There are 20 stored owner reports matching the air bags & restraints leading-label group for the 2011 Cadillac CTS in our NHTSA-sourced dataset. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
This group counts stored reports whose component label starts with one of this site's matching prefixes, ignoring case. Each matching report counts once within the group. Components mentioned later in the label or only in the narrative are not searched. How component counts work
Loaded 20 of 20 matching reports.
Open the full vehicle complaint log (all categories)My air bag light is on. I brought it to the dealer for repair. The dealer told me the airbag is unfixable due to the fact that the "Passenger seat presence sensor is broken and no longer manufactured". I now have a car that is fully functional aside from this issue and it's unsafe to drive. The dealer also refused to buy the car back from me for fair market value.
Airbag warning
The contact owns a 2011 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle vibrated abnormally. Additionally, the "Service Air Bags" warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact was advised by the mechanic that the failure could be related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V341000 (Air Bags, Power Train). The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.
The air bag light comes on intermittently. It has been identified as a problem on several of the CTS and CTS-V forums.
WHEN TAKING TURNS MY 2011 CTS CADILLAC FLASHES THAT MY AIR BAG MUST BE SERVICED. ON THE PASSENGER SEAT.
ON 12-2-19 AT 730AM EASTERN TIME, I WAS INVOLVED IN A 55 MPH SIDE IMPACT CRASH TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE BY A SEMI TRUCK ON INTERSTATE 475 NORTH IN TOLEDO, OHIO, MILE MARKER 10, NEAR HOLLAND, OHIO. NO SIDE IMPACT AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. VEHICLE IS IN 100% EXCELLENT MAINTAINED CONDITION. NO FAULT CODES. VEHICLE STRUCTURE MAINTAINED VERY WELL FOR A HIGHWAY SPEED CRASH, HOWEVER, I HAVE A CONCUSSION FROM THE SIDE IMPACT AND NO AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. CAR WAS TOTALLED BY THE SEMI TRUCK INSURANCE COMPANY THAT STRUCK ME.
THE AIRBAG INDICATOR HAS COME ON. I OWN TWO CADILLAC VEHICLES AND COINCIDENTALLY THE ESCALADE HAS AN AIRBAG RECALL AND, THE SAME INDICATOR LIGHT HAS ILLUMINATED ON BOTH VEHICLES. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS RECALL IS A POTENTIAL HAZARD. WE LIVE IN FLORIDA WHERE IT'S HOT, SO WE CONSTANTLY DRIVE IN THE SUN. FOR THE RECALL TO BE UNRESOLVED AND NOW BOTH INDICATORS FOR AIRBAGS ARE ILLUMINATED I BELIEVE THAT THIS MAY BE APART OF THIS TAKATA ISSUE. SEE BELOW 1UNREPAIRED RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS VIN MAY 27,2016 MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBER2049151 NHTSA RECALL NUMBER16V381 RECALL STATUSRECALL INCOMPLETE, REMEDY NOT YET AVAILABLE SUMMARY TAKATA CORPORATION ('TAKATA') HAS DECIDED THAT A DEFECT WHICH RELATES TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY EXISTS IN CERTAIN 2007-2011 CADILLAC ESCALADE, ESCALADE ESV, ESCALADE EXT, CHEVROLET AVALANCHE, SILVERADO 1500, SUBURBAN, TAHOE, GMC SIERRA 1500, YUKON, YUKON XL, AND 2009-2011 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500/3500 AND GMC SIERRA 2500/3500 VEHICLES. THIS IS BASED UPON TAKATA'S DECISION THAT FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG INFLATORS IT SUPPLIED TO GM ARE DEFECTIVE. GM HAS SUBMITTED TO NHTSA A PETITION FOR INCONSEQUENTIALITY AND NHTSA HAS GRANTED GM UNTIL AUGUST 2017 TO COMPLETE ITS INVESTIGATION AND TO SUBMIT ALL DATA SUPPORTING THE PETITION. IF THE PETITION IS DENIED, GM WILL CONDUCT A RECALL OF THE AIRBAG INFLATORS COVERED BY TAKATA'S DEFECT INFORMATION REPORT. FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.REGULATIONS.GOV AND SEARCH FOR DOCKET NO. NHTSA-2016-0124. SAFETY RISK THE PROPELLANT IN SOME TYPES OF TAKATA AIRBAG INFLATORS CAN DEGRADE OVER TIME, ESPECIALLY AFTER LONG TERM EXPOSURE IN HOT AND HUMID REGIONS. IF THE PROPELLANT DEGRADES TO A CERTAIN LEVEL, THE INFLATORS MAY RUPTURE DURING DEPLOYMENT, CAUSING SERIOUS OR FATAL INJURIES.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CADILLAC CTS-V. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO RICK HENDRICK CITY CHEVROLET (5101 EAST INDEPENDENCE BLVD, CHARLOTTE, NC) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SENSOR LOCATED INSIDE THE SEAT WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALER THAT THE PART NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN DISCONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND NO SOLUTION WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,000.
