Total Complaints
10 filings
CADILLAC CTS · model year
10 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report, and 2 active recalls for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
New Car Assessment Program
The 2018CADILLACCTS carries 10 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall 5/5 rating, with 5/5 front crash, 5/5 side crash, and 5/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2018 CTS is electrical system with 3 filings, followed by power train (3) and exterior lighting (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 2 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.
NHTSA currently has 10 investigation files overlapping the 2018 CTS, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
10 filings
Crashes Reported
1 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 3 |
| POWER TRAIN | 3 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 |
| ENGINE | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| AIR BAGS | 1 |
STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Cadillac CTS, 2017-2018 Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Camaro, and Chevrolet Corvette vehicles. The electric power steering (EPS) assist may fail.
STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Cadillac CTS, and 2017 Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Camaro, and Chevrolet Corvette vehicles. The electric power steering (EPS) assist system may fail.
THE TRANSMISSION "SHUDDERS". It does not happen with any regularity and with no advance warning. It may be electronic or mechanical or both.
THE TRANSMISSION "SHUDDERS". It does not happen with any regularity and with no advance warning. It may be electronic or mechanical or both.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? From 2018. The uauto start/stop system has failed 3 times. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? These components failing subjects the driver and surroundings to a stalled car that may not start again. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Inspection by vehicle dealer only. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No.
The airbag system failed to deploy during a single-vehicle accident in which the car left the service road and struck a tree. The vehicle sustained significant front-end damage. The driver lost consciousness or experienced disorientation and was unable to recall the events leading up to or immediately following the accident. The lack of airbag deployment increased the risk of serious injury, especially due to the vehicle impacting a tree and being lodged several feet off the road in the woods. Although there were no major injuries in this case, the airbag failure presented a serious safety risk and could have resulted in much worse outcomes. No, the airbag failure has not yet been confirmed or diagnosed by a dealership or independent service center. However, an insurance adjuster did state that based on the crash damage, the airbags should have deployed. The vehicle has not been inspected. No â there were no warning lights, messages, or symptoms indicating a problem with the airbag
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 fu
Rear differential failure confirmed by the dealer at 41,000 miles. Told not to drive it as rear wheels could lock up causing accident. Rear was making load noise 2 days prior to failure with fluid leak upon inspection. Dealer states failure is under warranty but no parts available for 3-6 months.
I WAS DRIVING MY 2018 CADILLAC CTS BETWEEN 50-60MPH AND I LIGHTLY TAPPED ON THE GAS AND THE CAR STARTED SHAKING AND VIBRATING. FELT LIKE IT COULD BE A TRANSMISSION OR A ENGINE MISFIRE. MY CARS TRANSMISSION ALSO SHIFTS VERY VERY ROUGH KINDLY JERKY WHICH CREATES A UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT WHILE IN MOTION. THIS IS A CONSISTENT ISSUE AND WITH MY CAR AND ONLY HAVING 12,000 MILES ON IT I FIND REALLY CONCERNING. THIS VIBRATION ONLY HAPPENS BETWEEN 50-60MPH AND THE ROUGH TRANSMISSION SHIFTING HAPPENS AS I DRIVE IT ALONG WITH VIBRATIONS ARE COMING FROM THE ENGINE WHICH SHAKE MY ENTIRE CAR. ALL SERVICES ARE UP TO DATE. CADILLAC AND GM ARE BOTH NOT SURE OF WHAT THE ISSUE CAN BE EVEN THOUGH THERE IS A PENDING CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FOR THE SAME ISSUE
Mileage: 12,300
I WAS DRIVING MY 2018 CADILLAC CTS BETWEEN 50-60MPH AND I LIGHTLY TAPPED ON THE GAS AND THE CAR STARTED SHAKING AND VIBRATING. FELT LIKE IT COULD BE A TRANSMISSION OR A ENGINE MISFIRE. MY CARS TRANSMISSION ALSO SHIFTS VERY VERY ROUGH KINDLY JERKY WHICH CREATES A UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT WHILE IN MOTION. THIS IS A CONSISTENT ISSUE AND WITH MY CAR AND ONLY HAVING 12,000 MILES ON IT I FIND REALLY CONCERNING. THIS VIBRATION ONLY HAPPENS BETWEEN 50-60MPH AND THE ROUGH TRANSMISSION SHIFTING HAPPENS AS I DRIVE IT ALONG WITH VIBRATIONS ARE COMING FROM THE ENGINE WHICH SHAKE MY ENTIRE CAR. ALL SERVICES ARE UP TO DATE. CADILLAC AND GM ARE BOTH NOT SURE OF WHAT THE ISSUE CAN BE EVEN THOUGH THERE IS A PENDING CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FOR THE SAME ISSUE
Mileage: 12,300
CUE DISPLAY PANEL SUDDENLY HAS STRANGE WEB-LIKE DEFECTS IN RIGHT SIDE OF PANEL. VEHICLE HAS BEEN MOSTLY PARKED IN SHADED DRIVEWAY DUE TO COVID-19 CLOSURES AND RESTRICTIONS. DRIVEN 2 -3 TIMES A WEEK ON GROCERY TRIPS.
Mileage: 7,250
THE CADILLAC DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS AND HEADLIGHTS EXCEED AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION EYE SAFETY REQUIREMENTS OF 3000K COLOR TEMPERATURE OR LESS. THE CADILLAC LIGHTS ARE DAMAGING THE EYES OF DRIVERS OF ONCOMING VEHICLES AND OF PEDESTRIANS. THE GLARE CAUSED BY THE CADILLAC LIGHTS PREVENT DRIVERS OF ONCOMING VEHICLES FROM PROPERLY ASSESSING ROAD CONDITIONS AND SURROUNDINGS.
Electronic Brake Module Component Failure
Rear-View Camera Failure
Roof Skin Separation While Driving
IEE Passenger Sensing System Mats
REAR DRIVETRAIN COMPONENT FAILURE
Data as of 2025. 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.