There are 13 owner-reported air bags & restraints complaints for the 2009 Cadillac CTSin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
My airbag sensor on my passenger seat does not work. It cannot detect the passenger and therefore would not go off if there was an accident. I tried purchasing the item from GM by going to my local service location and was told the part is not made anymore and I cannot buy it. There is none made for my car online. I need a module to detect if a passenger is present not only for safety but to pass inspection in NJ. They offered no solution and simply told me after ten years they don’t have to make parts for a car. My problem with that is this car body style and parts is for years 2009-2014 so they should still make it for the 2014 and I could use that. During my research I have come across approximately 30 other ctsv owners that have the same issue and it’s not just a part that can be replaced with an aftermarket one because there is none being made that fit these seats. GM has an issue with lots of their cars including the ctsv generation before mine and there is recalls for that one too. How can a company sell a 500hp car to someone and not make the parts for the car anymore which could result in a serious injury or death? I cannot inspect my car and could be ticketed in my state for not having an inspection. An airbag sensor not working or not detecting a passenger is a major concern and they will not address this issue. There’s forums dedicated to this issue. I even said it’s fine I would buy it if it’s not recalled and they simply said we don’t or won’t make them anymore. I don’t know what I’m suppose to do? Not drive my car? I have tried everything and even purchasing a whole new seat and have not gotten anywhere. Part number#20903436
My 2009 has 112,000 miles on it. Over a period of time we started to smell gasoline . Thought it may be simply from putting gas in the car. The smell got stronger. Fortunately we had to have a tire replaced. The tire service owner advised we had a major gas leak and advised us not to drive it far. End result was we had a fuel feed pipe that was leaking. Please know we had been driving our 4 year old nephew and 1 year old niece in the car. Final bill was over $2300. Leaking gas !! How can that not warrant a safety recall? Searching the web for information about others having the same problem I discovered others did. Please go to Cadillac Forums for starters. Please review and advise. More safety issues for the CTS involved a seat belt that was worn down and a passenger front door that would not open from either the inside or outside. Cell [XXX] Email [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
SERVICE AIR BAG ALERT ON DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER CAME ON INTERMITTENTLY FROM MID-APRIL TO MAY 24, 2018. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP 5/24/18. DEALER TRACED, LOCATED & REPAIRED HIGH RESISTANCE IN RIGHT FRONT SEAT SIDE AIR GAB CIRCUIT IN SEAT CONNECTOR AT A COST OF $168. DEALER SAID THERE WERE NO OPEN CAMPAIGNS ON THE ISSUE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT WE'D LIKE THE NTSB TO INVESTIGATE. AS OWNERS, WE NEVER REMOVED THE SEAT AND, SHOULD THERE HAVE BEEN A CRASH, THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG MAY NOT HAVE WORKED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2009 CADILLAC CTS. WHILE STOPPED, THE VEHICLE INADVERTENTLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING AND CRASHED INTO MULTIPLE VEHICLES. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SALVAGE YARD AND DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD NO REPORTED FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,000.
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, STEERING TIGHT WHEN BACKING UP OR IN TIGHT SPACES, DOOR LOCKS, SUSPENSION CONTROL AND ABS LIGHT WAS A RECALL ON AIR BAGS THAT I DONT SEE ON THE RECALL LIST NOW
DRIVING AT NIGHT MY SON HIT ICE AND HIS CADILLAC WENT OFF THE ROAD HITTING A MAILBOX WITH A SUPPORT MADE FROM A TELEPHONE POLE, A ROW OF MAILBOXES THAT CAUSED HIS CAR TO GO AIRBORNE. THE CAR ROLLED 2 TIMES. NO AIRBAGS WERE DEPLOYED.THE DRIVER'S SIDE WAS INTACT. THE FRONT, DRIVERS SIDE,PASSANGERS SIDE AND SUNROOF WINDOWS WERE SHATTERED. HE DIED FROM MASSIVE, MULTIPLE INJURIES.
THE SERVICE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE CADILLAC DEALER WHO SAID THE CONNECTOR UNDER THE SEAT WAS NOT MAKING CONTACT AND THAT THE PINS IN THE CONNECTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED ($600). IN MY OPINION THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT AS THE PINS IN THE CONNECTOR LOOSE CONTACT AS A RESULT OF THE SEAT MOVING BACK AND FORTH FOR DIFFERENT DRIVERS AS WELL AS DRIVER CONFORT. I HAVE NO REASON TO BELIEVE THE PROBLEM WILL NOT REAPPEAR AND THAT IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT THAT THE AIR BAG WILL DEPLOY PROPERLY. I ASKED THE DEALER SERVICE MANAGER TO REACH OUT TO THE GENERAL MOTORS REGIONAL SERVICE MANAGER, WHICH HE SAID HE DID AND THE REPLY WAS THAT CADILLAC WOULD NOT GET INVOLVED IN THIS REPAIR.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CADILLAC CTS. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR CONSISTENTLY ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED EACH TIME THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT PRE-TENSIONER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,000. UPDATED 12/03/15*LJ THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER, THE PROBLEM CAUSING THE RED WARNING LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE ON THE SCREEN WAS DUE TO A PRE-TENSIONER WHICH RENDERED THE ACTIVATION OF THE SEAT BELT INOPERABLE. THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A SECOND OPINION, WHICH WAS THE SAME DIAGNOSIS. HOWEVER, THE PRICE WAS CHEAPER. UPDATED 12/28/15. *JB
I WAS TRYING TO ADJUST THE SEAT BELT CLIP (MALE PART) ON THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR SEAT BELT. THE CLIP WAS TURNED THE WRONG WAY ON THE SEAT BELT. WHILE TRYING TO ADJUST THE CLIP THE LOWER PART OF THE SEAT BELT CAME APART FROM ITS ANCHOR. I WAS STUNNED AT HOW EASILY THE SEAT BELT DETACHED. I CAME TO THE CONCLUSION AFTER INSPECTING THE BELT THAT THERE WAS NO STITCHING IN THE BELT WHERE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN SEWN TOGETHER. IT LOOKS LIKE THE MACHINE THAT ATTEMPTED TO SEW THE SEAT BELT HAD NO THREAD IN IT. THE HOLE MARKS AND SEWING PATTERN ARE THERE BUT WITH NO THREAD. NOTE: I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF THE CAR. I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM A FAMILY FRIEND WHO IS A MIDDLE AGED SINGLE PERSON. I DOUBT THE SEAT BELT HAD EVER BEEN USED BY A REAR-SEAT PASSENGER.
THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO DISENGAGE. TAKES SEVERAL TRIES AND PUSHING FRONT AND BACK OF THE RELEASE LEVER. UPDATE 9/15/15*CW THE CONSUMER STATED THE ISSUE WAS RESOLVED. UPDATED 10/15/15*JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CADILLAC CTS. WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH, THE SERVICE AIR BAG WARNING WAS DISPLAYED ACROSS THE MESSAGE BOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,000.
2009 CADILLAC CTS CONSUMER WANTS TO KNOW WHY AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT *CN THE CONSUMER STATED SHE WAS PUSHED INTO A CAR IN FRONT OF HER, FROM A DEAD STOP. *JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE "SERVICE AIR BAG" LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. BOTH THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE OF THIS RECURRING FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08V582000 (AIR BAGS). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 40,000.
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026