2011 Cadillac CTS: common problems and reliability

The 2011 Cadillac CTS has 108 owner-filed NHTSA complaints and 2 recalls on record. The most-reported areas are air bags and power train. Owners most often flag transmission problems — includes shuddering, slipping, delayed engagement, and complete failure. affects the 8-speed automatic (8l45/8l90) in later models and older automatics in earlier models. very frequent.

Safety record for the 2011 model year

108
Owner complaints
2
Recalls
11
Crash reports
3
Fire reports

Source: NHTSA complaints and recalls filed for 2011 Cadillac CTS vehicles (US, public record).

Where owners report problems

air bags
25
power train
25
electrical system
20
engine
13
steering
11

Recalls affecting the 2011 CTS

air bags

Campaign 14V341000

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 ov…

electrical system:ignition

Campaign 14V394000

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 a…

What owners say across generations

Sentiment is mixed and heavily dependent on generation and specific powertrain. The third-generation CTS (2014-2019) and its high-performance variants (CTS-V, V-Sport) receive significant praise for their handling dynamics, competitive performance, and value p

  • Transmission problems — Includes shuddering, slipping, delayed engagement, and complete failure. Affects the 8-speed automatic (8L45/8L90) in later models and older automatics in earlier models. Very frequent.
  • Cadillac User Experience (CUE) infotainment system failures — Screen delamination, unresponsive touchscreen, phantom touches, and complete failure requiring costly replacement. Very frequent.
  • Electrical system issues — Battery drain problems, faulty sensors, malfunctioning modules (TCM, ECM communication loss), anti-theft system malfunctions, and accessory failures (heated/cooled seats, steering wheel buttons). Very frequent.
  • Engine issues — Oil consumption/burning, timing chain problems (early 3.6L engines), misfires, rough idle, and coolant temperature sensor failures. Recurrent.
  • Suspension and driveline problems — Rear air suspension failure (sagging), leaking differential seals, failing wheel bearings, and driveshaft support bearing failure. Recurrent.

Owner insights cover all generations of the CTS.

Typical used price

Used CTS listings typically run $10,979–$17,080 across 2008 to 2019 model years.

Other CTS model years

2016 CTS2014 CTS2010 CTS2008 CTS2004 CTS2003 CTS
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