2020 Cadillac CT5 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other CT5 years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 7 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 39 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Cadillac CT5. That is the most of any CT5 model year in the database (7 years). The most reported problem area is power train (15 complaints, 38%), typically at around 12,000 miles. Complaints mention 2 crashes, 2 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 39owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 2complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2020 Cadillac CT5 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 15 | 38% | 12,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 11 | 28% | 370 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 8 | 21% | 300 | — | — |
| Engine | 7 | 18% | 39,733 | — | — |
| Structure | 5 | 13% | 75,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 5% | 58,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 5% | 440 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 5% | 300 | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Air Bags | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 3% | 670 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 3% | 75,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 1 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 3% | 440 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2020 Cadillac CT5 recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Power train:automatic transmission
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Cadillac CT6, 2020-2021 CT4, CT5, and 2020-2022 Chevrolet Camaro vehicles equipped with a 10-speed transmission. The transmission may become damaged internally and cause the wheels to lock-up.
Risk: Wheel lock-up while driving increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will install transmission control module monitoring software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 7, 2025. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N242480630.
Exterior lighting:lighting control module:software
Problem: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Cadillac CT4 and CT5; 2021-2023 Buick Envision; and 2022-2023 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. The daytime running lights (DRLs) may not deactivate when the headlights are on. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: DRLs that do not deactivate as intended may result in a glare, reducing visibility, and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: The body control module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 23, 2023. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N222386380. This recall expands previous recall number 22V-827.
Air bags:side/window:curtain
Problem: General Motors, LLC. (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Cadillac CT4 and CT5 vehicles. The roof rail side-curtain air bags may not have been installed correctly, which could result in an improper air bag deployment during a crash.
Risk: Air bags that do not deploy properly can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect both left and right-side roof rail air bags and reinstall the air bags, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on August 30, 2021. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N212342780.
Service brakes
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Corvette and Cadillac CT4, CT5 and XT4, 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer, and 2020-2021 Buick Encore GX vehicles. Sensor connection contamination in the electronic brake boost system may cause an interruption of communication between the sensor and the brake boost system.
Risk: If communication with the sensor is interrupted, the electronic brake boost assist could be lost. Extra pedal force will be required to slow and stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the electronic brake boost module, free of charge. The recall began December 9, 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, or Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is A202307260.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Air Bag Malfunction (PE21010) — opened Apr 9, 2021, closed Aug 24, 2023.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
I am filing an urgent consumer safety complaint against Bert Ogden Cadillac in [XXX] for a severe federal safety recall violation. My 2020 Cadillac CT5 is experiencing catastrophic transmission failure, including severe slipping and violent pulling during acceleration. This creates an immediate…
The contact owns a 2020 Cadillac CT5. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and using the key fob to open the door, the door on the driverâs side failed to open. The failure was a recurring failure. The dealer was contacted and diagnosed the vehicle with an exterior door handle…
Electronic door hand on the drivers side completely stopped working, with little warning. This includes the proximity unlock feature and unlocking the car with the fob. If this were to have happened to all four doors at once, it would have been impossible to enter the car without breaking the…
The left passenger door will not open manually nor with key fob. It has caused me to not allow back seat passengers including grand children for fear if necessary to get out in an emergency and I am left to wonder if the driver door will go into lock position during a collision and that would be…
Lockhart Cadillac Service Department committed warranty fraud by charging me on multiple occasions for repairs that should have been covered under GM/Cadillac 2025 Transmission Recall & Special Extended Warranties. The transmission has continued to deteriorate. I took the vehicle in on July 1, 2026…
Other Cadillac CT5 years
See all Cadillac CT5 problems by year, every Cadillac model, or the Cadillac VIN decoder.
Similar Cadillac models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Cadillac CT5?
Owners most often report power train, unknown or other, electrical system problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 15 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2020 Cadillac CT5?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2020 Cadillac CT5 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other CT5 model years, the 2020 has far more complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.