2007 Cadillac DTS Owner Manual M - Dealer eProcesscdn.dealereprocess.com/cdn/servicemanuals/cadillac/2007-dts.pdfKeep this manual in the vehicle, so it will be there if it is needed

Seats and Restraint Systems ....................... 7Front Seats .............................................. 9Rear Seats ............................................. 16Safety Belts ............................................ 18Child Restraints ...................................... 40Airbag System ........................................ 66Restraint System Check ......................... 84

Features and Controls ................................ 87Keys ....................................................... 89Doors and Locks .................................... 98Windows ............................................... 104Theft-Deterrent Systems ....................... 108Starting and Operating Your Vehicle ....... 113Mirrors .................................................. 128OnStar® System ................................... 135

Universal Home Remote System .......... 139Storage Areas ...................................... 150Sunroof ................................................ 152

Instrument Panel ....................................... 153Instrument Panel Overview ................... 156Climate Controls ................................... 204Warning Lights, Gages, and

Indicators .......................................... 215Driver Information Center (DIC) ............ 233Audio System(s) ................................... 261

Driving Your Vehicle ................................. 295Your Driving, the Road, and

Your Vehicle ..................................... 296Towing ................................................. 334

2007 Cadillac DTS Owner Manual M

1Information Provided by:

Service and Appearance Care .................. 345Service ................................................. 347Fuel ...................................................... 349Checking Things Under the Hood ......... 354Headlamp Aiming ................................. 389Bulb Replacement ................................ 392Windshield Wiper Blade

Replacement ..................................... 392Tires ..................................................... 394Appearance Care .................................. 431Vehicle Identification ............................. 441

Electrical System .................................. 442Capacities and Specifications ................ 452

Maintenance Schedule .............................. 453Maintenance Schedule .......................... 454

Customer Assistance Information ............. 473Customer Assistance and

Information ........................................ 474Reporting Safety Defects ...................... 489

Index ........................................................... 493


GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem,CADILLAC, the CADILLAC Crest & Wreath, andthe name DTS are registered trademarks ofGeneral Motors Corporation.

This manual includes the latest information at thetime it was printed. We reserve the right to makechanges after that time without notice. For vehiclesfirst sold in Canada, substitute the name “GeneralMotors of Canada Limited” for Cadillac Motor CarDivision whenever it appears in this manual.

This manual describes features that may beavailable in this model, but your vehicle may nothave all of them. For example, more than oneentertainment system may be offered or yourvehicle may have been ordered without a frontpassenger or rear seats.

Keep this manual in the vehicle, so it will be thereif it is needed while your are on the road. If thevehicle is sold, leave this manual in the vehicle.

Canadian OwnersA French language copy of this manual can beobtained from your dealer or from:

Helm, IncorporatedP.O. Box 07130Detroit, MI 48207

How to Use This ManualMany people read the owner manual frombeginning to end when they first receive their newvehicle. If this is done, it can help you learn aboutthe features and controls for the vehicle. Picturesand words work together in the owner manual toexplain things.

Litho in U.S.A.Part No. 15870507 A First Printing ©2006 General Motors Corporation. All Rights Reserved.


IndexA good place to quickly locate information aboutthe vehicle is the Index in the back of the manual.It is an alphabetical list of what is in the manualand the page number where it can be found.

Safety Warnings and SymbolsThere are a number of safety cautions in thisbook. We use a box and the word CAUTION totell about things that could hurt you if you were toignore the warning.

{CAUTION:

These mean there is something that couldhurt you or other people.

In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard is.Then we tell you what to do to help avoid orreduce the hazard. Please read these cautions.If you do not, you or others could be hurt.

You will also find a circlewith a slash through it inthis book. This safetysymbol means “Do Not,”“Do Not do this” or “DoNot let this happen.”


Vehicle Damage WarningsAlso, in this manual you will find these notices:

Notice: These mean there is somethingthat could damage your vehicle.

A notice tells about something that can damagethe vehicle. Many times, this damage would not becovered by your vehicle’s warranty, and it couldbe costly. But the notice will tell what to do to helpavoid the damage.

When you read other manuals, you might seeCAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different colorsor in different words.

There are also warning labels on the vehicle.They use the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.

Vehicle SymbolsThe vehicle has components and labels that usesymbols instead of text. Symbols are shown alongwith the text describing the operation or informationrelating to a specific component, control, message,gage, or indicator.

If you need help figuring out a specific name of acomponent, gage, or indicator, reference thefollowing topics:

• Seats and Restraint Systems in Section 1• Features and Controls in Section 2• Instrument Panel Overview in Section 3• Climate Controls in Section 3• Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators in

Section 3

• Audio System(s) in Section 3• Engine Compartment Overview in Section 5


These are some examples of symbols that may be found on the vehicle:


Front Seats ..................................................... 9Power Seats ................................................. 9Power Lumbar .............................................. 9Massaging Lumbar ...................................... 10Heated and Cooled Seats ........................... 10Memory Seat, Mirrors and Steering Wheel ..... 11Power Reclining Seatbacks ......................... 13Head Restraints .......................................... 15Center Seat ................................................ 16

Rear Seats .................................................... 16Heated Seats .............................................. 16Rear Seat Pass-Through Door .................... 17Power Lumbar ............................................. 17

Safety Belts .................................................. 18Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone ........... 18Questions and Answers About

Safety Belts ............................................. 22How to Wear Safety Belts Properly ............. 23Driver Position ............................................. 24Shoulder Belt Height Adjustment ................. 31

Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy .............. 32Right Front Passenger Position ................... 32Center Front Passenger Position ................. 33Rear Seat Passengers ................................ 34Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides ................ 37Safety Belt Pretensioners ............................ 39Safety Belt Extender ................................... 39

Child Restraints ............................................ 40Older Children ............................................. 40Infants and Young Children ......................... 43Child Restraint Systems .............................. 47Where to Put the Restraint .......................... 51Lower Anchors and Tethers for

Children (LATCH) .................................... 53Securing a Child Restraint in

a Rear Seat Position ............................... 60Securing a Child Restraint in

the Center Front Seat Position ................. 62Securing a Child Restraint in

the Right Front Seat Position ................... 62

Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems


Airbag System .............................................. 66Where Are the Airbags? .............................. 69When Should an Airbag Inflate? .................. 73What Makes an Airbag Inflate? ................... 75How Does an Airbag Restrain? ................... 75What Will You See After an

Airbag Inflates? ........................................ 76Passenger Sensing System ......................... 77

Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle ...... 82Adding Equipment to Your

Airbag-Equipped Vehicle .......................... 83Restraint System Check ............................... 84

Checking the Restraint Systems .................. 84Replacing Restraint System

Parts After a Crash .................................. 85

Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems


Front Seats

Power Seats

The power seatcontrols are locatedon the outboard sideof the seats.

• Move the seat forward or rearward by slidingthe control forward or rearward.

• Raise or lower the front part of the seat cushionby moving the front of the control up or down.

• Raise or lower the rear part of the seat cushionby moving the rear of the control up or down.

The front seats also have power recliningseatbacks. See Power Reclining Seatbacks onpage 13.

If your vehicle has the memory feature, you canprogram and recall memory settings for seatpositions. See Memory Seat, Mirrors and SteeringWheel on page 11.

Power Lumbar

The power lumbarcontrols are located onthe outboard side ofthe front seats behindthe power seat controls.

Press the lumbar control forward to increasesupport and rearward to decrease support.Press the top or bottom of the control to raiseor lower the support mechanism.The ignition does not need to be on for the powerlumbar feature to work.Keep in mind that as your seating position changes,as it may during long trips, so should the position ofyour lumbar support. Adjust the seat as needed.


Massaging Lumbar

If your vehicle has thisfeature, the switch islocated on the outboardside of the front seatsbehind the lumbarswitch. Press the switchto turn the massaginglumbar feature on. Theignition must be on.

The massage cycle will run for up to 10 minutes.To stop massage, press the massaging lumbarswitch again, or press the power lumbar switch.

Heated and Cooled SeatsYour vehicle may have heated and cooledfront seats.

To operate the heated or cooled seats, the ignitionmust be on.

The buttons are locatedon the front doors.

I (Heated Seatback): Press this button to turnon the heated seatback.

H (Cooled Seat): Press this button to turn on thecooled seat.

Driver’s Side ButtonsShown, Passenger’sSide Buttons Similar


J (Heated Seat and Seatback): Press thisbutton to turn on the heated seat and seatback.

