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CADILLAC · vehicle model

CADILLAC CTS

3,088 NHTSA complaints and 27 safety recalls across model years 2003–2019.

Complaints
3,088
Recalls
27
Model years
17

The CADILLACCTS appears in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database with 3,088 consumer safety complaints and 27 recall campaigns across 17 model years (2003–2019). That averages roughly 182 complaints per model year. Report counts can differ between model years for many reasons; this dataset does not establish the cause of a difference.

Complaint volume on a nameplate alone is not a reliability verdict: a long-running bestseller can accumulate more filings than a low-volume niche model because more vehicles are on the road. The table below shows report counts and published NHTSA crash-test ratings side by side for each model year. The filing-year histogram shows the timing of submitted reports, not a causal trend.

NHTSA has 10 investigation files tied to this model, with 1 currently open. Investigation records, complaint reports, and recall campaigns each provide different context. Use the official NHTSA VIN lookup and the underlying notices to research a specific vehicle; PlainCars does not infer a vehicle-risk or pricing conclusion from these records.

Complaints by Year

YearComplaints
201916
201810
201732
201647
201565
2014192
2013106
201281
2011148
2010101
2009222
2008251
2007311
2006366
2005396
2004294
2003450

Complaint Filing Trend

NHTSA complaint volume by year filed (not model year).

Filings moved from 695 in 2017-2021 to 274 in 2022-2026, a fall of 60.6%. That is the 35th percentile of change across the 772 nameplates with enough filings in both windows to compare, where 0 is the steepest fall and 100 the steepest rise.

Filing volume, not a reliability verdict: counts also move with how many vehicles are on the road, how old they are, and whether a recall drew attention. Computed from this portal's NHTSA filing-year records over the same two windows the trend rankings use.

18
’02
45
’03
62
’04
64
’05
128
’06
70
’07
141
’08
71
’09
182
’10
151
’11
127
’12
133
’13
451
’14
286
’15
190
’16
150
’17
164
’18
163
’19
131
’20
87
’21
88
’22
59
’23
59
’24
63
’25
5
’26

Year filed (bar labels show the complaint count).

View all trending models →

Compare CADILLACCTS to Similar Vehicles

CADILLACCTS vs KIASEPHIA → CADILLACCTS vs FORDTHUNDERBIRD → CADILLACCTS vs VOLKSWAGENTIGUAN → CADILLACCTS vs CHEVROLETVENTURE →

NHTSA Investigations 1 Open

PE24011Preliminary EvaluationOpen2024-04-11

Electronic Brake Module Component Failure

PE22006Preliminary EvaluationClosed2022-07-22

Rear-View Camera Failure

PE19001Preliminary EvaluationClosed2019-02-01

Roof Skin Separation While Driving

EQ11001EQClosed2011-02-07

IEE Passenger Sensing System Mats

EA07017Engineering AnalysisClosed2007-12-07

REAR DRIVETRAIN COMPONENT FAILURE

PE07037Preliminary EvaluationClosed2007-07-17

FAILURE OF THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL

EA06001Engineering AnalysisClosed2006-01-20

SUNROOF GLASS FAILURE

PE04060Preliminary EvaluationClosed2004-08-17

FAILING SEAT BELT BUCKLES

RQ99013Recall QueryClosed1999-06-10

CADILLAC COOLANT COOLED ALTERNATOR FIRES

SQ97017SQClosed1997-07-02

INADVERTENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT

Frequently Asked Questions

How reliable is the CADILLAC CTS?▼
The CADILLAC CTS has received 3,088 NHTSA complaints spanning model years 2003 to 2019, with 27 recalls. That averages about 182 complaints per model year.
What years of CADILLAC CTS are available?▼
PlainCars has complaint and recall data for the CADILLAC CTS from 2003 to 2019 (17 model years). Select any year to see component-level complaint breakdowns and safety ratings.
Does the CADILLAC CTS have safety ratings?▼
NHTSA safety ratings (NCAP 5-star program) are available for many CADILLAC CTS model years from 2011 onward. Select a specific year to see front crash, side crash, and rollover ratings where available.
What are the most common CADILLAC CTS complaints?▼
NHTSA complaints for the CADILLAC CTS are categorized by component, common areas include engine, transmission, electrical system, airbags, and brakes. Select a model year for a detailed component-by-component breakdown.
How do I check if my CADILLAC CTS has been recalled?▼
Visit the year-specific page on PlainCars to see all recalls for your model year, or enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov for official recall status and available remedies.
Data sources

Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.

Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. CADILLAC CTS totals are aggregated from the linked NHTSA model-year rows; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.