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2003 Cadillac Cts Recalls & Complaints

4

open safety recalls on record

Serious

450 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.63 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Serious14V394000

Electrical System:Ignition

If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, raises the risk of injury.

Remedy & full details

GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on September 15, 2014. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 14172.

This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on July 2, 2014 that they are recalling 554,328 model year 2003-2014 Cadillac CTS vehicles manufactured August 16, 2001, to April 28, 2014, and 2004-2006 Cadillac SRX vehicles manufactured March 20, 2003, to August 11, 2006. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.

Serious10V105000

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings

THE BRAKE HOSE-TUBE INTERFACE MAY RUPTURE SUDDENLY WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING AND INCREASE VEHICLE STOPPING DISTANCE MAY OCCUR raises the risk of A CRASH.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS ARE TO REPLACE BOTH FRONT BRAKE HOSE ASSEMBLIES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MAY 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339 OR AT THE OWNER CENTER AT WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM.

GENERAL MOTORS HAS NOTIFIED NHTSA OF A DEFECT IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2003-2007 CADILLAC CTS VEHICLES CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN OR ORIGINALLY SOLD IN CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WASHINGTON D.C., WEST VIRGINIA AND WISCONSIN. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE A CONDITION IN WHICH THE FRONT BRAKE HOSE FITTING AT THE CALIPER MAY CORRODE DUE TO SNOW OR WATER, CONTAINING ROAD SALT OR OTHER CONTAMINANTS, ENTERING AND BEING RETAINED IN THE ROUTING SLEEVE. IF THE FITTING CORRODES SIGNIFICANTLY, THE BRAKE HOSE-TUBE INTERFACE MAY DEVELOP A LEAK.

Serious03V115000

Steering

IMPROPERLY TIGHTENED BOLT COULD LOOSEN, RESULTING IN SEPARATION OF THE UPPER AND LOWER STEERING SHAFTS CAUSING A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSPECT FOR THE PRESENCE OF THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT BOLT AND ENSURE THAT IT IS TIGHTENED TO THE PROPER SPECIFICATION. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MARCH 20, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-800-458-8006.

SOME PASSENGER VEHICLES HAVE A CONDITION IN WHICH THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT BOLT MAY BE LOOSE.

Low03V250000

Equipment:Other:Owners/Service/Other Manual

THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.

Remedy & full details

OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH A SUPPLEMENT FOR THEIR OWNER'S MANUAL. THIS SUPPLEMENT DESCRIBES AND SHOWS THE LOCATION SYMBOLS FOR THE CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHORS THAT ARE LOCATED IN THE VEHICLE AND ON THE CHILD RESTRAINT OR BOOSTER CUSHION. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN AUGUST 18, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080, CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339, CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, GMC AT 1-866-996-9463, PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668, OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537.

CERTAIN MINIVANS, PASSENGER AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 225, "CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHORAGE SYSTEM." THE OWNER'S MANUAL DOES NOT EXPLAIN THE MEANING OF THE LOCATION SYMBOLS FOR THE CHILD RESTRAINT LOWER UNIVERSAL ANCHORAGE SYSTEM.

Complaint volume

450 this model-year 8 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

46Crashes
19Fires
34Injuries
0Deaths

Across 450 complaints. Severity Index 0.63.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Electrical System48 · 11%Air Bags30 · 7%Engine29 · 6%Steering22 · 5%Service Brakes21 · 5%Electronic Stability Cont…20 · 4%Vehicle Speed Control19 · 4%Exterior Lighting19 · 4%
  1. Electrical System — 48 reports
  2. Air Bags — 30 reports
  3. Engine — 29 reports
  4. Steering — 22 reports
  5. Service Brakes — 21 reports
  6. Electronic Stability Control (Esc) — 20 reports
  7. Vehicle Speed Control — 19 reports
  8. Exterior Lighting — 19 reports
  9. Engine And Engine Cooling — 15 reports
  10. Unknown Or Other — 12 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

2003 · 2004 (6) · 2005 (6) · 2006 (6) · 2007 (6) · 2008 (2) · 2009 (5) · 2010 (3) · 2011 (2) · 2012 (2) · 2013 (2) · 2014 (6) · 2015 (3) · 2016 (4) · 2017 (2) · 2018 (2) · 2019

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.