Press a button to turn on the desired feature.A light on that button will display to show whichfeature is on.

There are three temperature settings for eachfeature. A column of three lights next to the buttonswill display which setting the feature is in: high,medium or low. Three lights indicate the highestsetting, two lights for medium and one light for thelowest setting.

When you press a button, the feature will turn on atthe highest setting. Each time you press the button,the feature will go down one temperature setting.

To turn the feature off, keep pressing the buttonuntil the display lights turn off.

If your vehicle has remote vehicle start and isstarted using the remote keyless entry transmitter,the front heated seats will be turned on to the highsetting if it is cold outside. See “Remote VehicleStart” under Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) SystemOperation on page 92. When the key is insertedinto the ignition and the ignition is turned on, theheated seat feature will turn off. To turn the heatedseat feature back on, press the desired button.

Memory Seat, Mirrors andSteering WheelYour vehicle may have the memory package.

The controls for this feature are located on thedriver’s door panel, and are used to program andrecall memory settings for the driver’s seat, outsidemirror, and the steering wheel position if the vehiclehas the power tilt wheel and telescopic steeringfeature.


To save your positions in memory, do thefollowing:

1. Adjust the driver’s seat, including the seatbackrecliner and lumbar, both outside mirrors, andthe steering wheel to a comfortable position.

2. Press and hold button 1 until two beeps soundthrough the driver’s side front speaker to letyou know that the position has been stored.

A second seating, mirror, and steering wheelposition can be programmed by repeatingthe above steps and pressing button 2 for asecond driver.

To recall your memory positions, the vehicle mustbe in PARK (P). Press and release either button 1or button 2 corresponding to the desired drivingposition. The seat, outside mirrors, and steeringwheel will move to the position previously stored forthe identified driver. You will hear a single beep.

If you use the remote keyless entry transmitter toenter your vehicle and the remote recall memoryfeature is on, automatic seat and mirror movementwill occur. See “MEMORY SEAT RECALL”under DIC Vehicle Customization on page 252for more information.

To stop recall movement of the memory feature atany time, press one of the power seat controls,memory buttons, power tilt wheel control, or powermirror buttons.

If something has blocked the driver’s seat and/orthe steering column while recalling a memoryposition, the driver’s seat and/or the steeringcolumn recall may stop. If this happens removethe obstruction, then press the appropriate controlfor the area that is not recalling for two seconds.Try recalling the memory position again bypressing the appropriate memory button.If the memory position is still not recalling,see your dealer for service.


Easy Exit SeatThe control for this feature is located on thedriver’s door panel between buttons 1 and 2.

With the vehicle in PARK (P), the exit position canbe recalled by pressing the exit button. You willhear a single beep. The driver’s seat will moveback, and if the vehicle has the power tilt wheel andtelescopic steering feature, the power telescopicsteering column will move up and forward.

If the easy exit seat feature is on in the DIC,automatic seat and power telescopic steeringcolumn movement will occur when the keyis removed from the ignition. See “EASY EXITSEAT” under DIC Vehicle Customization onpage 252 for more information.

Further programming for automatic seat andsteering wheel movement can be done using theDriver Information Center (DIC). You can selector not select the following:

• The easy exit seat feature• The memory seat recall feature

For programming information, see DIC VehicleCustomization on page 252.

Power Reclining Seatbacks

Your seats have powerreclining seatbacks. Usethe vertical power seatcontrol located on theoutboard side of theseat to operate them.

• To recline the seatback, press the controltoward the rear of the vehicle.

• To raise the seatback, press the control towardthe front of the vehicle.


{CAUTION:

Sitting in a reclined position when yourvehicle is in motion can be dangerous.Even if you buckle up, your safety belts

CAUTION: (Continued)


cannot do their job when you are reclinedlike this.

The shoulder belt cannot do its jobbecause it will not be against your body.Instead, it will be in front of you. In acrash, you could go into it, receiving neckor other injuries.

The lap belt cannot do its job either. In acrash, the belt could go up over yourabdomen. The belt forces would be there,not at your pelvic bones. This could causeserious internal injuries.

For proper protection when the vehicle isin motion, have the seatback upright.Then sit well back in the seat and wearyour safety belt properly.

Do not have a seatback reclined if your vehicle ismoving.


Head Restraints

Adjust the head restraint so that the top of therestraint is at the same height as the top ofthe occupant’s head. This position reducesthe chance of a neck injury in a crash.

The height of all the head restraints can beadjusted.

To raise a front seathead restraint, pull up onthe restraint. To lower it,press the button, locatedon the top of theseatback, and push thehead restraint down.

To adjust the height of a rear seat head restraint,pull up or push down on the restraint.

The front seat head restraints can also tilt forwardand rearward. The rear seat head restraints donot tilt.


Center Seat

Your vehicle may have a front center seat.This seat can be converted to a storage area bylowering the seatback. See Center Flex StorageUnit on page 151.

For information on safety belts for this position,see Center Front Passenger Position on page 33.

Rear Seats

Heated SeatsYour vehicle may have heated rear seats.

To operate the rear heated seats, the ignitionmust be on.

The buttons are locatedon the rear doors.

I (Heated Seatback): Press this button to turnon the heated seatback.

J (Heated Seat and Seatback): Press thisbutton to turn on the heated seat and seatback.


Press a button to turn on the desired feature.A light on that button will display to show whichfeature is on.

There are three temperature settings for eachfeature. A column of three lights next to the buttonswill display which setting the feature is in: high,medium or low. Three lights indicate the highestsetting, two lights for medium and one light for thelowest setting.

When you press a button, the feature will turn onat the highest setting. Each time you press thebutton, the feature will go down one temperaturesetting.

To turn the feature off, keep pressing the buttonuntil the display lights turn off.

Rear Seat Pass-Through DoorYour vehicle has a pass-through door that providesaccess to the trunk from the rear seats. See “RearSeat Pass-Through Door” under Trunk onpage 102.

Power LumbarYour vehicle may be equipped with four-waylumbar support, without the massage feature, forthe outboard rear seat positions.

The rear lumbar supportcontrols are located onthe rear doors in front ofthe heated seat buttons.

To turn on the lumbar support feature, press thefront of the control to increase support or rearwardto decrease support. The lumbar control can alsobe moved up and down to adjust the location of thesupport.

The ignition does not need to be on for the powerlumbar feature to work.


Safety Belts

Safety Belts: They Are for EveryoneThis part of the manual tells you how to usesafety belts properly. It also tells you some thingsyou should not do with safety belts.

{CAUTION:

Do not let anyone ride where he or shecannot wear a safety belt properly. If youare in a crash and you are not wearing asafety belt, your injuries can be muchworse. You can hit things inside thevehicle or be ejected from it. You can beseriously injured or killed. In the samecrash, you might not be, if you arebuckled up. Always fasten your safetybelt, and check that your passengers’belts are fastened properly too.

{CAUTION:

It is extremely dangerous to ride in acargo area, inside or outside of a vehicle.In a collision, people riding in these areasare more likely to be seriously injured orkilled. Do not allow people to ride in anyarea of your vehicle that is not equippedwith seats and safety belts. Be sureeveryone in your vehicle is in a seat andusing a safety belt properly.

Your vehicle has indicators to remind you andyour passengers to buckle your safety belts.See Safety Belt Reminder Light on page 218and Passenger Safety Belt Reminder Lighton page 218.

In most states and in all Canadian provinces,the law says to wear safety belts. Here iswhy: They work.


You never know if you will be in a crash. If you dohave a crash, you do not know if it will be abad one.

A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can beso serious that even buckled up, a person wouldnot survive. But most crashes are in between. Inmany of them, people who buckle up can surviveand sometimes walk away. Without belts they couldhave been badly hurt or killed.

After more than 40 years of safety belts invehicles, the facts are clear. In most crashesbuckling up does matter... a lot!

Why Safety Belts WorkWhen you ride in or on anything, you go as fastas it goes.

Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it is just aseat on wheels.


Put someone on it. Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle.The rider does not stop.


The person keeps going until stopped bysomething. In a real vehicle, it could be thewindshield...

or the instrument panel...


or the safety belts!

With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicledoes. You get more time to stop. You stopover more distance, and your strongest bonestake the forces. That is why safety beltsmake such good sense.

Questions and Answers AboutSafety Belts

Q: Will I be trapped in the vehicle after anaccident if I am wearing a safety belt?

A: You could be — whether you are wearing asafety belt or not. But you can unbuckle asafety belt, even if you are upside down. Andyour chance of being conscious during andafter an accident, so you can unbuckle and getout, is much greater if you are belted.

