BestCarRank
Cadillac

2015 Cadillac ATS

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Above Average

Quick Summary

The 2015 Cadillac ATS has 41 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.9x the segment average of 45. The most common issue is steering problems (15% of all complaints), specifically: first in line while stopped at a left-turn light on a city street. light turned green, began to accelerate. mid-way through the turn, heard a "pop", lost steering control, and the rear end spun car into the curb. keep in mind this is a 4-wheel-drive car. when the car came to a stop, the nose of the . There are 4 recalls issued for this model year.

3 crash reports 3 injuries

41

Total Complaints

4

Recalls Issued

5/5

Safety Stars

0.9x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems(top 5 of 8)

STEERING

6 complaints
15%
  • • FIRST IN LINE WHILE STOPPED AT A LEFT-TURN LIGHT ON A CITY STREET. LIGHT TURNED GREEN, BEGAN TO ACCELERATE. MID-WAY THROUGH THE TURN, HEARD A "POP", LOST STEERING CONTROL, AND THE REAR END SPUN CAR INTO THE CURB. KEEP IN MIND THIS IS A 4-WHEEL-DRIVE CAR. WHEN THE CAR CAME TO A STOP, THE NOSE OF THE
  • • I WAS BACKING OUT OF MY PARKING SPACE WHEN I HEARD A NOISE AND REALIZED THAT I COULD NOT TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. I MOVES THE CAR FORWARD INTO THE PARKING SPACE AGAIN AND A MESSAGE ON THE DISPLAY SCREEN READ TO SERVICE POWER STEERING. UPON MY RESEARCH THE ELECTRICAL MODULE OR MOTOR HAS BEEN KNOW T
  • • The contact’s son owns a 2015 Cadillac ATS. The contact stated that while his son was exiting his driveway, the vehicle lost power steering assist with the power steering warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact inspected the vehicle and discovered that the bolts holding the st
Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“FIRST IN LINE WHILE STOPPED AT A LEFT-TURN LIGHT ON A CITY STREET. LIGHT TURNED GREEN, BEGAN TO ACCELERATE. MID-WAY THROUGH THE TURN, HEARD A "POP", LOST STEERING CONTROL, AND THE REAR END SPUN CAR INTO THE CURB. KEEP IN MIND THIS IS A 4-WHEEL-DRIVE CAR. WHEN THE CAR CAME TO A STOP, THE NOSE OF THE ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

When Problems Appear on the 2015 Cadillac ATS

Based on 19 owner complaints that included an odometer reading. Median mileage at time of complaint: 60K miles. Most complaints cluster in the 60-100K miles range.

Overall complaint distribution by mileage
0-30K
5
30-60K
4
60-100K
8
100-150K
2
150-200K
0
200K+
0

Mileage figures are self-reported by owners in NHTSA complaint filings. Peak bucket = the mileage range with the most complaints for that component; it reflects when owners noticed and reported problems, not necessarily when the fault first occurred.

Recalls (4)

VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY24/07/2015

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Cadillac ATS vehicles manufactured April 25, 2012, to June 25, 2015. The affected vehicles may experience the roof panel closing automatically when the non-recessed switches are pressed and the roof panel is open. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 118, "Power-Operated Window, Partition, and Roof Panel Systems."

Risk: Because the switch is not recessed, the roof panel switch may inadvertently be pressed resulting in unintended auto-closure of the roof panel, increasing the risk of personal injury.

Fix: GM will notify owners and dealers will replace the roof console accessory switch trim plate, free of charge. The recall began on August 19, 2015. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 15568. Note this recall supersedes 15V-106.

Fuel Cost Calculator for 2015 Cadillac ATS

Live EIA prices
Per year
$2,001
Per month
$167
Per mile
16.7¢
MPG
24
City driving (worst-case MPG)
$2,667/yr
Highway driving (best-case MPG)
$1,500/yr

Based on EPA fuel-economy ratings and EIA weekly retail prices (2026-07-20). Real-world cost varies with driving style, trim/engine, terrain, and traffic.

5-Year Gas Price History

EIA weekly retail data · 2021 → today
Current
$4.00
5-year low
$2.78
5-year high
$5.01
Since 2021
+27%

Source: US Energy Information Administration weekly retail gasoline prices.

