NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Power Train complaints
84 reportsClear category filter41,000 miles · Dec 20, 2023
Power Train
The contact owns a 2014 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormally loud sound. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the rear differential needed to be replaced; however, the part was on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. The ma…
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The contact owns a 2014 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormally loud sound. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the rear differential needed to be replaced; however, the part was on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but did not assist. The failure mileage was approximately 41,000.
NHTSA ODI #11561128
84,000 miles · Nov 14, 2023
Power Train
The contact owns a 2014 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, there was a grinding sound coming from rear end of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local service center who discovered metal shavings inside in the rear differential fluid and informed the contact that the rear differential needed…
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The contact owns a 2014 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, there was a grinding sound coming from rear end of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local service center who discovered metal shavings inside in the rear differential fluid and informed the contact that the rear differential needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The local dealer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 84,000.
NHTSA ODI #11555008
Mileage unknown · Oct 27, 2023
Power Train
The gears inside the rear-differential of a 2014 CTS Luxury 3.6 liter Cadillac, with 48,000 miles, failed to the point where the whole differential had to be replaced. This defect is extremely dangerous to the owner of the vehicle, as well as others on the road. If the differential fails to the point where the tires lock up, th…
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The gears inside the rear-differential of a 2014 CTS Luxury 3.6 liter Cadillac, with 48,000 miles, failed to the point where the whole differential had to be replaced. This defect is extremely dangerous to the owner of the vehicle, as well as others on the road. If the differential fails to the point where the tires lock up, the driver can lose control of the car. There were no warning messages relating to the problem and the problem did not come on gradually. There was a sudden loud grinding noise that came from the rear of the car, while driving, and the car was immediately taken to a Cadillac dealership for inspection. The dealership mechanic/technician determined that the rear differential completely failed and needed to be replaced. (The oil was drained from the differential and there were metal shavings inside the oil.) Upon research on the internet, it was determined that this rear-differential defect is an extensive problem, as other 2014 Cadillac CTS owners are experiencing a similar problem. Cadillac has recalled the 2014 CTS-V for this rear differential defect but has not acknowledged the same problem with the 2014 CTS 3.6 liter (it appears to be the same product/part design.)
NHTSA ODI #11552185
94,000 miles · Aug 28, 2023
Power Train
The contact owns a 2014 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, he heard a loud abnormal scraping sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the rear axle differential assembly. The vehicle was not repaired. The c…
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The contact owns a 2014 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, he heard a loud abnormal scraping sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the rear axle differential assembly. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V038000 (Power Train) but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 94,000.
NHTSA ODI #11541270
Mileage unknown · Aug 13, 2023
Power TrainSteeringSuspension
At the moment, the vehicle is releasing a strong order smells like burning oil or gasoline. It’s coming from the rear of the vehicle. You can smell it immediately when you step out and in the car. The rear is making a loud cranking noise and starting to shake. It appears based on the information that it’s a huge possibility it’s…
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At the moment, the vehicle is releasing a strong order smells like burning oil or gasoline. It’s coming from the rear of the vehicle. You can smell it immediately when you step out and in the car. The rear is making a loud cranking noise and starting to shake. It appears based on the information that it’s a huge possibility it’s my rear differential going out. It posses a threat due to the anticipation of the brakes locking and causing a serious accident to my family or other on the road. Ive taken very good care if the vehicle and done all the required maintenance on the vehicle. Went though GM motors repair shops
NHTSA ODI #11538198
66,500 miles · Jul 10, 2023
Power Train
The contact owns a 2014 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he heard an abnormal sound coming from the rear wheels. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed with metal shavings inside the rear differential. The contact was informed that the rear differential needed to be replaced…
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The contact owns a 2014 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he heard an abnormal sound coming from the rear wheels. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed with metal shavings inside the rear differential. The contact was informed that the rear differential needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 66,500.
NHTSA ODI #11531447
50,000 miles · Jul 6, 2023
Power Train
The contact owns a 2014 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, an abnormally loud grinding sound was coming from the rear end of the vehicle. The vehicle was initially taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed of a fault with the rear differential. The mechanic referred the con…
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The contact owns a 2014 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, an abnormally loud grinding sound was coming from the rear end of the vehicle. The vehicle was initially taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed of a fault with the rear differential. The mechanic referred the contact to the dealer for assistance. Once at the dealer, it was confirmed that the rear differential had experienced internal grinding and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
NHTSA ODI #11530647
Mileage unknown · May 15, 2023
Power Train
2014 CTS 3.6 Differential was replaced in 2019 under manufactures warranty. Les than 50k miles later the differential has gone out again. The dealer will not honor the previous install and wants to charge me close to $6k to fix. This is a known problem with every model because they all have the same differential. GM will onl…
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2014 CTS 3.6 Differential was replaced in 2019 under manufactures warranty. Les than 50k miles later the differential has gone out again. The dealer will not honor the previous install and wants to charge me close to $6k to fix. This is a known problem with every model because they all have the same differential. GM will only honor the turbo version of the 2014 CTS with the same defective rear end. This can be very dangerous if the rear end locks while driving at any speed. GM is putting my family and others on the road by ignoring a known issue. I am calling out Putnam Cadillac in Berlingame Ca. taking a blind eye to a known issue.
