Problems · by component

2003 Cadillac CTS service brakes, hydraulic problems

25 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2003 Cadillac CTS cite service brakes, hydraulic, 8% of all 319 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
25
8% of all complaints
Crashes
3
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the service brakes, hydraulic

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND TRAVELED ABNORMALLY TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE CALIPER WAS CORRODED AND DETACHED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V105000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 131,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 30, 2014Service brakes, hydraulic, Service brakesODI 10595080
“WHILE BRAKING FOR SOME SLOW TRAFFIC, I FELT A POP FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL. ONLY HAVING ABOUT 25% USE OF THE BRAKES I HAD TO PULL OF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE SHOP WHERE THE MECHANIC SHOWED ME THE BRAKE FLUID LEAKING FROM THE BRAKE LINE CONNECTION. WHEN HE CHECKED THE OTHER SIDE THE FITTING SNAPPED IN HIS HAND. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IS WHY CADILLAC DID NOT NOTIFY ME ABOUT THIS RECALL. AFTER TALKING TO CADILLAC THEY DID CONFIRM THAT THIS VEHICLE IS COVERED UNDER THIS RECALL. I NOW HAVE TO TAKE THE PARTS TO A GM DEALER ALONG WITH MY REGISTRATION AND RECEIPT FOR REPAIRS. I WAS TOLD IT WILL TAKE 4 WEEKS TO BE REIMBURSED. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 8, 2012Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10450806
“I PURCHASED MY NEW 2003 CTS IN 2002 AT PIKEVILLE, KY. CURRENTLY THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE CTS RECALL 10V105000 (GM RECALL NO. 09149) THAT INVOLVES THE FRONT BRAKE HOSES RUPTURING DUE TO ROAD SALT CORROSION. HOWEVER, THE STATE OF KY IS NOT COVERED. WE HAVE ROAD SALT HERE AS WELL. PIKEVILLE IS JUST 20 MILES FROM WV AND IT IS COVERED THERE. MY VIN FALLS WITHIN THE GUIDELINE. IN 2007 BEFORE THE RECALL IT HAPPENED TO ME HERE IN KY AND CAUSED ME TO HAVE A CRASH. SINCE PIKEVILLE IS SO CLOSE TO WV AND MY EMPLOYER IS THERE, I AM IN WV A LOT. I FEEL THAT CADILLAC SHOULD HONOR ME AS WELL!!! HOWEVER, GM REFUSES TO HONOR THE RECALL SINCE I MEET EVERY REQUIREMENT EXCEPT THE STATE. SINCE IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM, AND I CRASHED, GM SHOULD REPAIR MY HOSES UNDER THE RECALL. I AM SURE THAT IF I DECIDED TO PURSUE LITIGATION, I WOULD BE SUCCESSFUL NOW THAT GM HAS ADMITTED TO THE PROBLEM. THE SIMPLE FACT THAT I RESIDE IN KY IS THE ONLY REASON THAT I CANNOT REAP THE BENEFITS OF THE RECALL. ROAD SALT IS THE SAME IN KY AS IT IS IN WV. CORROSION IS CORROSION. I HAVE PURCHASED OVER 15 NEW GM VEHICLES DURING MY LIFETIME AND AM A DEDICATED GM OWNER. I CURRENTLY OWN 4 GM VEHICLES. I AM…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 4, 2012Service brakes, hydraulicCrash reportedODI 10446633
“2003 CADILAC CTS. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO PROBLEMS WITH BRAKE SYSTEM *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE METAL BRAKE LINE HAD TO BE REPLACED, DUE TO SEVERE CORROSION. THE CONSUMER STATED HE RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER TWO DAYS LATER. ALSO, THE STRUTS, THREE WHEEL BEARINGS, RADIATOR, TRANSMISSION COOLER LINE ALSO HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO CORROSION. THE CRUISE CONTROL AND GAS TANK, WHICH WAS LEAKING HAD TO REPLACED. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 6, 2011Suspension, Service brakes, hydraulic, Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, gasoline, Power train, Vehicle speed controlODI 10438430
