118 of the
3,104 complaints filed about the Cadillac CTS
are about the other systems —
4% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2008.
Vehicle primarily failed while parked at owner residence [XXX] and remained inoperable for approximately three weeks prior to tow to Cadillac dealership. The ignition key became trapped and could not be removed. A manual override release beneath the driver-side steering column was required to free the key — confirming the lock was held electronically, not mechanically jammed. Fault confirmed by authorized Cadillac dealer: intermittent electrical fault within the shifter assembly lock mechanism. A similar intermittent concern was previously documented on this vehicle in 2011 (logged as "Customer Concern Not Duplicated"), establishing a recurring pattern. GM Technical Service Bulletin 07-07-30-032D (2006–2011 Cadillac CTS, automatic transmission) explicitly documents this exact condition: key sticking, Shift to Park DIC message, shifter binding, and battery drain. OEM replacement part is now discontinued. Manufacturer declined goodwill or recall coverage. Dealer refuses repair unless owner assumes full financial responsibility for a used part with no warranty and no guarantee against recurrence. Safety concern: ignition/shift interlock failure causing vehicle immobilization, key entrapment, and loss of transportation for an elderly owner dependent on the vehicle for medical care. Defect evades shop diagnosis due to intermittency. No safe OEM remedy exists. Prior recall: NHTSA 14V394000 / GM Campaign 14172 addressed same interlock system. Current failure represents recurrence beyond that recall's scope. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11737285 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I am filing a complaint against Wagner Cadillac in Tyler, Texas, regarding mishandled recall service that resulted in severe damage to my 2014 Cadillac CTS Vsport (3.6 Twin-Turbo). Timeline of Events: Wagner Cadillac performed Recall #N192279370 (rear differential). At the time, only the differential code was present. Their own multipoint inspection showed no issues with the cooling or transmission systems. Immediately after recall service, my rear axle warning light came on for the first time. Shortly after, the transmission cooler line at the radiator burst, causing coolant and transmission fluid to mix. This led to overheating, hard shifting, and slipping. To limp the car home safely, I used a stop-leak additive only after the breakdown. The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act clearly states warranty coverage cannot be denied unless the additive directly caused the failure, which it did not. The damage had already occurred from the ruptured line. When I returned the vehicle, Wagner Cadillac falsely accused me of voiding coverage due to the additive. They then refused to repair my transmission or cooling system, leaving me with a $30,000+ estimate. Why They Are Responsible: The problems began only after recall work. During service, Wagner Cadillac could have: Over-pressurized the system during testing. Improperly disturbed or reinstalled transmission cooler lines. Failed to secure or bleed the cooling system. Any of these actions could have caused the rupture. Their refusal to acknowledge this shifts unlawful blame onto me. Additional Concerns: Instead of helping me, Wagner Cadillac attempted to solicit me to sell them my broken car and buy another vehicle from them — both before and after they denied repairs. This is unethical and exploitative. Impact: I paid cash for this car not long ago. I have now lost reliable transportation, lost my job due to lack of mobility, and face financial INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11689733 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The Cadillac CUE screen cracks and becomes unresponsive. When driving this is effecting anything related to system including navigation, radio, hvac, phone and all other functions creating a distraction to the driver that could lead to an accident. This is not the first time that this has happened to me and I’ve noticed that each time the issue is created is during hot days in southern states. This has never happened during the winter. This is my 2nd Cadillac in a row that has had this problem repeatedly. Happens every 2 to 3 years. This might not seem like an issue but it poses a major safety hazard to all people in vehicles around them and an immediate recall and investigation should be taken seriously. A lawsuit was settled for some owners but all owners should be notified and repairs should be completed at the manufacturers expense regardless of age or mileage.
NHTSA complaint #11688654 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
OnStar is unable to communicate with my vehicle. When I bought the car 2 years ago, it connected fine. Not OnStar is unable to ping my car. Appears the. Module goes out on a lot of cars since I was told it is on back order and not sure if that was the true peoblem
NHTSA complaint #11685188 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The gear shifter cable on my 2014 Cadillac CTS failed completely and without warning. The vehicle became totally inoperable and could not be shifted into Park, Neutral, Reverse, or Drive. There were no dashboard alerts or signs of failure. This matches the exact symptoms described in GM Recall No. 21V473000. However, my vehicle was excluded from further action because it had previously received a visual-only inspection during the recall window. No functional testing was performed. Despite being marked as “repaired,” the shifter cable failed exactly as described in the original recall. GM confirmed that the recall case was closed after a visual inspection per their protocol. But this inspection clearly failed to detect a dangerous mechanical defect. I have now been without a working vehicle for over two weeks, with the earliest dealership appointment not available until the week of July 7 — and a $180 diagnostic fee quoted, with no guarantee of repair coverage. This breakdown could have resulted in a crash or rollaway if it had occurred while driving or parked on an incline. It poses a serious safety risk not just to me but to the public. Vehicles cleared with insufficient inspection should not be excluded from protection. I respectfully request that NHTSA investigate this failure, hold GM accountable for prematurely closed recall cases, and consider requiring them to reopen and expand the campaign to include VINs like mine. I am willing to provide photos, documentation, and records as needed. Thank you for your attention and swift consideration.
