2009 CADILLAC CTS airbag
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The seat-mounted side impact airbags for the driver and
right front passenger are in the side of the seatbacks
closest to the door.The roof-rail airbags for the driver, right front passenger,
and second row outboard passengers are in the
ceiling above the side windows. Driver Side shown, Passenger Side similar
Driver Side shown, Passenger Side similar
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{CAUTION:
If something is between an occupant and an airbag,
the airbag might not in ate properly or it might force
the object into that person causing severe injury
or even death. The path of an in ating airbag
must be kept clear. Do not put anything between an
occupant and an airbag, and do not attach or put
anything on the steering wheel hub or on or near
any other airbag covering.
Do not use seat accessories that block the in ation
path of a seat-mounted side impact airbag.
Never secure anything to the roof of a vehicle with
roof-rail airbags by routing a rope or tie down
through any door or window opening. If you do, the
path of an in ating roof-rail airbag will be blocked.
When Should an Airbag In ate?
Frontal airbags are designed to in ate in moderate to
severe frontal or near-frontal crashes to help reduce the
potential for severe injuries mainly to the driver’s or
right front passenger’s head and chest. However, they
are only designed to in ate if the impact exceeds a
predetermined deployment threshold. Deployment
thresholds are used to predict how severe a crash is
likely to be in time for the airbags to in ate and
help restrain the occupants.
Whether your frontal airbags will or should deploy is not
based on how fast your vehicle is traveling. It depends
largely on what you hit, the direction of the impact,
and how quickly your vehicle slows down.
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Frontal airbags may in ate at different crash speeds.
For example:
If the vehicle hits a stationary object, the airbags
could in ate at a different crash speed than if the
vehicle hits a moving object.
If the vehicle hits an object that deforms, the
airbags could in ate at a different crash speed than
if the vehicle hits an object that does not deform.
If the vehicle hits a narrow object (like a pole), the
airbags could in ate at a different crash speed
than if the vehicle hits a wide object (like a wall).
If the vehicle goes into an object at an angle, the
airbags could in ate at a different crash speed
than if the vehicle goes straight into the object.
Thresholds can also vary with speci c vehicle design.
Frontal airbags are not intended to in ate during vehicle
rollovers, rear impacts, or in many side impacts.
In addition, the vehicle has dual-stage frontal airbags.
Dual-stage airbags adjust the restraint according to
crash severity. Your vehicle has electronic frontal
sensors, which help the sensing system distinguish
between a moderate frontal impact and a more
severe frontal impact. For moderate frontal impacts,
dual-stage airbags in ate at a level less than full
deployment. For more severe frontal impacts,
full deployment occurs.The vehicle has seat-mounted side impact and
roof-rail airbags. SeeAirbag System on page 1-58.
Seat-mounted side impact and roof-rail airbags
are intended to in ate in moderate to severe side
crashes. In addition, these roof-rail airbags are intended
to in ate in a severe frontal impact. Seat-mounted
side impact and roof-rail airbags will in ate if the crash
severity is above the system’s designed threshold
level. The threshold level can vary with speci c
vehicle design.
Seat-mounted side impact airbags are not intended to
in ate in frontal impacts, near-frontal impacts, rollovers,
or rear impacts. Roof-rail airbags are not intended to
in ate in rollovers or rear impacts. A seat-mounted side
impact airbag is intended to deploy on the side of the
vehicle that is struck. Both roof-rail airbags will deploy
when either side of the vehicle is struck or in a severe
frontal impact.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether an
airbag should have in ated simply because of the
damage to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs
were. For frontal airbags, in ation is determined by
what the vehicle hits, the angle of the impact, and how
quickly the vehicle slows down. For seat-mounted
side impact and roof-rail airbags, deployment is
determined by the location and severity of the side
impact.
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What Makes an Airbag In ate?
In a deployment event, the sensing system sends an
electrical signal triggering a release of gas from
the in ator. Gas from the in ator lls the airbag
causing the bag to break out of the cover and deploy.
The in ator, the airbag, and related hardware are all
part of the airbag module.
Frontal airbag modules are located inside the steering
wheel and instrument panel. For vehicles with
seat-mounted side impact airbags, there are airbag
modules in the side of the front seatbacks closest to the
door. For vehicles with roof-rail airbags, there are
airbag modules in the ceiling of the vehicle, near the
side windows that have occupant seating positions.
How Does an Airbag Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel
or the instrument panel. In moderate to severe side
collisions, even belted occupants can contact the inside
of the vehicle.
Airbags supplement the protection provided by safety
belts. Frontal airbags distribute the force of the impact
more evenly over the occupant’s upper body, stopping
the occupant more gradually. Seat-mounted side impact
and roof-rail airbags distribute the force of the impact
more evenly over the occupant’s upper body.
But airbags would not help in many types of collisions,
primarily because the occupant’s motion is not
toward those airbags. SeeWhen Should an Airbag
Inflate? on page 1-63for more information.
Airbags should never be regarded as anything more
than a supplement to safety belts.
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What Will You See After an
Airbag In ates?
After the frontal airbags and seat-mounted side impact
airbags in ate, they quickly de ate, so quickly that
some people may not even realize an airbag in ated.
