Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2006 Cadillac CTS submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 58 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 58, in the owner's own words
Engine burns 1quart of oil, 100 miles. Brakes went to floor, brake lines had holes at 69,000 miles. Driver rear axel leaks. 2006 Cadillac CTS is a lemon!! Money Pit !!!
WHEN THE CAR IS IN MOTION, TURNING SLIGHTLY OR SHARPLY INTO A PARKING SPOT, APPROACHING A STOP SIGN OR RED LIGHT TO MAKE A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN AT LOW SPEEDS, THE BRAKE PEDAL BEGINS TO LOCK UP WHEN PRESSING ON IT TO STOP. UPON LOOKING INTO THIS PROBLEM, MORE OTHER PEOPLE HAVE REPLACED THE HUB AND EBCM SEVERAL TIMES AND THE ISSUE WAS STILL RECURRING. UNFORTUNATELY, THE FAULT OR PROBLEM THAT CREATED THIS UNSAFE CONDITION IS STILL UNKNOWN BY GM.
THE BRAKES ON THE CARS LEAK FLUID AND THE BRAKE NOT WORKING PROPER,WANT STOP CAR AFTER YOU APPLY BRAKE STOP A STOP SIGN, AND WILL TRY TO GO WITH BRAKE DOWN. NOT SAFE. HAD BRAKE PAD PUT ON. DRAKE STILL HAVING PROBLEM.
WHEN TURNING SLOWLY INTO PARKING SPACES THE BREAKS GO OUT AND DO NOT WORK CAUSING THE CAR TO EITHER HIT OR RUN UP THE CURBING. THIS HAPPENS OFTEN ENOUGH THAT WE ARE BECOMING SCARED TO DRIVE CAR. WE HAVE TAKEN IT TO MULTIPLE DEALERS AND THEY SAY THEY CANNOT FIXT THE ISSUE.
I JUST THINK THIS NEEDS DOCUMENTING. MY REAR BRAKES LEAKED FLUID AND WENT COMPLETELY EMPTY ABOUT 7 YEARS AGO AND I HAD NO BRAKES. FORTUNATELY, I WAS GOING SLOWLY AND CLOSE TO HOME. I HAD THE CAR TOWED AND THEY REPLACED A SECTION OF THE LINES. COST $208 PLUS TOW. A SHORT TIME LATER GM RECALLED THE CAR BECAUSE OF RUSTING PROBLEMS IN THE FRONT OF THE CAR. IT WAS REPAIRED UNDER THE RECALL. LAST WEEK I WAS SITTING AT A LIGHT AND MY BRAKE PEDAL BEGAN TO MOVE CLOSER TO THE FLOOR. THE FLUID DID NOT COMPLETELY LEAK OUT AND I WAS CLOSE TO HOME AND GOT TO MY MECHANIC JUST AS THE BRAKES WENT COMPLETELY. THIS TIME THERE WAS RUST IN ONE LINE NEAR THE ENGINE. THEY SAID IT WAS BEHIND THE FUEL FILTER. HE SPLICED IN PIECES TO BOTH LINES. COST $187. I HAVE OWNED ABOUT 20 CARS AND NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS OF THIS NATURE, NEVER MIND 3 TIMES. THREE PROBLEMS IN A POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING SITUATION IS THE REASON I AM NOTIFYING YOU. I LOOKED ONLINE AND A NUMBER OF OTHERS EXPRESSED THINGS CONCERNING THIS. THANK YOU.
THE BRAKES FAIL ESPECIALLY WHEN TURNING RIGHT. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO TWO MECHANICS AND THEY TELL ME THEY CANNOT FIX IT. I'VE TALKED WITH THE DEALER AND THEY WERE NOT HELPFUL. SO I AM NOW STUCK WITH A VEHICLE I CANNOT REPAIR, SELL OR DRIVE. I UNDERSTAND THERE IS A CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST GM. I DON"T KNOW IF IT WOULD BE HELPFUL BUT I WOULD LIKE TO BE INCLUDED. I NEED THE CAR DAILY AND CANNOT RELY ON IT SINCE IT IS A CONTINUAL PROBLEM. CAN YOU HELP?
PRESSED BRAKE PEDAL, AND IT WENT TO FLOOR WITHOUT STOPPING VEHICLE. CONSOLE READ "CHECK BRAKE ASSIST". JUST PULLING OUT OF MY PARKING AREA 2/15/2018. CADILLAC RECALL # 10V105 - GM RECALL # 15149 ISSUED 10/28/2010. NAT'L SAFETY RECALL # 09149 - NHTSA CAMPAIGN I.D. 15V225000. CADILLAC REFUSES REIMBURSEMENT $ 1449.
WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING MY BRAKE LINES HAD CORRODED NOTING "SERVICE-BRAKE ASSIST ON CONSOLE. THIS RESULTED IN LOSS OF BRAKING. CADILLAC RECALL # 09149. I CONTACTED CADILLAC. THEY REFUSE TO CONSIDER REPAIR OF DEFECT. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. *JS
I HAVE A 2006 CTS CADILLIAC AND MY ABS LIGHT COMES ON AND THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL TIMES MY CAR WOULDN'T STOP AND I HAD TO QUICKLY PUT IT IN PARK NOT TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT
BRAKES FAULT ON SLOW SPED LOCK TO HAVE BAD ABS MODULE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CADILLAC CTS. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE BRAKE FLUID INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE FLUID HOSE BECAME RUSTED, WHICH CAUSED BRAKE FLUID TO LEAK FROM THE HOSE ONTO THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
BRAKES FAIL WHEN MAKING SHARP TURNS. I CONTACTED GM AND THEY CLAIM TO HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THE PROBLEM, I'VE HAD IT FIXED LAST YEAR AND IT IS STARTING TO HAPPEN AGAIN.
THE CAR WAS BEING PARKED AT HOSPITAL BY MY DAUGHTER WHERE SHE WORKS THE BRAKE PUSHED ALL THE WAY TO FLOOR CAR HIT BUILDING NO INJURERS 2ND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED THE CAR HAS FRONT DAMAGE NO AIRBAG DEPLOYED THERE ARE OVER 500 TIMES THIS HAS HAPPENED LOOKING AT WEBSITES THIS NEEDS FIXED BEFORE MORE PEOPLE GET KILLED ALL THE SAME CARS
MY BACK CENTER BRAKE LIGHT NO LONGER WORKS AND SINCE THIS WAS POINTED OUT TO ME EARLIER THIS MONTH, I HAVE NOTICED AT LEAST FOUR OTHER CTS CARS WITH THE SAME ISSUE. THEY RANGE FROM MY YEAR ('06) TO AT LEAST 2009. AND WHEN QUOTED A PRICE ($600+!) I BALKED AT HAVING IT REPLACED. ANYONE ELSE NOTICE THIS OR HAVE THIS ISSUE?
MAY '15 NOTICED SMALL PINK PUDDLE OF FLUID ON THE GARAGE FLOOR UNDER FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. NEW SET OF BRAKES PUT ON IN JAN '15 SO DROVE TO MY MECHANIC. WHEN I DID A HARD LEFT INTO THE PARKING SPOT AT 2-5 MPH THE CAR BRAKE PEDAL SHUTTERED, WENT TO THE FLOOR AND I WAS BARELY ABLE TO STOP. MECHANIC HAD IT FOR 3 HRS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM/TEST DRIVING IT MANY TIMES. THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. TWO WEEKS AGO THE "SERVICE BRAKE ASSIST" DASH MESSAGE CAME ON. I LOOKED IT UP ON THE COMPUTER. I FOUND OVER 75+ COMPLAINTS OF OTHER CADILLAC CTS OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. ALL OF THEM HAD THEIR MECHANIC OR DEALER LOOK AT THE PROBLEM. MOST OF THOSE FAILED TO FIND ANY PROBLEM OR REPAIRED THINGS THAT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. ALMOST EVERYONE SAID GM SHOULD DO SOMETHING OR AT LEAST LET OWNERS KNOW. THE SITUATION IS VERY DANGEROUS. I ALSO CAME ACROSS THE WAY TO FIX THE PROBLEM FROM A COMPLAINT FORUM POSTER : "IT IS A WIRING HARNESS PROBLEM - HAVE YOUR MECHANIC CHECK THE WIRING HARNESS FOR SOURCES OF INDUCTIVE VOLTAGE. EVENTUALLY, AN INTELLIGENT MECHANIC FABRICATED A NEW HARNESS WITH NEW TERMINAL GROUNDS FROM THE EBCM TO THE LEFT WHEEL SPEED SENSOR AND REROUTED THE HARNESS AWAY FROM ANY POSSIBLE SOURCES OF INDUCTIVE VOLTAGE. ONCE THAT WAS COMPLETE, WE HAVE NOT HAD A PROBLEM. THE MECHANIC (WORKS FOR DEALERSHIP) SAID TO US THAT ANECDOTALLY HE HAS RUN INTO THIS PROBLEM MORE THAN ONCE AND THAT THERE SEEMS TO BE A FAILURE IN THE DESIGN /WORKMANSHIP IN SOME OF THE WIRING HARNESSES CONNECTING THE EBCM TO THE SPEED SENSORS THAT CAUSES THE BRAKES TO FAIL. SEPARATELY, HE RECOMMENDED THE NEXT TIME WE BUY A CAR, WE NOT BUY A CADILLAC, BECAUSE HE FELT THAT THE FIX -- REROUTING THE HARNESS -- WAS NOT A TIME OR MONEY INTENSIVE FIX, BUT THAT GM DIDN'T SEEM INTERESTED IN LETTING CAR OWNERS KNOW THAT, DESPITE THE POTENTIAL AND OBVIOUS DANGERS. MORE BUT OUT OF ROOM.
