[jzips]

The side curtain airbags on my 2013 V Wagon delpoyed while I was making a turn. No accident. No rollover. No damage on my car. Nothing. Just an exploded airbag. GM is conducting their "investigation" and have told me the car functioned "as designed" and that they aren't going to cover it under warranty. So, please be aware that GM thinks it's appropriate and normal for your airbags to explode in your face while driving your car. Consider returning your cars to Cadilllac ASAP. God forbid this happens to you on a canyon road or by innocent bystanders, as it's so shocking and loud that you could easily kill yourself and others because of the distraction.

I'm deeply disappointed by the response I've received from GM. I would've expected an apology and deep concern for my well being. But nope, I got none of that. These cars should be sold with a warning letter instead of the Nurburgring commercials they were advertised with. I was in love with my V and was becoming a brand loyalist, but if GM's position is that this is on me, then I'm moving on to car brands that don't explode in your face while driving (Porsche, BMW, Mercedes, etc.). Sucks. :thehand:

 

[cruiser68]

Strange, especially their attitude. I road race quite a bit with some pretty high G turns and I have never had an airbag issue. Something is not right. Is this the dealer telling you thin or somebody with GM? If the dealer, I would try another dealer and I would contact GM.

 

[jzips]

This is coming from GM itself. I was punted into their "Product Assistance Claim Department". This is their official corporate position. With the millions they spend on brand management and advertising, to take a position like this, which is so contrary to the entire marketing strategy of the V cars, is incredibly shortsighted and disappointing. Their own website says the following, written in text overlaid on a photo of a race-track: "Tailor-made to push performance to the brink. Brought to life purely for the thrill of the drive. No excuses. No trade-offs. No compromise. From a refined bloodline of performers comes a top-of-the-line race ready stunner so powerful it needed it's own call sign. They call it competition. We call it V." If their airbags are designed to explode during predictable patterns of performance driving, this is all one big (potentially deadly) sham. Any potential V buyer should be aware of this.

 

[nsaness]

The side curtain airbags on my 2013 V Wagon delpoyed while I was making a turn. No accident. No rollover. No damage on my car. Nothing. Just an exploded airbag. GM is conducting their "investigation" and have told me the car functioned "as designed" and that they aren't going to cover it under warranty. So, please be aware that GM thinks it's appropriate and normal for your airbags to explode in your face while driving your car. Consider returning your cars to Cadilllac ASAP. God forbid this happens to you on a canyon road or by innocent bystanders, as it's so shocking and loud that you could easily kill yourself and others because of the distraction.

I'm deeply disappointed by the response I've received from GM. I would've expected an apology and deep concern for my well being. But nope, I got none of that. These cars should be sold with a warning letter instead of the Nurburgring commercials they were advertised with. I was in love with my V and was becoming a brand loyalist, but if GM's position is that this is on me, then I'm moving on to car brands that don't explode in your face while driving (Porsche, BMW, Mercedes, etc.). Sucks. :thehand:

What were the driving conditions at the time this happened? If the car truly "functioned as designed", there must have been a certain amount of g force to trigger the airbag. This sounds like only half of the story...

----------

This is coming from GM itself. I was punted into their "Product Assistance Claim Department". This is their official corporate position. With the millions they spend on brand management and advertising, to take a position like this, which is so contrary to the entire marketing strategy of the V cars, is incredibly shortsighted and disappointing. Their own website says the following, written in text overlaid on a photo of a race-track: "Tailor-made to push performance to the brink. Brought to life purely for the thrill of the drive. No excuses. No trade-offs. No compromise. From a refined bloodline of performers comes a top-of-the-line race ready stunner so powerful it needed it's own call sign. They call it competition. We call it V." If their airbags are designed to explode during predictable patterns of performance driving, this is all one big (potentially deadly) sham. Any potential V buyer should be aware of this.

I also drive my car on the race track, and have done extremely aggressive driving events with many other V owners. I have not seen (or heard of) this happening to anyone else.

 

[vfaninva]

I also drive my car on the race track, and have done extremely aggressive driving events with many other V owners. I have not seen (or heard of) this happening to anyone else.

This has unfortunately happened before.

https://youtu.be/TCMZZPpC7AA

This guy was on his honeymoon IIRC and participating in a little autocross fun when it happened.

