NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls and 73 owner complaints for the 2013 Cadillac CTS. Most complaints involve electrical system (26) and power train (13). The EPA rates it 14–21 mpg combined, and NHTSA gives it 5 stars overall.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Cadillac CTS, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL, and 2014 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Express, Impala, Silverado HD, Traverse, GMC Acadia, Savana, and Sierra HD vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the chassis electronic module may be internally contaminated, resulting in an electrical short.
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.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Complaints for each CTS model year we’ve synced.
| Model year | NHTSA complaints |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 319 |
| 2004 | 229 |
| 2005 | 284 |
| 2006 | 272 |
| 2007 | 218 |
| 2008 | 175 |
| 2009 | 168 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 108 |
| 2012 | 67 |
| 2013 | 73 |
| 2014 | 146 |
| 2015 | 50 |
| 2016 | 31 |
| 2017 | 27 |
| 2018 | 8 |
| 2019 | 10 |
“My 2013 has only 75k miles on it and all the dash lights flash and the car fails every couple of days. It has a brand new battery but the gauges on the dash continue to dance. I’m not sure what the problem is but it’s a huge safety factor in drivability.”
“driving to work on very busy highway. The engine light and Service Battery charging system came on, then went to battery saver almost instantly. Radio cut off, heat cutt off and the Car cut off in the middle of the highway before I could safely get over. this caused me to fear for my life as the cars behind me barely had time to stop. a hair probably could not have fit between us. I did eventually safely get off the highway, had the car towed to a service center. There was 14 different codes.(low voltage, engine running lean, low voltage and more. battery was checked and was 95 %, Alternator fine. was told it was the ECM. After looking on google some sites say there is a recall for 2013 cts some say there is not. there are multiple complaints on this issue and it is not safe. I called Cadillac gave my vin number and was told there was not a recall. Cadillac/GMC really need to issue a recall before something tragic happens, as it almost was me. Thank God that it wasn't.”
“I noticed that on the dash a message that service is needed on one of the airbags. I then scheduled appointment to have the problem corrected. I was informed by the dealership’ service department that I need a passenger airbag replacement on the passenger side of the car, and they also informed me that GM no longer manufactures the airbag that I need. I was not given any assistance on how to replace this safety feature in the car, nor was I notified by the manufacturer that airbag was discontinued.”
Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.
| Version | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CTS Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.6 L · Rear-Wheel Drive | 18 | 26 | 21 | $2,950 | 427 |
| CTS Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.0 L · Rear-Wheel Drive | 18 | 27 | 21 | $2,950 | 411 |
| CTS AWD Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.6 L · All-Wheel Drive | 18 | 26 | 21 | $2,950 | 426 |
| CTS AWD Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.0 L · All-Wheel Drive | 18 | 26 | 21 | $2,950 | 433 |
| CTS Wagon Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.6 L · Rear-Wheel Drive | 18 | 26 | 21 | $2,950 | 428 |
| CTS Wagon Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.0 L · Rear-Wheel Drive | 18 | 26 | 21 | $2,950 | 431 |
| CTS Wagon AWD Auto (S6), 6 cyl, 3.6 L · All-Wheel Drive | 18 | 26 | 21 | $2,950 | 429 |
| CTS Man 6-spd, 6 cyl, 3.0 L · Rear-Wheel Drive | 16 | 26 | 19 | $3,300 | 462 |
| CTS Man 6-spd, 8 cyl, 6.2 L, Sup Charg · Rear-Wheel Drive | 14 | 19 | 16 | $4,850 | 554 |
| CTS Wagon Man 6-spd, 8 cyl, 6.2 L, Sup Charg · Rear-Wheel Drive | 14 | 19 | 16 | $4,850 | 554 |
| CTS Auto (S6), 8 cyl, 6.2 L, Sup Charg · Rear-Wheel Drive | 12 | 18 | 14 | $4,450 | 641 |
| CTS Wagon Auto (S6), 8 cyl, 6.2 L, Sup Charg · Rear-Wheel Drive | 12 | 18 | 14 | $5,550 | 641 |
| Item | Miles | Time | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine oil & filter | 5,000–10,000 mi | 6–12 months | Follow the oil-life monitor if fitted |
| Tire rotation | 5,000–7,500 mi | Every oil change | Check pressure monthly |
| Engine air filter | 15,000–30,000 mi | 1–2 years | Sooner in dusty areas |
| Cabin air filter | 15,000–25,000 mi | 1–2 years | |
| Brake fluid | — | 2–3 years | Absorbs moisture over time |
| Coolant | 60,000–100,000 mi | 5–10 years | Long-life coolants last longer |
| Spark plugs | 60,000–100,000 mi | — | Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end |
| 12V battery | — | 3–5 years | Heat shortens battery life |
2 safety recalls as of Nov 10, 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.
Owners filed 73 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are electrical system (26), power train (13), air bags (11). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.
The EPA rates the 2013 Cadillac CTS at 14–21 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (12 versions rated).
NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gives the 2013 Cadillac CTS 5 out of 5 stars overall.