2017 CADILLAC XTS Owners Manual

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10292881) - 2017 -
crc - 7/1/16
64 SEATS AND RESTRAINTS
Warning (Continued)
area of the vehicle that is not
equipped with seats and safety
belts.
Always wear a safety belt, and
check that all passenger(s) are
restrained properly too.
This vehicle has indicators as a
reminder to buckle the safety belts.
See Safety Belt Reminders 0118.
Why Safety Belts Work
When riding in a vehicle, you travel as
fast as the vehicle does. If the vehicle
stops suddenly, you keep going until
something stops you. It could be the
windshield, the instrument panel,
or the safety belts!
When you wear a safety belt, you and
the vehicle slow down together. There
is more time to stop because you stop
over a longer distance and, when worn
properly, your strongest bones take
the forces from the safety belts. That
is why wearing safety belts makes
such good sense.
Questions and Answers About
Safety Belts
Q: Will I be trapped in the vehicle
after a crash if I am wearing a
safety belt?
A: You could be— whether you are
wearing a safety belt or not. Your
chance of being conscious during
and after a crash, so you can
unbuckle and get out, is much
greater if you are belted. Q: If my vehicle has airbags, why
should I have to wear safety
belts?
A: Airbags are supplemental systems
only; so they work withsafety
belts —not instead of them.
Whether or not an airbag is
provided, all occupants still have
to buckle up to get the most
protection.
Also, in nearly all regions, the law
requires wearing safety belts.
How to Wear Safety Belts
Properly
This section is only for people of
adult size.
There are special things to know
about safety belts and children, and
there are different rules for smaller
children and infants. If a child will be
riding in the vehicle, see Older Children
0 81 orInfants and Young Children
0 82. Follow those rules for everyone's
protection.

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10292881) - 2017 -
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SEATS AND RESTRAINTS 65
It is very important for all occupants
to buckle up. Statistics show that
unbelted people are hurt more often
in crashes than those who are wearing
safety belts.
There are important things to know
about wearing a safety belt properly.
.Sit up straight and always keep
your feet on the floor in front
of you.
. Always use the correct buckle for
your seating position.
. Wear the lap part of the belt low
and snug on the hips, just
touching the thighs. In a crash,
this applies force to the strong pelvic bones and you would be
less likely to slide under the lap
belt. If you slid under it, the belt
would apply force on your
abdomen. This could cause serious
or even fatal injuries.
. Wear the shoulder belt over the
shoulder and across the chest.
These parts of the body are best
able to take belt restraining forces.
The shoulder belt locks if there is
a sudden stop or crash.
{Warning
You can be seriously injured,
or even killed, by not wearing your
safety belt properly.
. Never allow the lap or
shoulder belt to become loose
or twisted.
. Never wear the shoulder belt
under both arms or behind
your back.
. Never route the lap or
shoulder belt over an armrest.
Lap-Shoulder Belt
All seating positions in the vehicle
have a lap-shoulder belt.
The following instructions explain
how to wear a lap-shoulder belt
properly.
1. Adjust the seat, if the seat is adjustable, so you can sit up
straight. To see how, see “Seats”
in the Index.
2. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you. Do not let it
get twisted.

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10292881) - 2017 -
crc - 7/1/16
66 SEATS AND RESTRAINTS
The lap-shoulder belt may lock if
you pull the belt across you very
quickly. If this happens, let the
belt go back slightly to unlock it.
Then pull the belt across you
more slowly.
If the shoulder portion of a
passenger belt is pulled out all
the way, the child restraint
locking feature may be engaged.
If this happens, let the belt go
back all the way and start again.
If the webbing locks in the latch
plate before it reaches the
buckle, tilt the latch plate flat to
unlock.
3. Push the latch plate into thebuckle until it clicks.
Pull up on the latch plate to
make sure it is secure.
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.

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10292881) - 2017 -
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SEATS AND RESTRAINTS 67
To unlatch the belt, push the button
on the buckle. The belt should return
to its stowed position.
Always stow the safety belt slowly.
If the safety belt webbing returns
quickly to the stowed position, the
retractor may lock and cannot be
pulled out. If this happens, pull the
safety belt straight out firmly to
unlock the webbing, and then release
it. If the webbing is still locked in the
retractor, see your dealer.
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.
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 theeffectiveness of the safety belt in a
crash. See
How to Wear Safety Belts
Properly 064.
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, near frontal, or rear
crash if the threshold conditions for
pretensioner activation are met. Safety
belt pretensioners can also help
tighten the safety belts in a side crash
or 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 069.
Do not sit on the outboard safety belt
while entering or exiting the vehicle or
at any time while sitting in the seat.
Sitting on the safety belt can damage
the webbing and hardware.

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10292881) - 2017 -
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68 SEATS AND RESTRAINTS
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides
Rear safety belt comfort guides may
provide added safety belt comfort for
older children who have outgrown
booster seats and for some adults.
When installed on a shoulder belt, the
comfort guide positions the belt away
from the neck and head.
Comfort guides may be available
through your dealer for the rear
outboard seating positions.
If available, instructions are included
with the guide.
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 System Check
Check that the safety belt reminder,
safety belts, buckles, latch plates, and
retractors, are all working properly.Look for any other loose or damaged
safety belt system parts that might
keep a safety belt system from
performing properly. 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, have it replaced immediately.
Make sure the safety belt reminder
light is working. See
Safety Belt
Reminders 0118.
Keep safety belts clean and dry. See
Safety Belt Care 068.
Safety Belt Care
Keep belts clean and dry.
{Warning
Do not bleach or dye safety belt
webbing. It may severely weaken
the webbing. In a crash, they might
not be able to provide adequate
protection. Clean and rinse safety
belt webbing only with mild soap
and lukewarm water. Allow the
webbing to dry.

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10292881) - 2017 -
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SEATS AND RESTRAINTS 69
Safety belts should be properly cared
for and maintained.
Safety belt hardware should be kept
dry and free of dust or debris. As
necessary exterior hard surfaces and
safety belt webbing may be lightly
cleaned with mild soap and water.
Ensure there is not excessive dust or
debris in the mechanism. If dust or
debris exists in the system please see
the dealer. Parts may need to be
replaced to ensure proper
functionality of the system.
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 crash. To help make sure
the safety belt systems are working
properly after a crash, have them(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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.
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. See Airbag
Readiness Light 0119.
Airbag System
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.

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10292881) - 2017 -
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70 SEATS AND RESTRAINTS
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 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? 072.
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 door or side
windows in seating positions with
seat-mounted side impact airbags
and/or roof-rail airbags.

Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-MidEast-10292881) - 2017 -
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SEATS AND RESTRAINTS 71
{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 081 or
Infants and Young Children 082.
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 0119 for more
information.
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 driver knee airbag is below the
steering column. The front outboard
passenger knee airbag is below the
glove box.