 

[GM-4-LIFE]

Why are you even messing with them? Get a lawyer and fight them on it!

 

[V Wagon]

Guy in the above video checking in. I know of a double digit number of Vs that have done this as well as several Camaros, people tend to tell me when it happens given the publicity I garnered from it happening. And that is just the ones I know about. Certainly not every one gets posted on here or brought to my attention. There are at least a few posts in this section of this forum where other people report this happening.

Here's a report of another recent case in a ZL1 from someone on Corvette Forum
http://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ing/3636344-disturbing-airbag-deployment.html

It is absolute bull shit that this continues to happen. The claim that the system is operating as designed is bull shit too. I was told my car reached 26 degrees of roll. 26 degrees across the width of a V is nearly 3 feet. Tell me where in the video posted above one side of my car is 3 feet higher than the other! I'll wait while you pinpoint the precise time in the video where it happens. Oh wait, IT ****ING DOESN'T HAPPEN.

jzips, I had responded to your prior PM. Can you check that and send me some details. I'll see if there is any way I can help you. It is bull shit that they won't cover it under warranty, I know it can be handled under warranty. I know of two cars, including mine, that have been done by warranty. It's over a $4000 repair.

----------

Why are you even messing with them? Get a lawyer and fight them on it!

Everyone that this happens to really does need to start fighting it. Seems like most just roll over and take it.

 

[nsaness]

This has unfortunately happened before.

https://youtu.be/TCMZZPpC7AA

This guy was on his honeymoon IIRC and participating in a little autocross fun when it happened.

Ok, I see that (for the first time). (BTW It's a good wife who lets you autocross on your honeymoon!)

I'm still not running to "return my V", "before I get killed" as the OP suggests.
Still sounds like half the story, or a "freak" type accident. I still wonder, was the OP taking a "normal" turn, or being aggressive?

----------

Guy in the above video checking in. I know of a double digit number of Vs that have done this as well as several Camaros, people tend to tell me when it happens given the publicity I garnered from it happening. And that is just the ones I know about. Certainly not every one gets posted on here or brought to my attention. There are at least a few posts in this section of this forum where other people report this happening.

Here's a report of another recent case in a ZL1 from someone on Corvette Forum
http://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...ing/3636344-disturbing-airbag-deployment.html

It is absolute bull shit that this continues to happen. The claim that the system is operating as designed is bull shit too. I was told my car reached 26 degrees of roll. 26 degrees across the width of a V is nearly 3 feet. Tell me where in the video posted above one side of my car is 3 feet higher than the other! I'll wait while you pinpoint the precise time in the video where it happens. Oh wait, IT ****ING DOESN'T HAPPEN.

jzips, I had responded to your prior PM. Can you check that and send me some details. I'll see if there is any way I can help you. It is bull shit that they won't cover it under warranty, I know it can be handled under warranty. I know of two cars, including mine, that have been done by warranty. It's over a $4000 repair.

----------

Whoa, more information that I didn't know. I'm going to put my foot in my mouth and shut up for a while.... (still not returning my cars though)

 

[V Wagon]

Here's the Jalopnik article that goes with the video.

http://jalopnik.com/5915824/watch-a-cadillac-cts-vs-airbags-explode-during-a-pre-wedding-autocross

The networking that put all that together is a bunch of total chance randomness that the guy who does this was basically at the center of.

https://www.facebook.com/Browndogwelding?fref=ts

----------

Because I pull the air bag fuses for auto xes (these cars have two, one under hood and one by battery, clearly marked in owner's manual, just an FYI) since the incident with my car, the fuses end up out of the car more than they are in the car. They are actually installed right now but they'll be back in the cup holder on Sunday.

 

[nsaness]

After some research, I see that various brands of cars and trucks have experienced false airbag deployment while auto-crossing, drifting, racing, and off-roading. It seems very rare, but possible in any vehicle (with aggressive driving).

----------

Here's the Jalopnik article that goes with the video.

http://jalopnik.com/5915824/watch-a-cadillac-cts-vs-airbags-explode-during-a-pre-wedding-autocross

The networking that put all that together is a bunch of total chance randomness that the guy who does this was basically at the center of.

https://www.facebook.com/Browndogwelding?fref=ts

----------

Because I pull the air bag fuses for auto xes (these cars have two, one under hood and one by battery, clearly marked in owner's manual, just an FYI) since the incident with my car, the fuses end up out of the car more than they are in the car. They are actually installed right now but they'll be back in the cup holder on Sunday.