Q: If my vehicle has airbags, why should Ihave to wear safety belts?

A: Airbags are supplemental systems only; sothey work with safety belts — not instead ofthem. Every airbag system ever offeredfor sale has required the use of safety belts.Even if you are in a vehicle that has airbags,you still have to buckle up to get the mostprotection. That is true not only in frontalcollisions, but especially in side and othercollisions.


Q: If I am a good driver, and I never drive farfrom home, why should I wear safety belts?

A: You may be an excellent driver, but if you arein an accident — even one that is not yourfault — you and your passengers can be hurt.Being a good driver does not protect you fromthings beyond your control, such as baddrivers.

Most accidents occur within 25 miles (40 km)of home. And the greatest number of seriousinjuries and deaths occur at speeds of less than40 mph (65 km/h).

Safety belts are for everyone.

How to Wear Safety Belts ProperlyThis part is only for people of adult size.

Be aware that there are special things to knowabout safety belts and children. And there aredifferent rules for smaller children and babies.If a child will be riding in your vehicle, see OlderChildren on page 40 or Infants and Young Childrenon page 43. Follow those rules for everyone’sprotection.

First, you will want to know which restraintsystems your vehicle has.

We will start with the driver position.


Driver Position

Lap-Shoulder BeltThe driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here is how towear it properly.

1. Close and lock the door.

2. Adjust the seat so you can sit up straight.To see how, see “Seats” in the Index.

3. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt acrossyou. Do not let it get twisted.

The lap-shoulder belt may lock if you pull thebelt across you very quickly. If this happens,let the belt go back slightly to unlock it.Then pull the belt across you more slowly.

4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until itclicks.Be sure to use the correct buckle when bucklingyour lap-shoulder belt. If you find that the latchplate will not go fully into the buckle, see if youare using the buckle for the center passengerposition.Pull up on the latch plate to make sureit is secure. If the belt is not long enough,see Safety Belt Extender on page 39.Make sure the release button on the buckle ispositioned so you would be able to unbucklethe safety belt quickly if you ever had to.

5. Move the shoulder belt height adjuster to theheight that is right for you. Improper shoulderbelt height adjustment could reduce theeffectiveness of the safety belt in a crash. SeeShoulder Belt Height Adjustment on page 31.


6. To make the lap part tight, pull up on theshoulder belt.It may be necessary to pull stitching on thesafety belt through the latch plate to fullytighten the lap belt on smaller occupants.

The lap part of the belt should be worn low andsnug on the hips, just touching the thighs. In acrash, this applies force to the strong pelvic bones.And you would be less likely to slide under the lapbelt. If you slid under it, the belt would apply force atyour abdomen. This could cause serious or evenfatal injuries. The shoulder belt should go over theshoulder and across the chest. These parts of thebody are best able to take belt restraining forces.The safety belt locks if there is a sudden stop orcrash.


Q: What is wrong with this?

A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It will not givenearly as much protection this way.

{CAUTION:

You can be seriously hurt if your shoulderbelt is too loose. In a crash, you wouldmove forward too much, which couldincrease injury. The shoulder belt shouldfit against your body.



A: The lap belt is too loose. It will not give nearlyas much protection this way.

{CAUTION:

You can be seriously hurt if your lap beltis too loose. In a crash, you could slideunder the lap belt and apply force at yourabdomen. This could cause serious oreven fatal injuries. The lap belt should beworn low and snug on the hips, justtouching the thighs.



A: The belt is buckled in the wrong place.

{CAUTION:

You can be seriously injured if your belt isbuckled in the wrong place like this. In acrash, the belt would go up over yourabdomen. The belt forces would be there,not at the pelvic bones. This could causeserious internal injuries. Always buckleyour belt into the buckle nearest you.



A: The shoulder belt is worn under the arm.It should be worn over the shoulder at alltimes.

{CAUTION:

You can be seriously injured if you wearthe shoulder belt under your arm. In acrash, your body would move too farforward, which would increase the chanceof head and neck injury. Also, the beltwould apply too much force to the ribs,which are not as strong as shoulderbones. You could also severely injureinternal organs like your liver or spleen.



A: The belt is twisted across the body.

{CAUTION:

You can be seriously injured by a twistedbelt. In a crash, you would not have thefull width of the belt to spread impactforces. If a belt is twisted, make it straightso it can work properly, or ask your dealerto fix it.


To unlatch the belt, push the button on the buckle.The belt should go back out of the way.

Before you close the door, be sure the belt is outof the way. If you slam the door on it, you candamage both the belt and your vehicle.

Shoulder Belt Height AdjustmentBefore you begin to drive, move the shoulder beltheight adjuster to the height that is right for you.

Adjust the height so that the shoulder portion of thebelt is centered on your shoulder. The belt shouldbe away from your face and neck, but not falling offyour shoulder. Improper shoulder belt heightadjustment could reduce the effectiveness of thesafety belt in a crash.

To move it down, pressthe release button (A)and move the heightadjuster to the desiredposition. You can movethe height adjuster upjust by pushing up onthe shoulder belt guide.

After you move the height adjuster to where youwant it, try to move it down without pressing therelease button to make sure it has locked intoposition.


Safety Belt Use During PregnancySafety belts work for everyone, including pregnantwomen. Like all occupants, they are more likelyto be seriously injured if they do not wearsafety belts.

A pregnant woman should wear a lap-shoulder belt,and the lap portion should be worn as low aspossible, below the rounding, throughout thepregnancy.

The best way to protect the fetus is to protect themother. When a safety belt is worn properly, itis more likely that the fetus will not be hurtin a crash. For pregnant women, as for anyone,the key to making safety belts effective is wearingthem properly.

Right Front Passenger PositionTo learn how to wear the right front passenger’ssafety belt properly, see Driver Position onpage 24.

The right front passenger’s safety belt works thesame way as the driver’s safety belt — exceptfor one thing. If you ever pull the shoulder portionof the belt out all the way, you will engage thechild restraint locking feature. If this happens, letthe belt go back all the way and start again.


Center Front Passenger Position

Lap BeltIf your vehicle has a front bench seat, someonecan sit in the center position.

When you sit in the center front seating position,you have a lap safety belt, which has no retractor.To make the belt longer, tilt the latch plate andpull it along the belt.

To make the belt shorter, pull its free end asshown until the belt is snug.

Buckle, position and release it the same way as thelap part of a lap-shoulder belt. If the belt is not longenough, see Safety Belt Extender on page 39.

Make sure the release button on the buckle ispositioned so you would be able to unbuckle thesafety belt quickly if you ever had to.


Rear Seat PassengersIt is very important for rear seat passengers tobuckle up! Accident statistics show that unbeltedpeople in the rear seat are hurt more often incrashes than those who are wearing safety belts.

Rear passengers who are not safety beltedcan be thrown out of the vehicle in a crash. Andthey can strike others in the vehicle who arewearing safety belts.

Lap-Shoulder BeltAll rear seating positions have lap-shoulder belts.Here is how to wear one properly.

1. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt acrossyou. Do not let it get twisted.The shoulder belt may lock if you pull the beltacross you very quickly. If this happens, letthe belt go back slightly to unlock it. Then pullthe belt across you more slowly.

2. Push the latch plate into the buckle until itclicks.


The latch plates for the safety belts in each rearseating position vary in size. If the center rearor the left rear latch plate is inserted into theincorrect buckle, the plate will not latch properly.Be sure you are using the correct buckle andthat the latch plate clicks when inserted into thebuckle.When the shoulder belt is pulled out all the way,it will lock. If it does, let it go back and startagain.Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it issecure.If the belt is not long enough, see Safety BeltExtender on page 39.Make sure the release button on the buckle ispositioned so you would be able to unbucklethe safety belt quickly if you ever had to.

3. To make the lap part tight, pull up on theshoulder part.


The lap part of the belt should be worn low andsnug on the hips, just touching the thighs. In acrash, this applies force to the pelvic bones. Andyou would be less likely to slide under the lap belt. Ifyou slid under it, the belt would apply force at yourabdomen. This could cause serious or even fatalinjuries. The shoulder belt should go over theshoulder and across the chest. These parts of thebody are best able to take belt restraining forces.

The safety belt locks if there is a sudden stop ora crash.

{CAUTION:

You can be seriously hurt if your shoulderbelt is too loose. In a crash, you wouldmove forward too much, which couldincrease injury. The shoulder belt shouldfit against your body.

