YearToAvoid

2011 Cadillac CTS Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

89/100

#2 most-complained of 10 CTS years

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

The 2011 Cadillac CTS has 101 NHTSA complaints and a Complaint Index of 89, ranking it 2nd-worst out of 10 model years, with a verdict of Avoid. Top problem areas are Electrical System (27 complaints) and Airbags (23 complaints), plus 2 recalls.

Complaints
101
Recalls
2
Crashes / fires
11 / 3
Injuries / deaths
6 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
21
18 city / 26 hwy

Top 2011 Cadillac CTS problems

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

  1. Electrical System27 (27%)
  2. Airbags23 (23%)
  3. Transmission & Powertrain22 (22%)
  4. Engine19 (19%)
  5. Structure & Body13 (13%)
  6. Steering11 (11%)
  7. Suspension, Wheels & Tires9 (9%)
  8. Brakes8 (8%)
  9. Other4 (4%)
  10. Fuel System2 (2%)

What owners report

  • Vehicle fails to shift into gear or seizes in reverse, sometimes lunging or accelerating unexpectedly before crashing.
  • Airbags fail to deploy in side-impact or frontal collisions, even at highway speeds.
  • Brakes reported to malfunction or fail to stop the vehicle, leading to rear-end collisions.
  • Engine reported to seize while driving, coinciding with brake failure in at least one case.
  • Electrical fires reported after normal driving, with flames emerging from under the vehicle while parked.
  • Owners tie some airbag and ignition issues to the 2011 CTS recalls for the key ring and rear drive shaft.
2011 Cadillac CTS complaints: complaints filed per quarter112010 Q42012 Q42014 Q22015 Q42017 Q32019 Q22021 Q42023 Q4
141 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2010 Q4 to 2025 Q2; peak 2014 Q2 (11).

2011 Cadillac CTS recalls

2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. 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.

  2. NHTSA 14V341000Jun 19, 2014Airbags16,932 vehicles

    Air bags

    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.

    Remedy: 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.

2011 Cadillac CTS fuel economy and fuel cost

City
18 MPG
Highway
26 MPG
Combined
21 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,100
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.

2011 compared with other CTS years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)02550751002010201120122013201420152016201720182019
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2010Caution5667321
2011Avoid89101221
2012Caution6765221
2013Avoid7873221

All Cadillac CTS years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2011 Cadillac CTS reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2011 CTS ranks 2nd-worst among 10 model years with a Complaint Index of 89, earning an Avoid verdict relative to other CTS years.
What are the biggest problems with the 2011 Cadillac CTS?
NHTSA data shows Electrical System issues lead with 27 complaints (27%), followed by Airbags with 23 complaints (23%) and Transmission & Powertrain with 22 complaints (22%).
Does the 2011 Cadillac CTS have any recalls?
Yes, NHTSA lists 2 recalls: one for a key ring/ignition issue affecting the airbag system and one for a rear drive shaft assembly linked to rollaway risk.
How does the 2011 CTS compare to other years?
The 2011 CTS has a Complaint Index of 89, worse than 2010 (56), 2012 (67), and much worse than later years like 2017 (22) and 2018 (0), which are rated Best.
At what mileage do 2011 CTS problems typically appear?
NHTSA data shows a median mileage at failure of 40,500 miles overall, though electrical failures also occurred at that same median mileage of 40,500.

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.