I love that you still auto-cross! Between that and doing the Power Tour (and autocrossing) on your honeymoon... You sir are a hero.

 

[baabootoo]

NIHTSA; or the safety recall place. You can do a complaint online, then the BBB.

 

[dkozloski]

The airbags deploy in accordance with the specs in the federal regs. Sue Big Brother.

 

[jzips]

I wasn't doing anything as extreme as what Cadillac shows the car doing at the end of this commercial.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GTCKKMTPA9g

Funny that they didn't disclose in the commercial that your airbags will deploy if you use the car in the manner depicted. I'll upload pics of the perfect unmodified undamaged (apart from the deployed airbags) car for you all to see shortly.

 

[jzips]

Pics of the car

 

[catbert]

I'd share my grief by reporting the deployment to the Fed's website for automotive safety issue.

 

[eyeballs19]

I personally saw the rollover airbags deploy on a V a couple years ago at the small road course in Memphis at a Porsche event (PCA). Driver was braking and I think had just started turning into the corner and the bags went off. Dealer came to the track and loaded up the car and took it away. Never heard the outcome. Car was running track tires so the g-forces were higher than stock, but it wasn't some crazy curb-hopping event that fired them.

Was disappointing (and scary) to see first hand. Hope GM does the right thing, jzips.

 

[Zderf]

Where is our GM advocate that monitors this site? What say GM. Radio silence tells you this is an issue they choose not to acknowledge.

 

[nsaness]

I wasn't doing anything as extreme as what Cadillac shows the car doing at the end of this commercial.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GTCKKMTPA9g

Funny that they didn't disclose in the commercial that your airbags will deploy if you use the car in the manner depicted. I'll upload pics of the perfect unmodified undamaged (apart from the deployed airbags) car for you all to see shortly.

I certainly drive harder than that commercial every weekend. Don't mistake this (albeit extremely unfortunate) but rare occurrence as something the car is designed to do purposely.
It sounded like the GM investigation has not been completed yet, but I bet they make this "right" for you. In the meantime, it might make sense to contact the Cadillac zone representative and possibly the NHTSI. Maybe it would pay to write the Editors of Car and Driver or Autoweek too...

 

[AAIIIC]

The side curtain airbags on my 2013 V Wagon delpoyed while I was making a turn. No accident. No rollover. No damage on my car. Nothing. Just an exploded airbag. GM is conducting their "investigation" and have told me the car functioned "as designed" and that they aren't going to cover it under warranty.

Are they conducting their investigation, or have they already completed their investigation and given you the results?

Consider returning your cars to Cadilllac ASAP.

OK, I've considered that, and immediately determined that was an ill-advised course of action.

I was in love with my V and was becoming a brand loyalist, but if GM's position is that this is on me, then I'm moving on to car brands that don't explode in your face while driving (Porsche, BMW, Mercedes, etc.).

I wouldn't be so sure about that. Google for "BMW airbag deployed no reason" and guess what you'll find? I'm guessing I could insert just about any car manufacturer's name into that search string and I will find examples. Sometimes man-made systems fail despite the best engineering intentions. Obviously, it sucks if your car happens to be in the tiny fraction of vehicles affected by a fault like this, but the fact that things sometimes break or malfunction isn't something that any auto manufacturer (or manufacturer of any other product) should need to tell you. It's just reality.

Where is our GM advocate that monitors this site? What say GM. Radio silence tells you this is an issue they choose not to acknowledge.

It is possible they just haven't seen this thread. I know, that's crazy talk. If jzips wants to get their attention directly, there's a forum he can post inhttp://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/cadillac-customer-care-representatives-warranty-dealership/ to do so.

I certainly drive harder than that commercial every weekend. Don't mistake this (albeit extremely unfortunate) but rare occurrence as something the car is designed to do purposely.
It sounded like the GM investigation has not been completed yet, but I bet they make this "right" for you. In the meantime, it might make sense to contact the Cadillac zone representative and possibly the NHTSI.

Indeed.

 

[eldorado_sean]

Get a lawyer and give it to them!