To unlatch the belt, just push the button on thebuckle.


Rear Safety Belt Comfort GuidesRear shoulder belt comfort guides may provideadded safety belt comfort for older childrenwho have outgrown booster seats and for smalladults. When installed on a shoulder belt, thecomfort guide better positions the belt away fromthe neck and head.

There is one guide for each outside passengerposition in the rear seat. Here is how to install acomfort guide to the safety belt:

1. Remove the guide from its storage pocket onthe side of the seatback.

2. Slide the guide under and past the belt. Theelastic cord must be under the belt. Then, placethe guide over the belt, and insert the twoedges of the belt into the slots of the guide.


3. Be sure that the belt is not twisted and it liesflat. The elastic cord must be under the beltand the guide on top.

{CAUTION:

A safety belt that is not properly worn maynot provide the protection needed in acrash. The person wearing the belt could



be seriously injured. The shoulder beltshould go over the shoulder and acrossthe chest. These parts of the body arebest able to take belt restraining forces.

4. Buckle, position, and release the safety beltas described in Rear Seat Passengers onpage 34. Make sure that the shoulderbelt crosses the shoulder.


To remove and store the comfort guide, squeezethe belt edges together so that you can takethem out of the guide. Slide the guide intoits storage pocket on the top of the seatback.

Safety Belt PretensionersYour vehicle has safety belt pretensioners for thedriver and right front passenger. Although youcannot see them, they are part of the safety beltassembly. They help tighten the safety belts duringthe early stages of a moderate to severe frontal andnear frontal crash if the threshold conditions forpretensioner activation are met. And, if your vehiclehas side impact airbags, safety belt pretensionerscan help tighten the safety belts in a side crash.

Pretensioners work only once. If they activate in acrash, you will need to get new ones, and probablyother new parts for your safety belt system. SeeReplacing Restraint System Parts After a Crash onpage 85.

Safety Belt ExtenderIf the vehicle’s safety belt will fasten around you,you should use it.

But if a safety belt is not long enough, your dealerwill order you an extender. When you go in to orderit, take the heaviest coat you will wear, so theextender will be long enough for you. To help avoidpersonal injury, do not let someone else use it, anduse it only for the seat it is made to fit. The extenderhas been designed for adults. Never use it forsecuring child seats. To wear it, just attach it to theregular safety belt. For more information see theinstruction sheet that comes with the extender.


Child Restraints

Older Children

Older children who have outgrown booster seatsshould wear the vehicle’s safety belts.

Q: What is the proper way to wear safetybelts?

A: An older child should wear a lap-shoulder beltand get the additional restraint a shoulder beltcan provide. The shoulder belt should not crossthe face or neck. The lap belt should fit snuglybelow the hips, just touching the top of thethighs. It should never be worn over theabdomen, which could cause severe oreven fatal internal injuries in a crash.

According to accident statistics, children are saferwhen properly restrained in the rear seatingpositions than in the front seating positions.

In a crash, children who are not buckled up canstrike other people who are buckled up, or can bethrown out of the vehicle. Older children needto use safety belts properly.


{CAUTION:

Never do this.

Here two children are wearing the samebelt. The belt can not properly spread theimpact forces. In a crash, the two childrencan be crushed together and seriouslyinjured. A belt must be used by only oneperson at a time.

Q: What if a child is wearing a lap-shoulderbelt, but the child is so small that theshoulder belt is very close to the child’sface or neck?

A: If the child is sitting in a seat next to a window,move the child toward the center of the vehicle.Also see Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides onpage 37. If the child is sitting in the center rearseat passenger position, move the child towardthe safety belt buckle. In either case, be surethat the shoulder belt still is on the child’sshoulder, so that in a crash the child’s upperbody would have the restraint that beltsprovide.


{CAUTION:

Never do this.

Here a child is sitting in a seat that has alap-shoulder belt, but the shoulder part isbehind the child. If the child wears thebelt in this way, in a crash the child mightslide under the belt. The belt’s forcewould then be applied right on the child’sabdomen. That could cause serious orfatal injuries.

Wherever the child sits, the lap portion of the beltshould be worn low and snug on the hips, justtouching the child’s thighs. This applies belt forceto the child’s pelvic bones in a crash.


Infants and Young ChildrenEveryone in a vehicle needs protection! Thisincludes infants and all other children. Neitherthe distance traveled nor the age and size of thetraveler changes the need, for everyone, to usesafety restraints. In fact, the law in every state in theUnited States and in every Canadian province sayschildren up to some age must be restrained while ina vehicle.

{CAUTION:

Children can be seriously injured orstrangled if a shoulder belt is wrappedaround their neck and the safety beltcontinues to tighten. Never leave childrenunattended in a vehicle and never allowchildren to play with the safety belts.

Every time infants and young childrenride in vehicles, they should have theprotection provided by appropriate restraints.


Young children should not use the vehicle’s adultsafety belts alone, unless there is no otherchoice. Instead, they need to use a child restraint.

{CAUTION:

People should never hold a baby in theirarms while riding in a vehicle. A babydoes not weigh much — until a crash.During a crash a baby will become soheavy it is not possible to hold it. Forexample, in a crash at only 25 mph(40 km/h), a 12 lb (5.5 kg) baby willsuddenly become a 240 lb (110 kg) forceon a person’s arms. A baby should besecured in an appropriate restraint.


{CAUTION:

Children who are up against, or very closeto, any airbag when it inflates can beseriously injured or killed. Airbags pluslap-shoulder belts offer protection foradults and older children, but not foryoung children and infants. Neither thevehicle’s safety belt system nor its airbagsystem is designed for them. Youngchildren and infants need the protectionthat a child restraint system can provide.


Q: What are the different types of add-onchild restraints?

A: Add-on child restraints, which are purchased bythe vehicle’s owner, are available in four basictypes. Selection of a particular restraint shouldtake into consideration not only the child’sweight, height, and age but also whetheror not the restraint will be compatible withthe motor vehicle in which it will be used.

For most basic types of child restraints, thereare many different models available. Whenpurchasing a child restraint, be sure it isdesigned to be used in a motor vehicle. If it is,the restraint will have a label saying that itmeets federal motor vehicle safety standards.

The restraint manufacturer’s instructions thatcome with the restraint state the weight andheight limitations for a particular child restraint.In addition, there are many kinds of restraintsavailable for children with special needs.

{CAUTION:

Newborn infants need complete support,including support for the head and neck.This is necessary because a newborninfant’s neck is weak and its head weighsso much compared with the rest of itsbody. In a crash, an infant in a rear-facingseat settles into the restraint, so the crashforces can be distributed across thestrongest part of an infant’s body, the backand shoulders. Infants always should besecured in appropriate infant restraints.


{CAUTION:

The body structure of a young child isquite unlike that of an adult or older child,for whom the safety belts are designed. Ayoung child’s hip bones are still so smallthat the vehicle’s regular safety belt maynot remain low on the hip bones, as itshould. Instead, it may settle up aroundthe child’s abdomen. In a crash, the beltwould apply force on a body area that isunprotected by any bony structure. Thisalone could cause serious or fatal injuries.Young children always should be securedin appropriate child restraints.

Child Restraint Systems

An infant car bed (A), a special bed made for usein a motor vehicle, is an infant restraint systemdesigned to restrain or position a child on acontinuous flat surface. Make sure that the infant’shead rests toward the center of the vehicle.


A rear-facing infant seat (B) provides restraintwith the seating surface against the back of theinfant. The harness system holds the infantin place and, in a crash, acts to keep the infantpositioned in the restraint.

A forward-facing child seat (C-E) provides restraintfor the child’s body with the harness and alsosometimes with surfaces such as T-shapedor shelf-like shields.


A booster seat (F-G) is a child restraint designedto improve the fit of the vehicle’s safety beltsystem. Some booster seats have a shoulder beltpositioner, and some high-back booster seats havea five-point harness. A booster seat can also help achild to see out the window.

Q: How Should I Use a Child Restraint?A: A child restraint system is any device designed

for use in a motor vehicle to restrain, seat,or position children. A built-in child restraintsystem is a permanent part of the motorvehicle. An add-on child restraint systemis a portable one, which is purchased by thevehicle’s owner. To help reduce injuries, anadd-on child restraint must be secured in thevehicle. With built-in or add-on child restraints,the child has to be secured within the childrestraint.

