What breaks most · 2003 to 2018 model years
Cadillac CTS problems by year
Owners have filed 1,779 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Cadillac CTS across model years 2003 to 2018. Three years stand out: 2003 for electrical system complaints, 2005 for powertrain and transmission complaints and 2006 for air bags complaints. The quietest years are 2016, 2015 and 2014.
- Years to check closely: 2003, 2005, 2006
- Fewest complaints: 2016, 2015, 2014
- Complaints on file
- 17792003 to 2018, all trims
- Worst year
- 2003303 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 16630 fires · 130 injuries · 6 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 59kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 61Across 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 303 | 29 | 4 | Electrical system (51) | |
| 215 | 25 | 6 | Powertrain and transmission (50) | |
| 257 | 23 | 6 | Powertrain and transmission (80) | |
| 247 | 22 | 6 | Air bags (77) | |
| 187 | 22 | 6 | Air bags (53) | |
| 151 | 10 | 2 | Electrical system (32) | |
| 139 | 9 | 5 | Engine (37) | |
| 49 | 2 | 3 | Electrical system (13) | |
| 77 | 7 | 2 | Powertrain and transmission (16) | |
| 43 | 6 | 2 | Electrical system (10) | |
| 54 | 7 | 2 | Electrical system (23) | |
| 36 | 2 | 6 | Electrical system (8) | |
| 10 | 2 | 3 | Speed control and throttle (3) | |
| 7 | 0 | 4 | Electrical system (3) | |
| 3 | 0 | 2 | Steering (2) | |
| 1 | 0 | 2 | Exterior lighting (1) |
What fails on the 2003 Cadillac CTS
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 17% |
51 | 4 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2003 Cadillac CTS |
| Engine and coolingRadiators, thermostats and cooling | 13% |
38 | 0 | Shop engine and cooling parts for the 2003 Cadillac CTS |
| Exterior lightingHeadlights, tail lights and bulbs | 12% |
37 | 1 | Shop exterior lighting parts for the 2003 Cadillac CTS |
| Air bags | 12% |
35 | 16 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 9% |
27 | 3 | Shop steering parts for the 2003 Cadillac CTS |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 8% |
25 | 1 | Shop engine parts for the 2003 Cadillac CTS |
| Brakes (hydraulic)Brake pads, rotors and calipers | 8% |
25 | 3 | Shop brakes (hydraulic) parts for the 2003 Cadillac CTS |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 8% |
25 | 2 | Shop all powertrain and transmission 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.
-
My 2003 cadillac cts caught on fire. Fireman said that it was the windshield wiper module that caught on fire. The car was parked for hours and fire started while we was sleeping. The whole engine is burnt up and the car is totaled. Now i have no car and no money to get another car.
-
Vehicle dealer refused to perform open recalls. I replaced front brake hoses myself at my own cost. They stated very high mileage 184000 miles and you did not buy the car here.
-
Transmission failed without any warning. Should be a recall because easily could have gotten killed in traffic. GM mechanic advised that it is poorly designed coolant system and allowed antifreeze to enter transmission fluid causing the failure without any warning signs. *js
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 30, 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 CTS years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2003, 2005, 2006 carry the most filings on the Cadillac CTS. The 2003 alone has 303 complaints, led by electrical system.
What is the most common Cadillac CTS problem?
On the 2003 model year, the most-reported component is electrical system with 51 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Cadillac CTS problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Cadillac CTS complaints that include mileage is about 59,000 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.