2011 Cadillac CTS

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Below Average

Quick Summary

The 2011 Cadillac CTS has 148 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.9x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is transmission problems (16% of all complaints), specifically: i purchased a new 2011 cadillac cts coupe. it continuously makes a groaning sound which appears to be coming from the rear part of the drive train. the dealer changed the differential fluid to correct the problem. however, the problem remains. i believe this sound is produced by a defective compon. ⚠️ 4 fire reports filed.

4 fire reports 11 crash reports 7 injuries

148

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

1.9x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

TRANSMISSION

23 complaints

16%

• I PURCHASED A NEW 2011 CADILLAC CTS COUPE. IT CONTINUOUSLY MAKES A GROANING SOUND WHICH APPEARS TO BE COMING FROM THE REAR PART OF THE DRIVE TRAIN. THE DEALER CHANGED THE DIFFERENTIAL FLUID TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM REMAINS. I BELIEVE THIS SOUND IS PRODUCED BY A DEFECTIVE COMPON
• WHILE HAVING THE OIL CHANGED AT THE DEALER, THE DRIVE SHAFT SNAPPED IN TWO. THIS HAPPENED WHEN A TECHNICIAN WAS MOVING THE CAR AFTER THE SERVICE WAS COMPLETED. ALUMINUM DRIVE SHAFT SNAPPED AT A CIRCUMFERENTIAL WELD IN DRIVE SHAFT PIPE. *TR
• LOUD SUPERCHARGER GRINDING NOISE. *TR

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

“I PURCHASED A NEW 2011 CADILLAC CTS COUPE. IT CONTINUOUSLY MAKES A GROANING SOUND WHICH APPEARS TO BE COMING FROM THE REAR PART OF THE DRIVE TRAIN. THE DEALER CHANGED THE DIFFERENTIAL FLUID TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM REMAINS. I BELIEVE THIS SOUND IS PRODUCED BY A DEFECTIVE COMPON”

— NHTSA complaint filing

AIR BAGS

23 complaints

16%

• WAS DRIVING VEHICLE IN SPORTING MANNER WHEN THE SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND THE SEAT BELT PRETENSIONERS FIRED. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO ROLL OVER IMMINENT. SAFETY DEVICES WENT OFF COMPLETELY UNNECESSARILY. *TR
• HAD JUST ACCELERATED AFTER STOPPING AT RED LIGHT, REACHING APPROX 25MPH WHEN WE HEARD A VERY LOUD GRATING METAL GRINDING SOUND. ALARMED WE IMMEDIATELY STARTED TO PULL OVER WHEN THE SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. WE WERE ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC AND ONTO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WE WERE DAZED TR
• GM ISSUED RECALL #N140233, NHTSA RECALL #14V341 ON AUG.04, 2014. WE TOOK OUR CAR TO AN AUTHORIZED GM DEALER ON SEPT. 14 AT WHICH TIME THEY ORDERED A REPLACEMENT PART (#34106) WHICH GM HAS YET TO SUPPLY AS OF THIS DATE, NOV. 20, 2014. UPON CHECKING WITH ANOTHER DEALER WE WERE TOLD THEY TOO ARE HAV

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 5 crashes

“WAS DRIVING VEHICLE IN SPORTING MANNER WHEN THE SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND THE SEAT BELT PRETENSIONERS FIRED. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO ROLL OVER IMMINENT. SAFETY DEVICES WENT OFF COMPLETELY UNNECESSARILY. *TR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

20 complaints

14%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER WAS DISPLAYING A SPEED THAT WAS 4 MPH LESS THAN THE ACTUAL SPEED THAN HE WAS TRAVELING AT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE DIFFERENCE IN THE SPEED DISPLAYED WAS NOR
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CADILLAC CTS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH WITH THE RADIO IN ACTIVATION, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. DURING THE ENGINE FAILURE, THE RADIO REMAINED IN OPERATION. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE AFTER TWO ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHOR
• ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS MY REAR VIEW CAMERA WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO ENGAGE WHEN THE CAR IS IN REVERSE, HAS FAILED TO COME ON THUS CREATING A BLIND BACK-UP SITUATION. THE DEALER SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG YET THE PROBLEM CONTINUES AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH. THE DEALER DID SAY OTHER CUSTOMERS HAVE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER WAS DISPLAYING A SPEED THAT WAS 4 MPH LESS THAN THE ACTUAL SPEED THAN HE WAS TRAVELING AT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE DIFFERENCE IN THE SPEED DISPLAYED WAS NOR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