“WHILE DRIVING AT A STEADY AND EVEN SPEED MY CAR WOULD SUDDENLY PULLED TO THE LEFT AS IF THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL HAD THE BREAK APPLY. ALMOST INSTANTLY MY "STABILITY SYSTEM ENGAGED" DISPLAY WOULD GO ON AND THE CAR WOULD CORRECT ITSELF. THIS WENT ON TO BECOME A REGULAR EVENT WITH EACH TIME I TOOK THE CAR OUT. THE MOST IT OCCURRED WAS 30 OR SO TIMES IN A 90 MILE TRIP, BUT IT HAPPENED REGULARLY ON LOCAL 2 MILE TRIPS TO THE STORE. SOMETIMES IT WOULD BE MORE SEVERE THAN OTHERS . IN ADDITION AND OCCASIONALLY, WHEN THE BREAKS WERE APPLIED, THERE WOULD BE A "LOUDISH" CRUNCH SOUND AND RESISTANCE TO FOOT PRESSURE THAT WOULD GIVE WAY AFTER THE INITIAL BREAK APPLICATION. THERE WAS ALSO A VIBRATION "BUZZ" THROUGH THE GAS PEDAL WHEN THIS ALL WOULD OCCUR. THE FIRST TIME I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG OR DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. I TOOK THEM INFORMATION I HAD FOUND ON THE WEB ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND THEY CHECKED THEIR SERVICE BULLETINS FOR A PROBLEM. IT WAS FIXED BY CHANGING A STEERING SENSOR AT A COST OF $430.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 8, 2011Steering, Service brakes, hydraulic, Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 10418844
“NHTSA CAMPAIGN # 10V10500 RE; CADILLAC CTS MODELS BRAKE LINE CORROSION PROBLEMS DOES NOT GO FAR ENOUGH IN SCOPE, IN MY OPINION. OUR RECENTLY PURCHASED 2003 CTS HAD NO RECORD OF COMPLIANCE WITH THIS RECALL. IN FACT, BOTH OUR LOCAL DEALER AND CADILLAC CORPORATE CUST SERVICE SAID THEY SHOWED THIS RECALL DID NOT APPLY TO OUR VECHICLE. BEING SKEPTICAL OF THAT ASSERTION BECAUSE THIS VEHICLE HAD SPENT IT'S FIRST TWO YEARS IN CONNECTICUT ON LEASE, I HAD THE BRAKE SYSTEM INSPECTED AT A LOCAL SHOP. THEY FOUND (AND I WITNESSED) THE BADLY CORRODED BRAKE HOSE FITTINGS. AS THE MECHANIC PUSHED ON THE L.H. RUBBER SLEEVE COVERING THE HOSE TO METAL TUBE JUNCTION TO SEE THE EXTENT OF THE RUST, THE HOSE SEPARATED FROM THE TUBE !! THIS WITH ONLY THE PRESSURE APPLIED WITH ONE FINGER !! WE WERE ONE HARD BRAKING APPLICATION FROM A POSSIBLE ACCIDENT !! BUT THERE ARE OTHER AREAS OF CONCERN, AND THOSE ARE THE METAL TUBING LINES IN THE FRONT OF THE CHASSIS THAT ARE PART OF THE HYDRAULIC BRAKING ( AND ANTI-SKID) SYSTEMS. MANY OF THESE LINES ARE HEAVILY RUSTED, MAKING THEM AS MUCH A CONTRIBUTOR TO BRAKE FAILURE AS THE HOSES.! I BELIEVE THESE LINES SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO A RECALL OR EXPANSION…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 14, 2011Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10376656

Showing 6 of 25 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Service brakes

Free remedy

GENERAL MOTORS HAS NOTIFIED NHTSA OF A DEFECT IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2003-2007 CADILLAC CTS VEHICLES CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN OR ORIGINALLY SOLD IN CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WASHINGTON D.C., WEST VIRGINIA AND WISCONSIN. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE A CONDITION IN WHICH THE FRONT BRAKE HOSE FITTING AT THE CALIPER MAY CORRODE DUE TO SNOW OR WATER, CONTAINING ROAD SALT OR OTHER CONTAMINANTS, ENTERING AND BEING RETAINED IN THE ROUTING SLEEVE. IF THE FITTING CORRODES SIGNIFICANTLY, THE BRAKE HOSE-TUBE INTERFACE MAY DEVELOP A LEAK.

Service brakes, hydraulicReported Mar 17, 2010NHTSA 10V105000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 9, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.