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2013 Cadillac Cts

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2013 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

54 reports with mileage · 19 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 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

10 crash reports0 fire reports7 injury reports

What owners actually said

73 reports
9,000 miles · Oct 24, 2014
Engine

THE SUPERCHARGER WAS REPLACED FOR ABNORMAL NOISE AND FUNCTION AS PER CADILLAC TSB.THE NEW SUPERCHARGER WHICH HAD A SOLID RATHER THAN 2 PIECE CONNECTOR(ISOLATOR) RESULTED IN A LOUD GROAN AND VIBRATION BETWEEN 800 AND 1100 RPM WHEN IN GEAR.CADILLAC HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THIS GROAN/VIBRATION AND AT FIRST DEEMED IT "NORMAL".NOW THEY HAVE…

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THE SUPERCHARGER WAS REPLACED FOR ABNORMAL NOISE AND FUNCTION AS PER CADILLAC TSB.THE NEW SUPERCHARGER WHICH HAD A SOLID RATHER THAN 2 PIECE CONNECTOR(ISOLATOR) RESULTED IN A LOUD GROAN AND VIBRATION BETWEEN 800 AND 1100 RPM WHEN IN GEAR.CADILLAC HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THIS GROAN/VIBRATION AND AT FIRST DEEMED IT "NORMAL".NOW THEY HAVE RESTATED THEIR POSITION AND ALLEGE THAT THEIR ENGINEERS ARE WORKING ON THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER'S SERVICE DEPT HAS BEEN TOLD NOT TO ATTEMPT TO WORK ON A SOLUTION TO THE ABOVE.THE NEW 2014 CTSVS WHICH HAVE THE NEW SUPERCHARGERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM.THE GROWL/VIBRATION HAS BECOME MORE INTENSE AND I WORRY ABOUT CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. GM CUSTOMER SERVICE REPS HAVE BEEN LESS THAN HELPFUL.THIS IS YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF "CAVEAT EMPTOR". *TR

NHTSA ODI #10649758

2,000 miles · Oct 24, 2014
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED IMMEDIATELY BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION FOR RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V39400…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED IMMEDIATELY BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION FOR RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V394000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000.

NHTSA ODI #10649682

17,000 miles · Oct 10, 2014
Electrical SystemCrashInjury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2013 CADILLAC CTS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V394000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2013 CADILLAC CTS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V394000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 17,000.

NHTSA ODI #10643834

13,500 miles · Oct 7, 2014
Steering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY MALFUNCTIONED MAKING THE STEERING WHEEL VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT DURING THE INCIDENT THE SERVICE POWER STEERING SENSOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY MALFUNCTIONED MAKING THE STEERING WHEEL VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT DURING THE INCIDENT THE SERVICE POWER STEERING SENSOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE WIRING FOR THE STEERING COLUMN WAS DEFECTIVE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 13,500.

NHTSA ODI #10642010

Mileage unknown · Sep 30, 2014
Electrical System

RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER 14V394. REPLACEMENT KEY RINGS SENT TO "FIX" PROBLEM. THIS DOES NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. IT MAKES ME AWARE OF THE ISSUE, BUT DOES NOT PREVENT ANY FUTURE OWNERS FROM ATTACHING EXTRA WEIGHT TO KEY RING. HOW WILL THIS PREVENT FUTURE OWNERS FROM RISK OF ACCIDENT ? THIS IS A LAME REPAIR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10640150

300 miles · Sep 22, 2014
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AND THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NO…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AND THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION FOR RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 14V394000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). HOWEVER THE PARTS NEEDED TO PERFORM THE REPAIRS WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 300.

NHTSA ODI #10638150

11,000 miles · Sep 21, 2014
Electrical System

I RECEIVED A SET OF FROM TINY KEYRINGS ( GM## 23271934) TO PLACE ON MY RKE TRANSMITTER TO SATISFY RECALL 14V394. INSTEAD OF REPLACING THE PERHAPS DEFECTIVE IGNITION SWITCH THEY SENT ME ABOUT A DIME'S WORTH OF CHEAP KEY RINGS THAT WILL KEEP ME FROM HAVING MY HOUSE KEY AND OTHER KEYS NORMALLY CARRIED ON THE KEY RING. I WOULD HAV…

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I RECEIVED A SET OF FROM TINY KEYRINGS ( GM## 23271934) TO PLACE ON MY RKE TRANSMITTER TO SATISFY RECALL 14V394. INSTEAD OF REPLACING THE PERHAPS DEFECTIVE IGNITION SWITCH THEY SENT ME ABOUT A DIME'S WORTH OF CHEAP KEY RINGS THAT WILL KEEP ME FROM HAVING MY HOUSE KEY AND OTHER KEYS NORMALLY CARRIED ON THE KEY RING. I WOULD HAVE TO CARRY TWO KEY RINGS, ONE FOR THE CAR AND ONE FOR THE REST OF MY KEYS. I FIND THIS UNACCEPTABLE. IF THE IGNITION SWITCH IS DEFECTIVE AND DANGEROUS IT SHOULD BE REPLACED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10637849

