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).

Is 2011 a good year for the CTS?

Across the 7 CTS model years we track, complaint volume runs from 1 (2010) to 321 (2003). With 108 complaints, the 2011 CTS sits belowthe model's median of 175.

These are raw NHTSA complaint totals, not adjusted for how many cars sold or how long each model year has been on the road. Older and higher-selling years accumulate more complaints.

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…

  • 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.

Owner insights cover all generations of the CTS. See the full CTS owner picture and every model year.

Typical used price

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

Other CTS model years

Compare every CTS year side by side to see how 2011 ranks against the rest.

Compare the CTS against its rivals