Your vehicle report
2011 Cadillac CTS
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 101
- Received Dec 2010 to May 2025
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Airbags fail to deploy in crashes7 complaints · 6.9% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Airbag warning light stays on6 complaints · 5.9% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps6 complaints · 5.9% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #14V394000This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on July 2, 2014 that they are recalling 554,328 model year 2003-2014 Cadillac CTS vehicles manufactured August 16, 2001, to April 28, 2014, and 2004-2006 Cadillac SRX vehicles manufactured March 20, 2003, to August 11, 2006. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.
- Recall #14V341000General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011 Cadillac CTS vehicles manufactured October 18, 2010, to June 2, 2011. In the affected vehicles, vibrations from the drive shaft may cause the vehicle's roll over sensor to command the roof rail air bags to deploy.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 11 crashes, 3 fires, 6 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 7 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 5 |
| 2012 | 7 |
| 2013 | 8 |
| 2014 | 20 |
| 2015 | 16 |
| 2016 | 7 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2018 | 7 |
| 2019 | 9 |
| 2020 | 6 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 4 |
| 2023 | 3 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 101 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 7 | 6.9% | – | |
| Airbag warning light stays on | 6 | 5.9% | – | |
| Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps | 6 | 5.9% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 5 | 5.0% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 5 | 5.0% | – | |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 4 | 4.0% | – | |
| Ford Focus transmission clutch slips and hesitates | 3 | 3.0% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #14V394000July 2, 2014554,328 vehicles affected
electrical system: ignition
This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on July 2, 2014 that they are recalling 554,328 model year 2003-2014 Cadillac CTS vehicles manufactured August 16, 2001, to April 28, 2014, and 2004-2006 Cadillac SRX vehicles manufactured March 20, 2003, to August 11, 2006. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.
If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on September 15, 2014. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 14172.
NHTSA recall #14V341000June 19, 201416,932 vehicles affected
air bags; power train: driveline: driveshaft
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011 Cadillac CTS vehicles manufactured October 18, 2010, to June 2, 2011. In the affected vehicles, vibrations from the drive shaft may cause the vehicle's roll over sensor to command the roof rail air bags to deploy.
If the roof rail air bags deploy unexpectedly, there is an increased risk of crash and injury to the occupants.
Remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear drive shaft assembly, free of charge. General Motors distributed an interim letter to owners on August 27, 2014. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 14233.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2011 Cadillac CTS.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN