RoadVitals

2011 Cadillac Cts-V Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

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.
7
Latest Dec 3, 2018
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
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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.
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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.

3
reports

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?

NHTSA ID 11119736 · filed Aug 13, 2018

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.

NHTSA ID 11118828 · filed Aug 9, 2018

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.

2
reports

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.

NHTSA ID 11155695 · filed Dec 3, 2018

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.

NHTSA ID 11051381 · filed Nov 30, 2017

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.

1
report

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.

NHTSA ID 10992616 · filed Jun 1, 2017

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.

1
report

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.

NHTSA ID 11051381 · filed Nov 30, 2017

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

Data on this page last refreshed .