AIRBAG SENSOR DETECTS PROBLEM WITH PASSAGER AIRBAG.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CADILLAC CTS. WHILE THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS PARKED WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING, A SECOND VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE FRONT END OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO SUBURBAN CADILLAC (1810 MAPLELAWN DR, TROY, MI 48084, 248-643-0070), BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE PASSENGER SEATBELT LIGHT COMES ON WITH OR WITHOUT A PASSENGER BEING PRESENT. I TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE PASSENGER DETECTION MODULE WAS GOING OUT AND WHEN THE SEAT BELT LIGHT COMES ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS ARE DISABLED MEANING THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT FUNCTION IF I WERE TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT....I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THIS MODULE IS NECESSARY BECAUSE THE MODULE DETECTS THE WEIGHT OF THE PERSON TO DETERMINE IF THE PERSON WEIGHS ENOUGH TO DEPLOY THE AIRBAGS...IF AIRBAGS ARE A REQUIREMENT SHOULD THEM WORKING ALSO BE A REQUIREMENT.....I WAS THAT NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED FOR NHTSA TO ISSUES A RECALL. THAT'S LIKE SAYING NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE HAVE DIED TO FIX THE PROBLEM.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CADILLAC CTS. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP AND REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN UNKNOWN LOCATION. BENTLEY CADILLAC IN FLORENCE, ALABAMA 35630 WAS MADE AWARE OF THE CRASH AND STATED THAT AN INSPECTOR WOULD INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE BRAKES OR THE AIR BAGS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 20,000.
THE CAR AIRBAG HARNESS FAILED AND IT WAS REPLACED WITH PART 20973030 . I WAS NOT REIMBURSED FOR THIS FAILURE AND THE CAR HAS LIMITED MILES ON IT. IT APPEARS TO BE A REGULAR PROBLEM WITH THE CTS HARNESS SYSTEM AND SHOULD BE ON THE RECALL LIST WITH OTHER SIMILAR AIRBAG PROBLEMS GENERAL MOTORS CURRENTLY HAS. THANKS [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CADILLAC CTS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 TO 30 MPH, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A POST. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE. THE CONTACT DID NOT KNOW IF A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 31,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CADILLAC CTS. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE PASSENGER PRESENCE SENSING MODULE MALFUNCTIONED AND CAUSED THE "SERVICE AIR BAG" LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000.
SERVICE AIR BAG MESSAGE. AFTER DOUBLE CHECKING THE WIRING UNDER PASSENGER SEAT THE WARNING LIGHT WAS OFF BUT THEN CAME BACK ON A FEW MINUTES LATER. RINSE AND REPEATED THE SCENARIO MULTIPLE TIMES. OBVIOUSLY THE SAME PROBLEN FOR WHICH OLDER MODELS WERE RECALLED.
"CADILLAC RECALL" THE BRAKES DID NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY ON THE VEHICLE. THE BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON AND AT TIMES THE CAR DID NOT IMMEDIATELY STOP WHEN BRAKES WERE PRESSED. AS A RESULT, I COULD NO LONGER DRIVE THE VEHICLE AND HAD TO FIND OTHER MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION. IN ADDITION, RECALLS AND ISSUE WITH THIS CAR HAVE MADE THE NEWS.
<A HREF="HTTP://DISCOUNTHOARDER.COM/">HTTP://DISCOUNTHOARDER.COM/</A>. *TR
PASSENGER AIR BAG SENSOR IN SEAT, OCCUPANT SENSOR OR PPS, IS FAULTY. CHECK AIR BAG WARNING ALERT REMAINS ON OR IS INTERMITTENT, EVEN IF NO CONTENTS OR PERSON ON PASSENGER SEAT. VERY SIMILAR TO GM RECALL 08373 FOR FIRST GENERATION CADILLAC CTS OCCUPANT SENSOR FOR PASSENGER AIRBAG. IF USING THE SAME DESIGN, AND NOT CORRECTED, THE RECALL SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO THE SECOND GENERATION CTS VEHICLES.
WAS DRIVING VEHICLE IN SPORTING MANNER WHEN THE SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND THE SEAT BELT PRETENSIONERS FIRED. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO ROLL OVER IMMINENT. SAFETY DEVICES WENT OFF COMPLETELY UNNECESSARILY. *TR
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.
NHTSA source checks for this vehicle year
Checks are recorded separately for each dataset, not for the whole page. Dates use UTC. A missing check date does not mean no records exist.
Vehicle import recorded: Apr 28, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.