CADILLAC CTS-V · model year

2011 CADILLAC CTS-V

8 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2011CADILLACCTS-V carries 8 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2011 CTS-V is power train with 3 filings, followed by air bags (2) and fuel/propulsion system (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.

NHTSA currently has 10 investigation files overlapping the 2011 CTS-V, 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.

8
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

8 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
POWER TRAIN3
AIR BAGS2
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM1
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1
SEAT BELTS1

Recent Complaints

20181203AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CADILLAC CTS-V. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO RICK HENDRICK CITY CHEVROLET (5101 EAST INDEPENDENCE BLVD, CHARLOTTE, NC) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SENSOR LOCATED INSIDE THE SEAT WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALER THAT THE PART NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN DISCONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND NO SOLUTION WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,000.

Mileage: 101,000

20180813POWER TRAIN

MY 2011 CTS-V REAR DIFFERENTIAL HAS NOW FAILED FOR THE SECOND TIME. FIRST OFF, MY CAR HAS BEEN BABIED AND EXTREMELY WELL TAKEN CARE OF. THE DIFFERENTIAL FIRST FAILED AT APPROXIMATELY 17,500 MILES AND NOW THIS SECOND TIME AT APPROXIMATELY 38,900 MILES. BOTH TIMES THE DIFFERENTIAL HAS STARTED TO MAKE WHINING AND/OR GROWLING NOISES THAT PROGRESSIVELY GET WORSE. MY DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE FIRST ONE AND HAS HAD THE SECOND ONE BACK ORDERED NOW FOR 2 MONTHS (NONE IN INVENTORY & NO ESTIMATED SHIPMENT). THIS IS A WELL REPORTED ISSUE (109 OCCURRENCES FOUND ON LINE) FOR THESE CARS. WHY HAS CADILLAC NOT ISSUED A RECALL AND AFFECTED A FIX? WHAT ARE THE NHTSA INVESTIGATION RESULTS?

Mileage: 38,900

20180809POWER TRAIN

MY CTS-V CURRENTLY HAS 56,000 MILES AND VERY WELL CARED FOR. MY PROBLEM STARTED AT 25,XXX MILES WITH A REAR SEAL LEAK, IT WAS REPLACED BY DEALER AND 9 MONTHS LATER STARTED LEAKING AGAIN. AFTER THE 4TH TRIP TO THE DEALER, THEY ARE NOW TELLING ME IT'S THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL THAT IS A 'KNOWN ISSUE' (WITH RECALLS ON THE EARLIER CTS-V'S FOR THE SAME PROBLEMS) THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE PROBLEM IS THERE ARE NO REAR DIFFERENTIALS! GM HAS DISCONTINUED THE PART ( MY CAR IS 6 1/2 YEARS OLD AND THEY MADE THIS CAR THROUGH 2015 AND GM SAYS THE PART IS DISCONTINUED! THE DEALERSHIP HAS INFORMED ME THAT THE CARE IS 'UNSAFE' TO DRIVE AND SUGGEST I PICK THE CAR UP ON A FLAT BED TRUCK AND TAKE BACK HOME AND GARAGE IT.

Mileage: 56,000

20171130AIR BAGS

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE PASSENGER SEATBELT LIGHT COMES ON WITH OR WITHOUT A PASSENGER BEING PRESENT. I TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE PASSENGER DETECTION MODULE WAS GOING OUT AND WHEN THE SEAT BELT LIGHT COMES ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS ARE DISABLED MEANING THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT FUNCTION IF I WERE TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT....I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THIS MODULE IS NECESSARY BECAUSE THE MODULE DETECTS THE WEIGHT OF THE PERSON TO DETERMINE IF THE PERSON WEIGHS ENOUGH TO DEPLOY THE AIRBAGS...IF AIRBAGS ARE A REQUIREMENT SHOULD THEM WORKING ALSO BE A REQUIREMENT.....I WAS THAT NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED FOR NHTSA TO ISSUES A RECALL. THAT'S LIKE SAYING NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE HAVE DIED TO FIX THE PROBLEM.