When choosing an add-on child restraint,be sure the child restraint is designed to beused in a vehicle. If it is, it will have a labelsaying that it meets federal motor vehicle safetystandards. Then follow the instructions for therestraint. You may find these instructions on therestraint itself or in a booklet, or both.


Securing an Add-on Child Restraint inthe Vehicle

{CAUTION:

A child can be seriously injured or killed ina crash if the child restraint is not properlysecured in the vehicle. Make sure the childrestraint is properly installed in the vehicleusing the vehicle’s safety belt or LATCHsystem, following the instructions thatcame with that restraint, and also theinstructions in this manual.

To help reduce the chance of injury, the childrestraint must be secured in the vehicle. Childrestraint systems must be secured in vehicle seatsby lap belts or the lap belt portion of a lap-shoulderbelt, or by the LATCH system. See Lower Anchorsand Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 53 formore information. A child can be endangered in acrash if the child restraint is not properly secured inthe vehicle.

When securing an add-on child restraint, refer tothe instructions that come with the restraint whichmay be on the restraint itself or in a booklet, or both,and to this manual. The child restraint instructionsare important, so if they are not available, obtain areplacement copy from the manufacturer.

Keep in mind that an unsecured child restraint canmove around in a collision or sudden stop andinjure people in the vehicle. Be sure to properlysecure any child restraint in your vehicle — evenwhen no child is in it.

Securing the Child Within the ChildRestraintThere are several systems for securing thechild within the child restraint. One system, thethree-point harness, has straps that come downover each of the infant’s shoulders and buckletogether at the crotch. The five-point harnesssystem has two shoulder straps, two hip straps, anda crotch strap. A shield may take the place of hipstraps. A T-shaped shield has shoulder straps thatare attached to a flat pad which rests low againstthe child’s body. A shelf- or armrest-type shield hasstraps that are attached to a wide, shelf-like shieldthat swings up or to the side.


{CAUTION:

A child can be seriously injured or killedin a crash if the child is not properlysecured in the child restraint. Make surethe child is properly secured, followingthe instructions that came with thatrestraint.

Because there are different systems, it is importantto refer to the instructions that come with therestraint. A child can be endangered in a crashif the child is not properly secured in the childrestraint.

Where to Put the RestraintAccident statistics show that children are safer ifthey are restrained in the rear rather than thefront seat. We, therefore, recommend that childrestraints be secured in a rear seat, including aninfant riding in a rear-facing infant seat, a childriding in a forward-facing child seat and an olderchild riding in a booster seat.


Your vehicle has a rear seat that will accommodatea rear-facing child restraint. A label on your sunvisor says, “Never put a rear-facing child seatin the front.” This is because the risk to therear-facing child is so great, if the airbag deploys.

{CAUTION:

A child in a rear-facing child restraint canbe seriously injured or killed if the rightfront passenger’s airbag inflates. This isbecause the back of the rear-facing childrestraint would be very close to theinflating airbag.

Even though the passenger sensingsystem is designed to turn off the rightfront passenger’s frontal and seat-mountedside impact airbag if the system detects arear-facing child restraint, no system isfail-safe, and no one can guarantee that anairbag will not deploy under some unusualcircumstance, even though it is turned off.



We recommend that rear-facing childrestraints be secured in the rear seat,even if the airbags are off.

If you need to secure a forward-facingchild restraint in the right front seat,always move the front passenger seat asfar back as it will go. It is better to securethe child restraint in a rear seat.

{CAUTION:

A child in a child restraint in the centerfront seat can be badly injured or killed bythe right front passenger’s airbag if itinflates. Never secure a child restraint inthe center front seat. It is always better tosecure a child restraint in the rear seat.


Wherever you install a child restraint, be sure tosecure the child restraint properly.

Keep in mind that an unsecured child restraint canmove around in a collision or sudden stop andinjure people in the vehicle. Be sure to properlysecure any child restraint in your vehicle — evenwhen no child is in it.

Lower Anchors and Tethers forChildren (LATCH)The LATCH system holds a child restraint duringdriving or in a crash. This system is designedto make installation of a child restraint easier. TheLATCH system uses anchors in the vehicle andattachments on the child restraint that are made foruse with the LATCH system.

Make sure that a LATCH-compatible child restraintis properly installed using the anchors, or use thevehicle’s safety belts to secure the restraint,following the instructions that came with thatrestraint, and also the instructions in this manual.When installing a child restraint with a top tether,you must also use either the lower anchors or thesafety belts to properly secure the child restraint. Achild restraint must never be installed using only thetop tether and anchor.

In order to use the LATCH system in your vehicle,you need a child restraint that has LATCHattachments. The child restraint manufacturer willprovide you with instructions on how to use thechild restraint and its attachments. The followingexplains how to attach a child restraint with theseattachments in your vehicle.

Not all vehicle seating positions or child restraintshave lower anchors and attachments or top tetheranchors and attachments.


Lower Anchors

Lower anchors (A) are metal bars built into thevehicle. There are two lower anchors for eachLATCH seating position that will accommodate achild restraint with lower attachments (B).

Top Tether Anchor

A top tether (A, C) anchors the top of the childrestraint to the vehicle. A top tether anchor is builtinto the vehicle. The top tether attachment (B) onthe child restraint connects to the top tether anchorin the vehicle in order to reduce the forwardmovement and rotation of the child restraintduring driving or in a crash.


Your child restraint may have a single tether (A)or a dual tether (C). Either will have a singleattachment (B) to secure the top tether to theanchor.

Some child restraints that have top tethers aredesigned for use with or without the top tether beingattached. Others require the top tether alwaysto be attached. In Canada, the law requires thatforward-facing child restraints have a top tether,and that the tether be attached. In the UnitedStates, some child restraints also have a top tether.Be sure to read and follow the instructions for yourchild restraint.

If the child restraint does not have a top tether,one can be obtained, in kit form, for manychild restraints. Ask the child restraintmanufacturer whether or not a kit is available.

Lower Anchor and Top Tether AnchorLocations

i (Top Tether Anchor):Seating positions withtop tether anchors.

j (Lower Anchor):Seating positions withtwo lower anchors.

To assist you in locatingthe lower anchors, eachseating position withlower anchors has twolabels, near the creasebetween the seatbackand the seat cushion.

Rear Seat


To assist you in locatingthe top tether anchors,the top tether anchorsymbol is located onthe trim cover.

The top tether anchors are located under the trimcovers on the rear seatback filler panel. Pull openthe trim cover to access the anchors. Be sure to usean anchor located on the same side of the vehicleas the seating position where the child restraint willbe placed.

Do not secure a child restraint in the right frontpassenger’s position if a national or local lawrequires that the top tether be attached, or if theinstructions that come with the child restraintsay that the top tether must be attached. There isno place to attach the top tether in this position.

Accident statistics show that children are saferif they are restrained in the rear rather thanthe front seat. See Where to Put the Restrainton page 51 for additional information.


Securing a Child Restraint Designed forthe LATCH System

{CAUTION:

If a LATCH-type child restraint is notattached to anchors, the restraint will notbe able to protect the child correctly. In acrash, the child could be seriously injuredor killed. Make sure that a LATCH-typechild restraint is properly installed usingthe anchors, or use the vehicle’s safetybelts to secure the restraint, following theinstructions that came with that restraint,and also the instructions in this manual.

{CAUTION:

Each top tether anchor and lower anchorin the vehicle is designed to hold only onechild restraint. Attaching more than onechild restraint to a single anchor couldcause the anchor or attachment to comeloose or even break during a crash. Achild or others could be injured if thishappens. To help prevent injury to peopleand damage to your vehicle, attach onlyone child restraint per anchor.


{CAUTION:

Children can be seriously injured orstrangled if a shoulder belt is wrappedaround their neck and the safety beltcontinues to tighten. Secure any unusedsafety belts behind the child restraint sochildren cannot reach them. Pull theshoulder belt all the way out of theretractor to set the lock, if your vehiclehas one, after the child restraint has beeninstalled. Be sure to follow the instructionsof the child restraint manufacturer.

Notice: Contact between the child restraint orthe LATCH attachment parts and the vehicle’ssafety belt assembly may cause damage tothese parts. Make sure when securing unusedsafety belts behind the child restraint thatthere is no contact between the child restraintor the LATCH attachment parts and thevehicle’s safety belt assembly.

Folding an empty rear seat with the safetybelts secured may cause damage to the safetybelt or the seat. When removing the childrestraint, always remember to return the safetybelts to their normal, stowed position beforefolding the rear seat.

