2018 BUICK CASCADA airbag

Buick Cascada Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S-11373983) - 2018 -
CRC - 7/10/17
Seats and Restraints 61
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 0 101 .
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. Driver Side Shown, Passenger
Side Similar
The driver and front outboard
passenger seat-mounted side
impact airbags are in the sides of
the seatbacks closest to the door.
{ 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)

Buick Cascada Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S-11373983) - 2018 -
CRC - 7/10/17
62 Seats and Restraints 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 accessories that
block the inflation path of a
seat-mounted side impact airbag.
When Should an Airbag
Inflate? This vehicle is equipped with
airbags. See Airbag System 0 59 .
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, in
rear impacts, or in many side
impacts. In addition, the vehicle has
advanced technology frontal
airbags. Advanced technology
frontal airbags adjust the restraint
according to crash severity.
Knee airbags are designed to inflate
in moderate to severe frontal or
near frontal impacts. Knee airbags
are not designed to inflate during
vehicle rollovers, in rear impacts,
or in many side 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.
In any particular crash, no one can
say whether an airbag should have
inflated simply because of the
vehicle damage or repair costs.

Buick Cascada Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S-11373983) - 2018 -
CRC - 7/10/17
Seats and Restraints 63
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? 0 61 .
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 seat belts by
distributing the force of the impact
more evenly over the
occupant's body. 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? 0 62 .
Airbags should never be regarded
as anything more than a supplement
to seat belts.
What Will You See after
an Airbag Inflates? After the frontal and seat-mounted
side impact airbags inflate, they
quickly deflate, so quickly that some
people may not even realize the
airbags inflated. Some components
of the airbag module may be hot for
several minutes. For location of the
airbags, see Where Are the
Airbags? 0 61 .
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.
{ WarningWhen 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,

Buick Cascada Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S-11373983) - 2018 -
CRC - 7/10/17
64 Seats and Restraints without airbag inflation, after an
event that exceeds a predetermined
threshold. After turning the ignition
off and then on again, the fuel
system will return to normal
operation; the doors can be locked,
the interior lamps can be turned off,
and the hazard warning flashers can
be turned off using the controls for
those features. If any of these
systems are damaged in the crash
they may not operate as normal.
{ WarningA 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.
(Continued) Warning (Continued) 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 0 278 and Event Data
Recorders 0 278 .
.
Let only qualified technicians
work on the airbag system.
Improper service can mean that
the airbag system will not work
properly. See your dealer for
service.
Roll Bars
{ WarningVehicle rollovers are
unpredictable and dangerous
events that may result in injury or
death regardless of the roll bar or
any other feature. No feature can
fully protect an occupant in every
crash, including a rollover.
The roll bars are under covers
behind the rear head restraints. The
roll bars are designed to deploy if
the sensing system predicts that the
vehicle is about to roll over on its
side. In addition, the roll bars are

Buick Cascada Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S-11373983) - 2018 -
CRC - 7/10/17
Seats and Restraints 65designed to deploy in moderate to
severe side crashes depending on
the location of the impact, as well as
in a severe frontal impact. Roll bars
are not designed to deploy in rear
impacts.
The roll bars deploy with the
convertible top open or closed. If the
roll bars deploy, do not operate the
convertible top.
Do not place any objects on the
covers of the roll bars behind the
head restraints.
Have the roll bars checked if the
vehicle has been in a crash, or if the
airbag readiness light stays on after
starting or driving the vehicle. See
Airbag Readiness Light 0 101 .
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 center stack when
the vehicle is started. The words ON and OFF will be
visible during the system check.
When the system check is
complete, either the word ON or the
word OFF will be visible. See
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator
0 101 .
The passenger sensing system
turns off the front outboard
passenger frontal airbag and knee
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.
The sensors are designed to detect
the presence of a properly seated
occupant and determine if the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag
and knee 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.
{ WarningA 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.
(Continued)

Buick Cascada Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S-11373983) - 2018 -
CRC - 7/10/17
66 Seats and Restraints Warning (Continued)Even if the passenger sensing
system has turned off the front
outboard passenger airbag(s), no
system is fail-safe. No one can
guarantee that an airbag will not
deploy under some unusual
circumstance, even though the
airbag(s) are off.
Never put a rear-facing child
restraint in the front seat, even if
the airbag is off. If securing 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 child restraints in the rear
seat. Consider using another
vehicle to transport the child
when a rear seat is not available. The passenger sensing system is
designed to turn off the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag
and knee 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
and knee airbag, the off indicator
will light and stay lit as a reminder
that the airbags are off. See
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator
0 101 . The passenger sensing system is
designed to turn on the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag
and knee 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 airbags to be enabled,
the on indicator will light and stay lit
as a reminder that the airbags are
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 and knee airbag,
depending upon the person's
seating posture and body build.
Everyone in the vehicle who has
outgrown child restraints should
wear a seat belt properly — whether
or not there is an airbag for that
person.

Buick Cascada Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S-11373983) - 2018 -
CRC - 7/10/17
Seats and Restraints 67
{ WarningIf 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 0 101 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
and knee 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 (With
the Seat Belt in the Front Seat)
0 87 or Securing Child
Restraints (With the Seat Belt
in the Rear Seat) 0 85 .
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
0 47 . 6. Restart the vehicle.
The passenger sensing system may
or may not turn off the airbags 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. Never put a rear-facing child
restraint in the front seat, even if the
on indicator is not lit.
If the Off Indicator Is Lit for an
Adult-Sized Occupant
If a person of adult size is sitting in
the front outboard passenger seat,
but the off indicator is lit, it could be
because that person is not sitting

Buick Cascada Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S-11373983) - 2018 -
CRC - 7/10/17
68 Seats and Restraints properly in the seat. Use the
following steps to allow the system
to detect that person and enable the
front outboard passenger frontal
airbag and knee airbag:
1. Turn the vehicle off.
2. Remove any additional material
from the seat, such as
blankets, cushions, seat
covers, seat heaters, or seat
massagers. Also, remove
laptops, or other electronic
devices.
3. Place the seatback in the fully
upright position.
4. Have the person sit upright in
the seat, centered on the seat
cushion, with legs comfortably
extended.
5. Restart the vehicle and have
the person remain in this
position for two to
three minutes after the on
indicator is lit. { WarningIf the front outboard passenger
airbag is turned off for an
adult-sized occupant, the airbag
will not be able to inflate and help
protect that person in a crash,
resulting in an increased risk of
serious injury or even death. An
adult-sized occupant should not
ride in the front outboard
passenger seat, if the passenger
airbag off indicator is lit.
Additional Factors Affecting
System Operation Seat belts help keep the passenger
in position on the seat during
vehicle maneuvers and braking,
which helps the passenger sensing
system maintain the passenger
airbag status. See “ Seat Belts ” and
“ Child Restraints ” in the Index for
additional information about the
importance of proper restraint use. A thick layer of additional material,
such as a blanket or cushion,
or aftermarket equipment such as
seat covers, seat heaters, and seat
massagers can affect how well the
passenger sensing system
operates. We recommend that you
not use seat covers or other
aftermarket equipment except when
approved by GM for your specific
vehicle. See Adding Equipment to
the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle 0 69
for more information about
modifications that can affect how
the system operates.
A wet seat can affect the
performance of the passenger
sensing system. Here is how:
.
The passenger sensing system
may turn off the passenger
airbag(s) when liquid is soaked
into the seat. If this happens, the
off indicator will be lit, and the
airbag readiness light on the
instrument panel will also be lit.
.
Liquid pooled on the seat that
has not soaked in may make it
more likely that the passenger
sensing system will turn on the