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2012 Cadillac Cts

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2012 Cadillac Cts do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 101.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

49 reports with mileage · 16 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

6 crash reports0 fire reports6 injury reports

Structure complaints

5 reports
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60,000 miles · Jun 8, 2016
Structure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ELECTRICAL TOUCH PAD SEIZED TO OPERATE WITHOUT WARNING, WHICH CAUSED THE DOOR NOT TO OPEN NORMALLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE ONLY OCCURRED ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF A MANUFACTURER'S CUSTOMER SERVICE CAMP…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ELECTRICAL TOUCH PAD SEIZED TO OPERATE WITHOUT WARNING, WHICH CAUSED THE DOOR NOT TO OPEN NORMALLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE ONLY OCCURRED ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF A MANUFACTURER'S CUSTOMER SERVICE CAMPAIGN TO ADDRESS THE FAILURE BY PRESSING AN EMERGENCY RELEASE BUTTON, BUT IT DID NOT REPAIR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

NHTSA ODI #10873272

8,500 miles · Sep 15, 2015
Structure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT AND REAR BUMPERS WERE LOOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH AND NEEDED BODY WORK PRIOR TO IT BEING PURCHASED BY THE CONTACT. IN ADDITION, AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICL…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT AND REAR BUMPERS WERE LOOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH AND NEEDED BODY WORK PRIOR TO IT BEING PURCHASED BY THE CONTACT. IN ADDITION, AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS MISSING COMPONENTS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,500.

NHTSA ODI #10763816

11,000 miles · Jan 5, 2015
StructureVisibility

FRONT SUNROOF GLASS EXPLODED AND SHATTERED WITHOUT WARNING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10670039

27,000 miles · Sep 25, 2014
SteeringStructureSuspensionCrash

AS I APPROACHED A STREET FROM A STORE PARKING LOT, I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE BUT THE CAR DID NOT SLOW. AS I SAW I WAS NOT GOING TO STOP, I TRIED TO STEER THE CAR TO THE RIGHT TO TRY TO AVOID CROSSING INTO TRAFFIC. THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT TURN. I WAS GOING VERY SLOWLY AND SAW THE FACE OF THE DRIVER OF THE CAR THAT HIT ME. T…

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AS I APPROACHED A STREET FROM A STORE PARKING LOT, I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE BUT THE CAR DID NOT SLOW. AS I SAW I WAS NOT GOING TO STOP, I TRIED TO STEER THE CAR TO THE RIGHT TO TRY TO AVOID CROSSING INTO TRAFFIC. THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT TURN. I WAS GOING VERY SLOWLY AND SAW THE FACE OF THE DRIVER OF THE CAR THAT HIT ME. THAT CAR HIT MY CAR TWICE. ONCE IN THE FRONT LEFT CORNER AND THEN IN LEFT REAR CORNER, AS MY CAR SPUN 90 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT FROM THE FIRST IMPACT. SOMEONE ASKED ME IF MY CAR HAD TURNED OFF. I SAID I DIDN'T KNOW BECAUSE THE ENGINE IS SO QUIET. A RESPONDING SHERIFF'S DEPUTY TOLD MY HUSBAND THE DRIVER WHO HIT ME SAID HE SAW ME LOOKING AT HIM AND WAS SURE I WAS GOING TO STOP. LATER ANALYSIS BY A CADILLAC TECHNICIAN REVEALED ERROR CODES FROM THE FRONT WHEEL SPEED SENSORS. I HAVE BEEN TOLD A WHEEL SPEED SENSOR MALFUNCTION CAN AFFECT BRAKING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10639093

80 miles · Aug 2, 2012
Electrical SystemStructure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE DOOR WERE NOT PROPERLY ALIGNED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO ERRONEOUSLY PLACE HIS FINGER BETWEEN THE DOOR AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ON THE DRIVER SIDE, WITH ADDITIONAL SPACE REMAINING. WHEN THE CONTACT PLACED HIS HAND BETWEEN THE PASSENGER …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE DOOR WERE NOT PROPERLY ALIGNED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO ERRONEOUSLY PLACE HIS FINGER BETWEEN THE DOOR AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ON THE DRIVER SIDE, WITH ADDITIONAL SPACE REMAINING. WHEN THE CONTACT PLACED HIS HAND BETWEEN THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AND THE DASHBOARD, THERE WAS NO SPACE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE AND ADVISED THAT THERE WAS A MANUFACTURING FLAW.THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE AND WOULD MAKE NO RESTITUTION. THE CONTACT FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80. UPDATED 8/31/12 *CN UPDATED 09/11/2012 *JS

NHTSA ODI #10468961

Official recalls

2

14V394000 · Electrical System:ignition

Jul 2, 2014

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.

Consequence & remedy

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.

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.

11V536000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist:vacuum

Nov 2, 2011

GM IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 CADILLAC CTS VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 21, 2011, THROUGH OCTOBER 26, 2011. THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE A CONDITION IN WHICH THE POWER VACUUM BRAKE BOOST PUSHROD RETENTION NUT MAY NOT BE TORQUED TO THE PROPER SPECIFICATION. IF THE NUT IS NOT TORQUED TO THE PROPER SPECIFICATION, THE NUT COULD LOOSEN AND ALLOW THE PUSHROD TO SEPARATE FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF ABILITY TO BRAKE AND a vehicle CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Remedy: CADILLAC DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE POWER VACUUM BRAKE BOOST PUSHROD RETENTION NUT, AND IF NECESSARY, TORQUE THE NUT TO THE PROPER SPECIFICATION. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 1, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-800-458-8006.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.