2015 Cadillac CTS: problems, recalls and reliability
3 recalls and 46 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is power train (45% of complaints).
Data updated weekly · latest recall May 2026
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 46 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“The contact owns a 2015 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle shuddered and made an abnormally loud sound. The contact exited the highway and drove to the nearest mechanic shop at a gas station. The mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the rear differential was fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was being repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V038000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 98,000.”Owner report · Power Train · Jul 2025
“The contact owns a 2015 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated that there was an abnormal loud clunking sound coming from the rear end of the vehicle while the vehicle was shifting into gears. The vehicle was taken to AMCO Transmissions & Total Car Care, where it was diagnosed that the rear differential had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously serviced under the NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V038000(Power Train); however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The local dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 125,000.”Owner report · Power Train · Aug 2024
“The contact owns a 2015 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH and attempting to stop, the braking system malfunctioned, and the brake pedal became very difficult to depress. The failure almost caused the contact to lose control of the vehicle and crash. The vehicle was turned off and restarted and the "Brake Assist" message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the vacuum pump was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 74,000.”Owner report · Service Brakes, Hydraulic · Dec 2022
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“Was simply driving my normally and out of no where there was a loud pop and driving the car all I heard was a loud grinding noise as I stepped on the gas, and the car would not shift into reverse. No lights or warnings had ever popped up into the dash. Also very strong burning and metal smell came from the car. I have taken the car to an independent repair shop and was determined the rear differential has gone bad. Apparently many other people with similar year vehicles have had the same issues with this make and model of car, to add on another car like mines came into the same shop with the same problem.”Owner report · Power Train · Oct 2022
“The CUE system is variably unresponsive/frozen. Cannot turn on heat, cannot turn on navigation. Situation is distracting as driving and trying to touch the screen to turn on heat in winter, or to receive navigation information when highway shut down and detour was not yet posted. Nearly caused an accident. Dealer confirmed that system is broken. No one else has inspected the system. System never worked properly and had many glitches when vehicle purchased new.”Owner report · Equipment · Jul 2022
“The vacuum pump failed and caused catastrophic engine failure. The vacuum pump was constructed with substandard design and the composition of the parts within the vacuum pumps internal components. The vacuum pump is an integral part of the emissions system, the braking system and the engine. This is not an isolated incident as the replacement vacuum pump, even if replaced, will fail again. The pump should have been designed with a shear pin so the engine camshaft would not have been destroyed.”Owner report · Power Train · Jul 2022
“The recall that was done on the 2014-2015 CTS-V should have been a recall on ALL models of CTS because all of the models in the timeframe received the dsame flawed rear differential. My 2015 CTS Luxury has only 80k miles on it and the differential has chunks of metal in its oil. It is the exactaame differential as is in the CTS-V. At any time my rear end will lock up once the dofferential fully eats itself. It is an extreme saftey hazard for anyone driving any type of CTS from 2014-2015.”Owner report · Power Train · May 2022
“2015 Cadillac CTS Luxury, 81k miles, rear differential has metal chunks in its fluid and makes load roaring sound. Dealership mecahnics said that the differential dailing that early is a known issue, and if it had progressed rhe differential would have seized up and the rear tires would have locked up. No parts available anywhere for differential replacement or overhaul.”Owner report · Power Train · May 2022
“The car was taken to Hutchinson dealership in Macon Georgia, to have the oil changed and when I went to pick up the car the Cue Screen was cracked. I asked being the car was in their possession they should be liable for the repairs. They told me that there was nothing they can do because there was no Warranty. I asked why would the car need a Warranty in there possession. It's been two year and i can't pay to have it repaired. I'm [XXX] and can't afford to have it repaired. Very sad.....”Owner report · Equipment · Nov 2021
“The rear differential started making a loud whining noise around 53,000 miles. It then turned into a grinding noise. I had it checked by a mechanic and he confirmed it was rear differential that needed replacing. He recommended not driving the vehicle since the differential could completely fail and cause an accident. Not having any mechanical experience, the noise was the only indication of a problem. No warning lights or sensor faults.”Owner report · Power Train · Jun 2021
When filing, owners marked a crash in 2 of these complaints and injuries in 0 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 3 campaigns
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Cadillac CTS vehicles, equipped with heated front seats. The flexible heating mats in the front seats may be damaged over time, resulting in the seat heaters producing excessive heat.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will recalibrate the body control module, disabling the automatic activation of the heated seat when the vehicle is remotely started, free of charge. The recall began November 1, 2018. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for the recall is 18286.
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, XTS, 2015-2016 Cadillac ATS, CTS, and SRX vehicles. The front-driver air bag inflator may rupture during deployment.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the front-driver air bag module, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed June 19, 2026. Additional letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223. The manufacturer's number for this recall is N262555870. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 21, 2026.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Cadillac ATS and CTS vehicles. The affected vehicles have a bracket between the brake pedal assembly and the rod that actuates the brakes that may fracture during normal brake pedal operation.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicle and replace any affected bracket, free of charge. The recall began July 6, 2015. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 15352.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2015 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 2015 Cadillac CTS reliable?
NHTSA has 46 owner complaints and 3 recall campaigns on record for the 2015 Cadillac CTS. The most complained-about area is power train (45% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2015 Cadillac CTS problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 55,750 miles or less.
Does the 2015 Cadillac CTS have open recalls?
3 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning seats:front assembly:seat heater/cooler. 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.