FaultScore

Cadillac CT5 vs BMW 540I

Both cars' complete complaint records, side by side.

Read the totals carefully. NHTSA publishes no sales figures, so the car that sold more collects more complaints regardless of quality. The rows worth weighing are the proportions — the share of complaints that involved harm, and which part dominates.

Measure Cadillac CT5 BMW 540I
Complaints on file 138 340
Model years covered 2020–2026 1994–2025
Worst model year 2020 2018
Best model year 2025 1994
Crashes reported 18 26
Fires reported 0 7
Injuries reported 12 14
Deaths reported 1 0
Most complained-about part Transmission & Drivetrain Engine & Cooling
Share of complaints involving harm 22.5% 13.8%

Cadillac CT5 by year

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks

Transmission & Drivetrain 22 15.9%
Electrical System 20 14.5%
Other & Unspecified 16 11.6%
Body & Structure 15 10.9%
Driver Assist & Collision Avoidance 13 9.4%
Engine & Cooling 12 8.7%
Airbags 7 5.1%
Steering 5 3.6%

BMW 540I by year

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks

Engine & Cooling 70 20.6%
Airbags 49 14.4%
Transmission & Drivetrain 23 6.8%
Brakes 21 6.2%
Steering 17 5.0%
Seats 17 5.0%
Seat Belts 16 4.7%