2011 Cadillac CTS Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other CTS years
- About as many complaints as other years 9th of 17 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 101 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 Cadillac CTS. That ranks 9th out of 17 CTS model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (23 complaints, 23%), typically at around 72,741 miles. Complaints mention 11 crashes, 3 fires, 6 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 101owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 11complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2011 Cadillac CTS 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 23 | 23% | 72,741 | — | — |
| Power Train | 22 | 22% | 46,500 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 20 | 20% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 13 | 13% | 39,674 | — | — |
| Steering | 11 | 11% | 32,200 | — | — |
| Structure | 9 | 9% | 56,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 8 | 8% | 40,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 6 | 6% | 28,980 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 6 | 6% | 22,966 | — | — |
| Seats | 4 | 4% | 4,085 | — | — |
| Tires | 4 | 4% | 7,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 4 | 4% | 2,700 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 3 | 3% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 3 | 3% | 20,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 2% | 2,549 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 2% | 39,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 2% | 20,180 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 1% | 18,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | 13,675 | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 1% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 1% | 30,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2011 Cadillac CTS recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Electrical system:ignition
Problem: 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.
Risk: If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: 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.
Air bags; power train:driveline:driveshaft
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011 Cadillac CTS vehicles manufactured October 18, 2010, to June 2, 2011. In the affected vehicles, vibrations from the drive shaft may cause the vehicle's roll over sensor to command the roof rail air bags to deploy.
Risk: If the roof rail air bags deploy unexpectedly, there is an increased risk of crash and injury to the occupants.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear drive shaft assembly, free of charge. General Motors distributed an interim letter to owners on August 27, 2014. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 14233.
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.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2011 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated that while attempting to register the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 86,140 and at the time of…
The contact owns a 2011 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated that upon inspection underneath the frame rail, the contact became aware that there was rust on both sides of the vehicle. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed because the VIN was not under recall. The…
Water leaking in car like raining in car. The car radio and air conditioner panel wouldnât turn off . It was draining batter after car would be turned off. Then after that water continues to leak. Took out fuse to stop from draining battery but had to buy new battery. Water continues to leak…
The contact owns a 2011 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing a water leak. The contact noticed that the front driver's side seat, door arm rest and floor were significantly wet after rainfall. The contact stated that the failure later occurred on the front passenger's…
My air bag light is on. I brought it to the dealer for repair. The dealer told me the airbag is unfixable due to the fact that the "Passenger seat presence sensor is broken and no longer manufactured". I now have a car that is fully functional aside from this issue and it's unsafe to drive. The…
Other Cadillac CTS years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 CTS | 10 | 0 |
| 2018 CTS | 8 | 2 |
| 2017 CTS | 27 | 2 |
| 2016 CTS | 31 | 4 |
| 2015 CTS | 48 | 3 |
| 2014 CTS | 146 | 6 |
| 2013 CTS | 73 | 2 |
| 2012 CTS | 65 | 2 |
| 2011 | 101 | 2 |
| 2010 CTS | 67 | 3 |
| 2009 CTS | 167 | 5 |
| 2008 CTS | 175 | 2 |
| 2007 CTS | 217 | 6 |
| 2006 CTS | 269 | 6 |
| 2005 CTS | 277 | 6 |
| 2004 CTS | 224 | 6 |
| 2003 CTS | 313 | 4 |
See all Cadillac CTS problems by year, every Cadillac model, or the Cadillac VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2011 Cadillac CTS?
Owners most often report air bags, power train, electrical system problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 23 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2011 Cadillac CTS?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2011 Cadillac CTS a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other CTS model years, the 2011 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.