WHILE VERY SLOWLY TURNING INTO A PARKING SPOT MY 2006 CADILLAC CTS ACTED AS THOUGH THE ABS WAS ENGAGING AND WOULD NOT STOP. I HAD TO MANUALLY PUT THE TRANSMISSION INTO PARK TO STOP. THIS HAS NOW HAPPENED 4 TIMES UNDER SIMILAR SCENARIOS. EACH TIME THIS HAPPENS 'SERVICE BRAKE ASSIST' APPEARS ON THE DRIVER DISPLAY AND THE T/C AND ABS LIGHTS COME ON. AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN SHUT OFF AND THEN RESTARTED THE DISPLAY IS NORMAL, DASH LIGHT S ARE OUT AND THINGS WORK NORMAL, UNTIL IT DOES IT AGAIN. I AM IN CANADA, BUT AFTER RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM HAVE FOUND MANY, MANY SIMILAR INCIDENCES AND FELT ADDING TO THE LIST MAY HELP TO ENGAGE GM TO ISSUE A RECALL.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CADILLAC CTS. WHILE REVERSING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE AT APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. THE CONTACT OBSERVED THAT THE BRAKE HOSE HAD RUPTURED AND THE CHECK BRAKE FLUID LEVEL WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V105000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.
WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP UNTIL IT HIT THE CURB. SINCE THEN IT HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL OTHER OCCASIONS VERY SPORADIC BUT THE SITUATION IS THE SAME WHILE PULLING IN TO A PARKING SPOT BRAKES FAIL TO ENGAGE AS IF I HAVE NO BRAKE ASSIST. TODAY IT HAPPEN AGAIN THIS TIME I HIT A GATE CAUSING DAMAGE TO MY FRONT BUMPER AS WELL AS THE GATE. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A ON GOING PROBLEM AND GMC HAS FAILED TO ACKNOWLEDGE. PLEASE HELP US BEFORE IT CAUSES SOMEONE'S LIFE BECAUSE OF A FATAL ACCIDENT CAUSED BY THIS PROBLEM. *TR
THE CAR WILL NOT STOP WHEN TURNING INTO PARKING SPACES, COMING UP TO STOP LIGHTS OR GOING DOWN HILLS. WHEN THIS STARTED HAPPENING, I THOUGHT I JUST NEEDED NEW BRAKES. I WENT TO THE MECHANIC AND REPLACED MY BRAKES AND GOT NEW TIRES, BUT THE ISSUE CONTINUED. IN ORDER TO STOP, I HAVE TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK WHILE IT IS ROLLING. I PUMP THE BRAKES, BUT THAT DOES NOT HELP. I HAVE ALMOST REAR-ENDED VEHICLES WHILE COMING TO STOP LIGHTS. I HAVE ALMOST RAN INTO LIGHT POLES WHILE PARKING MY CAR. I HAVE ROLLED OUT INTO THE STREET ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WILL NOT STOP. ALL OF THESE EXAMPLES HAPPEN SPORADICALLY BUT OFTEN. MY TRACTION LIGHT AND ABS LIGHT COME ON AND I RECEIVE A WARNING ON MY DASH STATING "SERVICE BRAKE ASSIST". I HAVE BEEN VERY LUCKY SO FAR THAT I HAVE NOT BEEN IN OR CAUSED AN ACCIDENT, BUT I AM EXTREMELY FEARFUL THAT EVENTUALLY THIS WILL HAPPEN. *TR
IT HAPPENED TO ME SEVERAL TIMES WHEN TURNING INTO PARKING SPACE OR PULLING OUT OF PARKING SPACE MY 2006 CADILLAC CTS 3.5 DID NOT STOP WHILE BRAKING THE CAR IN EITHER DIRECTION. DURING THAT I FELT A SHUDDER SOUND COMING OUT OF FRONT WHEELS AND BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED ALL THE WAY TO FLOOR. AT THE SAME TIME A MESSAGE ?SERVICE BRAKES ASSIST? APPEARED ON THE VEHICLE INFORMATION DISPLAY WINDOW AND THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHTS WERE TURNED ON IN THE DASH BOARD. I TOOK MY CAR TO MORE CADILLAC LOCAL DEALER AT CHANTILLY, VA. AND GET IT CHECKED IN REFERENCE TO RECALL # 09149, BUT HE TOLD ME THAT IS NOT THE ISSUE BECAUSE THE FRONT BRAKE HOSE FITTING ARE NOT CORRODED AND HE COULD NOT REPLICATE THE ISSUE. I CONTACTED GM CUSTOMER SERVICE ON 11/06/2014 AND EXPLAINED THE SITUATION OF THE ISSUE. THEY ASSIGNED ME A REFERENCE # [XXX] AND WE HAD A CONFERENCE CALL WITH THE MOORE CADILLAC SERVICE ADVISOR. IT SEEMS LIKE THE GM AND MOORE DEALER ADVISOR ARE NOT ADMITTING THAT IS A MANUFACTURER ISSUE, BUT I HAVE READ SEVERAL SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON THE WWW.SAFECAR.GOV SITE AND FEE LIKE THAT IT IS A GM MANUFACTURER ISSUE AND COULD CAUSE A FATAL ACCIDENT. CURRENTLY, MILEAGE ON THE CAR IS ONLY 59,200 AND I NOTICED THIS ISSUE AT MILEAGE 55,000. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
