Cadillac CT5 Best and Worst Years (2020–2025)
The 2020 and 2021 Cadillac CT5 rank worst, with complaint indexes of 100 and 80 and four recall campaigns each, led by transmission and electrical problems. The 2022 model is rated Best with an index of 0, and 2025 is rated Good, making them the lower-risk picks.
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls per model-year, ranked within this model — not a reliability rating. Methodology.
- Model years
- 6
- 2020–2025
- NHTSA complaints
- 100
- Recall campaigns
- 5
- Crashes reported
- 10
- Fires reported
- 0
- Top problem area
- Electrical System
CT5 Complaint Index by year
Higher = more complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and Do-Not-Drive recalls per year on the road, relative to other years of this model.
Cadillac CT5 problems and recalls by year
CT5 years to avoid: what went wrong
2020 Cadillac CT5 Index 100 · 39 complaints · 4 recalls
The 2020 CT5 has the highest complaint index (100) of any year and ranks worst overall. Transmission & Powertrain issues dominate, making up 38% of complaints, with a median failure mileage of 12,000 miles; owners described transmission behavior that felt like the car dropped into park unexpectedly. Electrical System complaints followed, with a very low median mileage of 300, and Structure & Body issues appeared as late as 70,000 miles. NHTSA lists four recall campaigns for this year, covering the transmission control module, body control module software, and improperly installed side-curtain airbags.
2021 Cadillac CT5 Index 80 · 28 complaints · 4 recalls
The 2021 CT5 carries a complaint index of 80, the second-worst of the lineup. Electrical System problems lead, accounting for 46% of complaints, including reports of ABS and ECU communication failures that affected braking and steering assist. Structure & Body issues made up 21% of complaints, and Transmission & Powertrain problems, at 14% of complaints, showed a median failure mileage of 48,600. This year shares the same four recall campaigns as 2020, addressing the 10-speed transmission, body control module software, and side-curtain airbag installation.
Most common Cadillac CT5 problems (all years)
Share of NHTSA complaints by component group across all model years.
- Electrical System25 (25%)
- Transmission & Powertrain24 (24%)
- Structure & Body18 (18%)
- Other17 (17%)
- Engine13 (13%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires11 (11%)
- Airbags7 (7%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras6 (6%)
- Steering5 (5%)
- Brakes4 (4%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- What year Cadillac CT5 should I avoid?
- The 2020 and 2021 model years are rated Avoid, with complaint indexes of 100 and 80, the two highest in the CT5 lineup, plus four recall campaigns each.
- Which Cadillac CT5 year is the best?
- The 2022 CT5 is rated Best with a complaint index of 0 and only 11 total complaints, the lowest of any year covered.
- Does the Cadillac CT5 have transmission problems?
- Transmission & Powertrain is the top or a major problem area in 2020 and 2023, and NHTSA recall 25V148000 covers 2020-2021 CT5 models for a 10-speed transmission that may become internally damaged.
- Are there airbag recalls on the Cadillac CT5?
- Yes, recall 21V611000 covers 2020-2022 CT5 and CT4 models for roof rail side-curtain airbags that may not have been installed correctly.
- Is the 2023 Cadillac CT5 reliable?
- The 2023 CT5 is rated Caution, with a complaint index of 60 and one recall campaign, better than 2020 and 2021 but worse than 2022 or 2025.