Roof-rail airbags may still be at least partially in ated
for some time after they deploy. Some components
of the airbag module may be hot for several minutes.
For location of the airbag modules, seeWhat Makes
an Airbag Inflate? on page 1-65.
The parts of the airbag that come into contact with you
may be warm, but not too hot to touch. There may
be some smoke and dust coming from the vents in the
de ated airbags. Airbag in ation does not prevent
the driver from seeing out of the windshield or being
able to steer the vehicle, nor does it prevent people from
leaving the vehicle.
{CAUTION:
When an airbag in ates, there may be dust in the
air. This dust could cause breathing problems for
people with a history of asthma or other breathing
trouble. To avoid this, everyone in the vehicle
should get out as soon as it is safe to do so.
If you have breathing problems but cannot get out
of the vehicle after an airbag in ates, then get
fresh air by opening a window or a door. If you
experience breathing problems following an airbag
deployment, you should seek medical attention.
The vehicle has a feature that may automatically unlock
the doors, turn the interior lamps on, and turn the
hazard warning ashers on when the airbags in ate.
You can lock the doors, turn the interior lamps off, and
turn the hazard warning ashers off by using the
controls for those features.
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In many crashes severe enough to in ate the airbag,
windshields are broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may also occur
from the right front passenger airbag.
Airbags are designed to in ate only once. After an
airbag in ates, you will need some new parts for
the airbag system. If you do not get them, the airbag
system will not be there to help protect you in
another crash. A new system will include airbag
modules and possibly other parts. The service
manual for your vehicle covers the need to replace
other parts.
The vehicle has a crash sensing and diagnostic
module which records information after a crash.
SeeVehicle Data Recording and Privacy on
page 7-16andEvent Data Recorders on page 7-17.
Let only quali ed technicians work on the airbag
systems. Improper service can mean that an
airbag system will not work properly. See your
dealer/retailer for service.
Passenger Sensing System
The vehicle has a passenger sensing system for the
right front passenger position. The passenger airbag
status indicator will be visible on the instrument
panel when the vehicle is started.
The words ON and OFF, or the symbol for on and off,
will be visible during the system check. If you are
using remote start, to start the vehicle from a distance,
if equipped, you may not see the system check.
When the system check is complete, either the word
ON or OFF, or the symbol for on or off, will be visible.
SeePassenger Airbag Status Indicator on page 3-37. United States
Canada
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The passenger sensing system turns off the right front
passenger frontal airbag under certain conditions.
The driver airbag, seat-mounted side impact airbags
and the roof-rail airbags are not affected by the
passenger sensing system.
The passenger sensing system works with sensors that
are part of the right front passenger seat. The sensors
are designed to detect the presence of a properly-seated
occupant and determine if the right front passenger
frontal airbag should be enabled (may in ate) or not.
According to accident statistics, children are safer when
properly secured in a rear seat in the correct child
restraint for their weight and size.
We recommend that children be secured in a rear seat,
including: an infant or a child riding in a rear-facing
child restraint; a child riding in a forward-facing child
seat; an older child riding in a booster seat; and children,
who are large enough, using safety belts.
A label on the sun visor says, “Never put a rear-facing
child seat in the front.” This is because the risk to
the rear-facing child is so great, if the airbag deploys.
{CAUTION:
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured or killed if the right front passenger
airbag in ates. This is because the back of the
rear-facing child restraint would be very close to the
in ating airbag. A child in a forward-facing child
restraint can be seriously injured or killed if the right
front passenger airbag in ates and the passenger
seat is in a forward position.
Even if the passenger sensing system has turned
off the right front passenger frontal airbag, no
system is fail-safe. No one can guarantee that
an airbag will not deploy under some unusual
circumstance, even though the airbag is turned off.
Secure rear-facing child restraints in a rear
seat, even if the airbag is off. If you secure a
forward-facing child restraint in the right front seat,
always move the front passenger seat as far back
as it will go. It is better to secure the child restraint in
a rear seat.
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The passenger sensing system is designed to turn off
the right front passenger airbag if:
The right front passenger seat is unoccupied.
The system determines an infant is present in a
child restraint.
A right front passenger takes his/her weight off of
the seat for a period of time.
Or, if there is a critical problem with the airbag
system or the passenger sensing system.
When the passenger sensing system has turned off the
right front passenger frontal airbag, the off indicator
will light and stay lit to remind you that the airbag is off.
SeePassenger Airbag Status Indicator on page 3-37.
The passenger sensing system is designed to turn
on (may in ate) the right front passenger frontal airbag
anytime the system senses that a person of adult
size is sitting properly in the right front passenger seat.
When the passenger sensing system has allowed
the airbag to be enabled, the on indicator will light and
stay lit to remind you that the airbag is active.For some children, including children in child restraints,
and for very small adults, the passenger sensing
system may or may not turn off the right front passenger
frontal airbag, depending upon the person’s seating
posture and body build. Everyone in the vehicle who has
outgrown child restraints should wear a safety belt
properly — whether or not there is an airbag for that
person.
{CAUTION:
If the airbag readiness light ever comes on and
stays on, it means that something may be wrong
with the airbag system. To help avoid injury to
yourself or others, have the vehicle serviced right
away. SeeAirbag Readiness Light on page 3-36
for more information, including important safety
information.
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