2016 Cadillac CTS: problems, recalls and reliability
4 recalls and 31 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is power train (25% 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 31 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“The contact owns 2016 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the steering rack and pinion needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V175000 (STEERING); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was 93,942.”Owner report · Steering · Nov 2025
“The passenger side airbag stays illuminated after the vehicle is started and continues to stay on as the vehicle is driven, never going off. General Motors have not issued a recall on this safety problem with the 2016 Cadillac CTS. My [XXX] address [XXX] . My phone number is [XXX] . INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)”Owner report · Air Bags · Feb 2025
“The contact's relative owns a 2016 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 40 MPH, the passenger's side air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed that the front passenger's side air bag inflator needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the VIN was not included in a related recall and provided an estimate for the repair. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 49,790.”Owner report · Air Bags · Feb 2025
Show 7 more owner reports
“Center console screen again has stopped working, no access to settings for the car nor any way to correct settings at this point. Many of the settings can be critical to safe driving of the car and have no manual alternative. This is the second screen in 50k miles.”Owner report · Electrical System · Aug 2024
“Rear differential failed @ 44,600 miles. Dealer said car was unsafe to drive. Dealer unable to obtain replacement after 30 days. Internet search shows this to be a known issue.”Owner report · Suspension · Dec 2023
“The contact owns a 2016 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated that while driving at highway speeds the rear end of the vehicle lowered. There was an abnormal roaring noise detected from the wheels. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who informed the contact that the failure was due to the run flat tires. The vehicle was taken back to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the differential was not properly lubricated; and informed him not to drive the vehicle. The parts to repair the vehicle was on back order. The manufacturer was contacted but no additional assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000.”Owner report · Suspension · Oct 2022
“The component that failed on my vehicle is the rear differential. My safety was put at risk by my vehicle hesitating on the highway where I lost speed and was almost rear ended. At that point I had to pull over onto a shoulder with grass to wait on the side of the highway for a tow. My vehicle has been with the dealer for the past 2 months. No warning lights or signals.”Owner report · Power Train · Apr 2022
“The component that failed was the rear differential. I had to pull over on a grassy area on the merrit parkway which put my safety at risk. The component has been inspected by the dealer. No warning lamps appeared. I heard a whining sound and a grinding noise.”Owner report · Power Train · Apr 2022
“Torque converter shudders and jerks abruptly. There's trouble slowing down at times and it has a difficult time shifting up or shifting down i gears.”Owner report · Power Train · Jan 2022
“The side detection light in both side mirrors stays on even when the vehicle is turned off. This may cause an accident while driving The problem is confirmed by the dealer No No”Owner report · Electrical System · Sep 2021
When filing, owners marked a crash in 0 of these complaints and injuries in 1 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 4 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 2016-2018 Cadillac CTS, 2017-2018 Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Camaro, and Chevrolet Corvette vehicles. The electric power steering (EPS) assist may fail.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the power steering gear assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 15, 2025. Owners may contact Cadilac customer service at 1-800-333-4223 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N252497020.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Cadillac CTS, and 2017 Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Camaro, and Chevrolet Corvette vehicles. The electric power steering (EPS) assist system may fail.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the power steering gear assembly, free of charge. The recall began June 13, 2019. GM' number for this recall is N182182760.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2016 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 2016 Cadillac CTS reliable?
NHTSA has 31 owner complaints and 4 recall campaigns on record for the 2016 Cadillac CTS. The most complained-about area is power train (25% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2016 Cadillac CTS problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 23,000 miles or less.
Does the 2016 Cadillac CTS have open recalls?
4 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.