Problems · by component
2004 Cadillac CTS power train problems
52 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2004 Cadillac CTS cite power train, 23% of all 229 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
52
23% of all complaints
Crashes
3
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
3
Reported by owners
What owners say about the power train
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“The output shaft flange for the transmission that mounts to the driveshaft coupler the flange starts to break away and then breaks . I can provide photos but the metal on the part is close the the end and if I did not find this problem by mistake the drive shaft would have came free”
“AT ABOUT 100K I NOTICED THE AXLE SEALS ON THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL IS LEAKING. THERE ARE RECALLS ON THIS BUT NOT BASED ON MY VIN NUMBER. WHEN I NOTICED THIS THE CAR WAS ON A LIFT IN THE AIR BEING INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC.”
“REAR PINION SEAL FAILED AND REAR AXLE LOCKED UP. LOST CONTROL AND WAS INVOLVED IN ACCIDENT. SHOCKED TO FIND OUT THERE IS A RECALL FOR 2005 AND NEWER CTS (NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 07V589000, GM RECALL NO. 07204) BUT NOT MY 2004 WHICH HAS AN IDENTICAL REAR MAIN SEAL. THE PART NUMBER USED IN THE RECALL IS THE SAME TO REPAIR MY 2004. *TR”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE, IT REVERSED FOUR FEET BEFORE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOPPED. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,000.”
“WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT 55 MPH AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WE LOST DRIVE POWER. THE RPM'S REVVED UP TO 4 BEFORE I COULD PULL OVER ON A BUSY ROAD JUMPING TWO LANES OF TRAFFIC WITH MY THREE KIDS IN THE CAR. IT WAS STORMING THE CAR WAS RUNNING BUT WOULD NOT ENGAGES IN GEAR. WHEN WE GOT OUT THERE WAS TRANSMISSION FLUID PORING AND SPRAYING OUT OF THE CAR WE QUICKLY KNEW TO TURN IT OFF AND CALL FOR HELP. WHEN WE GOT THE CAR HOME WE SAW THAT THE TRANSMISSION LINE CAME OFF THE RADIATOR. I HAVE SEEN SENSE THEN THAT THIS PROBLEM IS VERY COMMON AND MOST PEOPLES TRANSMISSION ARE SHOT AFTER THIS HAPPENS. WITCH IS A $5000 FIX. THERE WAS NO INDICATORS THAT THE PART WAS BAD OR THAT THE COOLANT PAN WAS LOOSE IN THE BOTTOM OF THE RADIATOR WHICH STRIPED OUT THE NUT ON THE LINE LEAVENING ME AND MY THREE KIDS STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. CADILLAC KNEW THIS WAS A PROBLEM SO THEY PUT OUT A AFTER MARKET PART WITH A QUICK DISCONNECT NOT THE SCREW IN PART LIKE MY CAR HAD. I FOUND THAT OUT AFTER I CALLED AROUND TO HAVE MY CAR FIXED. *TR”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 35 MPH, A HUMMING NOISE EMITTED FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE VIBRATED AND THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT AFTER THE SPEED INCREASED TO 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE NO LONGER VIBRATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 57,565.”
Showing 6 of 52 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.