2019 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV Owner's Manual

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12460268) - 2019 - crc - 9/14/18
88 SEATS AND RESTRAINTS
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. SeeWhen Should an
Airbag Inflate? 090.
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.
{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. Seat belts help
keep you in position before and
during a crash. Always wear a seat
belt, even with airbags. The driver
should sit as far back as possible
while still maintaining control of
the vehicle. The seat 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 099 or
Infants and Young Children 0101.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12460268) - 2019 - crc - 9/14/18
SEATS AND RESTRAINTS 89
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. SeeAirbag
Readiness Light 0138.
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 front center airbag is in the
inboard side of the driver seatback.
Driver Side Shown, Passenger Side
Similar
The driver and front outboard
passenger seat-mounted side impact
airbags are in the side of the
seatbacks closest to the door.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12460268) - 2019 - crc - 9/14/18
90 SEATS AND RESTRAINTS
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 (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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 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 087. 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 Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12460268) - 2019 - crc - 9/14/18
SEATS AND RESTRAINTS 91
Frontal airbags are not intended to
inflate during vehicle rollovers, rear
impacts, or many side impacts.
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 thelocation 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, 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? 089.
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.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12460268) - 2019 - crc - 9/14/18
92 SEATS AND RESTRAINTS
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
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? 090.
Airbags should never be regarded as
anything more than a supplement to
seat belts.
What Will You See after an
Airbag Inflates?
After frontal and seat-mounted side
impact airbags inflate, they quickly
deflate, so quickly that some people
may not even realize the airbags
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? 089.
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 (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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.
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.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12460268) - 2019 - crc - 9/14/18
SEATS AND RESTRAINTS 93
{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.
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 0388 and Event Data
Recorders 0389.
. Let only qualified technicians
work on the airbag systems.
Improper service can mean that
an airbag system will not work
properly. See your dealer for
service.
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 overhead console when the vehicle
is started.
United States
Canada and Mexico
The words ON and OFF, or the
symbols for on and off, will be visible
during the system check. When the
system check is complete, either the
word ON or OFF, or the symbol for on
or off, will be visible. See Passenger
Airbag Status Indicator 0138.
The passenger sensing system turns
off the front outboard passenger
frontal airbag under certain
conditions. No other airbag is affected
by the passenger sensing system.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12460268) - 2019 - crc - 9/14/18
94 SEATS AND RESTRAINTS
The passenger sensing system works
with sensors that are part of the front
outboard passenger seat and seat belt.
The sensors are designed to detect the
presence of a properly seated
occupant and determine if the front
outboard passenger frontal 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.
{Warning
A 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(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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.
Even if the passenger sensing
system has turned off the passenger
frontal airbag, no system is fail-safe.
No one can guarantee that an
airbag will not deploy under some
unusual circumstance, even though
the airbag is turned 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 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, the OFF
indicator will light and stay lit as a
reminder that the airbag is off. See
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator
0 138.
The passenger sensing system is
designed to turn on the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag
anytime the system senses that a
person of adult size is sitting properly
in the front outboard passenger seat.

Cadillac Escalade Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12460268) - 2019 - crc - 9/14/18
SEATS AND RESTRAINTS 95
When the passenger sensing system
has allowed the airbag to be enabled,
the ON indicator will light and stay lit
as a reminder that the airbag is 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,
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.
{Warning
If 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 0138 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 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 Rear Seat) 0113
or Securing Child Restraints (With
the Seat Belt in the Front Seat)
0 115. Make sure the seat belt retractor
is locked by pulling the shoulder
belt all the way out of the
retractor when installing the
child restraint, even if the child
restraint is equipped with a seat
belt lock off. When the retractor
lock is set, the belt can be
tightened but not pulled out of
the retractor.
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 61.
6. Restart the vehicle.