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2011 Cadillac Cts

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2011 Cadillac Cts do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 101.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

81 reports with mileage · 20 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Air Bags. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

11 crash reports3 fire reports6 injury reports

Air Bags complaints

23 reports
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Mileage unknown · Nov 20, 2014
Air BagsPower Train

GM ISSUED RECALL #N140233, NHTSA RECALL #14V341 ON AUG.04, 2014. WE TOOK OUR CAR TO AN AUTHORIZED GM DEALER ON SEPT. 14 AT WHICH TIME THEY ORDERED A REPLACEMENT PART (#34106) WHICH GM HAS YET TO SUPPLY AS OF THIS DATE, NOV. 20, 2014. UPON CHECKING WITH ANOTHER DEALER WE WERE TOLD THEY TOO ARE HAVING TROUBLE GETTING THE NECESS…

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GM ISSUED RECALL #N140233, NHTSA RECALL #14V341 ON AUG.04, 2014. WE TOOK OUR CAR TO AN AUTHORIZED GM DEALER ON SEPT. 14 AT WHICH TIME THEY ORDERED A REPLACEMENT PART (#34106) WHICH GM HAS YET TO SUPPLY AS OF THIS DATE, NOV. 20, 2014. UPON CHECKING WITH ANOTHER DEALER WE WERE TOLD THEY TOO ARE HAVING TROUBLE GETTING THE NECESSARY PART FROM GM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10659662

30,922 miles · Aug 13, 2014
Air BagsPower TrainInjury

HAD JUST ACCELERATED AFTER STOPPING AT RED LIGHT, REACHING APPROX 25MPH WHEN WE HEARD A VERY LOUD GRATING METAL GRINDING SOUND. ALARMED WE IMMEDIATELY STARTED TO PULL OVER WHEN THE SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. WE WERE ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC AND ONTO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WE WERE DAZED TRYING TO MAKE SENSE OF WHAT HAD…

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HAD JUST ACCELERATED AFTER STOPPING AT RED LIGHT, REACHING APPROX 25MPH WHEN WE HEARD A VERY LOUD GRATING METAL GRINDING SOUND. ALARMED WE IMMEDIATELY STARTED TO PULL OVER WHEN THE SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. WE WERE ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC AND ONTO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WE WERE DAZED TRYING TO MAKE SENSE OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED. MY HUSBAND WAS THE DRIVER AND HAD RECEIVED A LARGE CUT ON HIS LEFT FOREARM . WE HAD OWNED THIS CTS FOR 10 WEEKS AND HAD NOT AS YET SIGNED UP FOR ONSTAR . WHILE TRYING TO STOP HIS BLEEDING I REALIZED THAT THE BLOW FROM THE AIRBAGS HAD KNOCKED MY GLASSES OFF AND I COULDN'T FIND MY CELL PHONE, I PUSHED THE ONSTAR BUTTON AND GAVE THEM OUR INFORMATION AND THEY COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE HELPFUL. AFTER ESTABLISHING THAT WE WERE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND OUT OF IMMEDIATE DANGER THEY ARRANGED FOR A TOW TRUCK TO TAKE US TO MEDVED CADILLAC. AS THIS WAS A SAT. WE WERE NOT ABLE TO SPEAK WITH THE REPAIR DEPT. UNTIL MON.WE WERE TOLD THAT GM HAD TO GIVE APPROVAL TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. EIGHTEEN DAYS LATER 6/26 WE PICKED UP THE CAR AND WERE TOLD THAT THE ENTIRE CAR AND ALL SYSTEMS HAD BEEN CHECKED AND THAT IT WAS SAFE. FOUR DAYS LATER 6/30 I WAS DRIVING HOME AND HEARD A CLACKING NOISE. I STOPPED AND LOOKED AT MY TIRES THINKING I HAD A FLAT. PROCEEDED THE FEW BLOCKS TO GET HOME REALLY AFRAID TO GET BACK IN THIS CAR. WE WERE GOING TO TAKE IT BACK TO MEDVED BUT DROVE A FEW BLOCKS FROM HOME AND STOPPED AT A LIGHT. TURNED THE CORNER HEARD A LOUD METAL CLUNK, FELT IT ON THE FLOORBOARD AS WELL. HAD NO ACCELERATION TO SPEAK OF. I TURNED ON THE FLASHERS AND TRIED TO GET OUT OF TRAFFIC. WAS ABLE TO COAST HOME AND CALL ONSTAR. SPOKE TO A GM REP AT THAT TIME AND HE SAID TO HAVE IT TOWED BACK TO MEDVED.THE NEXT DAY 7/2 WE WERE TOLD THAT THE DRIVE SHAFT BOLTS HAD BEEN SHEARED OFF BUT IT WAS REPAIRED. I REFUSED THE CAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10622018

13,675 miles · Jun 24, 2012
Air BagsSeat Belts

WAS DRIVING VEHICLE IN SPORTING MANNER WHEN THE SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND THE SEAT BELT PRETENSIONERS FIRED. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO ROLL OVER IMMINENT. SAFETY DEVICES WENT OFF COMPLETELY UNNECESSARILY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10462922

Official recalls

2

14V394000 · Electrical System:ignition

Jul 2, 2014

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

14V341000 · Air Bags; Power Train:driveline:driveshaft

Jun 19, 2014

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

Additional source detail variants (2)

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.

Consequence: 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.

Air Bags

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.

Consequence: 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.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.