The Used Car Index

2013 Cadillac CTS problems

NHTSA lists 73 complaints for the 2013 Cadillac CTS, 10 of them mention a crash and 0 mention a fire. 7 complaints mention an injury, with 8 injuries and 0 deaths reported.

Data build 2026-10-09.

NHTSA lists this vehicle as CADILLAC CTS.

At a glance

Complaints
73
With crash
10
With fire
0
With injury (complaints)
7
Injuries
8
Deaths
0
Recalls
2
Do not drive recalls
0
Park outside recalls
0
Recall potential units (maximum)
554,328
Investigations
0
Open investigations
0
Manufacturer communications
1,657

Complaints per 100k sold unavailable. No sales source is available for this record.

Where the complaints are

Top systems
SystemComplaintsShare of this vehicle's complaints
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2635.6%
POWER TRAIN1317.8%
AIR BAGS1115.1%
STEERING1013.7%
ENGINE79.6%
SUSPENSION79.6%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER79.6%
SERVICE BRAKES68.2%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)56.8%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING56.8%
Top subsystems
SystemSubsystemComplaints
STRUCTUREBODY2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEMIGNITION1
EXTERIOR LIGHTINGHEADLIGHTS1

One complaint can name several systems, so shares can add to more than 100 percent.

Model-generated complaint tags

These labels are model-generated, not NHTSA data.

Failure modes
LabelCountShare of taggedMean confidence
loss of control2635.6%0.85
electrical electronic1013.7%0.87
restraint or airbag1013.7%0.89
mechanical failure811.0%0.83
noise or comfort56.8%0.87
unclear56.8%0.68
visibility or lighting45.5%0.94
structural or corrosion34.1%0.94
fluid or fuel leak22.7%0.84
Severities
LabelCountShare of taggedMean confidence
moderate4257.5%0.74
low1723.3%0.69
high1115.1%0.89
none34.1%0.69

Model: typesafe/jev-1.13-20260917; schema version: tag-v1. 73 tagged complaints of 73 complaints (100.0%).

Confidence is the model's own probability for the label it chose (0 to 1), not accuracy.

Model-generated labels on tagged complaints only. Model years 2013 and newer are tagged in full; 2012 in part (see tagged_share); earlier model years have no tags. NHTSA's own flags remain separate in the complaints block.

Recalls

See new recalls and investigations this week.

2 recalls.

14V614000

Date: 2014-10-01. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

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.

Consequence: If the module experiences an electrical short, the vehicle could stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

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). GMA s number for this recall is 14515.

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

14V394000

Date: 2014-07-02. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

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 manufa (excerpt)

Consequence: 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. (excerpt)

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. (excerpt)

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

Investigations

0 investigations; 0 open.

Manufacturer communications

1,657 manufacturer communications.

Communications by system
SystemCount
EQUIPMENT697
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM324
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING186
ENGINE162
POWER TRAIN134
EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY97
WHEELS85
TIRES64

11037555

Date: 2026-09-26. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This PI provides Diagnostics tips on how the LIN bus works and how to diagnosis it.

11037253

Date: 2026-09-04. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.

11030974

Date: 2026-04-01. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size change is available.

11030091

Date: 2026-03-09. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.

11030092

Date: 2026-03-09. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a Technical Assistance Case in CX Connect.

11027601

Date: 2026-01-08. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.

11025755

Date: 2025-11-20. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have had multiple repair attempts that are being performed on customera s vehicles that exhibit vibration conditions without utilizing the support of General Motors Technical Assistance Center. If

11023091

Date: 2025-09-09. Type: Other. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

New Vehicle Monitoring Programs Section in IVH

11022084

Date: 2025-08-14. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.

11021792

Date: 2025-08-07. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an intermittent no crank, no start, or start stall concern with the security light coming on. Technician may find Diagnostic Trouble Codes B3055, B3060, B3935, C0750, C0755, C0760, C0765, and/o

Notes on this record

  • Complaints from the API and bulk file are merged and deduplicated by ODI number; the API alone misses records.
  • System and subsystem counts are numbers of distinct complaints, recalls or communications that name them. One record can name several systems, so shares across systems can add to more than 100 percent; a single share never exceeds 100 percent.
  • Recalls are counted once per campaign, investigations once per action and manufacturer communications once per NHTSA id, even when NHTSA lists several model names for the same record.
  • A sales denominator is a calendar-year proxy, not the population of vehicles still in use. Rates are copied from verified pipeline output.

Other names NHTSA uses

None listed.

Matched NHTSA models

Matched labels and complaints
NHTSA model labelComplaints
CTS73

Same model, other years

All model years | All Cadillac models

Other Cadillac models, 2013

Sources

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