NHTSA complaint #11670528 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I haven't had a problem with my car and my truck. But my main concern is the LED and laser headlights almost every new car and truck that comes equipped with them. Even the aftermarket replacement bulbs and light assemblies, they are way too bright at night. Blindly bright. I have to put my hand in front of my eyes and face to reduce the amount of glare. I feel like these headlights can be a safety hazard to drivers at night.
NHTSA complaint #11669877 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
To whom it may concern, My name is [XXX] . I am writing this correspondence with regard to a purchase of a 2009 Cadillac CTS . I purchased the vehicle for my mother in Missouri December 2022. I reside in California and had the vehicle shipped to California when my mother relocated to California. The vehicle had not been driven frequently. In September of 2024, my mother was driving on the freeway when she heard what sounded like metal hitting the underside of the car. My mother stopped twice on the freeway and contacted me to inform of the sound. I asked my mom if she was close to our residence, and she stated that she was close. I advised that she attempt to drive slowly home. My mom made her way to the residence, pulled into the driveway, and the vehicle accelerated with no prompting on the gas through my residence. I contacted General Motors to inform of the concern. GM sent out a representative who has determined the accident was intentional citing my mother hit the gas pedal. This incident has caused medical concerns with my mother. She has had to seek medical care on an ongoing basis (with her legs swelling, constant headaches, back concerns, and etc.). I am writing because I was not made aware by GM there had been a recall, and other individuals were experiencing the same concerns with this particular vehicle. GM claimed the issue with the recall of this vehicle had been rectified, but failed to give a date of the repair. I am writing this with concerns to prevent other individuals experiencing the same mishap with this vehicle, to prevent others from harm or worse. Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11648137 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vehicle Purchase Statement – Top Tier Auto I, [XXX] , purchased a vehicle from Top Tier Auto on [XXX]. The vehicle details are as follows: VIN: [XXX] Warranty: 30-day coverage for the transmission and engine After owning the vehicle for only 15 minutes, I entered the freeway, and the car began to shake violently. Shortly after, a gentleman driving behind me alerted me that sparks and fire were falling from beneath the car. I immediately pulled over, just before the engine burst into flames. The Columbus Police Department responded to the scene and had to extinguish the fire. This incident occurred within minutes of purchasing the vehicle, despite the supposed 30-day warranty covering the transmission and engine. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11639210 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to express my serious concerns regarding a known issue with the 2018 Cadillac CTS that poses a significant safety risk. The LCD/backup display screen in my 2018 Cadillac CTS has cracked on its own, taking up the entire display. This is a well-documented problem that many Cadillac owners have reported to GM, yet the manufacturer refuses to take responsibility or remedy the situation. The cracked display screen severely compromises the vehicle's safety features and functionality, including the backup camera and critical driver information. Driving with a completely shattered display is extremely dangerous and unacceptable. As the manufacturer, GM is fully aware of this defect but has failed to issue a recall or provide any solutions to affected customers. This is negligent and puts the safety of drivers and passengers at risk. I demand that GM take immediate action to address this issue, whether through a recall, extended warranty coverage, or full replacement of the faulty display screens. Leaving customers with such a critical safety hazard is unacceptable.
NHTSA complaint #11590522 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I took my car 1200 Moss St., bingo alignment, and two weeks after my alignment my steering wheel shipped and I bought it over to the shop and told them that they did not talk to the school down on my control arms and the lady told me to get off of her premises and get out and I think that’s not right she did not on her warranty and I called the police to get an incident report and she just was belligerent and pull guns on me and do all kind of crazy stuff. I would like to have someone investigate her please
NHTSA complaint #11574212 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was driving down the road going Bout 29 miles per hour when I heard a big boom. It sounded ND felt like I had hit something . So I slowed down and pulled over to the side of the road put the car in park looked underneath nothing was there . I then preceeded to my at. Which thank God was only another block away .I started going only going maybe 5 miles per hour at this point because it sounds like I'm dragging like metals on the ground . When I got to my apt. I went to park the car when I went to put it into park it would not go when I went to reverse it would nit go it still went into drive and thTs it and even getting it into driveyou really had to push it and it felt like the tires were going to wobble off , I mean bye this time it just felt like the car was gonna fall apart shaking abd wobbling all over because I kept trying g to go from drive to neutral to get it to go into park but it didn't budge I had to leave it in neutral and put on the emergency break and shut the car off leaving my key I side cause it wS stuck due to the car not going into park. When I came out of my apt. I wS just frazzled I didn't understand whT wS going on she hD been running beautifully. But I did remember when I first test drove her I had told the sales man she had felt like I wS pulling something she wS kinda hesitant to excelerate . He assured me she's had a 5 star inspection and the whole cars under warranty ND he works on cadillacs himself . Yada Yada Yada. I had called. Friend to come help me tow her home . He tried to get her to manually go into drive but it still wouldn't budge he thought maybe the shift link u til we got her home it was the drive shaft it had sheered off all the bolt one half was on the one part the other part of the bolt were broke off where it connected to the tyranny. He said you can't replace this with out trying to back our the bolts but there metric bolts and would be hard to find . And I would just be better off with a new driveshaft.
