2011 Cadillac CTS-V
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2011 Cadillac CTS-V has 8 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.0x the segment average of 8. The most common issue is transmission problems (38% of all complaints), specifically: please know the car is in mint condition and has never been in an accident. this is my dream car and stays well kept in my garage. it only has 19,500 miles on it. rear differential whines or howls between 40-70mpg when under light load (like cruising or using cruise control) in 4th, 5th, and 6t.
8
Total Complaints
0
Recalls Issued
—/5
Safety Stars
1.0x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems(top 5 of 5)
TRANSMISSION
3 complaints- • PLEASE KNOW THE CAR IS IN MINT CONDITION AND HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS MY DREAM CAR AND STAYS WELL KEPT IN MY GARAGE. IT ONLY HAS 19,500 MILES ON IT. REAR DIFFERENTIAL WHINES OR HOWLS BETWEEN 40-70MPG WHEN UNDER LIGHT LOAD (LIKE CRUISING OR USING CRUISE CONTROL) IN 4TH, 5TH, AND 6T
- • MY CTS-V CURRENTLY HAS 56,000 MILES AND VERY WELL CARED FOR. MY PROBLEM STARTED AT 25,XXX MILES WITH A REAR SEAL LEAK, IT WAS REPLACED BY DEALER AND 9 MONTHS LATER STARTED LEAKING AGAIN. AFTER THE 4TH TRIP TO THE DEALER, THEY ARE NOW TELLING ME IT'S THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL THAT IS A 'KNOWN ISSUE' (W
- • MY 2011 CTS-V REAR DIFFERENTIAL HAS NOW FAILED FOR THE SECOND TIME. FIRST OFF, MY CAR HAS BEEN BABIED AND EXTREMELY WELL TAKEN CARE OF. THE DIFFERENTIAL FIRST FAILED AT APPROXIMATELY 17,500 MILES AND NOW THIS SECOND TIME AT APPROXIMATELY 38,900 MILES. BOTH TIMES THE DIFFERENTIAL HAS STARTED TO MAK
“PLEASE KNOW THE CAR IS IN MINT CONDITION AND HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS MY DREAM CAR AND STAYS WELL KEPT IN MY GARAGE. IT ONLY HAS 19,500 MILES ON IT. REAR DIFFERENTIAL WHINES OR HOWLS BETWEEN 40-70MPG WHEN UNDER LIGHT LOAD (LIKE CRUISING OR USING CRUISE CONTROL) IN 4TH, 5TH, AND 6T”
— NHTSA complaint filing
Estimated Insurance Cost for 2011 Cadillac CTS-V
How this estimate is calculated
Coverage assumed: 100/300/100 liability + comprehensive/collision, $500 deductibles. Data sources: NAIC 2024 + HLDI loss studies.
Maintenance & Warranty
Cadillac New-Vehicle Warranty Coverage
These are the terms for a new Cadillac. If you're buying a used 2011 CTS-V, 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
Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.
🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Based on 8 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐TRANSMISSION: PLEASE KNOW THE CAR IS IN MINT CONDITION AND HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS MY DREAM CAR AND STAYS WELL KEPT IN MY GARAGE. IT ONLY HAS 19,500 MILES ON IT. REAR DIFFERENTIAL WHINES OR HOWLS BETWEEN 40-70MPG WHEN UNDER LIGHT LOAD (LIKE CRUISING OR USING CRUISE CONTROL) IN 4TH, 5TH, AND 6T
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐AIR BAGS: WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE PASSENGER SEATBELT LIGHT COMES ON WITH OR WITHOUT A PASSENGER BEING PRESENT. I TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE PASSENGER DETECTION MODULE WAS GOING OUT AND WHEN THE SEAT BELT LIGHT COMES ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS ARE DISABLED MEANING THE AIRBAGS WILL NO
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐FUEL SYSTEM: GASOLINE LEAK FROM THE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY, ON TOP OF THE GAS TANK. I NOTICED A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE AND UPON LOOKING UNDER MY CAR, NEAR THE PASSENGER REAR TIRE, I FOUND A SMALL PUDDLE OF GASOLINE ON THE GROUND. I COULD SEE GASOLINE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE TANK. I RESEARCHED ON THE CTSVOWNERS.COM
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐OTHER: FIRST, PLEASE KNOW THE CAR IS A 2011 IN MINT CONDITION...STILL SMELLS NEW. I ONLY HAVE 19,500 MILES ON IT AND IT HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. IT SPENDS MOST OF ITS LIFE AS A GARAGE QUEEN AS IT IS MY DREAM CAR AND STAYS PROTECTED. TRUNK GETS SATURATED EVERY TIME WATER (RAIN, HOSE, ETC) GETS ON
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)
Cadillac CTS-V — Year Comparison
How does 2011 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.
Full years-to-avoid analysis →NHTSA Safety Rating
No NHTSA safety rating available
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 8
- Recalls
- 0
- Fire reports
- 0
- Crash reports
- 0
- Injury reports
- 0
- Segment avg
- 8
Check a Specific VIN
See recalls for YOUR 2011 Cadillac CTS-V