YearToAvoid

2015 Cadillac CTS Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

29/100

#11 most-complained of 15 CTS years

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

The 2015 Cadillac CTS has 47 owner complaints and 3 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 29 out of 100 — #11 highest of 15 CTS model years (verdict: Good). The most reported problem area is transmission & powertrain (19 complaints, 40% of the total). Complaints report 2 crashes and 2 fires.

Complaints
47
Recalls
3
Crashes / fires
2 / 2
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
21
18 city / 26 hwy

Top 2015 Cadillac CTS problems

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

  1. Transmission & Powertrain19 (40%)
  2. Other10 (21%)
  3. Brakes9 (19%)
  4. Engine9 (19%)
  5. Suspension, Wheels & Tires8 (17%)
  6. Electrical System5 (11%)
  7. Steering4 (9%)
  8. Structure & Body2 (4%)
2015 Cadillac CTS complaints: complaints filed per month6Jul 2015Sep 2017Sep 2019Jun 2020Dec 2021Jun 2022Feb 2023Jul 2025
66 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jul 2015 to Aug 2026; peak Jul 2022 (6).

2015 Cadillac CTS recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. 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.

  2. NHTSA 18V595000Sep 7, 2018Structure & Body52,867 vehicles

    Seats:front assembly:seat heater/cooler

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Cadillac CTS vehicles, equipped with heated front seats. The flexible heating mats in the front seats may be damaged over time, resulting in the seat heaters producing excessive heat.

    Risk: In cold ambient temperatures, the seat heaters in these vehicles can turn on automatically when the vehicle is remotely started. If a damaged seat heater is turned on while no one is inside the vehicle, the damaged seat heater can overheat, increasing the risk of a fire.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will recalibrate the body control module, disabling the automatic activation of the heated seat when the vehicle is remotely started, free of charge. The recall began November 1, 2018. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for the recall is 18286.

  3. NHTSA 15V358000Jun 9, 2015Brakes2,163 vehicles

    Service brakes, hydraulic:pedals and linkages

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Cadillac ATS and CTS vehicles. The affected vehicles have a bracket between the brake pedal assembly and the rod that actuates the brakes that may fracture during normal brake pedal operation.

    Risk: If the bracket fractures, the driver would not be able to apply the brakes, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicle and replace any affected bracket, free of charge. The recall began July 6, 2015. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 15352.

2015 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.

2015 compared with other CTS years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2013Caution5073221
2014Caution57146621
2015Good2947321
2016Best2131424
2017Best1427224

All Cadillac CTS years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2015 Cadillac CTS a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2015 Cadillac CTS ranks #11 of 15 among CTS model years (Complaint Index 29/100, verdict: Good). It has 47 complaints and 3 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2015 Cadillac CTS?
The most reported problem areas are transmission & powertrain (19 complaints), brakes (9 complaints), and engine (9 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 55,750 miles.
Does the 2015 Cadillac CTS have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2015 Cadillac CTS, most recently reported 2026, covering airbags, structure & body, and brakes.
What is the fuel economy of the 2015 Cadillac CTS?
EPA rates the 2015 Cadillac CTS at 21 MPG combined (18 city / 26 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,100. 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.