Cadillac XT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16412876) - 2023 - CRC - 3/25/22
66 Seats and Restraints
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(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
belts are the only restraint.
See When Should an Airbag
Inflate?069.
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 (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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 door
or side windows in seating
positions with seat-mounted
side impact airbags and/or
roof-rail airbags.
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Seats and Restraints 67
{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 80.
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 0124.
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 driver knee airbag is
below the steering column.
The front outboard passenger
knee airbag is below the
glove box.
Cadillac XT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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68 Seats and Restraints
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.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 (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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.
Cadillac XT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Seats and Restraints 71
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(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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.
{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
Cadillac XT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Seats and Restraints 73
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.
.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 and knee airbag,
the OFF indicator will light and
stay lit as a reminder that the
airbags are off. See Passenger
Airbag Status Indicator 0125.
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
Cadillac XT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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74 Seats and Restraints
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
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
away. See Airbag Readiness
Light0124 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. 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) 095
or Securing Child
Restraints (With the Seat
Belt in the Front Seat)
0 98.
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
Cadillac XT4 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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76 Seats and Restraints
6. Restart the vehicle andhave 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 put on an unoccupied seat.
If this is not desired, remove
the object from the seat.
{Warning
Stowing articles under the
passenger seat or between
the passenger seat cushion
and seatback may interfere
with the proper operation of
the passenger sensing
system.
Servicing the
Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle
Airbags affect how the vehicle
should be serviced. There are
parts of the airbag system in
several places around the
vehicle. Your dealer and the
service manual have
information about servicing
the vehicle and the airbag
system. To purchase a service
manual, see Publication
Ordering Information
0445.
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Seats and Restraints 77
{Warning
For up to 10 seconds after
the vehicle is turned off and
the battery is disconnected,
an airbag can still inflate
during improper service. You
can be injured if you are
close to an airbag when it
inflates. Avoid yellow
connectors. They are
probably part of the airbag
system. Be sure to follow
proper service procedures,
and make sure the person
performing work for you is
qualified to do so.
Adding Equipment to
the Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle
Adding accessories that
change the vehicle's frame,
bumper system, height, front
end, or side sheet metal may
keep the airbag system from
working properly.The operation of the airbag
system can also be affected
by changing, including
improperly repairing or
replacing, any parts of the
following:
.Airbag system, including
airbag modules, front or side
impact sensors, sensing and
diagnostic module, or airbag
wiring
.Front seats, including
stitching, seams or zippers
.Seat belts
.Steering wheel, instrument
panel, overhead console,
ceiling trim, or pillar
garnish trim
.Inner door seals, including
speakers
Your dealer and the service
manual have information about
the location of the airbag
modules and sensors, sensing
and diagnostic module, and
airbag wiring along with the
proper replacement
procedures. In addition, the vehicle has a
passenger sensing system for
the front outboard passenger
position, which includes
sensors that are part of the
passenger seat. The
passenger sensing system
may not operate properly if
the original seat trim is
replaced with non-GM covers,
upholstery, or trim; or with GM
covers, upholstery, or trim
designed for a different
vehicle. Any object, such as an
aftermarket seat heater or a
comfort-enhancing pad or
device, installed under or on
top of the seat fabric, could
also interfere with the
operation of the passenger
sensing system. This could
either prevent proper
deployment of the passenger
airbag(s) or prevent the
passenger sensing system
from properly turning off the
passenger airbag(s). See
Passenger Sensing System
0
72.