
Cadillac CT5 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-15268585) -
2022 - CRC - 10/11/21
SEATS AND RESTRAINTS 47
{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
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
0104.
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.

Cadillac CT5 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-15268585) -
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48 SEATS AND RESTRAINTS
Buckle To Drive
If equipped, this feature prevents the
vehicle from shifting out of P (Park)
when the driver seat belt is not
buckled. The Buckle to Drive feature
must be turned ON in the
infotainment system to work. See
Vehicle Personalization0126 and if
equipped, Teen Driver 0196. If the
engine is running, the driver seat belt
is not buckled, and the brake pedal is
pressed with the vehicle in P (Park), a
message displays in the Driver
Information Center (DIC). Buckle the
driver seat belt to shift out of P (Park).
Shifting from P (Park) will be
prevented once for each ignition cycle.
For some fleet vehicles, the feature is
always ON and it cannot be turned
OFF in the infotainment system.
Shifting from P (Park) will be
prevented each time the above
conditions exist.
On some models, Buckle to Drive may
also prevent shifting out of P (Park) if
a front passenger is unbuckled under
similar conditions. A message displays
in the DIC. Buckle the front passenger
seat belt to shift out of P (Park). This feature may not allow the vehicle to
shift out of P (Park) if an object, such
as a briefcase, handbag, grocery bag,
laptop, or other electronic device, is
on the front passenger seat. If this
happens, remove the object from the
seat or buckle the seat belt to shift
out of P (Park).
If the driver, or on some vehicles, the
present front passenger remains
unbuckled, the DIC message will turn
off after several seconds and the
vehicle can be shifted out of P (Park).
See
“Seat Belts” and“Child Restraints”
in the Index for information about the
importance of proper restraint use.
If the driver seat belt or the front
passenger seat belt is unbuckled when
driving, the seat belt reminder chime
and light(s) will come on. See Seat Belt
Reminders 0104. This feature may not
function properly if the airbag
readiness light is on. See Airbag
Readiness Light 0105.
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 067 or
Infants and Young Children 068.
Review and follow the rules for
children in addition to the following
rules.
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.

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SEATS AND RESTRAINTS 53
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.
Each time the vehicle is started with
the front seat belts buckled, the
system activates once to tighten theseat 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 will not activate if the
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control system is not functioning
properly. See
Traction Control/
Electronic Stability Control 0258.
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 if 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 the 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 55.
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.

Cadillac CT5 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-15268585) -
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54 SEATS AND RESTRAINTS
Comfort guides are available through
your dealer for the rear outboard
seating positions. Instructions are
included with the guides.
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.
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 seat 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 seat belts effective
is wearing them properly.
Seat Belt Extender
If the vehicle's seat belt will fasten
around you, you should use it.
But if a seat belt is not long enough,
your dealer will order you an extender.
Only a GM dealer issued extender
should be used. When you go in to
order it, take the heaviest coat you
will wear, so the extender will be long
enough for you. To help avoid
personal injury, do not let someone
else use it, and use it only for the seat
it is made to fit. The extender has
been designed for adults. Never use it
for securing child restraints. For more
information on the proper use and fitof seat belt extenders see the
instruction sheet that comes with the
extender.
Safety System Check
Periodically check the seat belt
reminder, seat belts, buckles, latch
plates, retractors, shoulder belt height
adjusters (if equipped), and seat belt
anchorages to make sure they are all
in working order. Look for any other
loose or damaged seat belt system
parts that might keep a seat belt
system from performing properly. See
your dealer to have it repaired. Torn,
frayed, or twisted seat belts may not
protect you in a crash. Torn or frayed
seat belts can rip apart under impact
forces. If a belt is torn or frayed, have
it replaced immediately. If a belt is
twisted, it may be possible to untwist
by reversing the latch plate on the
webbing. If the twist cannot be
corrected, ask your dealer to fix it.
Make sure the seat belt reminder light
is working. See
Seat Belt Reminders
0 104.
Keep seat belts clean and dry. See Seat
Belt Care 055.

Cadillac CT5 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-15268585) -
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58 SEATS AND RESTRAINTS
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.Driver Side Shown, Passenger Side Similar
The roof-rail airbags for the driver,
front outboard passenger, and second
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
airbag must be kept clear. Do not (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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 055. 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

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SEATS AND RESTRAINTS 59
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.
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 wheneither 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 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? 057.
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

Cadillac CT5 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-15268585) -
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60 SEATS AND RESTRAINTS
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
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? 058.
Airbags should never be regarded as
anything more than a supplement to
seat belts.What Will You See after an
Airbag Inflates?
After frontal, knee, and seat-mounted
side impact airbags inflate, they
quickly deflate, so quickly that some
people may not even realize the
airbags inflated. 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? 057.
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
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

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SEATS AND RESTRAINTS 61
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.
{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
0 442 and
Event Data Recorders 0442.
.Let only qualified technicians work
on the airbag system. 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.
The words ON and OFF, and 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, and the symbol for
on or off, will be visible. See Passenger
Airbag Status Indicator 0105.
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 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 and
knee airbag should be allowed to
inflate or not.