2011 Cadillac Cts-V 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 2011 Cadillac Cts-V, 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
- Powertrain (other)342.9%
- Airbags228.6%
- Fuel system114.3%
- Seat belts114.3%
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
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
MY 2011 CTS-V REAR DIFFERENTIAL HAS NOW FAILED FOR THE SECOND TIME. FIRST OFF, MY CAR HAS BEEN BABIED AND EXTREMELY WELL TAKEN CARE OF. THE DIFFERENTIAL FIRST FAILED AT APPROXIMATELY 17,500 MILES AND NOW THIS SECOND TIME AT APPROXIMATELY 38,900 MILES. BOTH TIMES THE DIFFERENTIAL HAS STARTED TO MAKE WHINING AND/OR GROWLING NOISES THAT PROGRESSIVELY GET WORSE. MY DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE FIRST ONE AND HAS HAD THE SECOND ONE BACK ORDERED NOW FOR 2 MONTHS (NONE IN INVENTORY & NO ESTIMATED SHIPMENT). THIS IS A WELL REPORTED ISSUE (109 OCCURRENCES FOUND ON LINE) FOR THESE CARS. WHY HAS CADILLAC NOT ISSUED A RECALL AND AFFECTED A FIX? WHAT ARE THE NHTSA INVESTIGATION RESULTS?
MY CTS-V CURRENTLY HAS 56,000 MILES AND VERY WELL CARED FOR. MY PROBLEM STARTED AT 25,XXX MILES WITH A REAR SEAL LEAK, IT WAS REPLACED BY DEALER AND 9 MONTHS LATER STARTED LEAKING AGAIN. AFTER THE 4TH TRIP TO THE DEALER, THEY ARE NOW TELLING ME IT'S THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL THAT IS A 'KNOWN ISSUE' (WITH RECALLS ON THE EARLIER CTS-V'S FOR THE SAME PROBLEMS) THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE PROBLEM IS THERE ARE NO REAR DIFFERENTIALS! GM HAS DISCONTINUED THE PART ( MY CAR IS 6 1/2 YEARS OLD AND THEY MADE THIS CAR THROUGH 2015 AND GM SAYS THE PART IS DISCONTINUED! THE DEALERSHIP HAS INFORMED ME THAT THE CARE IS 'UNSAFE' TO DRIVE AND SUGGEST I PICK THE CAR UP ON A FLAT BED TRUCK AND TAKE BACK HOME AND GARAGE IT.
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
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CADILLAC CTS-V. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO RICK HENDRICK CITY CHEVROLET (5101 EAST INDEPENDENCE BLVD, CHARLOTTE, NC) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SENSOR LOCATED INSIDE THE SEAT WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALER THAT THE PART NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN DISCONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND NO SOLUTION WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,000.
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE PASSENGER SEATBELT LIGHT COMES ON WITH OR WITHOUT A PASSENGER BEING PRESENT. I TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE PASSENGER DETECTION MODULE WAS GOING OUT AND WHEN THE SEAT BELT LIGHT COMES ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS ARE DISABLED MEANING THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT FUNCTION IF I WERE TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT....I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THIS MODULE IS NECESSARY BECAUSE THE MODULE DETECTS THE WEIGHT OF THE PERSON TO DETERMINE IF THE PERSON WEIGHS ENOUGH TO DEPLOY THE AIRBAGS...IF AIRBAGS ARE A REQUIREMENT SHOULD THEM WORKING ALSO BE A REQUIREMENT.....I WAS THAT NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED FOR NHTSA TO ISSUES A RECALL. THAT'S LIKE SAYING NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE HAVE DIED TO FIX THE PROBLEM.
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
GASOLINE LEAK FROM THE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY, ON TOP OF THE GAS TANK. I NOTICED A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE AND UPON LOOKING UNDER MY CAR, NEAR THE PASSENGER REAR TIRE, I FOUND A SMALL PUDDLE OF GASOLINE ON THE GROUND. I COULD SEE GASOLINE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE TANK. I RESEARCHED ON THE CTSVOWNERS.COM FORUM AND RATHER QUICKLY FOUND OTHERS WITH THE EXACT SAME ISSUE. IN ORDER TO FIX THE ISSUE, THE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY (PART# 19207950) HAD TO BE REPLACED. I THINK THIS WARRANTS A RECALL, BECAUSE THE SMELL OF GASOLINE IS SO HEAVY IT MIGHT CAN IGNITE IN A GARAGE AND POTENTIAL DANGER FROM CATCHING FIRE WHILE DRIVING, DUE TO THE PROXIMITY TO THE EXHAUST. EACH OF THE CARS I READ WITH THE SAME ISSUE, ALL HAD LESS THAN 50K MILES.
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
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE PASSENGER SEATBELT LIGHT COMES ON WITH OR WITHOUT A PASSENGER BEING PRESENT. I TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE PASSENGER DETECTION MODULE WAS GOING OUT AND WHEN THE SEAT BELT LIGHT COMES ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS ARE DISABLED MEANING THE AIRBAGS WILL NOT FUNCTION IF I WERE TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT....I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THIS MODULE IS NECESSARY BECAUSE THE MODULE DETECTS THE WEIGHT OF THE PERSON TO DETERMINE IF THE PERSON WEIGHS ENOUGH TO DEPLOY THE AIRBAGS...IF AIRBAGS ARE A REQUIREMENT SHOULD THEM WORKING ALSO BE A REQUIREMENT.....I WAS THAT NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED FOR NHTSA TO ISSUES A RECALL. THAT'S LIKE SAYING NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE HAVE DIED TO FIX THE PROBLEM.
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 .