Deployed CTS-V Airbags

[Miker]

Slight drift and it hooked and bags deployed. Helmet was touching the pillar and it fucked me up good.

https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/1048022_514394361947259_544633013_o.jpg
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/992782_514394325280596_482107952_n.jpg

[454rat]

wow, you alright? Never heard of this happening

[BAD BOB]

Looks like it would be a great vacationing vehicle

[Miker]

I'm fine other then back issues.

Didn't even hit a cone.

[bambooi]

Owner mad? Is something like that easy to fix?

[Miker]

Owner mad? Is something like that easy to fix?

Owner was cool.

Prob at least 5k in damage if not more. 6 airbags. All pillar trim, headliner, seatbelts.

He is taking it to gm.

[03SVTCOBRA]

http://www.lsxtv.com/news/video-cadillac-cts-v%E2%80%99s-airbags-go-off-on-autocross-course/

Seems like GM knows its a problem... Curious to see if they do indeed cover it though.

[Miker]

<iframe width="853" height="480" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/oXArwCu3qas" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[BigdaddyDupree]

Based on what was being done with the car I'd be surprised if gm fixed it, they might but its gonna be hard to justify. Honestly I'd just be honest with the dealership and let them make the call. Still bad business either way

[Miker]

Based on what was being done with the car I'd be surprised if gm fixed it, they might but its gonna be hard to justify. Honestly I'd just be honest with the dealership and let them make the call. Still bad business either way

In all my years I've never seen airbags just randomly pop.

[BigdaddyDupree]

If they were driving the car on the street like normal it would have probably never happened. It was more then likely a freak accident with just the right things happening in the right order.

[spdracr0]

If it happened on a little slalom it will be total bullshit if they do not cover it. GM drives that car twice that hard during r@d

[03SVTCOBRA]

If it happened on a little slalom it will be total bullshit if they do not cover it. GM drives that car twice that hard during r@d

Thats what i would think too. From the video it could have just as easily been something in the road and someone swerving then the airbags deploy and make the situation worse.

[bambooi]

How does it work to drive other peoples car? During fun runs or something?

[Miker]

Thats what i would think too. From the video it could have just as easily been something in the road and someone swerving then the airbags deploy and make the situation worse.

+10000. I didn't have ESP or anything disabled. It was in Comp Mode + Stiff ride.

[Miker]

How does it work to drive other peoples car? During fun runs or something?

During fun runs anyone can drive anyones car.

When I'm instructing I will normally take them out for one run in my car, or there car to demonstrate.

[bwelch]

In all my years I've never seen airbags just randomly pop.

lol. 04-08ish f150 has a problem with them randomly going off.

[FRDnemesis]

In all my years I've never seen airbags just randomly pop.

This was not random.

I'm sure the car has accelerometers that detect a potential roll over risk (lateral G's) and pre-deploys them. Just like we all saw in the BMW video that went over the cliff. His pillar air bags deployed as soon as he rounded the curve and started to slide over the edge. They came out just like they are "designed" to do. Doubt GM is going to cover a single thing on this deal unless you find a dealership to "goodwill" fix it.

All this episode did was prove their design worked. It will end up as a GM training video.

Sucks that it happened, but and I'd be upset if it was my car (it was NOT your fault in the least). Just an example of the car being pushed beyond what it was designed to do (Caddy station wagon autocrossing).

glad you are ok. Bet it scared the sh!t out of you :D


Family stationwagon + Autocross + skilled driver = Ops Check good


Based on what was being done with the car I'd be surprised if gm fixed it, they might but its gonna be hard to justify. Honestly I'd just be honest with the dealership and let them make the call. Still bad business either way

Honesty may be the best policy because I'm willing to bet that "lateral G Data" is stored somewhere and they will retrieve it. I wouldn't risk a fraudulent claim

[ElecTech]

Honesty may be the best policy because I'm willing to bet that "lateral G Data" is stored somewhere and they will retrieve it. I wouldn't risk a fraudulent claim

The Airbag/SRS module will usually record the data leading up to the deployment and should be recoverable.

[FRDnemesis]

The Airbag/SRS module will usually record the data leading up to the deployment and should be recoverable.

Is that the black box that records all the crash data and takes a snapshot of 5 seconds prior to the accident (airbag deployment) up to the point the vehicle comes to a stop (vehicle speed, throttle position, brake pressure, impact force)? There is a box in the newer cars that track that data for accident investigation "research"........... but if your insurance company gets ahold of it, they can use it to deny your coverage if you were doing something stupid.

A friend of mine who was an accident re-creation expert for S'ville PD was telling me about the software they have/had to pull that data from some vehicles.

[snakeplissken]

I've pulled 1.02g in my coupe at Roebling.

[Miker]

I've pulled 1.02g in my coupe at Roebling.

I did 1.0g in a 4door at the Tail of the Dragon on OEM tires.

This issue is a wagon only issue.

[gearmesh, inc.]

IMHO, a driver on a mountain road that takes evasive maneuvers around/over a fallen tree in a blind curve can surely simulate similar forces found in autocross. I know I wouldn't want deployed airbags interrupting my efforts to properly pilot a vehicle in such a scenario. I'd be pissed if blown airbags were the cause of me hitting a guardrail or going over the edge of a mountain road.

I'd say that GM is flirting with some serious liability issues here by having the airbag system way too sensitive. I bet if they paid enough of these $6k warranty claims you would see a recall campaign lickety-split.

GM probably won't act on their own at first without some prodding by the NHTSA, though.

[Miker]

IMHO, a driver on a mountain road that takes evasive maneuvers around/over a fallen tree in a blind curve can surely simulate similar forces found in autocross. I know I wouldn't want deployed airbags interrupting my efforts to properly pilot a vehicle in such a scenario. I'd be pissed if blown airbags were the cause of me hitting a guardrail or going over the edge of a mountain road.

I'd say that GM is flirting with some serious liability issues here by having the airbag system way too sensitive. I bet if they paid enough of these $6k warranty claims you would see a recall campaign lickety-split.

GM probably won't act on their own at first without some prodding by the NHTSA, though.

In 2011 GM made 1,637 CTS Wagons of them 182 were Vs. I can't find 2012 or 2013 numbers but I bet sales are down not up. So lets say They made 500 V-wagons over the last 3 years.

Having 7 airbags deploy; that is a crazy high percentage.

[Carlrx7]

In 2011 GM made 1,637 CTS Wagons of them 182 were Vs. I can't find 2012 or 2013 numbers but I bet sales are down not up. So lets say They made 500 V-wagons over the last 3 years.

Having 7 airbags deploy; that is a crazy high percentage.

1.4% not so crazy high

[Miker]

I bet if they paid enough of these $6k warranty claims you would see a recall campaign lickety-split.

And its more like $12,000.

[bambooi]

any other updates? warranty covering it?

[FRDnemesis]

any other updates? warranty covering it?


With the car at a track, he might be lucky if they don't void his whole warranty.

[Miker]

Don't want to jinx it; I'll update once he gets his/a car back.

[FRDnemesis]

Don't want to jinx it; I'll update once he gets his/a car back.


Any word on the outcome yet?