NHTSA complaint #11543065 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Every time it rains, the inside of my vehicle floods through the ceiling and floors. This is a manufacture defect that is outside of my control. This is a safety issue because it causes mold and mildew in the vehicle which is a hazard to inhale. I'm also concerned that the possibility exist for an electrical hazard.
NHTSA complaint #11527117 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
There have been a collection of other Vin numbers for this year make and model for the symptoms I have been experiencing since taking ownership in 2019. The vehicle will stall while running and randomly disable ALL WHEEL drive, Traction Control, ABS, and send Check engine light on causing me amdy son on infinite number of times to almost be hit In the middle of amd intersection, after a stop sign at low speeds, upon turning the wheels into or put of driveway, parking spaces and worst off at 60 mph on a freeway. This has resulted in multiple near accidents as the vehicle randomly disables itself. It occurs mostly after pressing the brakes to shift gears and almost always causes the vehicle to become inoperable for over an hour where it sits as there is no option to disable AWD or choose from FWD OR RWD. It happens in manual mode (or called performance mode) as well as automatic mode and has been occurring for 5 and a half years. I have been charged an exorbitant amount for supposed repairs from.dealers and mechanics who have claimed to fix it and I have severe autoimmune disease, a foot prosthetic, AND a minor child I have to transport to and from.school in the car. My issue and warning lights and symptoms mirror the recall of the Vin numbers the manufacturer has performed the recall repair on exactly and yet I have been sent from dealers who refuse to check the part that's defective which is I believe the hydrolic brake rod to the brake petal. The bold needs to be simply retorqued to the proper torque to fix the problem as it was either assembled improperly torqued and or can loosen over time resulting in dangerous and immediate and unexpected complete loss of power to the vehicle allowing people to slam into you at any time. I have had it towed numerous times after these incidents. All features, climate control, locks, entertainment, windows and everything functions when this happens. I have replaced batteries, brakes, oil changes etc. Unresolved.
NHTSA complaint #11525157 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The car constantly makes a noise. Even when it's parked you can still smell gas. It jerks all the time. Been having problem with it since day one I got it.
NHTSA complaint #11525016 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The backup camera grid on our 2019 vehicle disappears most of the time when we start in reverse after turning on the engine. We have taken our vehicle into local Cadillac dealership service departments over the past 3 years and they have replaced cables, backup camera, radio equipment, interface screen, etc. with no resolution. This issue with the backup camera grid also seems to be tied to a problem with loading profiles upon startup, radio issues, etc. We are writing to NHTSA because we feel that the backup camera grid disappearing is a safety issue.
NHTSA complaint #11506022 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Rear Carrier Assembly is making grinding noise. Mechanic says that driving car could be life threatening. GM and Cadillac dealership has no parts. So car is useless. The car has 56,000 miles. There should be a recall and remedy for this Model, 2014 Cadillac 3.6L CTS. Especially when the V version of this car already has a recall. GM should be held accountable for this design flaw.
NHTSA complaint #11493168 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Brakes , emergency brake , engine overheating , How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Car shut off in the highway while i was with my kids Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? yes it went in the shop 05/12/22 but problem with car still continued Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Yes i dont know how it passed due to emergency brake and engine & brakes Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? yes first engie light came on then car shut off
NHTSA complaint #11475966 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
This is a continuing concerning issue that I've experienced resulting in a major safety hazard, that intel the RWD differential/drivetrain, which is a common safety concern with the 2014 CTS Sedans. There are no recalls from the persistent complaints and concern about this issue. The wearing down of the pinion seal, causing leaks, that have been repaired several times, which constantly reappears, after months to a year of being repaired at certified Cadillac dealerships. Now the GM/Cadillac dealerships are highly recommending a full differential replacement. Unfortunately, there are no differential parts nationwide to repair the issue. The GM manufactures have either discontinued the part or it's been express the parts are on back order from 3 to 6 months, or even up to a year to receive that particular part, yet there's still no recall on this issue. This safety concern needs to be address ASAP. This can prevent power to RWD, causing an accident at driving speeds, damaging the internal drive train as well. Other motorist, as well as passengers and vehicle operator would be at great risk, if this issue is not resolved. It's also costly and very expensive to repair. I have paid for a tremendous amount of money trying to get this reoccurring and repetitive issue resolved, without a reasonable resolution from GM or and Cadillac dealership to even offer a goodwill repair for this problem.
NHTSA complaint #11458900 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.