Cadillac CTS Reliability — Best and Worst Years by the Data

Quick answer

The 2005 draws 6.07 complaints per run and the 2012 1.17, a 5.2-fold gap within the same model. Half of all complaints arrive by 6 years of age, so 72.3% land after the 4-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Power Train, with 413 complaints, typically at 5.3 years.

Cadillac CTS years to avoid — and the best ones

FIG.01·Cadillac CTS — complaint rate by model year
Model year	Per run	Complaints	Runs	Enough history?
2019	1	10	10	yes
2018	1	7	7	yes
2017	1.29	27	21	yes
2016	1.19	31	26	yes
2015	1.29	49	38	yes
2014	1.73	138	80	yes
2013	1.37	67	49	yes
2012	1.17	61	52	yes
2011	1.33	97	73	yes
2009	2.32	153	66	yes
2008	1.85	150	81	yes
2007	5.33	192	36	yes
2006	5.16	232	45	yes
2005	6.07	249	41	yes
2004	8.95	197	22	yes
2003	14.82	252	17	yes

ROWS 16·SOURCE NHTSA complaints, grouped by VIN production run

Does the market discount it? In our listings a 2005 CTS asks a median $2,495, against $3,500 for a 2006, the next model year: about 29% less, so sellers do price some of the trouble in.

Among the 8 Cadillac CTS years with enough history, the three to walk away from are 2005, 2006, 2009; the three worth hunting are 2012, 2011, 2013.

When it starts to break

FIG.02·Cadillac CTS — age at failure
Age at failure	Complaints	Running total	Warranty
0 years	171	9.4%	covered
1 year	127	16.4%	covered
2 years	104	22.1%	covered
3 years	101	27.7%	covered
4 years	124	34.5%	you pay
5 years	155	43%	you pay
6 years	157	51.7%	you pay
7 years	175	61.3%	you pay
8 years	183	71.4%	you pay
9 years	129	78.5%	you pay
10 years	114	84.8%	you pay
11 years	99	90.2%	you pay
12 years	65	93.8%	you pay
13 years	56	96.9%	you pay
14 years	36	98.8%	you pay
15 years	21	100%	you pay

ROWS 16·SOURCE NHTSA complaints with incident dates

Basic warranty on this car is 4 years / 50,000 miles. Only 27.7% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 72.3% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (4 years / 50,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 32% of the complaints here.

What actually fails — and at what age

What waits further out is Power Train at 5.3 years — past every basic warranty, and the bill lands on whoever owns the car then.

FIG.03·Cadillac CTS — what fails and when
System	Complaints	Typical age	Crash	Fire
Power Train	413	5.3 yrs	14	2
Air Bags	338	7.2 yrs	79	—
Electrical System	334	6.9 yrs	15	16
Service Brakes	289	6.6 yrs	45	3
Engine	206	7.9 yrs	6	6
Steering	140	6 yrs	22	1
Suspension	115	5.2 yrs	8	—
Unknown Or Other	108	7.1 yrs	5	2

ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaints

What else in this class

6 models share the CTS's vehicle class. Per production run, the Toyota Camry draws 5.65, the Honda Accord 4.02 and the Dodge Challenger 3.27, against 2.94 for the CTS. That is the fewest complaints of the group.

FIG.05·Cadillac CTS — rivals in the same class
Same class as the CTS	Complaints on record	Recall campaigns	Years built
Toyota Camry	20,039	161	1983–2026
Honda Accord	24,369	415	1981–2026
Dodge Challenger	1,696	77	1981–2026
Toyota Prius	12,873	109	2001–2026
Hyundai Elantra	9,090	117	1992–2026
Nissan Altima	15,657	148	1993–2026

ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA complaints and recall campaigns

The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.

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Everything on the Cadillac CTS

Recalls75 campaigns Fuel economy25 mpg best Common problems2,185 complaints Check a VINAgainst this exact build DimensionsSize, weight, generations Cargo space29 cu ft Used prices1,139 listings What yours is worthValue by year & mileage Insurance costEstimated per year Window stickerOriginal Monroney label Decode a VINWhat each character means About this car2003–2019

Frequently asked questions

Is the Cadillac CTS reliable?

By complaints per production run it is better than typical: 2.94 against 3.73 for the average car, and fewer than each of the 3 class rivals we compared.

Which CTS years should you avoid?

By complaints per production run, 2005, 2006, 2009. The cleanest years old enough to judge are 2012, 2011, 2013. Years newer than 6 are left out: complaints keep arriving for years after a car is sold.

When do CTS problems usually start?

Half of all complaints arrive by 6 years of age. The most reported system is Power Train, typically at 5.3 years, followed by Air Bags.

Will the warranty cover CTS problems?

Mostly not: basic cover is 4 years / 50,000 miles, and only 27.7% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 32% of the complaints here.

Is the CTS more reliable than the Toyota Camry?

Yes: 2.94 complaints per production run for the CTS against 5.65 for the Toyota Camry.

Complaint records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Rates, age-at-failure and warranty coverage computed by ForCar. Model years newer than 6 years are excluded from rankings — complaints accumulate for a decade (how we measure). Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.

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