Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
150–25K
1125–50K
1450–75K
675–100K
2100–150K
1150K+
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
What owners actually said
65 reports
10,000 miles · Nov 4, 2013
Service Brakes
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WERE TO CLOSE TOGETHER UNLIKE NORMAL PEDALS. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THEY COULD NOT CORRECT THE PEDALS BEING CLOSE TO EACH OTHER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5 AND TH…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WERE TO CLOSE TOGETHER UNLIKE NORMAL PEDALS. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THEY COULD NOT CORRECT THE PEDALS BEING CLOSE TO EACH OTHER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 10,000.
NHTSA ODI #10550753
30 miles · Mar 1, 2013
Steering
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE AND TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL, THE CONTACT HEARD A KNOCKING SOUND AS THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE ABNORMALLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE HE WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS N…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE AND TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL, THE CONTACT HEARD A KNOCKING SOUND AS THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE ABNORMALLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE HE WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO REMEDY AVAILABLE FOR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 16,000.
NHTSA ODI #10500932
6,000 miles · Oct 20, 2012
Exterior Lighting
WHILE DRIVING ON A ROAD WITH MANY CURVES AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, I WENT TO TURN ON THE BRIGHT LIGHTS BY PUSHING LEVER ON LEFT SIDE OF STEERING WHEEL OUTWARDS THE BRIGHT LIGHTS CAME ON AS INTENDED BUT AT THE SAME TIME I APPARENTLY HIT THE SWITCH WHICH CONTROLS THE LIGHTS IN DIFFERENT POSITIONS. THE BRIGHT LIGHTS WENT OFF AND I …
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WHILE DRIVING ON A ROAD WITH MANY CURVES AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, I WENT TO TURN ON THE BRIGHT LIGHTS BY PUSHING LEVER ON LEFT SIDE OF STEERING WHEEL OUTWARDS THE BRIGHT LIGHTS CAME ON AS INTENDED BUT AT THE SAME TIME I APPARENTLY HIT THE SWITCH WHICH CONTROLS THE LIGHTS IN DIFFERENT POSITIONS. THE BRIGHT LIGHTS WENT OFF AND I WAS LEFT WITH PARKING LIGHTS ONLY AND COULD NOT SEE AT ALL. THERE WAS NO ROAD SHOULDER AS IT WAS ONLY ONE LANE IN EACH DIRECTION. I REDUCED MY SPEED TO 4 OR 5 MPH AND DID NOT KNOW WHAT I HAD DONE TO CAUSE THIS. THERE IS NO LIGHTS ON THE STEERING COLUMN AND I HAD TO WATCH THE ROAD SO CAREFULLY THAT I HAD NO OR LITTLE TIME TO UNDERSTAND WHY THE LIGHTS WENT OUT. A CAR CAME UP BEHIND ME AND WITH HIS LIGHTS I FINALLY HAD TIME TO LOOK DOWN AND MOVE THE LIGHT SWITCH TO ITS PROPER POSITION. IT WAS A HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10481256
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
6,050 miles · May 14, 2012
EngineTraction Control System
I TOOK MY CAR THROUGH A CAR WASH AND AFTERWARDS, THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM INDICATED A FAILURE ON THE DASH WARNING LIGHT. AT THE SAME TIME THE ENGINE LOST SIGNIFICANT POWER, AND I'M TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THIS IS DUE TO INHIBITING HALF OF THE INJECTORS IF THE TC SYSTEM FAILS. THE TC SYSTEM "HEALED ITSELF" AFTER THE CAR DRIE…
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I TOOK MY CAR THROUGH A CAR WASH AND AFTERWARDS, THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM INDICATED A FAILURE ON THE DASH WARNING LIGHT. AT THE SAME TIME THE ENGINE LOST SIGNIFICANT POWER, AND I'M TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THIS IS DUE TO INHIBITING HALF OF THE INJECTORS IF THE TC SYSTEM FAILS. THE TC SYSTEM "HEALED ITSELF" AFTER THE CAR DRIED OUT FOR A DAY AND THIS IS NOT THE FOCUS OF MY COMPLAINT. ANYONE CAN DRIVE A CAR SAFELY WITHOUT A TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM IN OPERATION, HOWEVER, A NON-RESPONSIVE ENGINE DUE TO THE PROGRAMMED SHUTDOWN OF HALF OF THE INJECTORS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. THE CAR WAS BARELY ABLE TO ACCELERATE IN STREET TRAFFIC, AND IF THE TC FAILURE HAD HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY, I WOULD HAVE BEEN IN A VERY BAD SITUATION, UNABLE TO MAINTAIN SAFE SPEED JUST TO GET OFF OF THE FREEWAY. THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW AND SHOULD BE RE-EVALUATED. *TR UPDATED 05/22/2012 *JS
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.
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.
2012 Cadillac Cts Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year