Cadillac CT5 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16500419) -
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Seats and Restraints 67
{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.(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, see Older
Children079 or
Infants and Young Children
0 81.
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 0123.
Where Are the
Airbags?
The driver frontal airbag is in
the center of the steering
wheel.
Cadillac CT5 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16500419) -
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Seats and Restraints 73
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.
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 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 front outboard
passenger airbag(s), no
system is fail-safe. No one
can guarantee that an
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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.
Cadillac CT5 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16500419) -
2023 - CRC - 5/6/22
74 Seats and Restraints
.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.
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 0124.
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 airbag
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.
{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 0123 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.
Cadillac CT5 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16500419) -
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Seats and Restraints 75
4. Reinstall the child restraintfollowing the directions
provided by the child
restraint manufacturer and
refer to Securing Child
Restraints (With the Seat
Belt in the Rear Seat) 094
or
Securing Child Restraints
(With the Seat Belt in the
Front Seat) 096.
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
043.
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 properly in the seat or
that the child restraint locking
feature is engaged. Use the
following steps to allow the
system to detect that person
and enable the front outboard
passenger frontal airbag and
knee airbag:
Cadillac CT5 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16500419) -
2023 - CRC - 5/6/22
76 Seats and Restraints
1. Turn the vehicle off.
2. Remove any additionalmaterial from the seat,
such as blankets, cushions,
seat covers, seat heaters,
or seat massagers.
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. If the shoulder portion of the belt is pulled out all the
way, the child restraint
locking feature will be
engaged. This may
unintentionally cause the
passenger sensing system
to turn the airbag off for
some adult-sized
occupants. If this happens,
unbuckle the belt, let the
belt go back all the way,
and then buckle the belt
again without pulling the
belt out all the way. 6. Restart the vehicle and
have the person remain in
this position for two to
three minutes after the ON
indicator is lit.
{Warning
If 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 077
for more information about
modifications that can affect
how the system operates.
The ON indicator may be lit if
an object, such as a briefcase,
handbag, grocery bag, laptop,
or other electronic device, is
Cadillac CT5 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16500419) -
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Seats and Restraints 79
Warning (Continued)
resulting in serious injury or
even death. To help make
sure the airbag systems are
working properly after a
crash, have them inspected
and any necessary
replacements made as soon
as possible.
If an airbag inflates, you will
need to replace airbag system
parts. See your dealer for
service.
If the airbag readiness light
stays on after the vehicle is
started or comes on when you
are driving, the airbag system
may not work properly. Have
the vehicle serviced right
away. See Airbag Readiness
Light 0123.
Child Restraints
Older Children
Older children who have
outgrown booster seats
should wear the vehicle’s seat
belts. Refer to How to Wear
Seat Belts Properly 057.
The manufacturer instructions
that come with the booster
seat state the weight and
height limitations for that
booster. Use a booster seat with a lap-shoulder belt until
the child passes the fit test
below:
.Sit all the way back on the
seat. Do the knees bend at
the seat edge? If yes,
continue. If no, return to the
booster seat.
.Buckle the lap-shoulder belt.
Does the shoulder belt rest
on the shoulder? If yes,
continue. If no, try using the
rear seat belt comfort guide,
if available. See
“Rear Seat
Belt Comfort Guides” under
Lap-Shoulder Belt 060. If a
comfort guide is not
available, or if the shoulder
belt still does not rest on the
shoulder, then return to the
booster seat.
.Does the lap belt fit low and
snug on the hips, touching
the thighs? If yes, continue.
If no, return to the
booster seat.
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80 Seats and Restraints
.Can proper seat belt fit be
maintained for the length of
the trip? If yes, continue.
If no, return to the
booster seat.
Q: What is the proper way to wear seat belts?
A: An older child should wear a
lap-shoulder belt and get
the additional restraint a
shoulder belt can provide.
The shoulder belt should
not cross the face or neck.
The lap belt should fit
snugly below the hips, just
touching the top of the
thighs. This applies belt
force to the child's pelvic
bones in a crash. It should
never be worn over the
abdomen, which could cause
severe or even fatal internal
injuries in a crash.
Also see “Rear Seat Belt
Comfort Guides” under
Lap-Shoulder Belt 060. According to accident
statistics, children are safer
when properly restrained in a
rear seating position.
In a crash, children who are
not buckled up can strike
other people who are buckled
up, or can be thrown out of
the vehicle. Older children
need to use seat belts
properly.
{Warning
Never allow more than one
child to wear the same seat
belt. The seat belt cannot
properly spread the impact
forces. In a crash, they can
be crushed together and
seriously injured. A seat belt
must be used by only one
person at a time.{Warning
Never allow a child to wear
the seat belt shoulder belt
under both arms or behind
their back. A child can be
seriously injured by not
wearing the lap-shoulder
belt properly. In a crash, the
child would not be
restrained by the shoulder
belt. The child could move
too far forward increasing
the chance of head and neck
injury. The child might also
slide under the lap belt. The
(Continued)
Cadillac CT5 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16500419) -
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Seats and Restraints 81
Warning (Continued)
belt force would then be
applied right on the
abdomen. That could cause
serious or fatal injuries. The
shoulder belt should go over
the shoulder and across the
chest.
Infants and Young
Children
Everyone in a vehicle needs
protection! This includes
infants and all other children.
Neither the distance travelednor the age and size of the
traveler changes the need, for
everyone, to use safety
restraints. In fact, the law in
every state in the United
States and in every Canadian
province says children up to
some age must be restrained
while in a vehicle.
{Warning
Children can be seriously
injured or killed if the
shoulder belt is worn behind
their back, under their legs,
or wrapped around their
neck. The shoulder belt can
tighten but cannot be
loosened if it is locked. The
shoulder belt locks when it is
pulled all the way out of the
retractor. It unlocks when
the shoulder belt is allowed
to go all the way back into
the retractor, but it cannot
do this if it is wrapped
around the child. Never
leave children unattended in
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
a vehicle and never allow
children to improperly wear,
or play with, the seat belts.
Every time infants and young
children ride in vehicles, they
should have the protection
provided by appropriate child
restraints. Neither the
vehicle's seat belt system nor
its airbag system is designed
for them.
Children who are not
restrained properly can strike
other people, or can be
thrown out of the vehicle.
{Warning
Never hold an infant or a
child while riding in a vehicle.
Due to crash forces, an
infant or a child will become
so heavy it is not possible to
hold it during a crash. For
example, in a crash at only
40 km/h (25 mph), a (Continued)