CSR

Cadillac · NHTSA safety record

2010 Cadillac CTS

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

67

Complaints

2

Crashes

1

Fires

5

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2010 Cadillac CTS have filed 67 safety complaints with NHTSA between October 2010 and March 2025. The most complained-about system is the air bags, named in 16 of them (24%). The typical failure was reported at 56,000 miles, the median across the 41 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 3 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (3)

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

14V394000 · July 2, 2014

The defect
This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on July 2, 2014 that they are recalling 554,328 model year 2003-2014 Cadillac CTS vehicles manufactured August 16, 2001, to April 28, 2014, and 2004-2006 Cadillac SRX vehicles manufactured March 20, 2003, to August 11, 2006. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.
The risk
If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on September 15, 2014. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 14172.

General Motors LLC · up to 554,328 vehicles across all model years covered

SUSPENSION:REAR

11V089000 · February 11, 2011

The defect
GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009-2010 CADILLAC CTS VEHICLES. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE A CONDITION IN WHICH A WAX COATING ON THE REAR SUSPENSION TOE LINK JAM NUTS MAY ALLOW THE NUT(S) TO LOOSEN. IF A NUT SUFFICIENTLY LOOSENS, THE TOE LINK COULD SEPARATE AND THE REAR WHEEL WOULD BE ABLE TO TURN INBOARD OR OUTBOARD. OWNERS MAY HEAR A METALLIC CLANKING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE THAT MAY WARN OF A LOOSENING NUT.
The risk
THE DRIVER MAY EXPERIENCE SUDDEN CHANGES WITH VEHICLE HANDLING AND MAY NOT BE ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL CLEAN ALL WAX RESIDUE FROM THE REAR SUSPENSION TOE LINK AND INSTALL TWO NEW JAM NUTS. IF NECESSARY THE REAR SUSPENSION TOE LINK MAY BE REPLACED. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE MARCH 24, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339 AND AT THE OWNER CENTER AT WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM.

GENERAL MOTORS CORP. · up to 44,147 vehicles across all model years covered

EQUIPMENT

10V414000 · September 13, 2010

The defect
GM IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009-2010 CADILLAC CTS ALL WHEEL DRIVE AND CTS-V VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION."
The risk
IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE FRONT PASSENGER MAY BE AT AN INCREASED RISK OF LEG INJURY.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT ASSEMBLY AND, IN SOME VEHICLES MODIFY THE INSTRUMENT PANEL STRUCTURE. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 20, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339.

GENERAL MOTORS CORP. · up to 20,224 vehicles across all model years covered

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 67.

AIR BAGS 16 24%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 16 24%
ENGINE 10 15%
POWER TRAIN 9 13%
STRUCTURE 8 12%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 7 10%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 7 10%
SERVICE BRAKES 5 7%
STEERING 5 7%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 2 3%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 2 3%
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES 2 3%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2014 at 18.

2010 2014 2025
2010 to 2025

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

2 injured · crash · 35,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CADILLAC CTS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE RIGHT AND CRASHED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BRUISING AND THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED KNEE INJURIES, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V394000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000. UPDATED 01/20/15*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE RECALL NOTICE WAS NOT RECEIVED UNTIL A YEAR AFTER THE FAILURE. UPDATED 10/7/2015*JS

NHTSA complaint 10644498. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · 60,000 miles

I HAVE A 2010 CTS CADILLAC; I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT ON 9/3/2013 IN WHICH I WAS T-BONE BY SOME RUNNING A RED LIGHT MY AIRBAGS DID OT DEPLOY, I HAVE INJURIES FROM THAT ACCIDENT THAT I AM STILL DEALING WITH. I WAS STOPPED AT STOP LIGHT IN A 2 WAY LEFT TURN I WAS ON THE OUTSIDE THE BLIND SIDE. WHEN THE LIGHT TURN GREEN A SLOW PULLED OUT AND MADE A WIDE TURN TO GIVE THE TRUCK ON MY INSIDE PLENTY OF ROOM THE NEXT THING I REMEMBER I WAS SPINNING IN THE ROAD, OVER $7000 IN DAMAGE TO MY CAR, I HAVE SERVE NERVE DAMAGE TO MY LEFT HAND, ELBOW AND A TORN ROTATOR CUP. THIS ACCIDENT HAPPEN AT THE INTERSECTION OF HWY 17 & HWY 24/258 JACKSONVILLE, NC COMING HOME FROM MY GRAND DAUGHTER 3RD BIRTHDAY

