2005 Cadillac CTS Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 82 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 2005 Cadillac CTS, 30% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 28,086 miles. The words owners use most often: “rear differential” (38% of reports).
- 82power train complaints
- 28,086median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $2,650typical repair cost reported by owners
- 28%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 31 of 82 complaints (38%)
- Pinion seal: mentioned in 8 of 82 complaints (10%)
- Wheel hop: mentioned in 7 of 82 complaints (9%)
- Assembly axle shaft: mentioned in 6 of 82 complaints (7%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical power train repair on the 2005 Cadillac CTS at $2,650, and half of them between $470 and $4,300.
Based on 5 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2008–2011), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do power train problems happen?
Based on 72 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 82 complaints, 2 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 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 (1)
Power train:axle assembly:axle shaft:seal
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, the rear axle pinion seal does not meet all of the specifications and may experience a fluid leak.
Risk: A rear differential failure may cause loss of motive power and possibly loss of control increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the pinion seal free of charge. The recall began on february 1, 2008. Owners may contact cadillac at 1-800-458-8006 or http://www.cadillac.com; pontiac at 1-800-620-7668 or http://www.pontiac.com; and saturn at 1-800-972-8876 or http://www.saturn.com.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Transmission cooler line fittings have dissimilar metals causing the threads inside the radiator transcooler to strip and dump coolant into Transmission lines and on road along with what was the transmission fluid as well as steam rolling out blocking vision through my windshield going uphill on a…
The vehicle is equipped with a very weak rear differential that was used in the lesser horsepower v6 and when taking off hard the car begins to wheel hop and destroys the rear end the vehicle was in motion on a city street this has occurred twice in less then a year and a half
There's a very hard jerking coming from some where in the rear area while driving. When this happens there is a lost of power. Also the engine oil is going some where ,i keep having to put oil in it , about two to three quarts a week. When the oil gets real low the engine shakes and runs like crap…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2005 Cadillac CTSs have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 82 owner complaints about power train for the 2005 Cadillac CTS (30% of the 277 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 2005 Cadillac CTS power train?
Yes: 1 safety recall list power train. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do power train problems start?
The median reported mileage is 28,086 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix power train problems on the 2005 Cadillac CTS?
Owners report a typical cost of $2,650 (half paid between $470 and $4,300), from 5 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 2005 Cadillac CTS?
The most frequent phrase is “rear differential”, in 31 of 82 complaints, followed by “pinion seal” (8).
Other 2005 Cadillac CTS problems
- Air Bags problems (74)
See all 2005 Cadillac CTS problems or power train problems across all CTS years.