Mileage unknown · Sep 19, 2014
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V394000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM), BUT BELIEVED THAT THE RECALL REMEDY WAS INSUFFICIENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TWO REPLACEMENT KEYS THAT THE MANUFACTURER SENT DANGLED ON HIS KNEE AND THE SEAT ADJUSTMENT WAS UNCOMFORTABLE. …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V394000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM), BUT BELIEVED THAT THE RECALL REMEDY WAS INSUFFICIENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TWO REPLACEMENT KEYS THAT THE MANUFACTURER SENT DANGLED ON HIS KNEE AND THE SEAT ADJUSTMENT WAS UNCOMFORTABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

NHTSA ODI #10637515

Mileage unknown · Sep 18, 2014
Electrical System

I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE ON MY CADILLAC CTS 2013 REGARDING A DEFECTIVE IGNITION SYSTEM, GM'S REMEDY FOR THIS POTENTIALLY DEADLY DEFECT IS TWO SMALL RINGS TO ADD TO THE KEY RING. THEY STATE THE PROBLEM IS THE KEY RING CARRYING EXTRA WEIGHT MAY UNINTENTIONALLY MOVE THE KEY FROM THE ON POSITION WHICH COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO T…

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I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE ON MY CADILLAC CTS 2013 REGARDING A DEFECTIVE IGNITION SYSTEM, GM'S REMEDY FOR THIS POTENTIALLY DEADLY DEFECT IS TWO SMALL RINGS TO ADD TO THE KEY RING. THEY STATE THE PROBLEM IS THE KEY RING CARRYING EXTRA WEIGHT MAY UNINTENTIONALLY MOVE THE KEY FROM THE ON POSITION WHICH COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO TURN OFF, DRIVER LOSING POWER, AND AIR BAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY. THE TWO SMALL RINGS THEY SENT TO PUT ON THE KEY FOB WILL NOT PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING. I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS IS GM'S ANSWER TO SUCH A SERIOUS DEFECT. I READ IN THE PAPER THAT THEY ARE ALLOCATING MONETARY SETTLEMENTS TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOST LOVED ONES BECAUSE OF THIS IGNITION FAILURE, SO WHY WOULDN'T THEY REPLACE THE IGNITIONS SO THAT THERE IS NO MORE CHANCE OF LOSS OF LIFE. WE ARE EXTREMELY SURPRISED AND DISAPPOINTED THAT GM IS NOT ACTING RESPONSIBLY ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE WHO BUY THEIR PRODUCT. WE HAVE ALWAYS SUPPORTED AMERICAN MADE CARS, SPECIFICALLY GM. FOR SUCH A SERIOUS PROBLEM, 2 SMALL RINGS TO ADD TO A KEY RING, THAT WILL NOT IN ANY WAY DIMINISH THE WEIGHT ON A KEY RING, IS A LAUGHABLE SOLUTION, EXCEPT THIS IS IN NO WAY A LAUGHING MATTER. IT COULD MEAN THE LOSS OF MY LIFE, OR MY LOVED ONES. HOPEFULLY, SOMEONE WITH AUTHORITY WILL STEP UP AND MAKE THIS RIGHT. CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER FOR THIS RECALL IS 14V394.

NHTSA ODI #10637331

5,000 miles · Sep 17, 2014
Air BagsService BrakesCrashInjury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 45 MPH, HE BECAME INVOLVED IN A MULTI-VEHICLE CRASH. THE CONTACT ABRUPTLY APPLIED THE BRAKES HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND AND THE AIR BAG EXPLODED. THERE WAS AN UNKNOWN GRAY SUBSTANCE THAT WAS EMITTED FROM THE AIR BAG UPON DEPLOYMENT, WHICH…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 45 MPH, HE BECAME INVOLVED IN A MULTI-VEHICLE CRASH. THE CONTACT ABRUPTLY APPLIED THE BRAKES HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND AND THE AIR BAG EXPLODED. THERE WAS AN UNKNOWN GRAY SUBSTANCE THAT WAS EMITTED FROM THE AIR BAG UPON DEPLOYMENT, WHICH AFFECTED THE CONTACT'S VISION AND BREATHING ABILITIES. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT SUSTAINED THREE FRACTURED RIBS AND INJURIES TO THE NECK, KNEE, ANKLE AND HEAD WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE BRAKE FAILURE. THE CONTACT HAD ALSO RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 14V394000 (ELECTRICAL) HOWEVER, THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WERE NOT AVAILABLE. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS ABLE TO INDICATE WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000.

NHTSA ODI #10637099

Official recalls

2

14V614000 · Electrical System

Oct 1, 2014

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 & remedy

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). GM’s number for this recall is 14515.

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.

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.