
Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12460273) - 2019 - CRC - 5/8/18
SEATS AND RESTRAINTS 67
Raising the Seatback
{Warning
If either seatback is not locked, it
could move forward in a sudden
stop or crash. That could cause
injury to the person sitting there.
Always push and pull on the
seatbacks to be sure they are
locked.
{Warning
A seat belt that is improperly
routed, not properly attached,
or twisted will not provide the
protection needed in a crash. The
person wearing the belt could be
seriously injured. After raising the
rear seatback, always check to be
sure that the seat belts are properly
routed and attached, and are not
twisted.To raise a seatback:
1. Lift the seatback up. Make sure the center seat belt and latch do
not get trapped behind the seat.
Push the seatback rearward to
secure it in place.
A red tab near the seatback lever
retracts when the seatback is in
place.
2. Push and pull the top of the seatback to be sure it is in
position.
3. Lock the seatback using the vehicle key in the cylinder.
4. Reconnect the center seat belt mini-latch to the mini-buckle. Do
not let the belt twist.
5. Pull on the center seat belt to make sure the mini-latch is
secure.
6. Repeat the steps to raise the other seatback, if necessary.
When the seat is not in use, it should
be kept in the upright, locked position.
Heated Rear Seats
{Warning
If temperature change or pain to
the skin cannot be felt, the seat
heater may cause burns. See the
Warning under Heated and
Ventilated Front Seats 063.
If equipped, the buttons are on the
rear of the center console.

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12460273) - 2019 - CRC - 5/8/18
68 SEATS AND RESTRAINTS
With the engine running, pressMor
Lto heat the left or right outboard
seat cushion. An indicator on the
climate control display appears when
this feature is on.
Press the button once for the highest
setting. With each press of the button,
the heated seat changes to the next
lower setting, and then the off setting.
Three lights indicate the highest
setting, and one light indicates the
lowest. If the heated seats are on high,
the level may automatically be
lowered after approximately
30 minutes.
Rear Seat
Pass-Through Door
The vehicle has a rear seat
pass-through door in the center of the
rear seatback. Fold down the center
armrest and pull the lever all the way
down to release the door.
The pass-through door can be locked
or unlocked using the knob on the
back of the door. Open the trunk to
access the lock. Turn the knob toward
Qto lock the door or away fromQto
unlock the door.
Seat Belts
This section describes how to use seat
belts properly, and some things not
to do.
{Warning
Do not let anyone ride where a seat
belt cannot be worn properly. In a
crash, if you or your passenger(s)
are not wearing seat belts, injuries
can be much worse than if you are
wearing seat belts. You can be
seriously injured or killed by hitting
things inside the vehicle harder or
by being ejected from the vehicle.
In addition, anyone who is not
buckled up can strike other
passengers in the vehicle.
It is extremely dangerous to ride in
a cargo area, inside or outside of a
vehicle. In a collision, passengers
riding in these areas are more likely
to be seriously injured or killed. Do
(Continued)

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12460273) - 2019 - CRC - 5/8/18
SEATS AND RESTRAINTS 69
Warning (Continued)
not allow passengers to ride in any
area of the vehicle that is not
equipped with seats and seat belts.
Always wear a seat belt, and check
that all passenger(s) are restrained
properly too.
This vehicle has indicators as a
reminder to buckle the seat belts. See
Seat Belt Reminders 0126.
Why Seat 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 seat belts!
When you wear a seat 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 seat belts. That is
why wearing seat belts makes such
good sense.
Questions and Answers About
Seat Belts
Q: Will I be trapped in the vehicle
after a crash if I am wearing a
seat belt?
A: You could be— whether you are
wearing a seat 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 seat belts?
A: Airbags are supplemental systems
only. They work withseat 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 states and in all
Canadian provinces, the law
requires wearing seat belts.
How to Wear Seat Belts
Properly
Follow these rules for everyone's
protection.
There are additional things to know
about seat belts and children,
including smaller children and infants.
If a child will be riding in the vehicle,
see Older Children 088 orInfants and
Young Children 090. Review and
follow the rules for children in
addition to the following rules.

