Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11354412) -
2018 - crc - 11/16/17
SEATS AND RESTRAINTS 75
Airbag System
Vehicles with a standard wheelbase
and a factory installed rear seat have
the following airbags:
.A frontal airbag for the driver and
for the front outboard passenger
. A knee airbag for the driver and
for the front outboard passenger
. A seat-mounted side impact airbag
for the driver and 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
Vehicles with an extended wheelbase
or without a rear seat have the
following airbags:
. A frontal airbag for the driver and
for the front outboard passenger .
A knee airbag for the driver and
for the front outboard passenger
. A seat-mounted side impact airbag
for the driver and the front
outboard passenger
. A roof-rail airbag for the driver
and front outboard passenger
All vehicle airbags have the word
AIRBAG on the trim or on a 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 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 seat 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 seat belt, even with
airbags. Airbags are designed to
work with seat belts, not replace
them. Also, airbags are not designed
to inflate in every crash. In some
crashes seat belts are the only
restraint. See
When Should an
Airbag Inflate? 078.
Wearing your seat 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
seat belts. Everyone in the vehicle
should wear a seat belt properly,
whether or not there is an airbag
for that person.
Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11354412) -
2018 - crc - 11/16/17
SEATS AND RESTRAINTS 77
The driver knee airbag is below the
steering column. The front outboard
passenger knee airbag is below the
glove box.Driver Side Shown, Passenger SideSimilar
The driver and front outboard
passenger seat-mounted side impact
airbags are in the side of the
seatbacks closest to the door.
The roof-rail airbags, for vehicles with
a standard wheelbase and a factory
installed rear seat, are in the ceiling
above the side windows for the driver,
front outboard passenger, and second
row outboard passengers.Rear Seat Driver Side Shown, Passenger Side Similar
The second row seat-mounted side
impact airbags, for vehicles with a
standard wheelbase and a factory
installed rear seat, are in the sides of
the rear seatback closest to the door.
Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11354412) -
2018 - crc - 11/16/17
78 SEATS AND RESTRAINTS
Driver Side Shown, Passenger SideSimilar
The roof-rail airbags, for vehicles with
an extended wheelbase or vehicles
without a factory installed rear seat,
are in the ceiling above the front row
side windows, for the driver and front
outboard passenger only.
{Warning
If something is between an
occupant and an airbag, the airbag
might not inflate properly or it
might force the object into that (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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.
When Should an Airbag
Inflate?
This vehicle is equipped with airbags.
SeeAirbag System 075. 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.
Cadillac XTS Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-11354412) -
2018 - crc - 11/16/17
SEATS AND RESTRAINTS 79
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.
Roof-rail airbags are designed to
inflate in moderate to severe side
crashes depending on the location of
the impact. In addition, the roof-rail
airbags are designed to inflate in asevere 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, or in a severe frontal impact.
The roof-rail airbags in vehicles with a
standard wheelbase and a factory
installed rear seat will also inflate if
the sensing system predicts that the
vehicle is about to roll over on
its side.
The roof-rail airbags in vehicles with
an extended wheelbase and in vehicles
without a factory installed rear seat
are not intended to inflate during a
rollover.
In any particular crash, no one can
say whether an airbag should have
inflated simply because of the vehicle
damage or 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 ofthe cover. The inflator, the airbag, and
related hardware are all part of the
airbag module.
For airbag locations, see
Where Are the
Airbags? 076.
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.
Rollover capable roof-rail airbags are
designed to help contain the head and
chest of occupants in the outboard
seating positions in the first and
second rows. The rollover capable
roof-rail airbags are designed to help
reduce the risk of full or partial