Estimated Insurance Cost for 2015 Cadillac ATS

Estimate only, not a quote. Modeled from NAIC + HLDI averages for a hypothetical 35-year-old driver with clean record + full coverage. Your actual quote depends heavily on your age, driving history, credit, ZIP code, and insurer.
Full coverage / year
$1,853
Full coverage / month
$154
Liability only / year
$668
vs US avg
+11%
How this estimate is calculated
US base full-coverage premium$1674
× state (US)1.00x
× vehicle class (sedan-luxury)1.28x
× theft risk1.00x
× safety rating0.94x
× vehicle age0.92x
= Full coverage estimate$1853

Coverage assumed: 100/300/100 liability + comprehensive/collision, $500 deductibles. Data sources: NAIC 2024 + HLDI loss studies.

Maintenance & Warranty

Cadillac New-Vehicle Warranty Coverage

Bumper-to-bumper (basic)
4 yr / 50K mi
Powertrain
6 yr / 70K mi
Hybrid/EV battery
8 yr / 100K mi
Corrosion (rust perforation)
6 yr / 100K mi
Roadside assistance
6 yr / 70K mi

These are the terms for a new Cadillac. If you're buying a used 2015 ATS, remaining coverage is usually pro-rated from the vehicle's original in-service date. Not all coverage transfers between owners — check with a Cadillac dealer for VIN-specific remaining warranty.

Estimated Repair Costs

STEERING(~50K mi)
$500
ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)
$500
TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)
$500
OTHER(~50K mi)
$500
LIGHTING(~50K mi)
$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 41 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

  • ☐
    STEERING: FIRST IN LINE WHILE STOPPED AT A LEFT-TURN LIGHT ON A CITY STREET. LIGHT TURNED GREEN, BEGAN TO ACCELERATE. MID-WAY THROUGH THE TURN, HEARD A "POP", LOST STEERING CONTROL, AND THE REAR END SPUN CAR INTO THE CURB. KEEP IN MIND THIS IS A 4-WHEEL-DRIVE CAR. WHEN THE CAR CAME TO A STOP, THE NOSE OF THE

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • ☐
    ELECTRICAL: A1 INCOMING EMAIL: LETTER FROM CONSUMER RE THE SAFETY OF 2015 ATS CADILLAC. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH ON THE FREEWAY, THE FUEL GAUGE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. TWO MONTHS LATER, THE FRONT DASH COMPUTER QUE READER SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY. *JB

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • ☐
    TRANSMISSION: FIRST IN LINE WHILE STOPPED AT A LEFT-TURN LIGHT ON A CITY STREET. LIGHT TURNED GREEN, BEGAN TO ACCELERATE. MID-WAY THROUGH THE TURN, HEARD A "POP", LOST STEERING CONTROL, AND THE REAR END SPUN CAR INTO THE CURB. KEEP IN MIND THIS IS A 4-WHEEL-DRIVE CAR. WHEN THE CAR CAME TO A STOP, THE NOSE OF THE

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • ☐
    OTHER: THE VEHICLE CUE SCREEN CRACKING. I HAD THE SCREEN REPLACED IN 2017 AND NOW THE SCREEN IS CRACKED.*DT CONSUMER STATED THERE IS A LAWSUIT AGAINST GM FOR USING PLASTIC SCREENS FROM 2012 CADILLAC MODELS WHEN IT WAS MANUFACTURED. CURRENTLY CADILLAC IS CHARGING $1,000 TO $2,000 TO REPAIR THE SCREEN.*JB

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • ☐
    RECALLS: Verify all 4 recalls have been completed — free at any Cadillac dealer
  • ☐
    General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)

Cadillac ATS — Year Comparison

How does 2015 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.

2018
26Excellent Reliability
2017
42Average
2016
45Average
2015
41Above Average
2014
141Below Average
2013
255Avoid This Year
Full years-to-avoid analysis →

NHTSA Safety Rating

Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover

At a Glance

Complaints
41
Recalls
4
Fire reports
0
Crash reports
3
Injury reports
3
Segment avg
45

Check a Specific VIN

See recalls for YOUR 2015 Cadillac ATS

Compare With

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