NHTSA complaint 10617100, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE

1 injured · 38,000 miles

I USED THE REMOTE TO OPEN THE POWER LIFTGATE. I LEANED INTO THE BACK OF THE WAGON TO RETRIEVE SOMETHING, AND THE LIFTGATE CRASHED DOWN ONTO MY BACK. IT LIFTED BACK UP, AND THEN CRASHED DOWN AGAIN. I WAS ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE WAY, AND THE PROCESS WAS REPEATED UNTIL I MANUALLY SLAMMED THE LIFTGATE CLOSED. I OPENED IT AGAIN WITH THE REMOTE, AND THE SAME PROCESS OCCURRED. I CHANGED THE SETTING OF THE LIFTGATE TO MANUAL AND LIFTED IT MYSELF, AND AGAIN IT CRASHED DOWN. IT BRUISED MY BACK AND SHOULDER, BUT COULD HAVE DONE GRIEVOUS HARM TO SOMEONE ELSE. I AM TAKING IT TO THE DEALER TOMORROW. *TR

NHTSA complaint 10466697. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

1 injured · 60,000 miles

THE REAR HATCHBACK LIFTS FAILED AND THE HATCH SPONTANEOUSLY CLOSES. THE PART THAT IS UNREASONABLE IS IT CLOSES UNDER POWER AND SLAMS ON MY HEAD INJURING MY HEAD AND NECK WITH POWER ASSIST! THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR IS PARKED AND I ACCESS THE REAR HATCH. IT HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES. NOW I HAVE TO REMEMBER TO HOLD IT UP FORCEFULLY WHILE A MOTOR PUSHES TO CLOSE IT.

NHTSA complaint 11071919. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING
All of a sudden when I started my car, the lights flickered constantly, the power steering failed, and it blew my starter and fairly new battery. I was so scared; I thought it was going to catch on fire because it smelled burnt. And I was on [XXX] in Hubbard Ohio, and I was trying to get to [XXX] and safety to which I did. THANK Goodness for AAA. I was told this happened because of a plug in wiring to heat or warm the washer fluid. It is available for inspection. My safety was impacted because, I had no power steering, flickering lights and smell of burnt stuff. My problem was fixed by an independent shop. My vehicle was not inspected by a GM dealer or my insurance. Was inspected by an

NHTSA complaint 11649524, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS
Airbag warning light and Service Air Bag on dash. Code B0087-00 Left Rear SIS. Replaced sensor, still getting warning. Sensor is in LR door. Research revealed possible known issue with bending fatigue from routine door open/close motion and subpar wire size/material causing wire failure. Opened wire harness at pillar and green/black wire was completely separated at typical bending point. Light blue wire was not visibly broken (insulation still intact) but the wire within was broken upon removal of insulation. These are the two wires (light blue and green/black) to the impact sensor. Please investigate GM use of substandard or undersize wiring in entire SRS system especially at bending

NHTSA complaint 11617299, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STEERING
I took my car 1200 Moss St., bingo alignment, and two weeks after my alignment my steering wheel shipped and I bought it over to the shop and told them that they did not talk to the school down on my control arms and the lady told me to get off of her premises and get out and I think that’s not right she did not on her warranty and I called the police to get an incident report and she just was belligerent and pull guns on me and do all kind of crazy stuff. I would like to have someone investigate her please

NHTSA complaint 11574212. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS
Passenger presence module malfunction is intermittent. When the malfunction occurs there is a warning light plus "Service Airbag" on the instrument panel. Sometimes the light and warning go off after several minutes, sometimes stays on for days. In Virginia presence of this warning during an annual safety inspection is considered a failure. The vehicle in question is a 2010 Cadillac CTS-V with heated/cooled Recaro seats. Dealership has confirmed that the issue is the module but says the module is not available or on backorder (for years). Issue was first reported to dealer in 2018 and again in 2022 with no resolution. Estimated repair cost is in excess of $1500.

NHTSA complaint 11556098. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STRUCTURE:BODY
Every time it rains, the inside of my vehicle floods through the ceiling and floors. This is a manufacture defect that is outside of my control. This is a safety issue because it causes mold and mildew in the vehicle which is a hazard to inhale. I'm also concerned that the possibility exist for an electrical hazard.

NHTSA complaint 11527117. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS
Diag: DIAGNOSIS c/s service air bag error message on display. Code DTC B0014- Driver side air bag deployment loop- high resistance. Could not get repaired. Per Dealership the part needed is "discontinued". Non- working airbags are a huge concern. I think that parts for airbags should have to be produced if a vehicle needs serviced for such a problem! The vehicle is in excellent condition overall and should last many more years but this very much needed part for safety isn't even available! That is not right!!! No accident or incident has occurred but this issue is very much a concern.

NHTSA complaint 11526176. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Cadillac CTS

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2018 8 2
2017 27 2
2016 31 4
2015 46 3
2014 144 6
2013 72 2
2012 65 2
2011 101 2

Other 2010 Cadillac models

Every Cadillac on this site — 91 vehicles, 198 recall campaigns and 4 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

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