YearToAvoid

2020 Cadillac CT5 Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

100/100

#1 most-complained of 6 CT5 years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2020 Cadillac CT5 has 39 owner complaints and 4 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 100 out of 100 — the highest of 6 CT5 model years (verdict: Avoid). The most reported problem area is transmission & powertrain (15 complaints, 38% of the total). Complaints report 2 crashes and 2 injuries.

Complaints
39
Recalls
4
Crashes / fires
2 / 0
Injuries / deaths
2 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
21
18.5 city / 26 hwy

Top 2020 Cadillac CT5 problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Transmission & Powertrain15 (38%)
  2. Other11 (28%)
  3. Engine9 (23%)
  4. Electrical System8 (21%)
  5. Structure & Body7 (18%)
  6. Suspension, Wheels & Tires3 (8%)
  7. Steering2 (5%)
  8. Airbags1 (3%)
  9. Brakes1 (3%)
  10. Fuel System1 (3%)
2020 Cadillac CT5 complaints: complaints filed per month7Jun 2020Aug 2021Aug 2023Feb 2025Jul 2025Nov 2025Mar 2026Jul 2026
59 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jun 2020 to Sep 2026; peak Aug 2025 (7).

2020 Cadillac CT5 recalls

4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 25V148000Mar 6, 2025Transmission & Powertrain90,081 vehicles

    Power train:automatic transmission

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Cadillac CT6, 2020-2021 CT4, CT5, and 2020-2022 Chevrolet Camaro vehicles equipped with a 10-speed transmission. The transmission may become damaged internally and cause the wheels to lock-up.

    Risk: Wheel lock-up while driving increases the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will install transmission control module monitoring software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 7, 2025. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N242480630.

  2. NHTSA 22V903000Dec 8, 2022Electrical System740,108 vehiclesOver-the-air fix

    Exterior lighting:lighting control module:software

    General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Cadillac CT4 and CT5; 2021-2023 Buick Envision; and 2022-2023 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. The daytime running lights (DRLs) may not deactivate when the headlights are on. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

    Risk: DRLs that do not deactivate as intended may result in a glare, reducing visibility, and increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: The body control module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 23, 2023. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N222386380. This recall expands previous recall number 22V-827.

  3. NHTSA 21V611000Aug 5, 2021Airbags34,157 vehicles

    Air bags

    General Motors, LLC. (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Cadillac CT4 and CT5 vehicles. The roof rail side-curtain air bags may not have been installed correctly, which could result in an improper air bag deployment during a crash.

    Risk: Air bags that do not deploy properly can increase the risk of injury in a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect both left and right-side roof rail air bags and reinstall the air bags, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on August 30, 2021. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N212342780.

See all 4 recalls for the 2020 Cadillac CT5 →

2020 Cadillac CT5 fuel economy and fuel cost

City
18.5 MPG
Highway
26 MPG
Combined
21 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,800
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Premium
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.

2020 compared with other CT5 years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100202020212022202320242025
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2020Avoid10039421
2021Avoid8028421.5
2022Best011221

All Cadillac CT5 years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2020 Cadillac CT5 a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2020 Cadillac CT5 ranks worst among CT5 model years (Complaint Index 100/100, verdict: Avoid). It has 39 complaints and 4 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Cadillac CT5?
The most reported problem areas are transmission & powertrain (15 complaints), engine (9 complaints), and electrical system (8 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 12,000 miles.
Does the 2020 Cadillac CT5 have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2020 Cadillac CT5, most recently reported 2025, covering transmission & powertrain, electrical system, airbags, and brakes.
What is the fuel economy of the 2020 Cadillac CT5?
EPA rates the 2020 Cadillac CT5 at 21 MPG combined (18.5 city / 26 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,800. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.