Problems · NHTSA complaints

2008 Cadillac CTS problems

Owners filed 175 complaints about the 2008 Cadillac CTS with NHTSA between Mar 2008 and Jun 2026. The most-cited component is electrical system (39).

Complaints
175
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
12
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
7
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Electrical system39
  2. Fuel/propulsion system23
  3. Engine22
  4. Power train21
  5. Vehicle speed control14
  6. Structure14
  7. Steering13
  8. Service brakes, hydraulic13
  9. Air bags12
  10. Service brakes11
  11. Electronic stability control (esc)7
  12. Engine and engine cooling7
  13. Exterior lighting6
  14. Fuel system, gasoline5

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

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
200814
200914
201010
20114
201210
20138
201428
201516
201611
201717
201815
20197
20205
20214
20223
20233
20242
20253
20261

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Electrical system

39 reports3 fires2 related recalls
“The recall performed on this vehicle were not performed. They played a [XXX] man made him get aThe recall performed on this vehicle we’re not performed. They played a [XXX] man made him get a timing chain for Morris Cadillac. I have several receipts from the vehicle being serviced because of the faulty windshield washer heater system that was supposed to be disabled caused an electrical short in the vehicle because it was not properly sealed water got in the wires and caused the computer to be fried this happened before the car still only has 67,000 miles and they won’t even take it in. The car stopped in the middle of the road almost killing everybody. I’ve had several technicians explain that it’s because of the faulty. Recall that they did not fix that is still exposed. Maybe they had a worker that was fired in 2017.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 29, 2025Electrical systemODI 11663826

Fuel/propulsion system

23 reports1 fire
“Ever since I purchased this 2008 CTS vehicle, I have dumped thousands of dollars to repair the vehicle even after the "recall repairs". Problems persist and the car has become more dangerous than ever. The vehicle had inspected by the dealership a number of times the first 5 years of ownership the first 3, listed below, were the replaced recalls from dealership, the rest are known safety issues that gm denies to admit to faults and recalls. *Ignition starter replacement (still have starter failure issues after 2 repairs from gm) *washer fluid warmer removal (they just snipped the wires and removed the component but left hot wires exposed in vehicle) *motherboard ecm replacement recall(ecm is still faulty and has caused dozens of electrical issues. **************** battery drains over night. On my 6th battery (just bought new one 3 days ago) gauge cluster never recalibrated and is completely disabled. Don't know how fast im going how much gas or any other info related to. sunroof constantly leaking, flooding vehicle and destroying the electrical components which fried many relays including the door lock and power window components vehicle refuses to turn but…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 25, 2024Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11573886

Engine

22 reports2 fires
“Vehicle Purchase Statement – Top Tier Auto I, [XXX] , purchased a vehicle from Top Tier Auto on [XXX]. The vehicle details are as follows: VIN: [XXX] Warranty: 30-day coverage for the transmission and engine After owning the vehicle for only 15 minutes, I entered the freeway, and the car began to shake violently. Shortly after, a gentleman driving behind me alerted me that sparks and fire were falling from beneath the car. I immediately pulled over, just before the engine burst into flames. The Columbus Police Department responded to the scene and had to extinguish the fire. This incident occurred within minutes of purchasing the vehicle, despite the supposed 30-day warranty covering the transmission and engine.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 28, 2025Electrical system, Unknown or other, EngineFire reportedODI 11639210

Power train

21 reports
“I was driving down the road going Bout 29 miles per hour when I heard a big boom. It sounded ND felt like I had hit something . So I slowed down and pulled over to the side of the road put the car in park looked underneath nothing was there . I then preceeded to my at. Which thank God was only another block away .I started going only going maybe 5 miles per hour at this point because it sounds like I'm dragging like metals on the ground . When I got to my apt. I went to park the car when I went to put it into park it would not go when I went to reverse it would nit go it still went into drive and thTs it and even getting it into driveyou really had to push it and it felt like the tires were going to wobble off , I mean bye this time it just felt like the car was gonna fall apart shaking abd wobbling all over because I kept trying g to go from drive to neutral to get it to go into park but it didn't budge I had to leave it in neutral and put on the emergency break and shut the car off leaving my key I side cause it wS stuck due to the car not going into park. When I came out of my apt. I wS just frazzled I didn't understand whT wS going on she hD been running…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 7, 2023Steering, Power train, Unknown or otherODI 11543065

Vehicle speed control

14 reports4 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CADILLAC CTS. WHILE DRIVING AND APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE UNCONTROLLABLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ONLY WAY TO CORRECT THE FAILURE WAS BY TURNING OFF AND RESTARTING THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 26, 2019Vehicle speed controlODI 11222716

Structure

14 reports2 crashes
“FRONT DOORS ON 2008 CADILLAC CTS4 , ESPECIALLY R.F HAVE BECOME HARDER TO OPEN OVER LAST 2 YEARS. THE R.F DOOR AT TIMES WILL NOT OPEN FROM OUTSIDE LATCH, HAVE TO ENTER CAR FROM L.S. AND OPEN R DOOR FRON INSIDE. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS IN CASE OF ACCIDENT OR FIRE.DEALER WANTS $1800.00 TO REPAIR. I HAVE BEEN A GM FAN FOR 60 YEARS AND FROM PREVIOUS EXPERIENCES WITH GM, HAVE”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 15, 2018StructureODI 11161731
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026

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