2013 Cadillac CTS: problems, recalls and reliability
2 recalls and 72 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is electrical system (28% of complaints).
Data updated weekly · latest recall Oct 2014
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 72 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“My 2013 has only 75k miles on it and all the dash lights flash and the car fails every couple of days. It has a brand new battery but the gauges on the dash continue to dance. I'm not sure what the problem is but it's a huge safety factor in drivability.”Owner report · Suspension · Feb 2025
“I noticed that on the dash a message that service is needed on one of the airbags. I then scheduled appointment to have the problem corrected. I was informed by the dealership' service department that I need a passenger airbag replacement on the passenger side of the car, and they also informed me that GM no longer manufactures the airbag that I need. I was not given any assistance on how to replace this safety feature in the car, nor was I notified by the manufacturer that airbag was discontinued.”Owner report · Air Bags · Dec 2024
“Found a crack along the tab of my subframe along the rear control arm pocket. Searching for solutions and repairs, I found several hundred people who broke the tab while driving on CTSVowners, ctsvforum and various Facebook groups This seems to impact both the base model and V series CTS.”Owner report · Structure · Mar 2024
Show 7 more owner reports
“The contact owns a 2013 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated that the transmission fluid was leaking, and the vehicle stalled while driving at various speeds. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission fluid was significantly low. The transmission was topped off. The contact stated that the vehicle was driven to the residence; however, on arrival the transmission fluid level was abnormally low. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 31,000.”Owner report · Power Train · Aug 2023
“The contact owns a 2013 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, the electronic stability control and an unknown warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the dealer could not duplicate the failure. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic and the mechanic cleaned the transmission; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The failure mileage was approximately 87,000.”Owner report · Electronic Stability Control (Esc) · Dec 2021
“Tl* the contact owned a 2013 cadillac cts. The contact stated while driving at 55 mph, the contact crashed into a deer which caused an air bag deployment message; the air bags were not deployed. The contact stated only an odd smelling powder emitted from the air bag location. The contact sustained bruising in torso, and swelling in eyes due to powder; medical attention was not sought. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was towed to local tow lot where it was diagnosed with being destroyed. The manufacturer was not informed of failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000. The VIN was not available.”Owner report · Air Bags · Mar 2021
“The nippendenso fuel pump neck is cracked and is leaking fuel. $3200 bucks for the dealer to replace. Bought on line and replaced for $1256 bucks. Every cts v has this issue. I cannot imagine that this is not a recall. Pumping on the ground is a safety issue. Check the forums and you will see all of these vehicles have a fuel leak problem.”Owner report · Fuel/Propulsion System · Dec 2020
“Tl* the contact owns a 2013 cadillac cts. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled without warning. The failure recurred while the engine was idling with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the ecm wiring was defective. The wiring was replaced along with the camshaft sensor and ecm. The failure was remedied. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 37,000.”Owner report · Electrical System · Apr 2020
“Tl* the contact owns a 2013 cadillac cts. The contact stated that while driving at night, he was informed that the driver's side headlight was not illuminated. The contact inspected the vehicle and confirmed that the headlight was not illuminated. The vehicle was taken to heritage cadillac, inc. (303 w roosevelt rd, lombard, il 60148) to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the seal on the headlights were improperly installed and that there was a cost to repair the headlights. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 31,000.”Owner report · Exterior Lighting · Mar 2020
“I was in an accident with my 2013 cadillac, suffering a severed lip, requiring 24 stitches in my botyomlip, lost tooth, and suffered neck and back pain due to airbags not deploying.”Owner report · Air Bags · Oct 2019
When filing, owners marked a crash in 10 of these complaints and injuries in 8 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 2 campaigns
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Cadillac CTS, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL, and 2014 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Express, Impala, Silverado HD, Traverse, GMC Acadia, Savana, and Sierra HD vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the chassis electronic module may be internally contaminated, resulting in an electrical short.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the chassis electronic module, free of charge. The recall began on December 26, 2014. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), and 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14515.
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.
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.
Trouble codes owners mention
OBD-II codes that appear in NHTSA complaints about this car.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2013 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
Check your exact CTS by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2013 Cadillac CTS reliable?
NHTSA has 72 owner complaints and 2 recall campaigns on record for the 2013 Cadillac CTS. The most complained-about area is electrical system (28% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2013 Cadillac CTS problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 28,500 miles or less.
Does the 2013 Cadillac CTS have open recalls?
2 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning electrical system. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.