RoadVitals

2013 Cadillac ATS Driver assistance Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Driver assistance reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
14
Latest Aug 30, 2020
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
9%
of 160 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
4
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
2

What this page shows

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2013 Cadillac ATS submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 14 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming driver-assistance

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Driver assistanceSteering
Filed Aug 30, 2020

POWER STEERING JUST WENT OUT ON THE VEHICLE. WE STARTED THE VEHICLE TODAY WITH 73,000 MILES AND WHEN WE WENT TO PULL OFF ONCE IN DRIVE THE CAR GAVE A POWER STEERING WARNING APPEARED. WHEN WE TRY TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL IT MAKES THIS LOUD SQUEALING COMPUTERIZED SOUNDING NOISE.

NHTSA ID
11352163
Incident
Aug 30, 2020
Mileage
73,000 mi
Driver assistanceEngine
Filed Jul 14, 2020

WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY MY CAR STARTED TO MOVE LIKE IT WAS GOING TO QUIT ON ME, I GET MY CAR SERVICED FREQUENTLY AND HAVE REPLACED THE SPARKPLUGS AND COIL, CHANGED ALL THE GASKETS, AND I ALMOST GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE STABILITITRACK LIGHT CAME ON AND CAR DID NOT WANT TO WORK AS IT SHOULD. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED.

NHTSA ID
11339389
Incident
Jul 14, 2020
Mileage
103,900 mi
Driver assistanceEnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Feb 11, 2020

CAR WON'T DRIVE PAST 40MPH WITHOUT SERIOUS SHAKING AND VIBRATIONS. HAVE HAD THE CAR TOWED MULTIPLE TIMES AND HAD MULTIPLE THINGS FIXED WITH THE VEHICLE BUT STILL HAVE MAJOR CAN'T DRIVE THE CAR PAST 40MPH. LAST ESTIMATE DEALER SAID IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION. 4-5K TO REPAIR. CADILLAC TOLD ME IT WAS THE COIL RODS WHICH THEY REPLACED. BROUGHT IT BACK AND I WAS TOLD IT WAS A PIPE THAT WAS CRACKED GOING TO THE ENGINE. STILL HAVE SAME PROBLEM. HAD THE TIRES AND ALIGNMENT CHECKED. THEY SAID IT WAS TRANSMISSION. BROUGHT TO ANOTHER PLACE THEY THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE THE ENGINE. ISSUE ARE ON THE HIGHWAY WITH SPEEDS OVER 40MPH.

NHTSA ID
11308616
Incident
Jan 1, 2020
Mileage
70,000 mi
Driver assistanceElectricalVisibility
Filed Jun 8, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CADILLAC ATS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO OPERATE WHEN ENGAGED. IN ADDITION, THE HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING FAILED TO OPERATE CORRECTLY AND THE SUN ROOF SWITCH FAILED TO OPEN OR CLOSE THE SUN ROOF COMPLETELY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO GOLD COAST CADILLAC (2123 NJ-35, OAKHURST, NJ 07755, (732) 695-1400), BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID
11100538
Incident
Jun 2, 2018
Driver assistance
Filed Mar 6, 2016
Crash reported1 injury reported

CADILLAC ATS LOST POWER AND SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING CAUSING LOSE OF CONTROL AS WELL AS RIGHT CONTROL ARM SNAPPING IN HALF. DRIVER THEN HIT DITCH AND THEN A TREE CAUSE DAMAGE TO FRONT OF THE CAR AND INJURY TO DRIVE.

NHTSA ID
10840136
Incident
Mar 4, 2016
Mileage
45,000 mi
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Feb 28, 2015
Crash reported

CADILLAC ATS 2013 CONTINUES TO STALL AND TURN OFF CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING OF VEHICLE. THIS HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 4 TIMES FOR REPAIR, AND VEHICLE HAS STILL BEEN STALLING. *TR

NHTSA ID
10691265
Incident
Jan 28, 2015
Mileage
9,800 mi
Driver assistanceEnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Jan 9, 2015

