Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Airbags reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
12
Latest Jun 4, 2026
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
7%
of 175 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
2
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
3
What this page shows
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2008 Cadillac CTS submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Owner reports naming airbag
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
Airbags
Filed Jun 4, 2026
Me and my husband were visiting my brother in Vienna, Maryland and we were packing up to leave to go visit my mom and the surrounding area where we live and then go home. After my husband got everything in the car as well as the kids and my dog we were both getting in the car he had gotten in prior to me and shut the door and all of the SRS airbags went off while the car was in park. There were no warning messages on the dashboard. There is no damage to the outside of the car. I had put my claim through my insurance company, and they deemed it mechanical failure.
NHTSA ID
11742002
Incident
May 30, 2026
Airbags
Filed Aug 22, 2024
Crash reported2 injuries reported
Airbags did not deploy in a massive front end collision. That failure caused me physical injury which possibly would not have occurred had the airbags deployed. I don’t know how many 2008 Cadillac CTS are on the road at this time but feel it is an important enough matter that should be investígated. This was never recalled. Thank you, [XXX] , [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA ID
11610287
Incident
Aug 7, 2024
Airbags
Filed Sep 13, 2020
THE AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON, BUT CADILLAC HAS NOT DONE A RECALL
NHTSA ID
11354815
Incident
Aug 4, 2020
AirbagsElectrical
Filed Jun 3, 2019
WHILE DRIVING MAYBE 6 MINUTES MY CENTER CONSOLE DISPLAY WOULD NO LONGER FUNCTION PREVENTING ME FROM BEING ABLE TO CONTROL THE RADIO OR AIR, WHICH BOTH REMAINED FUNCTIONING AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AT THE SAME TIME. THE RADIO NO LONGER PLAYS BUT THE AIR STILL BLOWS. AT THE TIME THIS HAPPENED I WAS DRIVING ON A PAVED ROAD AT NIGHT GOING APPROX. 50 MPH.
NHTSA ID
11217490
Incident
May 17, 2019
Mileage
92,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Jun 22, 2016
TAKATA RECALL: MY SERVICE AIR BAG LIGHT KEEPS COMING AND OFF. ALSO MY TIRE GAGE ,KEEPS FLASHING AFTER MY AIR LEVELS HAS BEEN CHECK. IT WILL NOT GO OFF ON ITS ON.
NHTSA ID
10875770
Incident
May 7, 2016
Mileage
90,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Jun 26, 2015
Crash reported1 injury reported
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2008 CADILLAC CTS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, A DEER JUMPED IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE DEER. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A BROKEN NOSE, FACIAL LACERATION, AND A CHIPPED TOOTH THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.
NHTSA ID
10730567
Incident
Jun 18, 2015
Mileage
90,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Jun 26, 2015
MY CAR SHOWS TO REPAIR MY AIR BAG. READING ON THE RECALL FOR THE IGNITION RECALL IT CAN EFFECT THE AIR BAG. TWO WEEKS AGO I HAD THE KEY TAKEN CARE OF AND NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN THE AIR BAG SHOWS UP TO BE REPAIRED. I WILL BE GOING INTO THE DEALER TODAY TO SEE WHAT IS HAPPENING. I WAS TOLD ON THE PHONE IT COULD BE ANY WHERE FROM $300.00 TO THREE THOUSAND. HOW CRAZY IS THIS. LOOKING UP THE VIN NUMBER I CAN'T FIND MY VIN NUMBER IF IT IS A RECALL FOR THE AIR BAG I DO NOT INTEND TO SPEND THAT KIND OF MONEY ON MY CALL FOR AN AIR BAG FIX. PLEASE HELP TO EASE MY MIND IF MY AIRBAG IS A RECALL.
