2021 Cadillac CT5

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Above Average

Quick Summary

The 2021 Cadillac CT5 has 28 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.3x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is electrical problems (25% of all complaints), specifically: when approaching a stopping vehicle the brake pedal became extremely hard to press and i could not brake enough to stop and had a collision. come to find out that the abs computer and the main ecu weren't communicating correctly which turned off the assisted braking, assisted steering and the awd..

6 crash reports 4 injuries

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

0.3x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ELECTRICAL

7 complaints

25%

• When approaching a stopping vehicle the brake pedal became extremely hard to press and I could not brake enough to stop and had a collision. Come to find out that the ABS computer and the main ECU weren't communicating correctly which turned off the assisted braking, assisted steering and the AWD.
• Driver Side door handle stops working. Because the door handle operates with a sensor and not a standard pull door handle something is being affected and it will not open door. Causing safety issue and not being able to enter car normally.
• The exterior door handle latch release switch fails to open the door. This issue happened to all 4 exterior doors. The problem starts with intermittently, then progresses to complete failure. Once it fails, the entire door handle needs to be replaced. If all 4 doors fail, the only way to access t

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“When approaching a stopping vehicle the brake pedal became extremely hard to press and I could not brake enough to stop and had a collision. Come to find out that the ABS computer and the main ECU weren't communicating correctly which turned off the assisted braking, assisted steering and the AWD.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BODY/STRUCTURE

3 complaints

11%

• Currently my passenger door and my rear driver side door do not open from the outside. I already had to have my driver side door handle replaced for the same issue, now three out of four of my handles have failed. If an accident were to occur no one would be able to access the passenger or the rear
• Beginning of 2025 my drivers side door handle would not open from the outside of the car only the inside . I took it to a certified Cadillac dealer which they had to replace the door handle . Now July 10, 2025 my front passenger side is doing the same thing and I will not have to take my car in to s
• Exterior driver side door handle will not open the door causing issues with ingress into vehicle.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“Currently my passenger door and my rear driver side door do not open from the outside. I already had to have my driver side door handle replaced for the same issue, now three out of four of my handles have failed. If an accident were to occur no one would be able to access the passenger or the rear ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

AIR BAGS

2 complaints

• There was no indication that the Automatic Braking System, Air Bags and Seatbelts were not working properly. In August 12, 2021, I was in an auto accident where I rear-ended another dodge car. The air bags did not deploy and Onstar was not notified. I believe I hit the steering wheel. I went to
• My 2025 Cadillac CT5 was stationary at a red light behind a red truck when a black truck traveling in the opposite direction struck the truck head-on. The red truck was pushed backward into the front of my CT5 with enough force to cause major front-end damage. Despite this, no airbags deployed. I be

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“There was no indication that the Automatic Braking System, Air Bags and Seatbelts were not working properly. In August 12, 2021, I was in an auto accident where I rear-ended another dodge car. The air bags did not deploy and Onstar was not notified. I believe I hit the steering wheel. I went to ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS

2 complaints

• There was no indication that the Automatic Braking System, Air Bags and Seatbelts were not working properly. In August 12, 2021, I was in an auto accident where I rear-ended another dodge car. The air bags did not deploy and Onstar was not notified. I believe I hit the steering wheel. I went to
• When approaching a stopping vehicle the brake pedal became extremely hard to press and I could not brake enough to stop and had a collision. Come to find out that the ABS computer and the main ECU weren't communicating correctly which turned off the assisted braking, assisted steering and the AWD.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

— NHTSA complaint filing

VISIBILITY

2 complaints

• The contact owns a 2021 Cadillac CT5. The contact stated while driving at approximately 72 MPH, there was a loud noise inside the cabin. The contact became aware that the sunroof had shattered without impact. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or local dealer. The m
• aste): The vehicle has a serious pulling issue while driving, which was not corrected with alignment and poses a safety risk. Additionally, the windshield was scratched by faulty wiper blades that impaired visibility — the dealer later reimbursed me. Lastly, the driver-side running light was not fu

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“The contact owns a 2021 Cadillac CT5. The contact stated while driving at approximately 72 MPH, there was a loud noise inside the cabin. The contact became aware that the sunroof had shattered without impact. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or local dealer. The m”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

BODY/STRUCTURE(~50K mi)

$500

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS(~50K mi)

$500

VISIBILITY(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 28 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ELECTRICAL: When approaching a stopping vehicle the brake pedal became extremely hard to press and I could not brake enough to stop and had a collision. Come to find out that the ABS computer and the main ECU weren't communicating correctly which turned off the assisted braking, assisted steering and the AWD.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BODY/STRUCTURE: Currently my passenger door and my rear driver side door do not open from the outside. I already had to have my driver side door handle replaced for the same issue, now three out of four of my handles have failed. If an accident were to occur no one would be able to access the passenger or the rear
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
AIR BAGS: There was no indication that the Automatic Braking System, Air Bags and Seatbelts were not working properly. In August 12, 2021, I was in an auto accident where I rear-ended another dodge car. The air bags did not deploy and Onstar was not notified. I believe I hit the steering wheel. I went to
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS: There was no indication that the Automatic Braking System, Air Bags and Seatbelts were not working properly. In August 12, 2021, I was in an auto accident where I rear-ended another dodge car. The air bags did not deploy and Onstar was not notified. I believe I hit the steering wheel. I went to
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)