2006 CADILLAC CTS. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE BRAKE PEDAL ISSUES. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN SHE APPLIED THE BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN, TO MAKE A TURN, A NOISE WAS IMMEDIATELY HEARD. ONCE SHE STOPPED, A BURNING SMELL WAS PRESENT AND THE BRAKES DID NOT HAVE THE SAME FEEL AS THE PEDAL FELT LOOSE AND VERY CLOSE TO THE FLOOR. SHE MANAGED TO MAKE IT TO HER DESTINATION. ONCE SHE PARKED, THE BURNING SMELL WAS VERY NOTICEABLE AND THE RIM ON THE LEFT FRONT TIRE WAS VERY HOT. THE NEXT DAY, SHE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALER. A FEW DAYS LATER, THEY INFORMED THE CONSUMER, THE CALIPER HAD LOCKED UP ON THE DRIER'S FRONT WHEEL AND THE BRAKE HOSES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, ALL AT A COST OF $ 1500.00. THE DEALER STATED THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, WHEN THE CONSUMER RETURNED HOME SHE DISCOVERED HER VEHICLE WAS RECALL IN 2010. *JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CADILLAC CTS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 8 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO ENGAGE THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND AND THE ABS WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE BY SHIFTING INTO THE PARK POSITION. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
EVERY TIME I TURN A HARD LEFT OR RIGHT INTO A PARKING SPACE MY CAR LOOSES ITS BRAKES & MY SERVICE BRAKES ASSIST LIGHT GOES ON. *TR
ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT COMES ON , CAR WILL NOT BRAKE ON LOW SPEED LEVELS . *TR
I HAD JUST EXITED THE HIGHWAY AND WAITED AT THE END OF THE RAMP FOR THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL TO CHANGE. I WAS PROCEEDING INTO THE INTERSECTION AFTER WAITING FOR LIGHT TO CHANGE. I BEGAN TO ACCELERATE AND ANOTHER CAR RAN THE LIGHT AND HIT MY CAR ON PASSENGER SIDE. THE RESPONDERS SAID I WAS T-BONED. WHEN I GOT HIT THE CAR STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP, THE CAR CAME OUT OF GEAR, THE GEAR MECHANISM INSIDE THE CAR CAME APART, THE BRAKES DIDN'T WORK. I HAD NO CONTROL OF THE CAR, IT SHUT DOWN. THE ONLY THING THAT STOPPED ME FROM HITTING THE METAL GUARDRAIL WAS THE CAR ENDED UP ON THE CURB ON LEFT OF ROAD IN THE BUSHES. THE PASSENGER WINDOW SHATTERED AND WINDSHIELD ON PASSENGER SIDE WAS DAMAGED. THE PASSENGER DOOR WAS PUSHED INTO THE CAR AND NEITHER OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THE RESPONDER'S COMMENTED THAT THEY WERE SURPRISED THAT THE AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY AS HARD AS I WAS HIT. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS AS THE DAMAGE IS EXTENSIVE. PREVIOUSLY ON A FEW DAYS HAVE HAD TO JIGGLE THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE KEYS IN IGNITION TO TURN SO THAT I COULD START MY CAR. I HAD PREVIOUSLY CHECKED THE GM SITE AND ENTERED MY VIN BECAUSE I HAD TIMES WHEN THE IGNITION SWITCH IN MY CAR WOULD NOT WORK. THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR MY VEHICLE. *TR
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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