RoadVitals

2016 Cadillac CTS Electrical Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Electrical reportsComplaints 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.
10
Latest Aug 29, 2024
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
32%
of 31 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2016 Cadillac CTS submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 10 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.

Owner reports naming electrical

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Electrical
Filed Aug 29, 2024

Center console screen again has stopped working, no access to settings for the car nor any way to correct settings at this point. Many of the settings can be critical to safe driving of the car and have no manual alternative. This is the second screen in 50k miles.

NHTSA ID
11611649
Incident
Aug 1, 2024
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Sep 29, 2021

The side detection light in both side mirrors stays on even when the vehicle is turned off. This may cause an accident while driving The problem is confirmed by the dealer No No

NHTSA ID
11434935
Incident
Sep 11, 2021
Electrical
Filed Aug 29, 2021

CUE screen is “cracked”. Can no longer see about 1/2 of back up camera screen. Barely missed backing into my neighbors car.

NHTSA ID
11430899
Incident
Aug 3, 2021
ElectricalEngineSteering
Filed Dec 28, 2020

WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, MY VEHICLE LOSES ALL POWER TEMPORARILY. THROTTLE MODULATION DOES NOT INCREASE RPM. AT TIMES THE VEHICLE WILL JERK FORWARD AND BACK AS IF POWER IS BEING PUT DOWN THEN STOPPED ABRUPTLY. ONE TIME I HAD THIS HAPPEN, MY LIGHTS, GAUGES, POWER STEERING, AND ENGINE POWER ALL WENT AWAY. IT FIXED ITSELF AFTER ABOUT 15 MINUTES OF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING. VERY DANGEROUS AND SCARY EXPERIENCE WHEN THIS HAPPENS ON THE ROAD.

NHTSA ID
11385311
Incident
Dec 1, 2020
Mileage
48,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Sep 8, 2020

THE CADILLAC CUE DISPLAY FOR RADIO, INFO, HVAC, NAV, ETC. HAS BEGUN TO CRACK (AKA SPIDERWEB CRACKS) WHICH HAS NO MADE THE TOUCH SCREEN UNUSABLE AND BEGUN TO DEGRADE VEHICLE CA0PABILITY. THE DISPLAY FREQUENTLY BLINKS AND MAKES EMITS RANDOM AUDIO TONES BOTH OF WHICH ARE VERY DISTRACTING WHILE DRIVING AND CAUSING A SAFETY HAZARD.

NHTSA ID
11353726
Incident
Jul 1, 2020
Mileage
23,000 mi
BrakesElectricalFuel system
Filed Feb 5, 2020
Fire reported

THE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING IN NYC AT SPEEDS OF 10-20 MPH FIRST THE CAR STARTED TO SMOKE IN THE FRONT HOOD WHILE TURNING LEFT ON 5TH AVENUE. I GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND THE CAR WAS ON FLAMES. I HAVE A DASH CAMERA AND IPHONE FOOTAGE OF THE INCIDENT. I BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM AN AUTHORIZED CADILLAC DEALERSHIP IN JUNE 2019 AND THE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE ON CHRISTMAS DAY 2019

NHTSA ID
11307353
Incident
Dec 25, 2019
Mileage
43,000 mi
Body & structureElectricalSteering
Filed Oct 1, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BATTERY BECAME INOPERABLE AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. ALSO, WHILE MAKING A TURN, THE SIGNAL INDICATOR HANDLE FAILED TO ENGAGE IN POSITION. ADDITIONALLY, THE DASHBOARD LEATHER WAS CURLING AND THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL RUMBLING NOISE WHILE REVERSING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING MESSAGE WAS DISPLAYED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO CONKLIN FANGMAN CADILLAC (3200 MAIN ST, LOT B, KANSAS CITY, MO 64111, (816) 714-7654) WHERE THE BATTERY WAS RECHARGED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE LOCAL DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,000. THE VIN WAS INVALID.

