2007 Cadillac CTS Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Avoid The 2007 Cadillac CTS ranks 3rd worst of 15 model years, with a complaint index of 86 and 217 complaints logged with NHTSA. Airbags and brakes are the top problem areas, and six recall campaigns apply to this year, earning it an Avoid verdict relative to other CTS years.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 86/100
- #3 of 15 CTS years
- Verdict
- Avoid
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 217
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 6
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 26
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 6
- Injuries
- 17
- Top issue
- Airbags
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 19
- 15.5 city / 24.5 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 17 / 0
Top 2007 Cadillac CTS problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Airbags64 (29%)
- Brakes62 (29%)
- Electrical System45 (21%)
- Engine36 (17%)
- Transmission & Powertrain33 (15%)
- Steering16 (7%)
- Other13 (6%)
- Structure & Body11 (5%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires8 (4%)
- Fuel System6 (3%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Airbags fail to deploy during low-speed crashes, including turning and parking-lot impacts.
- The vehicle stalls in reverse and loses brake and steering response, leading to rollaway crashes.
- Smoke or fire appears in the engine compartment or transmission area while driving or shortly after parking.
- Wheels lock up at low speed, causing the vehicle to spin and strike curbs or barriers.
- Tie rods break while driving at low speed, causing loss of steering control.
- Brakes fail to stop the vehicle at slow speeds, with antilock brakes pulsating on dry pavement.
2007 Cadillac CTS recalls
6 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 14V542000Sep 9, 2014Fuel System10,005 vehicles
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2007 Cadillac CTS-V vehicles manufactured October 6, 2003, to March 15, 2007, and 2006-2007 Cadillac STS-V vehicles manufactured June 23, 2005, to March 15, 2007. In the affected vehicles, the electrical terminals of the fuel pump module may overheat resulting in the melting of the flange material.
Risk: If the flange melts, a hole may be created allowing the fuel pump to leak fuel, causing the vehicle to stall, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash. Additionally, leaking fuel in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel module and fuel tank jumper harness, free of charge. GM sent out interim notices in late October. The recall began on March 12, 2015. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 14405.
- NHTSA 14V394000Jul 2, 2014Electrical System554,328 vehicles
Electrical system:ignition
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.
Remedy: 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.
- NHTSA 10V644000Dec 17, 2010Airbags95,927 vehicles
Air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive
General motors is recalling certain model year 2005-2007 cadillac cts vehicles. Some of these vehicles have a condition in which repeated flexing of the passenger sensing system mat in the front passenger seat may cause the mat to kink, bend, or fold. This flexing can break the connections in the mat. If this occurs, the sensor may not detect the presence of a front seat passenger and will disable the air bag.
Risk: Non-deployment of the front passenger air bag in the event of a crash necessitating that air bag's deployment may reduce protection of the passenger and increase the risk or severity of injury to them.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the passenger sensing system free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or about march 15, 2011. Owners may contact cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, gmc at 1-866-996-9463 and at the owner center at www.gmownercenter.com.
2007 Cadillac CTS fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 15.5 MPG
- Highway
- 24.5 MPG
- Combined
- 19 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $3,400
- 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.
2007 compared with other CTS years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2007 Cadillac CTS reliable?
- Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2007 CTS ranks 3rd worst among 15 model years, with a complaint index of 86 and an Avoid verdict relative to other CTS years.
- What are the most common problems with the 2007 Cadillac CTS?
- Airbags account for 29% of complaints, followed closely by brakes at 29%, then electrical system issues at 21%, engine problems at 17%, and transmission/powertrain issues at 15%.
- Does the 2007 Cadillac CTS have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists six recall campaigns for the 2007 CTS, covering the fuel system, electrical system, airbags, brakes, transmission/powertrain, and structure/body, though none are do-not-drive recalls.
- At what mileage do 2007 CTS problems typically show up?
- Median mileage at failure varies by system: airbags around 81,150 miles, brakes around 58,000 miles, and electrical system issues around 99,000 miles, according to NHTSA data.
- How does the 2007 CTS compare to other CTS years?
- The 2007 CTS has a complaint index of 86, worse than the 2008 (71) and 2010 (36) model years, and much worse than later years like 2017 and 2018, which earn Best verdicts.