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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70 SEATS AND RESTRAINTS
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
seat belts.
There are important things to know
about wearing a seat belt properly.
.Sit up straight and always keep
your feet on the floor in front of
you (if possible).
. 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
seat belt properly.
Never allow the lap or shoulder belt to
become loose or twisted.

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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SEATS AND RESTRAINTS 71
Never wear the shoulder belt under
both arms or behind your back.
Always use the correct buckle for your
seating position.
Never route the lap or shoulder belt
over an armrest.
Lap-Shoulder Belt
All seating positions in the vehicle
have a lap-shoulder belt.
If you are using a rear seating position
with a detachable seat belt and the
seat belt is not attached, seeRear
Seats 065 for instructions on
reconnecting the seat belt to the
mini-buckle.
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.

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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72 SEATS AND RESTRAINTS
2. Pick up the latch plate and pullthe belt across you. Do not let it
get twisted.
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. If the belt
is not long enough, see Seat Belt
Extender 075.
Position the release button on
the buckle so that the seat 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
instructions on use and
important safety information.

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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SEATS AND RESTRAINTS 73
5. To make the lap part tight, pullup on the shoulder belt.
To unlatch the belt, push the button
on the buckle. The belt should return
to its stowed position.
Always stow the seat belt slowly. If the
seat belt webbing returns quickly to
the stowed position, the retractor may
lock and cannot be pulled out. If this
happens, pull the seat 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
seat belt is out of the way. If a door is
slammed against a seat belt, damage
can occur to both the seat belt and
the vehicle.
Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster
The vehicle has a shoulder belt height
adjuster for the driver and front
outboard passenger seating positions.
Adjust the height 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 the effectiveness of the seat belt in a
crash. See
How to Wear Seat Belts
Properly 069.
Press 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
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.
Automatic Seat Belt Tightening
System
The vehicle may have the Automatic
Seat Belt Tightening System.

Cadillac CTS/CTS-V Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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74 SEATS AND RESTRAINTS
Each time the vehicle is started with
the front seat belts buckled, the
system activates once to tighten the
seat belts when the forward vehicle
speed exceeds the threshold for
activation.
The system also activates during
emergency braking and/or sudden
driving maneuvers and releases when
driving conditions return to normal.
The system turns off whenever
Competitive Driving Mode is activated,
and will turn back on when
Competitive Driving Mode is
deactivated. SeeCompetitive Driving
Mode (V-Sport Only) 0212.
The system will not activate if the
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control system is not functioning
properly. See Traction Control/
Electronic Stability Control 0207.
If there is a problem with the
Automatic Seat Belt Tightening
System, a message displays on the
Driver Information Center (DIC). If a
system unavailable message displays
repeatedly or a service message
displays, see your dealer. Other seat belt functions are not affected by the
Automatic Seat Belt Tightening
System.
Seat Belt Pretensioners
This vehicle has seat belt
pretensioners for front outboard
occupants. Although the seat belt
pretensioners cannot be seen, they are
part of the seat belt assembly. They
can help tighten the seat 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. Seat
belt pretensioners can also help
tighten the seat belts in a side crash
or a rollover event.
Pretensioners work only once. If the
pretensioners activate in a crash, the
pretensioners and probably other
parts of the vehicle's seat belt system
will need to be replaced. See
Replacing
Seat Belt System Parts after a Crash
0 76. Do not sit on the outboard seat belt
while entering or exiting the vehicle or
at any time while sitting in the seat.
Sitting on the seat belt can damage
the webbing and hardware.Rear Seat Belt Comfort Guides
Rear seat belt comfort guides may
provide added seat 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 shoulder
belt away from the neck and head.
Comfort guides are available through
your dealer for the rear outboard
seating positions. Instructions are
included with the guide.
Seat Belt Use During
Pregnancy
Seat belts work for everyone,
including pregnant women. Like all
occupants, they are more likely to be
seriously injured if they do not wear
seat belts.