NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2011 Cadillac CTS. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 35 MPH WHEN THE ACCELERATOR WAS APPLIED BUT THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED AT A RAPID PACE. THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND UNTIL THE CONTACT MERGED ONTO THE SHOULDER AND TURNED THE IGNITION OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED WITHIN MOMENTS BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND NO DEFECT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO STATED HE SHOULD TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AGAIN FOR FURTHER INSPECTION OF THE FAILURE. A COMPLAINT WAS FILED WITH THE MANUFACTURER BUT THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,500.
RECARO SEATS SQUEAK AND ROCK IN THEIR MOUNTS. NOT SECURED PROPERLY. ANNOYING AND IF THE MOUNTS FAIL, THE DRIVER WOULD BE OUT OF POSITION AND CAR COULD CRASH. HAVE BEEN DOING THIS SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW, AND I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE HAVING THIS PROBLEM. *TR
PURCHASED CAR (COUPE) NEW WITH APPX. 2K MILES (HAD BEEN USED AT GOLF TOURNAMENT). A WEEK AFTER I PURCHASED, THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR DID NOT OPEN AND I WAS NOT AWARE OF EMERGENCY LEVER. I CALLED ONSTAR AND THEY WERE ABLE TO UNLOCK IT. IN THE 3 YEARS THAT I OWED IT, THE CAR LOCKED ME IN NUMEROUS TIMES. TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH ONE DEALER KEEPING THE CAR FOR ALMOST A WEEK TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT AND I WAS TOLD THERE WERE NO SERVICE ALERTS. THERE WAS ALSO AN INCIDENT WHERE I WAS ABOUT 10 FEET FROM THE CAR AND THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING FOR NO REASON AND AGAIN THE DEALERS COULD NOT EXPLAIN IT. I HAVE SINCE SOLD THE CAR BECAUSE I DID NOT WANT TO BE DEPENDENT ON ONSTAR OR AN EMERGENCY LEVER.
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 NORMAL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, AND THE CONTACT WAS AGAIN INFORMED THAT THE DIFFERENCE IN THE SPEED DISPLAYED WAS NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 429. UPDATED 8/29/11 *CN UPDATED 09/16/11
THIS CONCERNS THE PWM FREQUENCY USED ON MANY LED RUNNING LIGHTS BEING USED ON RECENT MODEL CARS. MY WIFE IS VERY SENSITIVE TO MANY OF THE NEW LED RUNNING LIGHTS AND REFUSES TO DRIVE AT NIGHT BECAUSE OF THEM. THE STROBING OF THE LED LIGHTS MAKES THEM APPEAR TO BE IN MORE THAN ONE PLACE AT THE SAME TIME. THIS MAKES DRIVING BEHIND THEM AND PASSING THEM VERY DIFFICULT FOR HER. I DON'T NOTICE IT BUT SHE DOES AND SHE WILL COVER HER EYES WHEN WE'RE OUT DRIVING AT NIGHT AND GET CLOSE TO THEM. READING ON THE INTERNET, SHE IS NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO COMPLAINS ABOUT THESE LIGHTS. AS AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEER I UNDERSTAND HOW PULSE WIDTH MODULATED DRIVE CIRCUITS ARE USED TO CONTROL THE BRIGHTNESS OF LEDS AS WELL AS THEIR COLOR TEMPERATURE. HOWEVER, I SEE NO REASON FOR THE LOW FREQUENCY BEING USED IN AUTOMOTIVE APPLICATIONS. CERTAINLY RESEARCH HAS BEEN DONE AS TO WHAT PWM FREQUENCY IS ACCEPTABLE TO 99.9% OF THE POPULATION. I THINK THAT LEDS HAVE A BRIGHT FUTURE, INCLUDING IN VEHICULAR APPLICATIONS, AND AM ALL FOR THEIR USE. HOWEVER, THEY NEED TO BE DRIVEN IN SUCH A WAY THAT DOESN'T COMPROMISE THE SAFETY OF OTHERS ON THE ROAD. *TR
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 COMPONENT IN THE DRIVE TRAIN (DIFFERENTIAL, BEARINGS ETC.), WHICH WILL ULTIMATELY LEAD TO A COMPONENT FAILURE THAT CAN CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CADILLAC CTS EQUIPPED WITH CONTINENTAL CONTI SPORT TRACK, SIZE 275/40/R19 TIRES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STOPPED, A MESSAGE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE WAS EXHIBITING LOW AIR PRESSURE THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A LARGE BULGE ON THE SIDEWALL. THE DEALER REPLACED THE TIRE. THE FAILURE RECURRED AT THE SAME TIRE LOCATION APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AND THE TIRE WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,000. UPDATED03/15/12 *BF
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 IT IN AGAIN. AGAIN THEY TOLD ME IT WAS NORMAL. WHILE THERE, THEY TRIED TO SELL ME NEW TIRES BECAUSE MY REAR TIRES ARE BALD. THEY SAID IT WAS FROM HIGH SPEED STARTS. I EXPLAINED THAT A 73 YEAR OLD PERSON(MY WIFE) IS NOT OUT DRAG RACING AND THERE FOR, THEY MUST BE DEFECTIVE TIRES. THEY CONTACTED CONTINENTAL TIRES(THE MAKER OF THE TIRES) WHOM REPLACED THE TIRES, BUT STATED 15 TO 20 THOUSAND MILES ARE AVERAGE FOR THOSE TIRES. AT $500 EACH, I WOULD EXPECT TO GET MORE MILES OUT OF THE TIRES. NOT HAPPY AT ALL. *TR
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026