Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293077) -
2017 - crc - 8/24/16
SEATS AND RESTRAINTS 79
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? 081.
Wearing your safety belt during a
crash helps reduce your 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-10293077) -
2017 - crc - 8/24/16
SEATS AND RESTRAINTS 81
Driver Side Shown, Passenger SideSimilar
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 inflating
airbag must be kept clear. Do not (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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 078. 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.
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293077) -
2017 - crc - 8/24/16
82 SEATS AND RESTRAINTS
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 not
designed 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 rearimpacts. 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? 080.
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
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
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293077) -
2017 - crc - 8/24/16
SEATS AND RESTRAINTS 83
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? 081.
Airbags should never be regarded as
anything more than a supplement to
safety belts.
What Will You See after an
Airbag Inflates?
After 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? 080. 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, turn off the
interior lamps, and turn off the 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.
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293077) -
2017 - crc - 8/24/16
88 SEATS AND RESTRAINTS
Servicing the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Airbags affect how the vehicle should
be serviced. There are parts of the
airbag system in several places around
the vehicle. Your dealer and the
service manual have information
about servicing the vehicle and the
airbag system.
{Warning
For up to 10 seconds after the
vehicle is turned off and the battery
is disconnected, an airbag can still
inflate during improper service. You
can be injured if you are close to an
airbag when it inflates. Avoid
yellow connectors. They are
probably part of the airbag system.
Be sure to follow proper service
procedures, and make sure the
person performing work for you is
qualified to do so.
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Adding accessories that change the
vehicle's frame, bumper system,
height, front end, or side sheet metal
may keep the airbag system from
working properly.
The operation of the airbag system
can also be affected by changing any
parts of the front seats, safety belts,
airbag sensing and diagnostic module,
steering wheel, instrument panel, any
of the airbag modules, ceiling or pillar
garnish trim, overhead console, front
sensors, side impact sensors, airbag
wiring, or front center console.
Your dealer and the service manual
have information about the location of
the airbag sensors, sensing and
diagnostic module, and airbag wiring.
In addition, the vehicle has a
passenger sensing system which
includes sensors that are a part of the
passenger’s seat. The passenger
sensing system may not operate
properly if the original seat trim is
replaced with non-GM covers,
upholstery or trim, or with GM covers,upholstery or trim designed for a
different vehicle. Any object, such as
an aftermarket seat heater or a
comfort enhancing pad or device,
installed under or on top of the seat
fabric, could also interfere with the
operation of the passenger sensing
system. This could either prevent
proper deployment of the passenger
airbag(s) or prevent the passenger
sensing system from properly turning
off the passenger airbag(s). See
Passenger Sensing System
084.
If the vehicle has rollover roof-rail
airbags, see Different Size Tires and
Wheels 0300 for additional important
information.
If you have to modify your vehicle
because you have a disability and you
have questions about whether the
modifications will affect the vehicle's
airbag system, or if you have
questions about whether the airbag
system will be affected if the vehicle is
modified for any other reason, see
your dealer.
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293077) -
2017 - crc - 8/24/16
STORAGE 109
Storage
Storage Compartments
Storage Compartments . . . . . . . . . . 109
Instrument Panel Storage . . . . . . . . 109
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Cupholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Sunglasses Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Armrest Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Rear Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Center Console Storage . . . . . . . . . . 111
Additional Storage Features
Cargo Tie-Downs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Convenience Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Safety Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Roof Rack System
Roof Rack System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Storage Compartments
{Warning
Do not store heavy or sharp objects
in storage compartments. In a
crash, these objects may cause the
cover to open and could result in
injury.
Instrument Panel Storage
Touch the bottom of the climate
control system panel until the door
automatically starts to open. The
storage area may contain a USB port.
See the infotainment manual.
Keep the storage area door closed
while driving.
Touch the bottom of the climate
control system again until the door
automatically starts to close.
Glove Box
To open, press the button. Close the
glove box manually.
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293077) -
2017 - crc - 8/24/16
112 STORAGE
Safety Kit
The safety kit is a freestanding bag in
the cargo area.
The items stored in the safety kit bag
include:1. Fire Extinguisher
2. Warning Triangle
3. First Aid Kit
4. Highway Safety Kit
Roof Rack System
{Warning
If something is carried on top of the
vehicle that is longer or wider than
the roof rack
—like paneling,
plywood, or a mattress —the wind
can catch it while the vehicle is
being driven. The item being carried
could be violently torn off, and this
could cause a collision and damage
the vehicle. Never carry something
longer or wider than the roof rack
on top of the vehicle unless using a
GM certified accessory carrier.
If equipped, the roof rack can be used
to load items. For roof racks that do
not have crossrails included,
GM Certified crossrails can be
purchased as an accessory. See your
dealer for additional information.
Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10293077) -
2017 - crc - 8/24/16
STORAGE 113
Caution
Loading cargo on the roof rack that
weighs more than 100 kg (220 lb) or
hangs over the rear or sides of the
vehicle may damage the vehicle.
Load cargo so that it rests evenly
between the crossrails, making sure
to fasten cargo securely.
To prevent damage or loss of cargo
when driving, check to make sure
crossrails and cargo are securely
fastened. Loading cargo on the roof
rack will make the vehicle’s center of
gravity higher. Avoid high speeds,
sudden starts, sharp turns, sudden
braking, or abrupt maneuvers,
otherwise it may result in loss of
control. If driving for a long distance,
on rough roads, or at high speeds,
occasionally stop the vehicle to make
sure the cargo remains in its place.
Do not exceed the maximum vehicle
capacity when loading the vehicle. For
more information on vehicle capacity
and loading, see Vehicle Load
Limits 0192. A Center High-Mounted Stoplamp
(CHMSL) is located above the rear
window glass. Make sure items loaded
on the roof of the vehicle do not block
or damage the CHMSL.