2015 Cadillac ATS Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
CautionComplaint Index
50/100
#4 most-complained of 7 ATS years
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
The 2015 Cadillac ATS has 29 NHTSA complaints and 4 recalls, with a complaint index of 50, ranking 4th worst of 7 model years. It carries a "Caution" verdict, well below the 2013 and 2014 "Avoid" years but worse than 2017-2019.
- Complaints
- 29
- Recalls
- 4
- Crashes / fires
- 1 / 0
- Injuries / deaths
- 1 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 23
- 19.5 city / 28 hwy
Top 2015 Cadillac ATS problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Electrical System9 (31%)
- Steering6 (21%)
- Transmission & Powertrain5 (17%)
- Other4 (14%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires4 (14%)
- Brakes3 (10%)
- Fuel System3 (10%)
- Airbags2 (7%)
- Engine2 (7%)
- Visibility & Wipers1 (3%)
What owners report
- Owners report the power steering can suddenly stop working, sometimes while backing out of a parking space, with a dashboard message to service the system.
- Headlights, including HID units, have gone dark while driving at night, and some owners describe overall illumination as inadequate.
- Tires have vibrated at highway speed and triggered the low-pressure warning light after driving over bumps.
- Some owners describe a rear differential developing a roaring or howling noise that required replacement, reported around 85,000 and 104,000 miles.
- Brakes have reportedly become unresponsive or required hard pedal pressure to stop the car, with warning lights illuminating, in some cases recurring after a repair.
2015 Cadillac ATS recalls
4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 26V329000May 21, 2026Airbags5,014 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, XTS, 2015-2016 Cadillac ATS, CTS, and SRX vehicles. The front-driver air bag inflator may rupture during deployment.
Risk: An inflator rupture may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the front-driver air bag module, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed June 19, 2026. Additional letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223. The manufacturer's number for this recall is N262555870. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 21, 2026.
- NHTSA 15V558000Sep 3, 2015HVAC96,145 vehicles
Visibility:defroster/defogger/HVAC system
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Cadillac ATS sedan vehicles manufactured April 23, 2012, to September 2, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the coil antenna module that powers the rear defogger system may generate excessive heat due to excessive cycling or continuous operation.
Risk: If the coil antenna generates excessive heat, there is an increased risk of a fire.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the Electronic Climate Control module to remove the automatic rear defogger "on" function, free of charge. The recall began on October 16, 2015. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 15299.
- NHTSA 15V463000Jul 24, 2015Visibility & Wipers63,665 vehicles
Visibility:sun/moon roof assembly
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Cadillac ATS vehicles manufactured April 25, 2012, to June 25, 2015. The affected vehicles may experience the roof panel closing automatically when the non-recessed switches are pressed and the roof panel is open. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 118, "Power-Operated Window, Partition, and Roof Panel Systems."
Risk: Because the switch is not recessed, the roof panel switch may inadvertently be pressed resulting in unintended auto-closure of the roof panel, increasing the risk of personal injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners and dealers will replace the roof console accessory switch trim plate, free of charge. The recall began on August 19, 2015. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 15568. Note this recall supersedes 15V-106.
2015 Cadillac ATS fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 19.5 MPG
- Highway
- 28 MPG
- Combined
- 23 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,800
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2015 compared with other ATS years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2015 Cadillac ATS reliable?
- Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2015 ATS has a complaint index of 50 and ranks 4th worst among 7 model years, earning a "Caution" rating relative to other ATS years.
- What are the most common problems with the 2015 Cadillac ATS?
- NHTSA complaints show the Electrical System as the top problem area with 9 complaints (31% share), followed by Steering with 6 complaints (21%) and Transmission & Powertrain with 5 complaints (17%).
- Does the 2015 Cadillac ATS have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2015 ATS, covering airbag inflators, an HVAC coil antenna module, a roof console switch trim plate, and a brake pedal bracket that may fracture.
- Should I avoid the 2015 Cadillac ATS?
- The 2015 ATS is not the worst year for this model; 2013 and 2014 have higher complaint indexes of 100 and 83 and carry an "Avoid" verdict, while 2015 is rated "Caution."
- What is the median mileage for problems on the 2015 Cadillac ATS?
- NHTSA data shows a median mileage at failure of 60,000 miles overall, with Electrical System failures at 58,349.5 miles and Steering failures at 53,099.5 miles.