NHTSA ID
11265320
Incident
Jul 1, 2017
Mileage
7,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Nov 3, 2017

I BOUGHT THE CAR AS NEW WITH 6711 MILES. AROUND 12000 MILES THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T START. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE HAD TO REPLACE THE BATTERY ON 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS FROM 6-28-17 TO 8-19-17. THE BATTERY WAS COMPLETELY DOWN,NO CELLS, CAN'T BE CHARGED. THE CAR WAS PARKED EACH TIME. DEALER AND GM COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. NO FEEDBACK FROM THEM. DEALER KEPT THE CAR FROM 8-19-17 UNTIL 11-1-17. STILL NO VALID EXPLANATION THE PROBLEM. THEY SAID THEY CAN'T DUPLICATE IT.

NHTSA ID
11043114
Incident
Jun 28, 2017
Mileage
12,000 mi
ElectricalSteeringSuspension
Filed Sep 7, 2017

STEERING WHEEL BECAME INOPERABLE WHILE VEHICLE IN MOTION, VEHICLE SHUT DOWN MULTIPLE TIMES WHILE DRIVING CAUSING ALL LOSS OF POWER TO VEHICLE, ACCELERATOR STUCK AND FUEL SHUT OFF WHEN GOING HARD ON BRAKE DID NOT WORK REQUIRING SNIT INTO NEUTRAL, MANY OTHER ISSUES. TAKEN TO DEALER FOR REPAIR MANY TIMES IN SERVICE OVER 40+ DAYS SINCE NOVEMBER 2016. NOT SAFE TO OPERATE. CUE SCREEN REPLACED MURIOPLE TIMES AS WELL BECAUSE OF ELECTRICAL ISSUES AND EVEN AIR CONDITIONING SWITCHING TO HEAT, WINDOWS RANDOMLY ROLLING DOWN WHILE VEHICLE IS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT, SPEEDOMETER GOES OFF AND THEN COMES BACK ON WHILE DRIVING. TOO MANY ISSUES TO NAME, GM/CADILLAC HAS REFUSED A PROPER REPURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE AND IS STATING THEY WANT A LAWSUIT BROUGHT AGAINST THEM IN ORDER TO GIVE A FAIR SETTLEMENT AS THEY ARE WANTING ME TO PAY LARGER THAN NORMAL DEPRECIATION ON A NON-WORKING VEHICLE IN A REPURCHASE AGREEMENT. THESE ISSUES ARE LIFE THREATENING AND THEY ARE NOT WANTING TO NOTE THE VEHICLE IS A LEMON AND ACTUALLY SELL IT TO ANOTHER CUSTOMER. THEY ARE NOW ADVISING (GM EXECUTIVE OFFICE) THE DEALER TO PUT THAT THEY ARE "UNABLE TO DUPLICATE CUSTOMER CONCERN" ON ALL FURTHER SERVICE VISITS SHOULD I RETURN HOWEVER I AM NOT DRIVING THE VEHICLE BECAUSE OF SAFETY CONCERNS. THIS IS NOT SOLVING LIFE THREATENING PROBLEMS BUT ACTUALLY COVERING THEM UP. COME TO FIND OUT THEY EVEN SERVICED THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO MY OWNERSHIP OF PURCHASING THE VEHICLE AS NEW THAT THEY PREFORMED SERVICE ON SOME OF THE SAME ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WHICH I WAS HAVING.

NHTSA ID
11022147
Incident
Jan 13, 2017
Mileage
6,968 mi
Body & structureElectricalEngine+1 more
Filed Jun 2, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CADILLAC CTS. WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED OR STOPPING, THE VEHICLE MADE A CLANKING SOUND AND JERKED WITH A LOUD NOISE. WHILE SHIFTING GEARS AUTOMATICALLY, A LOUD WIND NOISE COULD BE HEARD THROUGH THE DOOR JAMS OF THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE DOORS. ALSO, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS WOULD FADE IN AND OUT WITHOUT WARNING, THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE DISPLAY WAS INCORRECT, AND A TAPPING NOISE COULD BE HEARD COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO RYDELL CHEVROLET BUICK GMC CADILLAC OF GRAND FORKS (LOCATED AT 2700 S WASHINGTON ST., GRAND FORKS, ND 58201 (701) 772-7211), BUT THE FAILURES COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOORS HAVE BEEN REPAIRED SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUES AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100.

NHTSA ID
10992913
Incident
Aug 7, 2016
Mileage
100 mi

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .