2010 Cadillac CTS Electrical Problems

All of a sudden when I started my car, the lights flickered constantly, the power steering failed, and it blew my starter and fairly new battery. I was so scared; I thought it was going to catch on fire because it smelled burnt. And I was on [XXX] in Hubbard Ohio, and I was trying to get to [XXX] and safety to which I did. THANK Goodness for AAA. I was told this happened because of a plug in wiring to heat or warm the washer fluid. It is available for inspection. My safety was impacted because, I had no power steering, flickering lights and smell of burnt stuff. My problem was fixed by an independent shop. My vehicle was not inspected by a GM dealer or my insurance. Was inspected by an independent shop that it was towed to. Warnings prior to incident: I would turn the ignition and nothing. But that would only happen several weeks apart. I thought maybe the starter was going, but it was odd because it was so many weeks far apart that it would happen. It might have been a total of 4 times since October of 2024. During the incident, power steering warning came on, charging system came on and the car sounded like it was barely running. Thank you INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11649524

Incident

Mar 8, 2025

Airbag warning light and Service Air Bag on dash. Code B0087-00 Left Rear SIS. Replaced sensor, still getting warning. Sensor is in LR door. Research revealed possible known issue with bending fatigue from routine door open/close motion and subpar wire size/material causing wire failure. Opened wire harness at pillar and green/black wire was completely separated at typical bending point. Light blue wire was not visibly broken (insulation still intact) but the wire within was broken upon removal of insulation. These are the two wires (light blue and green/black) to the impact sensor. Please investigate GM use of substandard or undersize wiring in entire SRS system especially at bending fatigue potential failure points. Three pictures attached - one picture showing initial finding of green/black broken wire but light blue still visibly intact (insulation only), one picture showing same in close up, one picture showing both wires are not intact (light blue wire was inspected further and determined insulation intact but wire within was not intact) and insulated separated with fingernail pressure only. Wires should not fail within typical lifetime of a vehicle. Uncertain on operation of system, but could short between two wires and/or grounding cause airbag to deploy without accident/at random causing personal injury to occupants and/or an accident because of random deployment? Date of incident is when wiring issue was discovered and pictures taken upon discovery.

NHTSA ID

11617299

Incident

Sep 29, 2024

IN JANUARY CHEVROLET BURIEN DID SERVICING ON MY VEHICLE. WHEN I PICKED UP MY VEHICLE AFTER 3 WEEKS OF THEM HAVING IT; THEY GAVE IT TO ME WITH A FLAT TIRE WITH SEVERAL STUDS IN MY RIGHT FRONT TIRE AND THERE WAS AN INCH OF WATER ON THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. I REQUESTED MANAGEMENT AND THEY DENIED ME AND FORCED ME TO MOVE MY VEHICLE OFF THE PROPERTY IN FEAR OF MY LIFE. THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ON THE INSIDE ARE NO LONGER USABLE. THERE WAS MOLD ALL OVER THE INSIDE THAT SERIOUSLY EFFECTED MY ASTHMA. THEIR MANAGEMENT STILL HAS NOT CONTACTED ME ABOUT REMEDYING THIS ISSUE. THEY ALSO DAMAGED MY GLOVE BOX SO THAT THE WATER THAT THEY LET LEAK INTO MY VEHICLE WOULDN'T 'BUILD UP' AND CAUSE MORE DAMAGE SO THEY WERE COMPLETELY AWARE THAT THEY WERE LETTING MY CAR FLOOD WHILE STORING IT.

NHTSA ID

11316727

Incident

Jan 27, 2020

MY CAR ALARM KEEPS BEEPING FOR NO REASON WHEN PARKED. AS SOON AS I START THE CAR, THE AIRBAG LIGHT GOES ON. THE DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHT SAYS THAT MY TIRE IS FLAT; SO, I CHANGED ALL FOUR TIRES, AND IT'S STILL GIVING DRASTICALLY INACCURATE READINGS OFTEN. SOMETIMES IT SAYS THAT MY TIRE IS FLAT-- 0 PRESSURE, AND SOMETIMES, IT SAYS THAT IT HAS LOW PRESSURE. MY PROGRAMMED RADIO STATIONS KEEP DELETING FROM MEMORY. I TOOK MY CAR TO A REPAIR SHOP TO FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON, AND THEY CAN'T FIGURE IT OUT.

NHTSA ID

11132188

Incident

Sep 25, 2018

VEHICLE DIED WHILE DRIVING WITH NO PRIOR WARNING OR ERROR MESSAGES-COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE, LOSS OF POWER STEERING, BRAKES. UNABLE TO RESTART AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE ECM HAD FAILED UNEXPECTEDLY. WHEN COMPUTER WAS REPLACED, THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETECT ANY SENSOR ISSUES THAT MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO ECM FAILURE, THEY CONCLUDED THAT THE ECM HAD FAILED WHILE DRIVING. HAD IT FAILED ON FREEWAY, RESULTS COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC.

NHTSA ID

10743645

Incident

Jul 10, 2015

Mileage

41,500 mi

2010 CADILLAC CTS. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO IGNITION SWITCH RECALL NOTICE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE CURRENT FIX, IS NOTHING BUT A BAND-AID. SHE WOULD LIKE A NEW UPDATED IGNITION SWITCH. *JB

NHTSA ID

10666944

Incident

Feb 2, 2015

2010 CADILLAC CTS RECALL 14171 WITH THE KEY AND IGNITION SWITCH. *MW THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER, STATING THE PARTS WERE AVAILABLE. HOWEVER, WHEN HE CONTACTED THE DEALER, HE WAS INFORMED THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10658450

Incident

Dec 1, 2014

I WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH AT AROUND 7PM WHEN A DUMP TRUCK SUDDENLY MOVED INTO MY LANE. I HAD TO IMMEDIATELY SLAM ON THE BRAKES. SIMULTANEOUSLY, I SOUNDED MY HORN AND FLICKED MY HIGH BEAMS MULTIPLE TIMES AT WHICH POINT ALL OF MY OUTSIDE LIGHTS WENT OFF. I WAS COMPLETELY IN THE DARK, TRAVELING IN EXCESS OF 55 MPH, WITH NO STREET LIGHTS AND NO CAR LIGHTS. I SLOWED AS QUICKLY AS I COULD AND PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND THEN RESTARTED. ONCE THE CAR RESTARTED, THE LIGHTS CAME BACK ON AND FUNCTIONED NORMALLY. I EXPERIENCED THIS A SECOND TIME ON THE NIGHT OF NOVEMBER 18, 2014 ONCE MORE AROUND 7PM. I WAS ATTEMPTING TO PASS A SLOWER VEHICLE. I SHIFTED MY CTS INTO SPORT TRANSMISSION MODE IN ORDER TO DOWNSHIFT TO PASS. AT THE SAME TIME, I PUT MY SIGNAL ON TO INDICATE I WAS MOVING MY CAR TO THE LEFT TO PASS. I PASSED THE VEHICLE, PUT MY SIGNAL ON TO INDICATE I WAS MOVING TO THE RIGHT, AND ALL OF MY EXTERIOR LIGHTS WENT OUT. UNLIKE THE FIRST TIME THIS OCCURRED, I WAS NOT ENGAGING ANY CONTROLS FOR MY LIGHTS OR HORN. I WAS SIMPLY PASSING AND USING MY TURN SIGNAL. ONCE MORE, I WAS MOVING IN EXCESS OF 55 MPH WITH NO LIGHTS ON A RURAL ROAD. FORTUNATELY, I WAS FAMILIAR WITH THIS ROAD, SO I WAS ABLE TO FIND A SAFE PLACE TO PULL OVER, SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF, AND RESTART. JUST LIKE THE OCTOBER 2014 OCCURRENCE, WHEN THE VEHICLE RESTARTED, THE LIGHTS RETURNED TO NORMAL FUNCTIONING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10659341

Incident

Oct 20, 2014

Mileage

100,000 mi

THE CAR SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING DOWN A HILL THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IT HAS HAPPENED I CHECKED WITH GM TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS CAR AND AT THIS TIME THERE IS NOT. WE WERE LUCKY BOTH TIMES THAT THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES AROUND AND THAT THE CAR WAS KEPT UNDER CONTROL WHILE BRINGING IT TO A STOP. ALTHOUGH GM HAS NO RECALLS FOR THIS CAR I AM FILLING THIS COMPLAINT BECAUSE OF THE MANY RECALLS THAT ARE OUT THERE FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM. WILL THE THIRD TIME BE A CHARM WHEN IT HAPPENS AND SOMEONE GETS KILLED OR SERIOUSLY INJURED FOR GM TO INCLUDE THIS CAR? IT WILL BE TO LATE!!!!!!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10649889

