Sign inCreate free garage
Research · Midsize Cars

2011 Cadillac CTSRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls and 108 owner complaints for the 2011 Cadillac CTS. Most complaints involve air bags (25) and power train (25). The EPA rates it 14–21 mpg combined.

Check a VINAdd to my garage
Combined MPG
14–21mpg
EPA · 12 versions
NHTSA overall
—
Not rated by NCAP
Safety recalls
2campaigns
Latest Jul 2014
Owner complaints
108
Top: air bags
Fuel cost / yr
$2,950est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

2 NHTSA campaigns · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Electrical system: ignition

Free remedy

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 also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on July 2, 2014 that they are recalling 554,328 model year 2003-2014 Cadillac CTS vehicles manufactured August 16, 2001, to April 28, 2014, and 2004-2006 Cadillac SRX vehicles manufactured March 20, 2003, to August 11, 2006. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.

Electrical systemReported Jul 2, 2014NHTSA 14V394000

Air bags

Remedy pending

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 over sensor to command the roof rail air bags to deploy.

Air bagsReported Jun 19, 2014NHTSA 14V341000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 9, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

108 complaints filed with NHTSA · Dec 2010 – May 2025
  1. Air bags25
  2. Power train25
  3. Electrical system20
  4. Engine13
  5. Steering11
  6. Structure9
  7. Exterior lighting8
  8. Service brakes6
  9. Vehicle speed control6

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

By model year

Complaints for each CTS model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
2003319
2004229
2005284
2006272
2007218
2008175
2009168
20100
2011108
201267
201373
2014146
201550
201631
201727
20188
201910
Crashes reported
11
Fires reported
3
Injuries reported
6
Deaths reported
0
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 9, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Air bags

25 reports5 crashes
“My air bag light is on. I brought it to the dealer for repair. The dealer told me the airbag is unfixable due to the fact that the "Passenger seat presence sensor is broken and no longer manufactured". I now have a car that is fully functional aside from this issue and it's unsafe to drive. The dealer also refused to buy the car back from me for fair market value.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 22, 2023Air bagsODI 11556532

Power train

25 reports1 crash
“The contact owns a 2011 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine started to make an abnormal sound and the vehicle was inadvertently vibrating. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V341000 (Air Bags, Power Train). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 165,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 12, 2023Power train, Air bagsODI 11544014

Electrical system

20 reports1 crash3 fires
“Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2011 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated that while attempting to register the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 86,140 and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 162,290.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 28, 2025Electrical systemODI 11663380
All 2011 CTS problemsSend a problem to a mechanic on findmechanic.ai
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

12 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Midsize Cars, Small Station Wagons
Engines
3.6L 6-cyl · 3.0L 6-cyl · 6.2L 8-cyl supercharged
Transmissions
Automatic (S6) · Manual 6-spd
Drive
Rear-Wheel Drive · All-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline · Premium Gasoline

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 9, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
CTS
Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.6 L · Rear-Wheel Drive
182721$2,950423
CTS
Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.0 L · Rear-Wheel Drive
182721$2,950423
CTS AWD
Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.6 L · All-Wheel Drive
182621$2,950423
CTS AWD
Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.0 L · All-Wheel Drive
182621$2,950423
CTS Wagon
Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.6 L · Rear-Wheel Drive
182621$2,950423
CTS Wagon
Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.0 L · Rear-Wheel Drive
182721$2,950423
CTS
Man 6-spd, 6 cyl, 3.6 L · Rear-Wheel Drive
162519$3,300468
CTS
Man 6-spd, 6 cyl, 3.0 L · Rear-Wheel Drive
162619$3,300468
CTS
Man 6-spd, 8 cyl, 6.2 L, Sup Charg · Rear-Wheel Drive
141916$4,850555
CTS Wagon
Man 6-spd, 8 cyl, 6.2 L, Sup Charg · Rear-Wheel Drive
141916$4,850555
CTS
Auto (S6), 8 cyl, 6.2 L, Sup Charg · Rear-Wheel Drive
121814$5,550635
CTS Wagon
Auto (S6), 8 cyl, 6.2 L, Sup Charg · Rear-Wheel Drive
121814$5,550635
  • CTS
    Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.6 L
    18 city · 27 hwy · $2,950/yr
    21
    mpg comb.
  • CTS
    Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.0 L
    18 city · 27 hwy · $2,950/yr
    21
    mpg comb.
  • CTS AWD
    Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.6 L
    18 city · 26 hwy · $2,950/yr
    21
    mpg comb.
  • CTS AWD
    Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.0 L
    18 city · 26 hwy · $2,950/yr
    21
    mpg comb.
  • CTS Wagon
    Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.6 L
    18 city · 26 hwy · $2,950/yr
    21
    mpg comb.
  • CTS Wagon
    Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.0 L
    18 city · 27 hwy · $2,950/yr
    21
    mpg comb.
  • CTS
    Man 6-spd, 6 cyl, 3.6 L
    16 city · 25 hwy · $3,300/yr
    19
    mpg comb.
  • CTS
    Man 6-spd, 6 cyl, 3.0 L
    16 city · 26 hwy · $3,300/yr
    19
    mpg comb.
  • CTS
    Man 6-spd, 8 cyl, 6.2 L, Sup Charg
    14 city · 19 hwy · $4,850/yr
    16
    mpg comb.
  • CTS Wagon
    Man 6-spd, 8 cyl, 6.2 L, Sup Charg
    14 city · 19 hwy · $4,850/yr
    16
    mpg comb.
  • CTS
    Auto (S6), 8 cyl, 6.2 L, Sup Charg
    12 city · 18 hwy · $5,550/yr
    14
    mpg comb.
  • CTS Wagon
    Auto (S6), 8 cyl, 6.2 L, Sup Charg
    12 city · 18 hwy · $5,550/yr
    14
    mpg comb.
Estimate your fuel costCost of ownership
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 9, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

6 tested variants
NHTSA has not published 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2011 Cadillac CTS as of Nov 9, 2026.
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Nov 9, 2026Vehicle 543Vehicle 542Vehicle 541
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

2011 CTS questions

How many recalls does the 2011 Cadillac CTS have?

2 safety recalls as of Nov 9, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.

What are the most common 2011 Cadillac CTS problems?

Owners filed 108 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are air bags (25), power train (25), electrical system (20). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2011 Cadillac CTS get?

The EPA rates the 2011 Cadillac CTS at 14–21 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (12 versions rated).

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Nov 9, 2026