15 complaints

10%

• VEHICLE STALLED OR TRIED TO STALL IN TRAFFIC WHILE IN MOTION AT APPROXIMATE SPEEDS OF 25-35 MPH APPROXIMATELY 10 TIMES OVER A DISTANCE OF APPROXIMATELY 6-8 MILES. WAS TOWED TO DEALER. ON 10-18-11 SERVICE ADVISOR CALLED ME AND ADVISED COMPLAINT COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED AND HAD PERFORMED NORMALLY DU
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CADILLAC CTS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH WITH THE RADIO IN ACTIVATION, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. DURING THE ENGINE FAILURE, THE RADIO REMAINED IN OPERATION. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE AFTER TWO ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHOR
• THE SUPERCHARGER STARTED TO MAKE A NOISE WHICH SOUNDED LIKE MARBLES. IT NOW IS GETTING LOUDER SOUNDING LIKE IT IS GOING TO FALL OFF. IT IS A CTS-V. *TR

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

“VEHICLE STALLED OR TRIED TO STALL IN TRAFFIC WHILE IN MOTION AT APPROXIMATE SPEEDS OF 25-35 MPH APPROXIMATELY 10 TIMES OVER A DISTANCE OF APPROXIMATELY 6-8 MILES. WAS TOWED TO DEALER. ON 10-18-11 SERVICE ADVISOR CALLED ME AND ADVISED COMPLAINT COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED AND HAD PERFORMED NORMALLY DU”

— NHTSA complaint filing

STEERING

11 complaints

• WHILE IN REVERSE, FRONT STEERING SEAMS TO SKIP. IT FEELS LIKE A 4WD. I TOOK IT TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS NORMAL. THEY EVEN SHOWED ME A BULLETIN FROM GM THAT EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM WAS NORMAL AND TO DO NO REPAIRS. AFTER DRIVING 15,000 MILES, IT HAS STEADILY GOTTEN WORSE. I TOOK I
• MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING IN OUR COMMUNITY, ABOUT 15 MPH. HE MADE A RIGHT HAND TURN AND THE CONTROL ARM SNAPPED IN HALF, THE WHEEL BROKE OFF AND THE FRAME CAME CRASHING TO THE GROUND. WE HAVE OWNED THE CAR FOR LESS THAN 3 WEEKS. AAA TOWED THE CAR TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO
• WHEN BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY AND TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT WE NOTICED A PRONOUNCED THUMP THAT WAS VERY NOTICEABLE AND WORRISOME. WE CHECKED WITH THE DEALER AND COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM AND THE DEALER CHECKED WITH GENERAL MOTORS WHO SAID IT WAS A DESIGN FLAW AND COULDN'T DO ANYTHING A

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

“WHILE IN REVERSE, FRONT STEERING SEAMS TO SKIP. IT FEELS LIKE A 4WD. I TOOK IT TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS NORMAL. THEY EVEN SHOWED ME A BULLETIN FROM GM THAT EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM WAS NORMAL AND TO DO NO REPAIRS. AFTER DRIVING 15,000 MILES, IT HAS STEADILY GOTTEN WORSE. I TOOK I”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 148 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
TRANSMISSION: I PURCHASED A NEW 2011 CADILLAC CTS COUPE. IT CONTINUOUSLY MAKES A GROANING SOUND WHICH APPEARS TO BE COMING FROM THE REAR PART OF THE DRIVE TRAIN. THE DEALER CHANGED THE DIFFERENTIAL FLUID TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM REMAINS. I BELIEVE THIS SOUND IS PRODUCED BY A DEFECTIVE COMPON
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
AIR BAGS: WAS DRIVING VEHICLE IN SPORTING MANNER WHEN THE SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND THE SEAT BELT PRETENSIONERS FIRED. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO ROLL OVER IMMINENT. SAFETY DEVICES WENT OFF COMPLETELY UNNECESSARILY. *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER WAS DISPLAYING A SPEED THAT WAS 4 MPH LESS THAN THE ACTUAL SPEED THAN HE WAS TRAVELING AT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE DIFFERENCE IN THE SPEED DISPLAYED WAS NOR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: VEHICLE STALLED OR TRIED TO STALL IN TRAFFIC WHILE IN MOTION AT APPROXIMATE SPEEDS OF 25-35 MPH APPROXIMATELY 10 TIMES OVER A DISTANCE OF APPROXIMATELY 6-8 MILES. WAS TOWED TO DEALER. ON 10-18-11 SERVICE ADVISOR CALLED ME AND ADVISED COMPLAINT COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED AND HAD PERFORMED NORMALLY DU
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)