Incident

Sep 12, 2014

Mileage

17,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CADILLAC CTS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE RIGHT AND CRASHED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BRUISING AND THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED KNEE INJURIES, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V394000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000. UPDATED 01/20/15*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE RECALL NOTICE WAS NOT RECEIVED UNTIL A YEAR AFTER THE FAILURE. UPDATED 10/7/2015*JS

NHTSA ID

10644498

Incident

Oct 6, 2013

Mileage

35,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V394000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

NHTSA ID

10643923

Incident

Oct 10, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V394000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

NHTSA ID

10639373

Incident

Sep 26, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V394000 (IGNITION SWITCH); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE DEALER DID NOT KNOW WHEN THE PART WOULD ARRIVE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

NHTSA ID

10618939

Incident

Jul 2, 2014

ON 6 JUNE, 2013 WHILE DRIVING ON M59 IN MICHIGAN AND APPLYING THE BRAKES, MY KNEE MADE CONTACT WITH THE REMOTE FOB, CAUSING THE IGNITION KEY TO MOVE FROM THE "ON" POSITION TO "ACCESSORY" MODE. THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING AND I HAD TO STEER AND BRAKE THE VEHICLE WITHOUT POWER ASSIST TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. I PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND RESTARTED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE SAME SITUATION OCCURRED IN JANUARY 2014 WHILE DRIVING ON I-75 TO FLORIDA. IN BOTH CASES I INFORMED MY DEALER (LAFONTAINE CADILLAC IN HIGHLAND, MICHIGAN). THE RESPONSE WAS THAT THEY HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS AND THEY COULD DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. I INFORMED GM OF THE ISSUE AND THEY ARRANGED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE EXAMINED TODAY, 1 APRIL, 2014. I JUST RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE DEALERSHIP INFORMING ME THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH MET SPECIFICATIONS. WHETHER OR NOT IT DID (AND TO WHICH SPECIFICATION) IS ACADEMIC. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE! WHILE I WAS ABLE TO MANHANDLE THE STEERING AND BRAKING, I DOUBT THAT MY WIFE WOULD BE ABLE TO. *TR

NHTSA ID

10576363

Incident

Jun 3, 2013

Mileage

45,000 mi

SPORADICALLY, A "SERVICE AIR BAG" WARNING COMES ON WHEN ENGINE IS RUNNING. ALSO, IN A FEW INSTANCES, THE AIRBAG READINESS LIGHT HAS STAYED ON AFTER COMPLETION OF THE BRIEF SYSTEM CHECK WHICH OCCURS WHEN THE ENGINE IS STARTED. THE DEALERS SERVICE DEPARTMENT REVIEWED THE MATTER AND FOUND THAT THE HISTORY CODE FOR THE PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG "CLEARED CODES", INDICATING THAT AIR BAG IS IN WORKING ORDER. IT RECOMMENDED THAT IF THE SERVICE WARNING AND READINESS LIGHT WERE ON FREQUENTLY, THE PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG SHOULD BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $912. I DO NOT KNOW WHY THE DEALER FOCUSED ONLY ON THAT ONE AIR BAG. THIS ISSUE SOUNDS LIKE THE PROBLEM FOR WHICH GM RECENTLY RECALLED CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FOR YEARS INCLUDING 2010, OUR MODEL YEAR. I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE DETERMINED WHETHER THAT RECALL SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO COVER ADDITIONAL VEHICLES, INCLUDING OURS. UPDATED 04/08/14

NHTSA ID

10573897

Incident

Nov 1, 2013

Mileage

69,000 mi

PASSANGER SIDE SUNVISOR WIRING CAUGHT ON FIRE AND BURNT SOME OF CEILING UPHOLSTERY AND MELTED PLASTIC TRIM AROUND SUN ROOF . *TT

NHTSA ID

10445734

Incident

Nov 26, 2011