Cadillac Cts Reliability
3,090 NHTSA complaints (2003–2019). Complaint rate: 241.8 per 1,000 vehicles.
Which Years to Buy & Avoid
Years auto-clustered by complaint volume relative to this model's median.
Bottom line: Avoid the 2003–2009 Cadillac Cts (240 crash-related complaints). The 2015–2019 models had significantly fewer reported issues. Most common issue across all years: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Avoid These Years
Average
Better Years
A model's reputation is just the start.
Even within the “good” years, individual cars can have hidden accidents, title issues, or odometer rollbacks. Check the actual VIN before you buy — full history report for $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Complaints by Model Year
NHTSA complaint count per model year
Common Cadillac Cts Problems
Most reported component complaints to NHTSA
| Component | Complaints | Crash % |
|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 353 | 5.4% |
| AIR BAGS | 329 | 23.4% |
| POWER TRAIN | 288 | 2.8% |
| ENGINE | 233 | 2.6% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 193 | 14.0% |
| STEERING | 143 | 14.0% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 117 | 5.1% |
| POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT | 109 | 1.8% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 95 | 30.5% |
| SUSPENSION | 84 | 6.0% |
Year-by-Year Breakdown
NHTSA complaint count per model year — click any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
| Year | Generation | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003AVOID | — | 450 | 46 | 19 | View 2003View→ |
| 2004AVOID | — | 294 | 33 | 1 | View 2004View→ |
| 2005AVOID | — | 396 | 45 | 6 | View 2005View→ |
| 2006AVOID | — | 368 | 39 | 3 | View 2006View→ |
| 2007AVOID | — | 311 | 44 | 9 | View 2007View→ |
| 2008AVOID | — | 251 | 15 | 8 | View 2008View→ |
| 2009AVOID | — | 222 | 18 | — | View 2009View→ |
| 2010 | — | 101 | 3 | 2 | View 2010View→ |
| 2011 | — | 148 | 14 | 6 | View 2011View→ |
| 2012GOOD | — | 81 | 10 | — | View 2012View→ |
| 2013 | — | 106 | 20 | — | View 2013View→ |
| 2014 | — | 192 | 8 | — | View 2014View→ |
| 2015GOOD | — | 65 | 4 | 3 | View 2015View→ |
| 2016GOOD | — | 47 | 0 | 3 | View 2016View→ |
| 2017GOOD | — | 32 | 1 | — | View 2017View→ |
| 2018GOOD | — | 10 | 1 | — | View 2018View→ |
| 2019GOOD | — | 16 | 0 | — | View 2019View→ |
See also: Cadillac Ctsaccident & safety statistics from our vehicle history database.
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