1. Attach and tighten the lower attachments to thelower anchors. If the child restraint does nothave lower attachments or the desired seatingposition does not have lower anchors, securethe child restraint with the top tether and thesafety belts. Refer to your child restraintmanufacturer instructions and the instructionsin this manual.

1.1. Find the lower anchors for the desiredseating position.

1.2. Put the child restraint on the seat.1.3. Attach and tighten the lower

attachments on the child restraintto the lower anchors.


2. If the child restraint manufacturer recommendsthat the top tether be attached, attach andtighten the top tether to the top tether anchor,if equipped. Refer to the child restraintinstructions and the following steps:

2.1. Find the top tether anchor.2.2. Pull open the top tether anchor trim

cover to expose the anchor.2.3. If you have an adjustable head restraint,

raise the head restraint.2.4. Route, attach and tighten the top

tether according to your child restraintinstructions and the followinginstructions:

If the position you areusing has a fixed headrestraint and you areusing a single tether,route the tether overthe head restraint.

If the position you areusing has a fixed oradjustable head restraintand you are using a dualtether, route the tetheraround the headrestraint.

If the position you areusing has an adjustablehead restraint and youare using a single tether,route the tether underthe head restraint and inbetween the headrestraint posts.

3. Push and pull the child restraint in differentdirections to be sure it is secure.


Securing a Child Restraint in a RearSeat PositionIf your child restraint has the LATCH system,see Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children(LATCH) on page 53.

If your child restraint does not have the LATCHsystem, you will be using the lap-shoulder belt tosecure the child restraint in this position. Be sureto follow the instructions that came with the childrestraint. Secure the child in the child restraint whenand as the instructions say.

1. Put the child restraint on the seat.

2. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap andshoulder portions of the vehicle’s safety beltthrough or around the restraint. The childrestraint instructions will show you how.

3. Buckle the belt. Make sure the release buttonis positioned so you would be able to unbucklethe safety belt quickly if you ever had to.


4. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the wayout of the retractor to set the lock.

5. To tighten the belt, push down on the childrestraint, pull the shoulder portion of the belt totighten the lap portion of the belt, and feed theshoulder belt back into the retractor. If you areusing a forward-facing child restraint, you mayfind it helpful to use your knee to push down onthe child restraint as you tighten the belt.

6. If your child restraint manufacturerrecommends using a top tether, attach andtighten the top tether to the top tether anchor.Refer to the instructions that came with thechild restraint and see Lower Anchorsand Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 53.



To remove the child restraint, if the top tether isattached to the top tether anchor, disconnect it.Unbuckle the vehicle’s safety belt and let it go backall the way. The safety belt will move freely againand be ready to work for an adult or larger childpassenger.

Securing a Child Restraint in theCenter Front Seat Position

{CAUTION:

A child in a child restraint in the centerfront seat can be badly injured or killedby the right front passenger’s airbag if itinflates. Never secure a child restraint inthe center front seat. It is always better tosecure a child restraint in the rear seat.

Do not secure a child restraint in the center frontseat position.

Securing a Child Restraint in theRight Front Seat PositionYour vehicle has a right front passenger’s airbag. Arear seat is a safer place to secure a forward-facingchild restraint. See Where to Put the Restraint onpage 51.

In addition, your vehicle has a passenger sensingsystem. The passenger sensing system is designedto turn off the right front passenger’s frontal airbagwhen an infant in a rear-facing infant seat or a smallchild in a forward-facing child restraint or boosterseat is detected. See Passenger Sensing Systemon page 77 and Passenger Airbag Status Indicatoron page 220 for more information on this includingimportant safety information.

A label on your sun visor says, “Never put arear-facing child seat in the front.” This is becausethe risk to the rear-facing child is so great, if theairbag deploys.


{CAUTION:


Even though the passenger sensingsystem is designed to turn off the rightfront passenger’s frontal and seat-mountedside impact airbag if the system detects arear-facing child restraint, no system isfail-safe, and no one can guarantee that anairbag will not deploy under some unusualcircumstance, even though it is turned off.We recommend that rear-facing childrestraints be secured in the rear seat,even if the airbags are off.




If you need to secure a forward-facing childrestraint in the right front seat position, move theseat as far back as it will go before securingthe forward-facing child restraint. See Power Seatson page 9.

If your child restraint is equipped with the LATCHsystem, see Lower Anchors and Tethers forChildren (LATCH) on page 53.

There is no top tether anchor at the right frontseating position. Do not secure a child seat in thisposition if a national or local law requires thatthe top tether be anchored or if the instructionsthat come with the child restraint say that the toptether must be anchored. See Lower Anchorsand Tethers for Children (LATCH) on page 53 ifthe child restraint has a top tether.


You will be using the lap-shoulder belt to securethe child restraint in this position. Be sure to followthe instructions that came with the child restraint.Secure the child in the child restraint when and asthe instructions say.

1. Your vehicle has a right front passenger’sfrontal airbag. See Passenger Sensing Systemon page 77. We recommend that rear-facingchild restraints be secured in a rear seat, evenif the airbag is off. If your child restraint isforward-facing, move the seat as far back as itwill go before securing the child restraint in thisseat. See Power Seats on page 9.When the passenger sensing system hasturned off the right front passenger’s frontalairbag, the off indicator on the passenger airbagstatus indicator should light and stay lit whenyou turn the ignition to RUN or START.See Passenger Airbag Status Indicator onpage 220.

2. Put the child restraint on the seat.

3. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap andshoulder portions of the vehicle’s safety beltthrough or around the restraint. The childrestraint instructions will show you how.

4. Buckle the belt. Make sure the release buttonis positioned so you would be able to unbucklethe safety belt quickly if you ever had to.


5. Pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the wayout of the retractor to set the lock.

6. To tighten the belt, push down on the childrestraint, pull the shoulder portion of the belt totighten the lap portion of the belt and feed theshoulder belt back into the retractor. If you areusing a forward-facing child restraint, you mayfind it helpful to use your knee to push down onthe child restraint as you tighten the belt. Youshould not be able to pull more of the belt fromthe retractor once the lock has been set.



8. If the airbag is off, the off indicator on theoverhead console will be lit and stay litwhen the key is turned to RUN or START.

If a child restraint has been installed and the onindicator is lit, turn the vehicle off. Remove the childrestraint from the vehicle and reinstall the childrestraint.

If, after reinstalling the child restraint and restartingthe vehicle, the on indicator is still lit, check to makesure that the vehicle’s seatback is not pressing thechild restraint into the seat cushion. If this happens,slightly recline the vehicle’s seatback and adjust theseat cushion if possible. Also make sure the childrestraint is not trapped under the vehicle headrestraint. If this happens, adjust the head restraint.

If the on indicator is still lit, secure the child in thechild restraint in a rear seat position in the vehicleand check with your dealer.

To remove the child restraint, just unbuckle thevehicle’s safety belt and let it go back all the way.The safety belt will move freely again and beready to work for an adult or larger childpassenger.

Airbag SystemYour vehicle has the following airbags:

• A frontal airbag for the driver and anotherfrontal airbag for the right front passenger, and

• A seat-mounted side impact airbag forthe driver and another for the right frontpassenger.

Your vehicle may also have the following airbags:

• A roof-mounted side impact airbag for the driverand passenger directly behind the driver, and

• A roof-mounted side impact airbag for the rightfront passenger and the person seated directlybehind that passenger.

Airbags are designed to supplement the protectionprovided by safety belts. Even though today’sairbags are also designed to help reduce the riskof injury from the force of an inflating bag, allairbags must inflate very quickly to do their job.


Here are the most important things to know aboutthe airbag system:

{CAUTION:

You can be severely injured or killed in acrash if you are not wearing your safetybelt — even if you have airbags. Wearingyour safety belt during a crash helpsreduce your chance of hitting thingsinside the vehicle or being ejected from it.Airbags are “supplemental restraints” tothe safety belts. All airbags are designedto work with safety belts but do notreplace them.

Frontal airbags for the driver and rightfront passenger are designed to deploy inmoderate to severe frontal and near frontalcrashes. They are not designed to inflate



in rollover, rear crashes, or in many sidecrashes. And, for some unrestrainedoccupants, frontal airbags may provideless protection in frontal crashes thanmore forceful airbags have provided inthe past.

Seat-mounted side impact airbags androof-mounted side impact airbags aredesigned to inflate in moderate to severecrashes where something hits the side ofyour vehicle. They are not designed toinflate in frontal, in rollover or in rearcrashes. Everyone in your vehicle shouldwear a safety belt properly — whether ornot there is an airbag for that person.