NHTSA ID
10730516
Incident
Jun 24, 2015
Mileage
44,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Nov 13, 2014
DEALER RAN DIAGNOSIS FOUND CODE THAT SAID DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG WAS BAD. THIS IS A CAR WITH ONLY 24500 MILES ON IT . HARD TO BELIEVE IT ONLY LAST THIS LONE. *TR
NHTSA ID
10654853
Incident
Nov 10, 2014
Mileage
24,500 mi
AirbagsEngine
Filed Sep 20, 2014
CAR W/ 95,000 MILES. PROBLEMS AT 15,000 MILES. AIRBAG SENSORS FAULTY. "ECM" (ENGINE CONTROL MODULE) REPLACED BUT NO ISSUES WITH HOW THE CAR WAS RUNNING. TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP "ALOT" OF ECM'S ARE REPLACED. IS ECM FAILURE COMMON IN THIS VEHICLE OR IS IT THE DEALERSHIP REPLACING ECM'S THAT DO NOT NEED REPAIR TO MAKE MONEY? ECM WAS A $1,000.00 REPAIR TO FIX A GAS SMELL FROM THE CAR. NEW ECM AND GAS SMELL IS STILL THERE. THEN TOLD NOW FAULTY FUEL PUMP AND LEAK IN THE FUEL LINE AS REASON FOR GAS SMELL. BOTH DEALER AND GM HAVE REFUSED REFUND FOR REPLACING ECM THAT DID NOT HAVE TO BE REPLACED. REPLACING ECM DID NOT FIX THE GAS SMELL! PRIOR TO "ECM " ALL SIX OF THE OXYGEN SENSORS ALSO REPLACED. ANOTHER COSTLY REPAIR. I HAVE PAMPERED THIS VEHICLE SINCE I HAVE PURCHASED IT FROM FACTORY. VERY SUSPICIOUS SO MANY ISSUES NEEDING REPAIR HAVE OCCURRED WITH THIS CAR. NOW, IGNITION SWITCH IS BEING RECALLED AND WILL NEED REPAIR. I AM LEFT DRIVING MY FAMILY AROUND IN A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CAR. WILL MY FAMILY BE THE NEXT VICTIM OF A FAULTY GM IGNITION SWITCH? ALSO THE DOOR LOCKS IN THE REAR OF THE CAR ARE FAULTY EVER SINCE I HAVE HAD THE CAR. THE REAR DOOR LOCKS JAM AND THE DOORS WON'T OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE. THE DEALER IN THE FIRST THREE MONTHS REPLACED ONE REAR DOOR LOCK MECHANISM. BEFORE I REALIZED MY WARRANTY EXPIRED THE OTHER REAR DOOR LOCK ALSO HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. GM REFUSES TO FIX IT. NOW AN EXPENSE OF > $400. HAVING AN INFANT WHO RIDES IN THE BACK THIS IS CONCERNING THAT REAR DOOR LOCK JAMS. REPAIRS ON THIS 2008 CADILLAC CTS ARE ENDLESS AND SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BE SO NUMEROUS CONSIDERING I HAVE BEEN THE SINGLE OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE AND HAVE KEPT THE VEHICLE VERY WELL MAINTAINED. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF OTHER OWNERS OF THIS MAKE AND MODEL OF VEHICLE HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS? IS THERE A MANUFACTURING ISSUE?? *TR
NHTSA ID
10637688
Incident
Aug 1, 2014
Mileage
20,000 mi
Airbags
Filed May 30, 2014
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG LIGHT CONTINUOUSLY ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE BUT HAD NO REMEDY AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,521. UPDATED 08/11/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED CADILLAC SUGGESTS NEW SENSORS BE INSTALLED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. UPDATED 08/12/2014 *JS
NHTSA ID
10595070
Incident
Feb 13, 2012
Mileage
58,521 mi
AirbagsBrakes
Filed Mar 18, 2014
THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG WARNING SIGNS DISPLAY REMAINS ON FOR SEVERAL DAYS. WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THERE'S A SLIGHT VIBRATION AND GRINDING SOUNDS. *TR
NHTSA ID
10573235
Incident
Sep 30, 2013
Mileage
37,560 mi
AirbagsExterior lighting
Filed Sep 24, 2013
WHILE I WAS A PASSENGER RIDING ON A MAJOR INTERSTATE, IN THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, THE AIR BAG LIGHT (ON/OFF) ON THE DASH/CONSOLE TURNED FROM THE "ON" STATUS TO THE "OFF" STATUS. AFTER STOPPING WE FOLLOWED ONSTAR'S DIRECTIONS TO TURN OFF IGNITION AND RESTART THE VEHICLE AND SIT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT ONCE AGAIN. THE AIR BAG LIGHT STAYED IN THE "OFF" STATUS. WE TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTED ONCE AGAIN. THIS TIME WHEN I SAT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT CHANGED TO THE "ON" STATUS. THE FOLLOWING WEEK, MY MOTHER WAS A PASSENGER IN THE FRONT AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT STAYED IN THE "OFF" POSITION. LAST WEEK, ANOTHER PASSENGER WAS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINED IN THE "OFF" POSITION. I TOOK IT TO A DEALER WHILE OUT OF TOWN, AND THE MECHANIC SAID THAT THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER PRESENCE MODULE HAS A SHORT AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I HAD THE FRONT RIGHT HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY REPLACED, BUT WAS UNCOMFORTABLE ALLOWING THAT DEALER TO REPLACE THE PASSENGER AIR BAG SENSOR. I AM BRINGING IT TO MY DEALER TO HAVE IT REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. *JS
NHTSA ID
10545171
Incident
Aug 21, 2013
Mileage
65,000 mi
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Other components reported on this vehicle
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own