20171130SEAT BELTS

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE PASSENGER SEATBELT LIGHT COMES ON WITH OR WITHOUT A PASSENGER BEING PRESENT. I TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE PASSENGER DETECTION MODULE WAS GOING OUT AND WHEN THE SEAT BELT LIGHT COMES ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS ARE DISABLED MEANING THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT FUNCTION IF I WERE TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT....I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THIS MODULE IS NECESSARY BECAUSE THE MODULE DETECTS THE WEIGHT OF THE PERSON TO DETERMINE IF THE PERSON WEIGHS ENOUGH TO DEPLOY THE AIRBAGS...IF AIRBAGS ARE A REQUIREMENT SHOULD THEM WORKING ALSO BE A REQUIREMENT.....I WAS THAT NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED FOR NHTSA TO ISSUES A RECALL. THAT'S LIKE SAYING NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE HAVE DIED TO FIX THE PROBLEM.

20170803UNKNOWN OR OTHER

FIRST, PLEASE KNOW THE CAR IS A 2011 IN MINT CONDITION...STILL SMELLS NEW. I ONLY HAVE 19,500 MILES ON IT AND IT HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. IT SPENDS MOST OF ITS LIFE AS A GARAGE QUEEN AS IT IS MY DREAM CAR AND STAYS PROTECTED. TRUNK GETS SATURATED EVERY TIME WATER (RAIN, HOSE, ETC) GETS ON IT WHETHER DRIVING OR SITTING STILL. I PULLED THE FABRIC PANELS OUT OF THE TRUNK AND FOUND WATER LEAKING IN AT THE 3RD BRAKE LIGHT (6 BOLTS AND 3 ALIGNMENT PINS) AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE BRAKE LAMP (3 SCREWS, 1 WIRING HARNESS, AND A BODY PLUG). THAT'S 14 PENETRATIONS THAT WERE LEAKING. GM ASKED THAT I PAY THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP TO DIAGNOSE (WHICH I HAD ALREADY DONE BUT I OBLIGED ANYWAY) AND TO SEND THEM THE REPORT AND INVOICE. I DID THIS AND INCLUDED PICTURES OF THE WATER LEAKS. DEALERSHIP WANTS $1,380.08 TO CORRECT THIS BY REPLACING 3RD BRAKE LIGHT, ADDING GROMMET KIT, AND REPLACING DRIVER'S SIDE BRAKE LAMP. GM ONLY OFFERED A $100 VOUCHER TO ASSIST IN THE REPAIR BUT WILL NOT FIX THE ISSUE

Mileage: 19,452

20170803POWER TRAIN

PLEASE KNOW THE CAR IS IN MINT CONDITION AND HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS MY DREAM CAR AND STAYS WELL KEPT IN MY GARAGE. IT ONLY HAS 19,500 MILES ON IT. REAR DIFFERENTIAL WHINES OR HOWLS BETWEEN 40-70MPG WHEN UNDER LIGHT LOAD (LIKE CRUISING OR USING CRUISE CONTROL) IN 4TH, 5TH, AND 6TH GEAR.

Mileage: 18,500

20170601FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

GASOLINE LEAK FROM THE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY, ON TOP OF THE GAS TANK. I NOTICED A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE AND UPON LOOKING UNDER MY CAR, NEAR THE PASSENGER REAR TIRE, I FOUND A SMALL PUDDLE OF GASOLINE ON THE GROUND. I COULD SEE GASOLINE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE TANK. I RESEARCHED ON THE CTSVOWNERS.COM FORUM AND RATHER QUICKLY FOUND OTHERS WITH THE EXACT SAME ISSUE. IN ORDER TO FIX THE ISSUE, THE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY (PART# 19207950) HAD TO BE REPLACED. I THINK THIS WARRANTS A RECALL, BECAUSE THE SMELL OF GASOLINE IS SO HEAVY IT MIGHT CAN IGNITE IN A GARAGE AND POTENTIAL DANGER FROM CATCHING FIRE WHILE DRIVING, DUE TO THE PROXIMITY TO THE EXHAUST. EACH OF THE CARS I READ WITH THE SAME ISSUE, ALL HAD LESS THAN 50K MILES.

Mileage: 48,000

Compare 2011CADILLACCTS-V to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 1 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2011 CADILLAC CTS-V have?
The 2011 CADILLAC CTS-V has 8 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2011 CADILLAC CTS-V?
The most-complained component for the 2011 CADILLAC CTS-V is POWER TRAIN with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include AIR BAGS and FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM.
Is the 2011 CADILLAC CTS-V safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

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.