2023 CADILLAC XT5 warning

Cadillac XT5 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16406251) - 2023 - CRC - 3/25/22
Seats and Restraints 69
New parts and repairs may be
necessary even if the seat belt
system was not being used at
the time of the crash.
Have the seat belt
pretensioners checked if the
vehicle has been in a crash,
or if the airbag readiness light
stays on after you start the
vehicle or while you are
driving. See Airbag Readiness
Light0127.
Airbag System
The vehicle has the following
airbags:
.A frontal airbag for the
driver
.A frontal airbag for the front
outboard passenger
.A knee airbag for the driver
.A seat-mounted side impact
airbag for the driver
.A seat-mounted side impact
airbag for the front outboard
passenger
.A roof-rail airbag for the
driver and the passenger
seated directly behind the
driver
.A roof-rail airbag for the
front outboard passenger
and the passenger seated
directly behind the front
outboard passenger
All vehicle airbags have the
word AIRBAG on the trim or
on a label near the deployment
opening.
For frontal airbags, the word
AIRBAG is on the center of the
steering wheel for the driver
and on the instrument panel
for the front outboard
passenger.
For knee airbags, the word
AIRBAG is on the lower part of
the instrument panel.
For seat-mounted side impact
airbags, the word AIRBAG is
on the side of the seatback or
side of the seat closest to
the door. 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)

Cadillac XT5 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16406251) - 2023 - CRC - 3/25/22
70 Seats and Restraints
Warning (Continued)
belts are the only restraint.
See When Should an Airbag
Inflate?072.
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.
{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
Children082 or
Infants and Young Children
0 83.
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 0127 for
more information.

Cadillac XT5 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16406251) - 2023 - CRC - 3/25/22
Seats and Restraints 71
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.
Driver Side Shown,
Passenger Side Similar The seat-mounted side impact
airbags for the driver and
front outboard passenger are
in the sides of the seatbacks
closest to the door.
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 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.
(Continued)

Cadillac XT5 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16406251) - 2023 - CRC - 3/25/22
72 Seats and Restraints
Warning (Continued)
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. See Airbag System
069. 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 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 either
crash severity or occupant
interaction.
Knee airbags are designed to
inflate in moderate to severe
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. These
airbags may also inflate in
some moderate to severe
frontal impacts. Seat-mounted
side impact airbags are not
designed to inflate in rollovers

Cadillac XT5 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16406251) - 2023 - CRC - 3/25/22
74 Seats and Restraints
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?071.
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 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
(Continued)

Cadillac XT5 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16406251) - 2023 - CRC - 3/25/22
Seats and Restraints 75
Warning (Continued)
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
0454 and
Event Data Recorders 0455.
.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 0128.
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.
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

Cadillac XT5 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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76 Seats and Restraints
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 the rear-facing child(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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

Cadillac XT5 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16406251) - 2023 - CRC - 3/25/22
Seats and Restraints 77
indicator will light and stay lit
as a reminder that the airbag
is off. See Passenger Airbag
Status Indicator0128.
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.
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 0127 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) 097
or Securing Child
Restraints (With the Seat
Belt in the Front Seat)
0 99.
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