What breaks most · 2020 to 2026 model years
Cadillac CT5 problems by year
Owners have filed 97 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Cadillac CT5 across model years 2020 to 2026. Three years stand out: 2020 for powertrain and transmission complaints, 2021 for electrical system complaints and 2023 for powertrain and transmission complaints. The quietest years are 2024 and 2022.
- Years to check closely: 2020, 2021, 2023
- Fewest complaints: 2024, 2022
- Complaints on file
- 972020 to 2026, all trims
- Worst year
- 202038 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 100 fires · 8 injuries · 1 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 27kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 12Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 38 | 2 | 4 | Powertrain and transmission (14) | |
| 23 | 3 | 4 | Electrical system (8) | |
| 10 | 0 | 2 | Body and structure (3) | |
| 12 | 3 | 1 | Powertrain and transmission (5) | |
| 2 | 1 | 0 | Air bags (1) | |
| 8 | 1 | 0 | Unknown or other (3) | |
| 4 | 0 | 1 | Forward collision system (3) |
What fails on the 2020 Cadillac CT5
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 37% |
14 | 1 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Unknown or other | 29% |
11 | 0 | — |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 21% |
8 | 1 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2020 Cadillac CT5 |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 18% |
7 | 0 | Shop engine parts for the 2020 Cadillac CT5 |
| Body and structureDoors, latches and body hardware | 13% |
5 | 0 | Shop all body and structure parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Wheels | 5% |
2 | 0 | — |
| Speed control and throttleThrottle and pedal sensors | 5% |
2 | 0 | Shop speed control and throttle parts for the 2020 Cadillac CT5 |
| Latches and locksDoor latches and actuators | 5% |
2 | 0 | Shop all latches and locks parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
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I've owned 2 ct5 each one had their turbos go out at 55k miles each and valves bodies that need replacing around 70k for each vehicle
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Driver Side door handle stops working. Because the door handle operates with a sensor and not a standard pull door handle something is being affected and it will not open door. Causing safety issue and not being able to enter car normally.
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Driver Door continue to not open. You must remove key cover off handle and manually open door with key or roll down all windows with Keyfob to reach in to open doors
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Cadillac CT5 years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2020, 2021, 2023 carry the most filings on the Cadillac CT5. The 2020 alone has 38 complaints, led by powertrain and transmission.
What is the most common Cadillac CT5 problem?
On the 2020 model year, the most-reported component is powertrain and transmission with 14 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Cadillac CT5 problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Cadillac CT5 complaints that include mileage is about 27,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.