NHTSA ODI #11522069
Mileage unknown · May 7, 2023
Power Train
Rear differential has gone bad. Hundreds, if not thousands of these vehicles have had this issue. Nothing is being done! It’s a shame that us CTS owners are stuck with these problems.
NHTSA ODI #11520794
Mileage unknown · Feb 2, 2023
Power Train
The rear differential is making a howling noise. The CTS V sport was recalled but not the regular CTS. Many other customers have made compliant on different websites. I am hoping to have the recall done so I don’t have to spend money on the car. It will be an expensive fix.
NHTSA ODI #11505277
Official recalls
6Sep 7, 2018
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Cadillac CTS vehicles, equipped with heated front seats. The flexible heating mats in the front seats may be damaged over time, resulting in the seat heaters producing excessive heat.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: In cold ambient temperatures, the seat heaters in these vehicles can turn on automatically when the vehicle is remotely started. If a damaged seat heater is turned on while no one is inside the vehicle, the damaged seat heater can overheat, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will recalibrate the body control module, disabling the automatic activation of the heated seat when the vehicle is remotely started, free of charge. The recall began November 1, 2018. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for the recall is 18286.
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). GMs number for this recall is 14515.
Jul 23, 2014
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Buick Encore and Cadillac ATS; 2014 Cadillac CTS, ELR, Chevrolet Caprice and SS vehicles; and 2014-2015 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra Trucks. Due to an incomplete weld on the seat hook bracket assembly, the front seats in the affected vehicles may not stay secured in place during a high load condition such as a crash.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A seat that does not stay secured increases the risk of occupant injury in a vehicle crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the seat hook bracket assembly weld and replace the lower seat track, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on August 15, 2014. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), and 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14340.
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.
Jun 19, 2014
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Cadillac ATS vehicles manufactured April 23, 2012, to March 20, 2014, and 2014 Cadillac CTS vehicles manufactured June 10, 2013, to March 20, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the transmission shift cable may detach from either the bracket on the transmission shifter or the bracket on the transmission.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the transmission shift cable detaches while the vehicle is being driven, the transmission gear selection may not match the indicated gear and the vehicle may move in an unintended or unexpected direction, increasing the risk of a crash. Furthermore, when the driver goes to stop and park the vehicle, despite selecting the 'PARK' position, the transmission may not be in 'PARK.' If the vehicle is not in the 'PARK' position there is a risk the vehicle will roll away as the driver and other occupants exit the vehicle or anytime thereafter. A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of injury to exiting occupants and bystanders.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles to make sure the cable is properly seated at the transmission and shifter brackets, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in early August 2014. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 14179.
May 15, 2014
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014 Cadillac CTS vehicles manufactured June 10, 2013, through February 26, 2014. If the vehicle is turned off with wiper functionality left on and the wipers then become restricted, such as when covered in ice or snow, and the vehicle's battery goes dead and needs to be jump started, upon being jump started, the wipers will be inoperative.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: An inoperative windshield wiper system may decrease the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front wiper module, free of charge. The recall began on July 14, 2104. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 14157.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:motor
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014 Cadillac CTS vehicles manufactured June 10, 2013, through February 26, 2014. If the vehicle is turned off with wiper functionality left on and the wipers then become restricted, such as when covered in ice or snow, and the vehicle's battery goes dead and needs to be jump started, upon being jump started, the wipers will be inoperative.
Consequence: An inoperative windshield wiper system may decrease the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front wiper module, free of charge. The recall began on July 14, 2104. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 14157.
Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:switch/wiring
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014 Cadillac CTS vehicles manufactured June 10, 2013, through February 26, 2014. If the vehicle is turned off with wiper functionality left on and the wipers then become restricted, such as when covered in ice or snow, and the vehicle's battery goes dead and needs to be jump started, upon being jump started, the wipers will be inoperative.
Consequence: An inoperative windshield wiper system may decrease the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front wiper module, free of charge. The recall began on July 14, 2104. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 14157.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