2023 CADILLAC XT6 airbag

Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16405819) -
2023 - CRC - 3/22/22
Seats and Restraints 75
When Should an
Airbag Inflate?
This vehicle is equipped with
airbags. See Airbag System
071. 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 crash
severity.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
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

Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16405819) -
2023 - CRC - 3/22/22
76 Seats and Restraints
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?
073.
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,
second, and third 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?
075.
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

Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16405819) -
2023 - CRC - 3/22/22
Seats and Restraints 77
module may be hot for several
minutes. For location of the
airbags, see Where Are the
Airbags?073.
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 (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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
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

Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16405819) -
2023 - CRC - 3/22/22
78 Seats and Restraints
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 Privacy0479 and
Event Data Recorders 0480.
.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 0133. 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
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.

Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16405819) -
2023 - CRC - 3/22/22
Seats and Restraints 79
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 passenger frontal
airbag, no system is fail-safe.
No one can guarantee that
an airbag will not deploy(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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
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
indicator will light and stay lit
as a reminder that the airbag
is off. See Passenger Airbag
Status Indicator 0133.
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.

Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16405819) -
2023 - CRC - 3/22/22
80 Seats and Restraints
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
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
the vehicle serviced right
away. See Airbag Readiness
Light0132 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) 0102
or Securing Child
Restraints (With the Seat
Belt in the Front Seat)
0 104.
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 XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16405819) -
2023 - CRC - 3/22/22
Seats and Restraints 81
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 Restraints047.
6. Restart the vehicle.
The passenger sensing
system may or may not turn
off the airbag 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: 1. Turn the vehicle off. 2. Remove any additional
material 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.

Cadillac XT6 Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-16405819) -
2023 - CRC - 3/22/22
82 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 083
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
0476.