2020 Cadillac CT4 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2020 Cadillac CT4, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Engine333.3%
- Brakes222.2%
- Powertrain (other)222.2%
- Airbags111.1%
- Fuel system111.1%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
69,000 mile oil change I was told i needed to spend thousands of dollars on repairing an oil leak b/c my Cam carrier is leaking. Cadillac has a know issue with this repair and refuses to stand behind it's product. Numerous complaints already on forums and yet they charge thousands to fix. A top name brand that can't produce a vehicle past 69000 miles without a major issue. I wanted to make it known about the ongoing issue by Cadillac. So sad.
The vehicle shudders and loses power when accelerating fast. My wife almost got hit when she pulled out in traffic the car stalled out. It is due to the cylinder deactivation (afm).
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
Total brake system failure. Lost almost all brake function nearly causing an accident. June 17, 2026 car was taken to dealership. Electronic Brake Control Module (EBCM), Brake Master Cylinder, Brake Pedal Retainer replacement required. August 7, 2026 received a call from dealer stating that EBCM replacement was faulty or failed. August 26, 2026 Contacted GM to ask for inclusion in recall 20V588000. Was refused inclusion. 70 days out of service and was forced to sell vehicle due to safety concern, extended repair schedule and cost of a vehicle I could not use. Two EBCM replacements and vehicle is still out of service as of August 26, 2026.
The electronic brake control module, break retainer, brake master cylinder and brake valve all failed. I was driving to lunch and coming down a hill when multiple warning lights turned on as I pressed the brakes. I had almost no braking power as I approached a stop sign that lets you enter a highway almost causing me to drive through the stop sign and into cross traffic. I had enough bearings to down shift it and slow it down enough to stop. If I have went through the stop sign, it could have been a fatal accident. The vehicle is at a GM dealership currently with all active codes and faulty equipment. I contacted GM and tried to get some help with this issue and they refuse to help since it is not on the recall list. There is a recall on these exact same parts on the exact same vehicle, GM said its VIN specific. The problem is still current. This vehicle is a major safety risk that obviously should have been included in the recall. There was no warning or no symptoms of this issue until the failure in the moment.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
I had two incidents with the Cadillac CT-4 in February and then again in April of 2026 of driving on I-75 at a highway speed of about 70 MPH when the vehicle suddenly downshifted and the engine revving at at very high RPM. The vehicle slowed down suddenly and it felt for a moment that I could not control the speed. The check engine light was on and the diagnostic indicated a transmission/engineer problem and to take in to service within a day. Both incidents in February and April felt the same. Both times I pulled over to the shoulder to shut the engine. I waited and in February it restarted without the engineer revving high. In April, it still revved high. When I took it to Ed Morse Cadillac in [XXX] in February 28, they indicated that it was a water pump failure and they replaced the water pump. I expressed that it was odd that a water pump could affect the vehicle engineer/transmission like it did when engine overheating is usually a warning of a water pump problem. The Odometer was at 73000 just over the 70000 warranty and Cadillac HQ agreed to pay for the repair. However, I continued to have the transmission problem or check engine light problem. I took it back several more times for the check engine light and even paid for a diagnostic. Ultimately, I had the same sudden downshift high engine rev on May 6th and brought it to the Brandon Cadillac again. This time they gave me a loaner and kept the car for a week and told me it was the transmission and that the core component would need to be replaced. The bill was for $4,449.83 for the repair on May 20, 2026. This time Cadillac HQ would not cover the repair even though there were other Cadiilacs with similar transmission issues. The Caddillac HQ Case Number is #XXX INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The vehicle shudders and loses power when accelerating fast. My wife almost got hit when she pulled out in traffic the car stalled out. It is due to the cylinder deactivation (afm).
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2014 Cadillac CT4. The contact stated that the "Service Safety Restraint System" message was displayed on the instrument panel while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the air bags needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the parts not yet being available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 3,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
The vehicle shudders and loses power when accelerating fast. My wife almost got hit when she pulled out in traffic the car stalled out. It is due to the cylinder deactivation (afm).
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .