RoadVitals

2015 Cadillac ATS

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints 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.
29
+1 complaint in 30 days
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
4
Latest May 21, 2026
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
1
1 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 29 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2015 Cadillac ATS, most frequently naming the steering, electrical and powertrain (other) categories. 4 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; and 1,773 manufacturer communications are on file.

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

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Steering616.2%
  • Electrical616.2%
  • Powertrain (other)513.5%
  • Exterior lighting410.8%
  • Brakes38.1%
  • Fuel system38.1%
  • Airbags25.4%
  • Suspension25.4%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

4 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

May 21, 2026
5,014 units potentially affected
The defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, XTS, 2015-2016 Cadillac ATS, CTS, and SRX vehicles. The front-driver air bag inflator may rupture during deployment.
The risk: An inflator rupture may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
The remedy: Dealers will replace the front-driver air bag module, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed June 19, 2026. Additional letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223. The manufacturer's number for this recall is N262555870. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 21, 2026.
General Motors, LLCManufacturer number N262555870View on NHTSA.gov

VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM

Sep 3, 2015
96,145 units potentially affected
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Cadillac ATS sedan vehicles manufactured April 23, 2012, to September 2, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the coil antenna module that powers the rear defogger system may generate excessive heat due to excessive cycling or continuous operation.
The risk: If the coil antenna generates excessive heat, there is an increased risk of a fire.
The remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the Electronic Climate Control module to remove the automatic rear defogger "on" function, free of charge. The recall began on October 16, 2015. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 15299.
General Motors LLCManufacturer number 15299View on NHTSA.gov

VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY

Jul 24, 2015
63,665 units potentially affected
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Cadillac ATS vehicles manufactured April 25, 2012, to June 25, 2015. The affected vehicles may experience the roof panel closing automatically when the non-recessed switches are pressed and the roof panel is open. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 118, "Power-Operated Window, Partition, and Roof Panel Systems."
The risk: Because the switch is not recessed, the roof panel switch may inadvertently be pressed resulting in unintended auto-closure of the roof panel, increasing the risk of personal injury.
The remedy: GM will notify owners and dealers will replace the roof console accessory switch trim plate, free of charge. The recall began on August 19, 2015. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 15568. Note this recall supersedes 15V-106.
General Motors LLCManufacturer number 15568View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Airbags
Filed Jul 21, 2026

The contact owns a 2015 Cadillac ATS. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V329000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. An unknown dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

NHTSA ID
11751834
Incident
Jul 21, 2026
EngineFuel system
Filed Apr 24, 2026

Fuel and/or combustion problem leading to excessive emissions at unpredictable times. I mean so much smoke suddenly comes out that the driver behind can't see, and it seems the car may be on fire.

NHTSA ID
11733655
Incident
Apr 4, 2026
ElectricalSteering
Filed Feb 6, 2026

I bought my car from a dealership. Owned it for 2yrs 2mo. 107k miles First issue came up after 3-4 months. Faulty power steering. Took it to service at a dealership they said I would need my wire harness assembly replaced as well as a steering gear. Problem still persists. Also one of the mechanics there showed me that the previous owner glued harness connector components together which is why I started seeing issues that weren't there before. Now today three new warning/service lights: abs, brake warning and traction control lights. I think it is the battery but I haven't tested it. Someone online with the same issue said he had to replace the electronic brake control module. So this issue has not been diagnosed. As a result of the traction control malfunctioning suddenly I spun out on the highway in slippery conditions but did not collide with anything. Both issues are available for inspection. More information can be found on the quote in the attatchment.

NHTSA ID
11716084
Incident
Mar 10, 2025
Tires & wheels
Filed Sep 23, 2025

The contact owns a 2015 Cadillac ATS equipped with Firestone Tires, Tire Line: Fire Hawk A5V2, Tire Size: 225/45/R18, DOT Number: 17X4F9J46. The contact stated that while driving 25 MPH in rain, the vehicle hydroplaned. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The tire failure mileage was approximately 1,000. The vehicle failure mileage was approximately 74,000.

NHTSA ID
11689082
Incident
Sep 2, 2025
Mileage
74,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jul 6, 2025

We have owned the 2015 ATS Cadillac since August 31, 2016 . The rear glass is blurry when looking back from the front seat. We replaced the rear view mirror thought that was the problem but didn’t correct. I checked on the windshield glass. I took these number off the rear glass. GM DOT-376 AS2 M2H3 Trans 70 o/o Min. E6 43R-008011 AGC Automotive 30 B A006450 Tempered GS.I have a picture showing the above Info. Taken from the rear glass…..

NHTSA ID
11671420
Incident
Jan 1, 2024
Filed Mar 6, 2025

The white pearl paint is chippng off everywhere. It started aat the drivers door directly under the rear view mirror. The underside of the trunk deck lid is completely paint free at this point. There are bubbles eroding on the drivers side rear fender area. When a paint meter was used to check the thickneess of the paint - it was disagnosed at a "1'", WHICH IS THE THINNEST possible number on the paint meter. I would like to demand that these parts of my PRISTINE car be repainted at no cost to myself.

NHTSA ID
11646661
Incident
Mar 6, 2025
Driver assistanceElectricalFuel system
Filed Jun 13, 2024

The CUE SYSTEM not totally working, and panel plastic is all spider web looking. I view this as a very bad problem( it won’t go to settings), no radio, can’t set the clock Not sure on all the problems as I can’t get to it to find out.

NHTSA ID
11594208
Incident
Jun 13, 2024
Brakes
Filed Apr 19, 2024

The contact owns a 2015 Cadillac ATS. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and depressing the brake pedal all the way to the floorboard, the vehicle hesitated to respond as needed. The brake assist warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the brake vacuum pump had failed. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the brake sensors had failed. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V645000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 132,000. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA ID
11584055
Incident
Apr 19, 2024
Mileage
132,000 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

PIT5099J

PI to help diagnose A/C concern

PIT3271Q

This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size change is available.

PIP6104

This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a Technical Assistance Case in CX Connect.

PIP4902V

This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.

PIP4902U

This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.

PIT5214G

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have had multiple repair attempts that are being performed on customer’s vehicles that exhibit vibration conditions without utilizing the support of General Motors Technical Assistance Center. If valid vibration frequency or Road Force Variation data has been collected and a repair attempt does not correct the customer complaint, contact General Motors Technical Assistance Center for further support. For any vehicles that remains unrepaired after being at the dealer for three days or more and a related bulletin or PI is not found, contact General Motors Technical Assistance Center for further support.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Cadillac ATS by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2019200
2018212047.8
2017322050.1
2016323059.4
2015Viewing294053.6
20141024052.6
20131606050.2

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.