Cadillac XT5 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
16406251) - 2023 - CRC - 3/25/22
Seats and Restraints 73
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 may 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 may inflate
when either side of the vehicle
is struck or 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?071.
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.
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. See
When Should an Airbag
Inflate?
072.
Airbags should never be
regarded as anything more
than a supplement to seat
belts.
