Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2007 Cadillac CTS owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owned a 2007 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated that while driving 40-43 MPH, a bicyclist suddenly pulled in front of the vehicle. The contact veered away from the bicyclist, causing the vehicle to crash into a utility pole. The utility pole was damaged. The air bags failed to deploy, and the contact hit the chest and head against the steering wheel. The contact immediately went to the hospital and was provided medical assistance. The contact sustained contusions on the chest and on the head, and the contact sustained bruises on the left and right legs. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed and totaled by the insurance company. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure was approximately 71,000.
The contact owns a 2007 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. Additionally, the passenger's side air bag was deactivated while occupied by a passenger. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.
One day when I went to sit in the front passenger seat a message came on the Driver Information Center displaying, "SERVICE AIR BAG" and then I notice that the indicator light on the dash was displaying the Air Bag warning light, and the rearview mirror was showing that the passenger air bag was off. Without the air bag working I cannot ride in the front seat of the car and due to the fact that if we are in a car accident the air bag will not deploy. The dealer has been able to reproduce this issue several times over the last 13 years. Yes, I have been dealing with this issue since 2012, every time I ask to have the seat diagnosed, they say "No we will not be doing that for you" - [redacted] and [redacted] .
The service air bag light has been on for several years. I called a few years ago and was told it was a recall and Cadillac would stand by it. It would not expire I took it to the Cadillac place. They would not honor it
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated that the while driving at various speeds and attempting to make a right turn, the contact rear ended another vehicle. The contact stated that the air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed and no injuries were reported. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and the vehicle was serviced under NHTSA campaign number: 10V644000 (air bags) but the remedy failed to repair the vehicle. The contact stated that the front passenger seat would not detect an occupant on the seat in order to activate the air bags. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 89,513.
I was involved in a crash that when hit the vehicle turned off and airbags did not work. I was hit twice on driver rear and passenger rear, spun out and no airbags deployed. I was crossing over a city road from a stop sign, was hit at 60 MPH. I was doing 20 MPH going straight across from the stop sign.
On Monday March 5, 2012 @ 8 am my daughter was @ a stop sign. She waited for 3 cars to pass she pulled out onto 16th street where the cars travel @ 35mph... She waited for the truck to go past & @ 8 am the sun is bright she could not see the trailer that the truck was towing & she tried to go straight across the street! She hit the trailer head on & it smashed the front end of my car & spun her around & smashed the passenger side & dragged her down the road... The battery acid from car was melting the road. The police & insurance company were very surprised that my airbag did not go off!!!!! I had only had my car back for 8 days from the dealership before it was totaled. I had just put new tires on, new filters, new spark plugs, a catalytic converter etc, they checked my car in full as they did every time & never did anything say I had an airbag problem. …
The seller lied about everything! The first question I asked was if the car was in an accident. He bragged about being a mechanic, and doing all the work on the car, so everything in the car is in, "tip top shape." he replied, "no, never!" he did not allow us to ride the car on the interstate before the purchase, claiming it was illegal. 10 mins after leaving the car lot, the car cuts off and is unable to crank back up. The seller meets us and claims it the battery. A "new" battery was placed in the vehicle, but the problem persists. My fianc, who is not a mechanic, told him more than once, that the problem was not the battery, but the alternator. He got the car to crank. As we are riding down the interstate, the car cuts off, and we are left aimlessly rolling and are unable to control the wheel. …
My 2007 model year Cadillac CTS vehicle had a condition where repeated flexing of the passenger sensing system mat in the front passenger seat has caused the mat to kink, bend, or fold. The flexing broke the connections in the mat. The front passenger airbag has become disabled. The passenger airbag status indicator on the rearview mirror shows that the airbag is off, the air bag indictor does illuminate, and a service air bag message does appear in the driver information center and has for years! I have repeatedly ask village Cadillac, service advisor: debbie henry to have the seat fixed. The problem with service advisor is that she looks at your recall records. Your records indicate that my VIN does not have any outstanding recalls, which is correct. What I have is a letter from Cadillac p.o. Box 909989 milwaukee, wi 53209-9989, stating that this mat can break and it has broken. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated that when the ignition was turned to the on position, the service air bag warning indicator illuminated continuously. The failure recurred several times. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed that the front passenger side air bag sensor failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 10V644000 (air bags). The failure mileage was approximately 82,300. Ma 10/19/15 the consumer stated the vehicle was repaired at the nearest Cadillac dealer. The repair was paid for in full by the owner. The manufacturer did not offer any assistance. The consumer was advised that it was a possibility for the problem to recur. …
Related recalls
Air bags › Frontal › Sensor/control module-inactive
General motors is recalling certain model year 2005-2007 Cadillac cts vehicles. Some of these vehicles have a condition in which repeated flexing of the passenger sensing system mat in the front passenger seat May cause the mat to kink, bend, or fold. This flexing can break the connections in the mat.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the passenger sensing system free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or about March 15, 2011.
NHTSA investigations
IEE Passenger Sensing System Mats
On December 17, 2010, General Motors (GM) notified the NHTSA that it had decided certain 2005 - 2007 model year Cadillac CTS vehicles contain a safety related defect.GM stated that certain CTS vehicles contain a passenger sensing system mat, manufactured by IEE, in the front passenger seat that may flex causing the mat to kink, bend or fold.If this flexing causes the connections in the mat to break, the passenger…
Airbag complaints in other CTS years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2007 Cadillac CTS?
NHTSA has 64 complaints about the air bags of the 2007 Cadillac CTS, 29% of the model year's 217 complaints. The component named most often is frontal › sensor/control module (6 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2007 Cadillac CTS airbag problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 10V-644 (sensor/control module-inactive, Dec 17, 2010). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2007 Cadillac CTS airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 82,000 miles, and 6% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 15 crashes, 0 fires and 8 injuries to air bags problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.