{CAUTION:

Both frontal and side impact airbagsinflate with great force, faster than theblink of an eye. If you are too close to aninflating airbag, as you would be if youwere leaning forward, it could seriouslyinjure you. Safety belts help keep you inposition for airbag inflation before andduring a crash. Always wear your safetybelt even with frontal airbags. The drivershould sit as far back as possible whilestill maintaining control of the vehicle.Occupants should not lean on or sleepagainst the door.

{CAUTION:

Anyone who is up against, or very close to,any airbag when it inflates can be seriouslyinjured or killed. Airbags plus lap-shoulderbelts offer the best protection for adults,but not for young children and infants.Neither the vehicle’s safety belt systemnor its airbag system is designed for them.Young children and infants need theprotection that a child restraint system canprovide. Always secure children properlyin your vehicle. To read how, see OlderChildren on page 40 or Infants and YoungChildren on page 43.


There is an airbagreadiness light on theinstrument panel, whichshows the airbagsymbol.

The system checks the airbag electrical systemfor malfunctions. The light tells you if there is anelectrical problem. See Airbag Readiness Light onpage 219 for more information.

Where Are the Airbags?

The driver’s frontal airbag is in the middle of thesteering wheel.


The right front passenger’s frontal airbag is in theinstrument panel on the passenger’s side.

The seat-mounted side impact airbag for the driveris in the side of the driver’s seatback closest tothe door.


The seat-mounted side impact airbag for the rightfront passenger is in the side of the passenger’sseatback closest to the door.

If your vehicle has one, the roof-mounted sideimpact airbag for the driver and the person seateddirectly behind the driver is in the ceiling abovethe side windows.


If your vehicle has one, the roof-mounted sideimpact airbag for the right front passenger and theperson seated directly behind that passenger isin the ceiling above the side windows.

{CAUTION:

If something is between an occupant andan airbag, the airbag might not inflateproperly or it might force the object intothat person causing severe injury or evendeath. The path of an inflating airbag mustbe kept clear. Do not put anythingbetween an occupant and an airbag, anddo not attach or put anything on thesteering wheel hub or on or near anyother airbag covering. If your vehicle hasroof-mounted side impact airbags, neversecure anything to the roof of yourvehicle by routing the rope or tie-downthrough any door or window opening. Ifyou do, the path of an inflating airbag willbe blocked. Do not let seat covers blockthe inflation path of a side impact airbag.The path of an inflating airbag must bekept clear.


When Should an Airbag Inflate?The driver’s and right front passenger’s frontalairbags are designed to inflate in moderate tosevere frontal or near-frontal crashes. But they aredesigned to inflate only if the impact exceeds apredetermined deployment threshold. Deploymentthresholds take into account a variety of desireddeployment and non-deployment events and areused to predict how severe a crash is likely to be intime for the airbags to inflate and help restrain theoccupants. Whether your frontal airbags will orshould deploy is not based on how fast your vehicleis traveling. It depends largely on what you hit, thedirection of the impact, and how quickly yourvehicle slows down.

Your vehicle has a “dual stage” driver airbag,which adjusts the restraint according to crashseverity using electronic frontal sensor(s) whichhelp the sensing system distinguish betweena moderate frontal impact and a more severefrontal impact. The “dual stage” driver airbaginflates to a level less than full deployment formoderate frontal impacts and to a full deploymentfor more severe frontal impacts.

Your vehicle has a “dual depth” passenger airbagthat adjusts the restraint according to crashseverity, seat location, and safety belt statususing electronic frontal sensor(s) and other specialsensors which enable the sensing system tomonitor the status of the front passenger safetybelt and the position of the front passenger seat.The passenger airbag inflates to a reduced depthwhen the passenger seat is in a forward position.For more rearward front seating positions, thepassenger airbag may inflate to an increased depth(a full deployment), based on safety belt status andthe crash severity measured early in the event.Always wear your safety belt, even with frontalairbags.

If the front of your vehicle goes straight into a wallthat does not move or deform, the threshold levelfor the reduced deployment is about 12 to 16 mph(19 to 26 km/h), and the threshold level for a fulldeployment is about 17 to 23 mph (27 to 37 km/h)if the other sensors do not over-ride this. Thethreshold level can vary, however, with specificvehicle design, so that it can be somewhat aboveor below this range.


Frontal airbags may inflate at different crashspeeds. For example:

• If the vehicle hits a stationary object, theairbags could inflate at a different crash speedthan if the vehicle hits a moving object.

• If the vehicle hits an object that deforms,the airbags could inflate at a differentcrash speed than if the vehicle hits an objectthat does not deform.

• If the vehicle hits a narrow object (like a pole),the airbags could inflate at a different crashspeed than if the vehicle hits a wide object(like a wall).

• If the vehicle goes into an object at an angle,the airbags could inflate at a different crashspeed than if the vehicle goes straight intothe object.

Frontal airbags (driver and right front passenger)are not intended to inflate during vehicle rollovers,rear impacts, or in many side impacts.

Your vehicle has sensors which enable thesensing system to monitor the position ofthe right front passenger’s seat, whetherthe occupant is buckled or unbuckled.

The passenger seat position sensor and passengersafety belt buckle switch provide information whichis used to determine if the airbags should deploy ata reduced level or full deployment.

Side impact airbags are intended to inflate inmoderate to severe side crashes. A side impactairbag will inflate if the crash severity is above thesystem’s designed “threshold level.” The thresholdlevel can vary with specific vehicle design. Sideimpact airbags are not intended to inflate in manyfrontal or near-frontal impacts, rollovers, or rearimpacts. Both roof-mounted side impact airbags willdeploy when either side of the vehicle is struck.

In any particular crash, no one can say whether anairbag should have inflated simply because of thedamage to a vehicle or because of what the repaircosts were. For frontal airbags, inflation isdetermined by what the vehicle hits, the angle ofthe impact, and how quickly the vehicle slowsdown. For side impact airbags, inflation isdetermined by the location and severity of theimpact.


What Makes an Airbag Inflate?In an impact of sufficient severity, the airbagsensing system detects that the vehicle is in acrash. The sensing system triggers a release ofgas from the inflator, which inflates the airbag. Theinflator, airbag and related hardware are all part ofthe airbag modules. Frontal airbag modules arelocated inside the steering wheel and theinstrument panel. For vehicles with seat-mountedside impact airbags, there are also airbag modulesin the side of the front seatbacks closest to thedoor. For vehicles with roof-mounted side impactairbags, there are also airbag modules in the ceilingof the vehicle, near the side window.

How Does an Airbag Restrain?In moderate to severe frontal or near frontalcollisions, even belted occupants can contact thesteering wheel or the instrument panel. In moderateto severe side collisions, even belted occupantscan contact the inside of the vehicle. Airbagssupplement the protection provided by safety belts.Airbags distribute the force of the impact moreevenly over the occupant’s upper body, stoppingthe occupant more gradually. But the frontal airbagswould not help you in many types of collisions,including rollovers, rear impacts, and many sideimpacts, primarily because an occupant’s motion isnot toward the airbag. Side impact airbags wouldnot help you in many types of collisions, includingmany frontal or near frontal collisions, rollovers, andrear impacts.

Airbags should never be regarded as anythingmore than a supplement to safety belts, and thenonly in moderate to severe frontal or near-frontalcollisions for the driver’s and right front passenger’sfrontal airbags, and only in moderate to severe sidecollisions for vehicles with side impact airbags.


What Will You See After an AirbagInflates?After frontal airbags and seat-mounted side impactairbags inflate, they quickly deflate, so quickly thatsome people may not even realize an airbaginflated. Roof-mounted side impact airbags may stillbe at least partially inflated minutes after the vehiclecomes to rest. Some components of the airbagmodule — the steering wheel hub for the driver’sairbag, the instrument panel for the right frontpassenger’s bag, the side of the seatback closest tothe door for the seat-mounted side impact airbags,and the area along the ceiling of your vehicle nearthe side windows for roof-mounted side impactairbags — may be hot for a short time. The parts ofthe airbag that come into contact with you may bewarm, but not too hot to touch. There may be somesmoke and dust coming from the vents in thedeflated airbags. Airbag inflation does not preventthe driver from seeing out of the windshield or beingable to steer the vehicle, nor does it prevent peoplefrom leaving the vehicle.

