2004 Cadillac CTS Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 52 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 2004 Cadillac CTS, 23% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 20,050 miles. The words owners use most often: “rear differential” (40% of reports).
- 52power train complaints
- 20,050median miles at failure
- 3mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 36%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Rear differential: mentioned in 21 of 52 complaints (40%)
- Wheel hop: mentioned in 5 of 52 complaints (10%)
At what mileage do power train problems happen?
Based on 45 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 52 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 2 an injury.
Cadillac CTS power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 CTS | 3 | 30% | — |
| 2018 CTS | 3 | 38% | 12,300 |
| 2017 CTS | 9 | 33% | 51,124 |
| 2016 CTS | 9 | 29% | 30,000 |
| 2015 CTS | 20 | 42% | 79,000 |
| 2014 CTS | 84 | 58% | 78,000 |
| 2013 CTS | 13 | 18% | 27,000 |
| 2012 CTS | 4 | 6% | 65,309 |
| 2011 CTS | 22 | 22% | 46,500 |
| 2010 CTS | 9 | 13% | 41,500 |
| 2009 CTS | 28 | 17% | 59,000 |
| 2008 CTS | 21 | 12% | 83,000 |
| 2007 CTS | 33 | 15% | 80,000 |
| 2006 CTS | 45 | 17% | 41,500 |
| 2005 CTS | 82 | 30% | 28,086 |
| 2004 CTS | 52 | 23% | 20,050 |
| 2003 CTS | 25 | 8% | 28,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists power train for the 2004 Cadillac CTS. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The output shaft flange for the transmission that mounts to the driveshaft coupler the flange starts to break away and then breaks . I can provide photos but the metal on the part is close the the end and if I did not find this problem by mistake the drive shaft would have came free
At about 100k i noticed the axle seals on the rear differential is leaking. There are recalls on this but not based on my vin number. When i noticed this the car was on a lift in the air being inspected by a mechanic.
Rear pinion seal failed and rear axle locked up. Lost control and was involved in accident. Shocked to find out there is a recall for 2005 and newer cts (nhtsa campaign number: 07v589000, gm recall no. 07204) but not my 2004 which has an identical rear main seal. The part number used in the recall…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2004 Cadillac CTSs have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 52 owner complaints about power train for the 2004 Cadillac CTS (23% of the 224 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2004 Cadillac CTS power train?
No recall currently lists power train for this vehicle.
At what mileage do power train problems start?
The median reported mileage is 20,050 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 2004 Cadillac CTS?
The most frequent phrase is “rear differential”, in 21 of 52 complaints, followed by “wheel hop” (5).
See all 2004 Cadillac CTS problems or power train problems across all CTS years.