to inflate in moderate to severe side
crashes depending upon the
location of the impact, when either
side of the vehicle is struck. In
addition, the front center airbag is
designed to inflate when the
sensing system predicts that the
vehicle is about to roll over on its
side. The front center airbag is notdesigned to inflate in frontal
impacts, near frontal impacts,
or rear impacts.
Seat-mounted side impact airbags
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.
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, see
Where Are
the Airbags? 079.
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.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369153) -
2016 - crc - 6/19/15
82 Seats and Restraints
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. SeeWhen
Should an Airbag Inflate? 080 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. The
front center airbag and roof-rail
airbags may still be at least partially
inflated for some time after they
inflate. Some components of the
airbag module may be hot for
several minutes. For location of the
airbags, see Where Are the
Airbags? 079.
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.
{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 has 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.
The feature may also activate,
without airbag inflation, after an
event that exceeds a predetermined
threshold. You can lock the doors,

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369153) -
2016 - crc - 6/19/15
Seats and Restraints 83
and 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 0345
and Event Data Recorders
0 345.
. 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.
Passenger Sensing
System
The vehicle has a passenger
sensing system for the front
outboard passenger position. The
passenger airbag status indicator
will light on the overhead console
when the vehicle is started.
The symbols for on and off will be
visible during the system check.
When the system check is
complete, either the symbol for on
or off will be visible. See Passenger
Airbag Status Indicator 0129.
The passenger sensing system
turns off the front outboard
passenger frontal airbag under
certain conditions. No other airbag
is affected by the passenger
sensing system.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-9369153) -
2016 - crc - 6/19/15
84 Seats and Restraints
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 aged
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 inflates.
{Warning
A child in a rear-facing child
restraint can be seriously injured
or killed if the passenger frontal(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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.
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(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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 0129.