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When an airbag inflates, there may bedust in the air. This dust could causebreathing problems for people with ahistory of asthma or other breathingtrouble. To avoid this, everyone in thevehicle should get out as soon as it issafe to do so. If you have breathingproblems but cannot get out of the vehicleafter an airbag inflates, then get fresh airby opening a window or a door. If youexperience breathing problems followingan airbag deployment, you should seekmedical attention.

Your vehicle has a feature that may automaticallyunlock the doors, turn the interior lamps on,and turn the hazard warning flashers on when theairbags inflate. You can lock the doors, turn theinterior lamps off, and turn the hazard warningflashers off by using the controls for thosefeatures.


In many crashes severe enough to inflate theairbag, windshields are broken by vehicledeformation. Additional windshield breakage mayalso occur from the right front passenger airbag.

• Airbags are designed to inflate only once. Afteran airbag inflates, you will need some newparts for the airbag system. If you do not getthem, the airbag system will not be there to helpprotect you in another crash. A new system willinclude airbag modules and possibly otherparts. The service manual for your vehiclecovers the need to replace other parts.

• Your vehicle has a crash sensing anddiagnostic module which records informationafter a crash. See Vehicle Data Collection andEvent Data Recorders on page 484.

• Let only qualified technicians work on theairbag systems. Improper service can meanthat an airbag system will not work properly.See your dealer for service.

Passenger Sensing SystemYour vehicle has a passenger sensing system.The passenger airbag status indicator on theoverhead console will be visible when you turnyour ignition key to RUN or START.

The words ON and OFF or the symbol for on andoff, will be visible during the system check. Whenthe system check is complete, either the word ONor the word OFF, or the symbol for on or the symbolfor off will be visible. See Passenger Airbag StatusIndicator on page 220.

The passenger sensing system will turn off the rightfront passenger’s frontal airbag and seat-mountedside impact airbag under certain conditions. Thedriver’s airbags are not part of the passengersensing system.

United States Canada


The passenger sensing system works with sensorsthat are part of the right front passenger’s seat andsafety belt. The sensors are designed to detect thepresence of a properly-seated occupant anddetermine if the right front passenger’s frontalairbag and seat-mounted side impact airbagshould be enabled (may inflate) or not.

Accident statistics show that children are safer ifthey are restrained in the rear rather than the frontseat. We recommend that child restraints besecured in a rear seat, including an infant ridingin a rear-facing infant seat, a child riding in aforward-facing child seat and an older child ridingin a booster seat.

Your vehicle has a rear seat that will accommodatea rear-facing child restraint. A label on your sunvisor says, “Never put a rear-facing child seat in thefront.” This is because the risk to the rear-facingchild is so great, if the airbag deploys.

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Even though the passenger sensingsystem is designed to turn off the rightfront passenger’s frontal and seat-mountedside impact airbag if the system detects arear-facing child restraint, no system isfail-safe, and no one can guarantee that anairbag will not deploy under some unusualcircumstance, even though it is turned off.We recommend that rear-facing childrestraints be secured in the rear seat,even if the airbags are off.





The passenger sensing system is designed to turnoff the right front passenger’s frontal airbag andseat-mounted side impact airbag if:

• The right front passenger seat is unoccupied.• The system determines that an infant is

present in a rear-facing infant seat.

• The system determines that a small child ispresent in a forward-facing child restraint.

• The system determines that a small child ispresent in a booster seat.

• A right front passenger takes his/her weight offof the seat for a period of time.

• The right front passenger seat is occupied bya smaller person, such as a child who hasoutgrown child restraints.

• Or if there is a critical problem with the airbagsystem or the passenger sensing system.

When the passenger sensing system has turnedoff the right front passenger’s frontal airbagand seat-mounted side impact airbag, the offindicator will light and stay lit to remind you thatthe airbags are off.

If a child restraint has been installed and the onindicator is lit, turn the vehicle off. Remove the childrestraint from the vehicle and reinstall the childrestraint following the child restraint manufacturer’sdirections and refer to Securing a Child Restraint inthe Right Front Seat Position on page 62.

If, after reinstalling the child restraint and restartingthe vehicle, the on indicator is still lit, check to makesure that the vehicle’s seatback is not pressing thechild restraint into the seat cushion. If this happens,slightly recline the vehicle’s seatback and adjust theseat cushion if possible. Also make sure the childrestraint is not trapped under the vehicle headrestraint. If this happens, adjust the head restraint.


If the on indicator is still lit, secure the child in thechild restraint in a rear seat position in the vehicleand check with your dealer.

The passenger sensing system is designed toenable (may inflate) the right front passenger’sfrontal airbag and seat-mounted side impact airbaganytime the system senses that a person ofadult size is sitting properly in the right frontpassenger’s seat. When the passenger sensingsystem has allowed the airbags to be enabled, theon indicator will light and stay lit to remind youthat the airbags are active.

For some children who have outgrown childrestraints and for very small adults, the passengersensing system may or may not turn off the rightfront passenger’s frontal airbag and seat-mountedside impact airbag, depending upon the person’sseating posture and body build. Everyone in yourvehicle who has outgrown child restraints shouldwear a safety belt properly — whether or not thereis an airbag for that person.

If a person of adult-size is sitting in the rightfront passenger’s seat, but the off indicatoris lit, it could be because that person isnot sitting properly in the seat.

If this happens, turn the vehicle off and ask theperson to place the seatback in the fully uprightposition, then sit upright in the seat, centered on theseat cushion, with the person’s legs comfortablyextended. Restart the vehicle and have the personremain in this position for about two minutes. Thiswill allow the system to detect that person and thenenable the right front passenger’s frontal airbag andseat-mounted side impact airbag.


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If the airbag readiness light in theinstrument panel cluster ever comes onand stays on, it means that somethingmay be wrong with the airbag system.If this ever happens, have the vehicleserviced promptly, because an adult-sizeperson sitting in the right frontpassenger’s seat may not have theprotection of the frontal airbag. SeeAirbag Readiness Light on page 219 formore on this, including important safetyinformation.

Aftermarket equipment, such as seat covers, canaffect how well the passenger sensing systemoperates. You may want to consider not usingseat covers or other aftermarket equipment ifyour vehicle has the passenger sensing system.See Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-EquippedVehicle on page 83 for more information aboutmodifications that can affect how the systemoperates.

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Stowing of articles under the passenger’sseat or between the passenger’s seatcushion and seatback may interfere withthe proper operation of the passengersensing system.


Servicing Your Airbag-EquippedVehicleAirbags affect how your vehicle should be serviced.There are parts of the airbag system in severalplaces around your vehicle. You do not want thesystem to inflate while someone is working on yourvehicle. Your dealer and the service manual haveinformation about servicing your vehicle and theairbag system. To purchase a service manual, seeService Publications Ordering Information onpage 490.

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For up to 10 seconds, after the ignition isturned off and the battery is disconnected,an airbag can still inflate during improperservice. You can be injured if you areclose to an airbag when it inflates. Avoidyellow connectors. They are probably partof the airbag system. Be sure to followproper service procedures, and make surethe person performing work for you isqualified to do so.

The airbag system does not need regularmaintenance.


Adding Equipment to YourAirbag-Equipped Vehicle

Q: Is there anything I might add to the frontor sides of the vehicle that could keep theairbags from working properly?

A: Yes. If you add things that change yourvehicle’s frame, bumper system, height, frontend or side sheet metal, they may keep theairbag system from working properly. Also,the airbag system may not work properly if yourelocate any of the airbag sensors. If you haveany questions about this, you should contactCustomer Assistance before you modify yourvehicle. The phone numbers and addresses forCustomer Assistance are in Step Two of theCustomer Satisfaction Procedure in thismanual. See Customer SatisfactionProcedure on page 474.

Q: Because I have a disability, I have to getmy vehicle modified. How can I find outwhether this will affect my airbag system?

A: Changing or moving any parts of the frontseats, safety belts, the airbag sensing anddiagnostic module, steering wheel, instrumentpanel, overhead console, ceiling headliner,ceiling and pillar garnish trim, roof-mountedairbag modules, or airbag wiring can affect theoperation of the airbag system. If you havequestions, call Customer Assistance. Thephone numbers and addresses for CustomerAssistance are in Step Two of the CustomerSatisfaction Procedure in this manual. SeeCustomer Satisfaction Procedure on page 474.

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Documents

2007 Cadillac DTS Owner Manual M - Dealer eProcesscdn.dealereprocess.com/cdn/servicemanuals/cadillac/2007-dts.pdfKeep this manual in the vehicle, so it will be there if it is needed