CSR

Cadillac · NHTSA safety record

2013 Cadillac CTS

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

Owners have filed 73 safety complaints about the 2013 Cadillac CTS with the US government. Of those, 10 describe a crash, 8 people were injured and no death is recorded. 2 recall campaigns are open against it, covering the electrical system.

The most complained-about system is the electrical system, named in 26 complaints, 36% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 26,000 miles, the median across the 54 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers January 2013 to September 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

73 complaints on file

73

Complaints

10

Describe a crash

0

Mention fire

8

People injured

0

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 26 · 36%
POWER TRAIN 13 · 18%
AIR BAGS 11 · 15%
STEERING 10 · 14%
ENGINE 7 · 10%
SUSPENSION 7 · 10%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 7 · 10%
SERVICE BRAKES 6 · 8%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 5 · 7%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 5 · 7%
SEATS 3 · 4%
STRUCTURE 2 · 3%
0 12 23

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 73.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2014 at 20.

24 18 12 6
13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 24 25 26

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2013 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2013 Cadillac CTS, and it is a separate question from what owners report going wrong later.

Test 4 DR AWD 4 DR RWD SW AWD SW RWD
Overall
Frontal crash
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash
Side barrier
Side pole
Rollover
Chance of rollover 10.3% 10.3% 10.3% 10.3%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard

A rating belongs to a tested body style and drivetrain, not to the model as a whole, which is why more than one is listed. A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.

Recall campaigns

2 on file

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

14V614000 · October 1, 2014

The defect
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Cadillac CTS, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL, and 2014 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Express, Impala, Silverado HD, Traverse, GMC Acadia, Savana, and Sierra HD vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the chassis electronic module may be internally contaminated, resulting in an electrical short.
The risk
If the module experiences an electrical short, the vehicle could stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the chassis electronic module, free of charge. The recall began on December 26, 2014. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), and 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM’s number for this recall is 14515.

General Motors LLC · up to 106,307 vehicles across all model years covered

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

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

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

POWER TRAIN

2 injured · crash · 8,346 miles

UNINTENDED ACCELERATION; VEHICLE ACCELERATED BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY AFTER PLACED IN REVERSE WITHOUT STEPPING ON ACCELERATOR; BRAKES WOULD NOT STOP VEHICLE; VEHICLE COLLIDED INTO NEIGHBOR'S TRUCK WHICH WAS PARKED ACROSS THE STREET. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED NECK AND BACK INJURIES.

NHTSA complaint 10504050. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES

1 injured · crash · towed · 20,000 miles

BRAKES ON MY CTS 2013 CADILLAC , ON MARCH 29, I MADE A TURN TO PARK MY CAR FROM THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE STREET MAMARONECK AVENUE IN WHITE PLAINS TO THE LEFT THERE WERE NO PARKING SPACES ON THE RIGHT . AS I TURN THE STEERING WHEEL THE CAR WENT OUT OF CONTROL THE CAR SPEED UP AND HIT THE CURB, KNOCKING OVER TWO PARKING METERS AND HURTING MY FINGER ON MY RIGHT HAND AND LATER MY LEFT LEG. I HAD JUST TAKEN MY CAR TO PEPE CADILLAC IN WHITE PLAINS ,N. Y. TO GET MY BRAKES REPAIRED. MY CAR WAS TOWED TO BRENNENAN TOWING SERVICE IN ELMSFORD. THEY CLAIM IT WAS REPAIRED!!!!SINCE THEN WHICH WAS LAST SUMMER MY CAR HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE REPAIR SHOP AS MANY AS 9 OR 10 TIMES WITH THE BRAKE LIGHT COMING ON

NHTSA complaint 11089627, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · towed

I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT WITH MY 2013 CADILLAC, SUFFERING A SEVERED LIP, REQUIRING 24 STITCHES IN MY BOTYOMLIP, LOST TOOTH, AND SUFFERED NECK AND BACK PAIN DUE TO AIRBAGS NOT DEPLOYING.

NHTSA complaint 11287256. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · towed · 120,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2013 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A DEER WHICH CAUSED AN AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT MESSAGE; THE AIR BAGS WERE NOT DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT STATED ONLY AN ODD SMELLING POWDER EMITTED FROM THE AIR BAG LOCATION. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BRUISING IN TORSO, AND SWELLING IN EYES DUE TO POWDER; MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT SOUGHT. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO LOCAL TOW LOT WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH BEING DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA complaint 11415011. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SUSPENSION
I went to get my car checked at the mechanic because the suspension was making noise. I thought it was the struts which I coudnt change because Cadillac does not make the parts any longer. They found my frame is actually cracked and are charging $3k to fix! They told me to not drive it, imagine how scary it would be if it complete cracks while driving! This is a huge safety concern and upon investigating it looks like I’m not the only one having the same issue, this needs to be recalled

NHTSA complaint 11764700. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
My 2013 has only 75k miles on it and all the dash lights flash and the car fails every couple of days. It has a brand new battery but the gauges on the dash continue to dance. I’m not sure what the problem is but it’s a huge safety factor in drivability.

NHTSA complaint 11647538. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
driving to work on very busy highway. The engine light and Service Battery charging system came on, then went to battery saver almost instantly. Radio cut off, heat cutt off and the Car cut off in the middle of the highway before I could safely get over. this caused me to fear for my life as the cars behind me barely had time to stop. a hair probably could not have fit between us. I did eventually safely get off the highway, had the car towed to a service center. There was 14 different codes.(low voltage, engine running lean, low voltage and more. battery was checked and was 95 %, Alternator fine. was told it was the ECM. After looking on google some sites say there is a recall for 2013 cts

NHTSA complaint 11645666, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS
I noticed that on the dash a message that service is needed on one of the airbags. I then scheduled appointment to have the problem corrected. I was informed by the dealership’ service department that I need a passenger airbag replacement on the passenger side of the car, and they also informed me that GM no longer manufactures the airbag that I need. I was not given any assistance on how to replace this safety feature in the car, nor was I notified by the manufacturer that airbag was discontinued.

NHTSA complaint 11632917. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN

31,000 miles

The contact owns a 2013 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated that the transmission fluid was leaking, and the vehicle stalled while driving at various speeds. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission fluid was significantly low. The transmission was topped off. The contact stated that the vehicle was driven to the residence; however, on arrival the transmission fluid level was abnormally low. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 31,000.

NHTSA complaint 11584526. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SUSPENSION
Found a crack along the tab of my subframe along the rear control arm pocket. Searching for solutions and repairs, I found several hundred people who broke the tab while driving on CTSVowners, ctsvforum and various Facebook groups This seems to impact both the base model and V series CTS.

NHTSA complaint 11579082. 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 47 3 —
2014 146 6 —
2012 65 2 —
2011 101 2 —
2010 67 3 —

Other 2013 Cadillac models

SRX 393 ATS 160 XTS 103 Escalade 19

Complaints on file, same model year.

Every Cadillac on this site — 97 vehicles.

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. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

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.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst