2021 Cadillac CT5 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 2021 Cadillac CT5, 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
- Electrical1233.3%
- Body & structure616.7%
- Powertrain (other)411.1%
- Airbags25.6%
- Driver assistance25.6%
- Visibility25.6%
- Fuel system12.8%
- Exterior lighting12.8%
- Other / unspecified12.8%
- Brakes12.8%
- Seat belts12.8%
- Steering12.8%
- Tires & wheels12.8%
- Engine12.8%
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
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
I have experienced a serious and recurring safety issue with the door handles on my Cadillac CT5 vehicles. The exterior door handles have stopped working, preventing the doors from being opened normally. On one occasion, I was trying to get my child out of the back seat when the rear door handle failed and would not open. Because the child safety lock was engaged, my child was also unable to open the door from the inside. I had to climb through the vehicle and use another door to get my child out. This situation is especially concerning because, in an emergency such as a collision, fire, or other situation requiring immediate evacuation, a malfunctioning door handle combined with the child safety lock could prevent a child from exiting the vehicle and could significantly delay a parent or caregiver from getting them out. I have two Cadillac CT5 vehicles, and this same issue has occurred on both vehicles. I have also been told by Cadillac dealers that the door-handle failure is a known problem. Despite the recurring nature of the issue, I understand that Cadillac has not issued a recall for the door handles. Instead, individual door handles must reportedly be replaced every two to three years, with repair costs ranging from approximately $400 to $1,000 depending on the door. I believe this issue warrants serious attention because it involves a potential safety hazard, particularly when a child is secured in the back seat with the child safety lock engaged. A component that can prevent a vehicle door from being opened during an emergency should be reliable and durable, and recurring failures across multiple vehicles raise significant safety concerns.
The exterior door handles on my 2021 Cadillac CT5 have experienced the same intermittent failure. The handles initially work intermittently and then become unable to release the door. The button on the inside of the door handle doesn't respond when pushed and that is the only way to get in the car without rolling the windows down or using the emergency key. I've seen many other forum posts about this so it seems to be a widespread issue across other models with the same electric door opener mechanism. This creates a serious safety concern for me because occupants may be unable to enter the vehicle normally, and emergency responders may be unable to access occupants through the affected doors. This appears to be a systemic defect affecting multiple CT5 vehicles, rather than an isolated component failure.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
All four exterior door handles on my 2021 Cadillac CT5 have experienced the same intermittent failure. The handles initially work intermittently and then become unable to release the door. This has occurred on all four doors. This creates a serious safety concern because occupants may be unable to enter or exit the vehicle normally, and emergency responders may be unable to access occupants through the affected doors. This appears to be a systemic defect affecting multiple CT5 vehicles, rather than an isolated component failure.
The door opening mechanism has failed on the drivers outside door handle. It locks and unlocks fine but it will not open. I can use an alternative by the getting the emergency access key out of the fob and popping off the handle and open with that key. Or I can go in thru another door and open it from inside or somehow open all the windows using the fob with some kind of press this and that at the same time, and access inside handle thru the window. This becomes a safety concern because I'm usually alone, and this makes me vulnerable when I have to get into the car. Especially in parking lots and garages or gas stations, or anytime there may be a situation where a quick get out of there may be required. I have been visiting the Cadillac forums and have heard many of this same complaint in the on-line discussions. Many of the complaintants have recommended to report the as a safety concern. There is no warning of this in the systems, nor is there any information coming from Cadillac about resolving this problem in the
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 am filing a formal safety complaint against General Motors (GM) regarding an unresolved transmission safety hazard on my 2021 Cadillac CT5 550T. This vehicle is included under NHTSA Campaign Number 25V148000 for an internal transmission control valve failure that can cause sudden, dangerous wheel lock-up while driving. My vehicle is currently experiencing an active, catastrophic failure of the transmission valve body. The vehicle has completely lost its reverse gear, shifts harshly, and exhibits Diagnostic Trouble Codes P0776 (Pressure Control Solenoid B Performance/Stuck Off) and P0700 (Transmission Control System Malfunction). These active fault codes and physical mechanical symptoms explicitly confirm a dangerous loss of hydraulic pressure directly resulting from the exact internal valve wear described in the federal recall. General Motors has issued Special Coverage Bulletin N242480631 to extend the warranty coverage on the physical transmission control valve body assembly to 15 years or 150,000 miles to address this exact defect. However, Cadillac Customer Assistance and the local dealership are refusing to pay for the required replacement component. They have denied coverage solely on the grounds that electronic fault code P0747 has not yet been registered by the computer, despite total mechanical failure of the component and a severe safety risk to the vehicle occupants. GM’s reliance on a singular electronic diagnostic code to trigger a safety-critical mechanical component replacement creates a severe hazard. It forces vehicle owners to drive an unstable, failing vehicle with sudden wheel-lock vulnerability while waiting for a secondary electronic flag to trip. I am requesting that the NHTSA review GM’s restrictive diagnostic criteria under Special Coverage N242480631, as it is being used to systematically deny repairs for vehicle owners actively suffering from the mechanical failures governed by Safety Recall 25V148000.
The pump gear on the transmission went out during normal driving with only having 30,000 miles on it. I am told my numerous people that the Gm 10 speeds always have issues with them.
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
My 2025 Cadillac CT5 was stationary at a red light behind a red truck when a black truck traveling in the opposite direction struck the truck head-on. The red truck was pushed backward into the front of my CT5 with enough force to cause major front-end damage. Despite this, no airbags deployed. I believe the airbag system failed to detect or respond to a valid crash condition and there is a larger safety concern that needs to be reviewed. Police report completed. Insurance has not inspected vehicles yet but it is available to be inspected.
There was no indication that the Automatic Braking System, Air Bags and Seatbelts were not working properly. In August 12, 2021, I was in an auto accident where I rear-ended another dodge car. The air bags did not deploy and Onstar was not notified. I believe I hit the steering wheel. I went to the emergency room and have seem my primary doctor once. I have a follow-up appointment this week for pain in the middle of my breast bone. My issuance company will inspect the car, after GM completes their inspection on Monday, August 27, 2021. USAA Claim # 9-6884308504 GM (ESIS) Claim # 965694 Police Report #
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
When approaching a stopping vehicle the brake pedal became extremely hard to press and I could not brake enough to stop and had a collision. Come to find out that the ABS computer and the main ECU weren't communicating correctly which turned off the assisted braking, assisted steering and the AWD.
There was no indication that the Automatic Braking System, Air Bags and Seatbelts were not working properly. In August 12, 2021, I was in an auto accident where I rear-ended another dodge car. The air bags did not deploy and Onstar was not notified. I believe I hit the steering wheel. I went to the emergency room and have seem my primary doctor once. I have a follow-up appointment this week for pain in the middle of my breast bone. My issuance company will inspect the car, after GM completes their inspection on Monday, August 27, 2021. USAA Claim # 9-6884308504 GM (ESIS) Claim # 965694 Police Report #
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
aste): The vehicle has a serious pulling issue while driving, which was not corrected with alignment and poses a safety risk. Additionally, the windshield was scratched by faulty wiper blades that impaired visibility — the dealer later reimbursed me. Lastly, the driver-side running light was not functioning, which creates a hazard and may violate federal lighting safety standards.
The contact owns a 2021 Cadillac CT5. The contact stated while driving at approximately 72 MPH, there was a loud noise inside the cabin. The contact became aware that the sunroof had shattered without impact. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or local dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 35,100.
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
Car interior smelled like gas when the car is started. but seemed to clear while driving. Found that the Fuel hose between the pipe and the fuel intake was leaking when the car initially started. You could smell the odor when the hood was raised. This is the Pipe and Hose that you need the Fuel clamp removal tool for that is located in the rear center of the engine just in front of the firewall. The leak was about 3 inches from then end where it connected to the engine. Currently I have a temporary repair on it (Fuel coupling) where the hole was. Note, This car is out of warranty. It has been to the dealership (Step One Cadillac in Ft. Walton Beach, FL) for other recalls, but the dealership did not mention any issues.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
aste): The vehicle has a serious pulling issue while driving, which was not corrected with alignment and poses a safety risk. Additionally, the windshield was scratched by faulty wiper blades that impaired visibility — the dealer later reimbursed me. Lastly, the driver-side running light was not functioning, which creates a hazard and may violate federal lighting safety standards.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
While driving on a very busy highway going downhill when suddenly the vehicle started feeling abnormal like it was going to turn off automatically, heard an abnormal grinding noise coming from the engine the vehicle dropped speed drastically and the check engine light turned on , luckily we were on a part of the road where I merged quickly to the side of the road followed by a sudden engine shut down, the safety of myself and 3 other passengers was very compromised due to nearly being hit by other vehicles coming at a high speed on a main highway when my vehicle suddenly slowed down coming to a shut down due to the engine failure, I attempted to turn the car on again but would not turn on, was not getting any response at all, had to get the car towed, the vehicle did not have other warning lights before the failure, the check engine light came on after the engine failed, the vehicle was taken to an authorized Cadillac dealer where the engine was diagnosed as Engine seized, locked up and will not turn over. I received a Recall regarding Momentary Wheel Lock-Up which leads me to believe that might be related to what happened to my vehicle but did not have 8K dollars for a teardown to further inspect the root cause of my engine failure and definitely did not have over 11K dollars for a new engine/labor cost. The Cadillac dealer was quick to deny the possibility to be related to the recall without even doing a teardown of engine also the dealer denied the option to work on the recall repair due to the vehicle being inoperable.
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
When approaching a stopping vehicle the brake pedal became extremely hard to press and I could not brake enough to stop and had a collision. Come to find out that the ABS computer and the main ECU weren't communicating correctly which turned off the assisted braking, assisted steering and the AWD.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
There was no indication that the Automatic Braking System, Air Bags and Seatbelts were not working properly. In August 12, 2021, I was in an auto accident where I rear-ended another dodge car. The air bags did not deploy and Onstar was not notified. I believe I hit the steering wheel. I went to the emergency room and have seem my primary doctor once. I have a follow-up appointment this week for pain in the middle of my breast bone. My issuance company will inspect the car, after GM completes their inspection on Monday, August 27, 2021. USAA Claim # 9-6884308504 GM (ESIS) Claim # 965694 Police Report #
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
aste): The vehicle has a serious pulling issue while driving, which was not corrected with alignment and poses a safety risk. Additionally, the windshield was scratched by faulty wiper blades that impaired visibility — the dealer later reimbursed me. Lastly, the driver-side running light was not functioning, which creates a hazard and may violate federal lighting safety standards.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
BOTH PASSENGER SIDE TIRES SPLIT AT THE SEAM PUTTING ME AND MY FAMILY'S SAFETY AT RISK. TIRES NEED TO BE REPLACED IMMEDIATELY CONFIRMED BY DEALERSHIP - BOMMARITO CADILLAC ST. PETERS MISSOURI BOMMARITO CADIALLAC ST. PETERS MISSOURI ALSO INFORMED ME GM HAS INSTRUCTED TO NO LONGER SELL THESE TIRES TO CADILLAC CUSTOMERS. TIRES ARE CURRENTLY STILL ON THE CAR LOCATED AT BOMMARITO CADILLAC. THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY ANY OTHER AUTHORITY OTHER THAN THE DEALERSHIP. TIRES ARE MICHELIN 245/40ZR19
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
While driving on a very busy highway going downhill when suddenly the vehicle started feeling abnormal like it was going to turn off automatically, heard an abnormal grinding noise coming from the engine the vehicle dropped speed drastically and the check engine light turned on , luckily we were on a part of the road where I merged quickly to the side of the road followed by a sudden engine shut down, the safety of myself and 3 other passengers was very compromised due to nearly being hit by other vehicles coming at a high speed on a main highway when my vehicle suddenly slowed down coming to a shut down due to the engine failure, I attempted to turn the car on again but would not turn on, was not getting any response at all, had to get the car towed, the vehicle did not have other warning lights before the failure, the check engine light came on after the engine failed, the vehicle was taken to an authorized Cadillac dealer where the engine was diagnosed as Engine seized, locked up and will not turn over. I received a Recall regarding Momentary Wheel Lock-Up which leads me to believe that might be related to what happened to my vehicle but did not have 8K dollars for a teardown to further inspect the root cause of my engine failure and definitely did not have over 11K dollars for a new engine/labor cost. The Cadillac dealer was quick to deny the possibility to be related to the recall without even doing a teardown of engine also the dealer denied the option to work on the recall repair due to the vehicle being inoperable.
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 .