TRANSMISSION ISSUES. RATTLING UNDER THE CHASSIS THAT SOUNDS LIKE SOMEONE GRABS THE DRIVE SHAFT AND SHAKES IT WHEN THE CLUTCH IS PUSHED AT SLOW SPEEDS IE MOVING UP AT A STOP SIGN, IN TRAFFIC ETC. DEFECTIVE DUAL MASS FLYWHEEL WAS FOUND AFTER THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TOLD ME MY CLAIMS WERE UP TO FACTORY STANDARDS. AFTER TAKING APART THE TRANSMISSION (AT LESS THAT 10K MILES) GEARS 1-4 WERE FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE AS WELL. THE VEHICLE STILL HAS SHIFTING ISSUES AND A LOUD RATTLE. I ROAD TESTED A 2015 MANUAL ATS AND IT DROVE SMOOTH WITH NO RATTLES. I WAS TOLD THE 2015 WOULD DRIVE THE SAME ONCE IT HIT 10K MILES LIKE MINE WHICH IS A RIDICULOUS STATEMENT. VEHICLE HAS ALSO SHUT OFF WHILE IN TRAFFIC, AND UPON RESTARTING THE VEHICLE I NO LONGER HAD AN POWER STEERING. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THIS VEHICLE FOR MYSELF OR MY CHILDREN. THERE ARE MANY REPORTS OF ISSUES WITH THE 2013-2014 MANUAL ATS AND RECORDS OF GM BUY BACKS. THE SERVICE MANAGER AGREES THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE AND RECOMMENDED I CALL GM TO INITIATE A BUY BACK. BUT THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT INSISTS THIS IS FACTORY STANDARD AND REFUSES TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES. *TR

NHTSA ID
10671481
Incident
Sep 18, 2014
Mileage
6,536 mi
Driver assistancePowertrain (other)
Filed Nov 13, 2014
Crash reported1 injury reported

I BOUGHT A 2013 CADILLAC ATS IN EARLY 2013. IN FIRST MONTH, IT NEEDED 3 BATTERY JUMPS. IT ALSO HAS A PROBLEM WITH MOVING FROM DRIVE INTO PARK. THIS IS UNDER RECALL AS IS A SEATBELT ISSUE I BELIEVE. I HAVE HAD 2 ACCIDENTS. 1 ON A VERY BUSY CRAWLING ROAD WISCONSIN AVE, DC ON A BUSY SAT AFTERNOON IN BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC WHEN I STARTED TO ACCELERATE AND THE FORCE OF MY MOVEMENT CAUSED THE TRUCK IN FRONT OF ME TO CRASH INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. WEIRD, BUT CONFUSING. I HAD A SIMILAR EPISODE THIS PAST WEEK LEAVING MY HOME. I WAS STOPPED IN THE STREET BEHIND MY SON'S TRUCK. HE STARTED TO MOVE AND I PLOWED INTO HIM CAUSING MASSIVE DAMAGE TO THE CADILLAC AND SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO HIS TRUCK AS WELL, A VERY LATE MODEL CHEVY. I WAS NOT ON THE PHONE OR THE BRAKE OR CHANGING THE RADIO OR IN ANY WAY DISTRACTED DURING THESE EPISODES. THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. IT HAS 8000 MILES ON IT IN ABOUT 18 MONTHS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10654765
Incident
May 18, 2013
Mileage
4,000 mi
Driver assistanceEnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Jun 17, 2014

THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON, STABILITRAK, AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS CONTINUOUSLY ILLUMINATE MY DASHBOARD. IT HAS HAPPENED APPROXIMATELY 6 TIMES. EACH TIME THE DEALER HAS FOUND BASICALLY NOTHING WRONG, JUST REPLACED A SPARK PLUG EACH TIME, CHANGED THE OIL, AND CLEARED THE CODES. THE CAR HAS STALLED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. I WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED BY SOMEONE BECAUSE A LIGHT TURNED GREEN AND MY CAR WAS STALLED. PRIOR TO IT STALLING IT VIOLENTLY SHAKES, WHICH IS JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE ROUGH THAN THE CONSTANT SHAKING IT ALWAYS DOES. ALSO RECENTLY IT HAS BEEN HAVING TROUBLE STARTING. EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE RELATED AND IS GETTING WORSE. THE DEALER EXTENDED MY WARRANTY TO ALMOST 90,000 MILES BUT I FEEL UNSAFE IN THIS CAR BECAUSE OF ALL THE PROBLEMS THAT IT HAS AND ALL THE NEW PROBLEMS THAT KEEP COMING UP. *TR

NHTSA ID
10598828
Incident
Apr 1, 2013
Mileage
3,000 mi
BrakesDriver assistanceOther / unspecified
Filed May 22, 2014

THE COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM ACTIVATED WHILE AT FREEWAY SPEED, HOWEVER THERE WERE NO CARS OR OBSTRUCTIONS AHEAD OF MY CAR. THE BRAKES WERE AUTOMATICALLY APPLIED, THE COLLISION WARNING APPEARED ON THE HUD, AND THE CAR RAPIDLY DECELERATED. HAD THERE BEEN A VEHICLE BEHIND ME, THERE WOULD CERTAINLY HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS COLLISION. I HAD JUST PASSED A SEMI-TRUCK AND THOUGHT MAYBE A REFLECTION FROM THE TRUCK MAY HAVE ACTIVATED THE SYSTEM, BUT I HAD COMPLETED THE PASSING MANEUVER BEFORE THE CAR BRAKING ACTIVATED. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER ON 4/4 BUT THEY REPORTED NO PROBLEMS WITH THE SYSTEM. THIS SEEMS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10593499
Incident
Jan 10, 2014
Mileage
6,000 mi
BrakesDriver assistanceOther / unspecified
Filed Apr 4, 2014

ON FEBRUARY 22ND AND 27TH 2014, WHILE TRAVELING AT 75MPH THE ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL SLAMMED THE BRAKES ON THEN RELEASED. I THOUGHT THE SYSTEM HAD MISS-READ THE SHADOW OF AN OVERPASS AS A VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME BECAUSE THAT WAS THE ONLY THING IN SIGHT WHEN THE BRAKES LOCKED, THERE WERE NO VEHICLES PRESENT. ROADS WERE DRY. IT WAS REPORTED TO CADILLAC VIA THEIR 800 NUMBER AND THEN BROUGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP 4 MARCH 2014,FOR ANALYSIS. THE DEALER IMPLEMENTED AN UPDATE TO THE ACTIVE SAFETY CONTROL MODULE. CADILLAC STATED THEY WOULD SEND AN E-MAIL TO MY DEALER ABOUT THE PROBLEM, BUT DEALER STATED THEY NEVER RECEIVED THE E-MAIL. NO FURTHER PROBLEM NOTED UNTIL 1 APRIL 2014, FOUR WEEKS LATER, DURING A TRIP THE SAME ACTION HAPPENED TWICE WITHIN A MILE OF TRAVEL. BRAKES WERE ABRUPTLY APPLIED, RED SCREEN ON DASH WITH CRASH IMMANENT. AGAIN AT 70MPH AND NO BRIDGES OR OTHER VEHICLES IN PATH. THE ROAD CONDITION WAS WET. THIS IS A LARGE SAFETY CONCERN FOR ME IF THE BREAKS SHOULD LOCK AT 70+ MPH AND NOT RELEASE AND I HAVE TRAFFIC BEHIND ME. *TR

NHTSA ID
10577322
Incident
Apr 1, 2014
Mileage
15,500 mi
BrakesDriver assistanceEngine
Filed Nov 26, 2013
Crash reported

I WAS PULLING IN TO A PARKING SPOT BEHIND A CAR AT A VERY LOW SPEED WHEN I PRESSED THE BRAKES FOR THE CAR TO STOP, INSTEAD IT ACCELERATED AND SMASHED IN TO A CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I TRIED PRESSING THE BRAKES HARDER IN ORDER TO AVOID THE IMPACT AND THE CAR DID NOT RESPOND. *TR

NHTSA ID
10553831
Incident
Nov 24, 2013
Mileage
7,500 mi
BrakesDriver assistanceEngine
Filed Nov 11, 2013

THE BRAKE AND GAS PEDAL ARE SO CLOSE TOGETHER THAT WHEN BRAKING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC IT IS POSSIBLE TO DEPRESS THE GAS PEDAL WHILE BRAKING RESULTING IN AN ENGINE SURGE CONDITION. THIS ONLY HAPPENS IN BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC OR WHEN STOPPING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10551766
Incident
Jul 13, 2011
Mileage
500 mi
Driver assistanceElectricalPowertrain (other)
Filed Oct 23, 2013

WHILE DRIVING MY MANUAL TRANSMISSION CAD ATS IT STALLS WITHOUT WARNING OR REASON. IT STALLS MOSTLY WHEN IN NEUTRAL, LIKE WHEN SITTING AT A RED LIGHT, OR PULLING INTO A PARKING PLACE. IT ALSO STALLS WHEN IN FIRST OR SECOND GEAR,LIKE WHEN TURNING A CORNER. I AM NOT PULLING THE CLUTCH OUT TOO SOON AND HENCE STALLING THE CAR MYSELF, IT DOES IT ALL BY ITSELF! THE CAR GIVES NO WARNING SHAKE OR NOISE, IT SIMPLY IS OFF, OFTEN WITHOUT MY KNOWING IT IS OFF. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MY BRAND NEW ATS SINCE THE SECOND DAY OF HAVING IT, AND HAS EVER SINCE, APPROXIMATELY 7 WEEKS NOW. IT OCCURS WITH THE GAS TANK FULL, ALMOST EMPTY, AND IN BETWEEN. IT OCCURS ON FLAT STREETS, AND MAYBE AT AN INCLINE. IT OCCURS WHEN COLD IN THE MORNING, AND AFTER HOURS OF DRIVING. IT OCCURS DAY AND NIGHT, WITH AND WITHOUT PASSENGERS. THE DEALER HAS HAD THE CAR IN TWICE TO INVESTIGATE, WITH NO LUCK. THIS IS RIDICULOUS!! *TR

NHTSA ID
10549244
Incident
Sep 4, 2013
Mileage
70 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

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Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .