2015 Cadillac CTS Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Good The 2015 Cadillac CTS has a complaint index of 29 and ranks 11th worst out of 15 model years, earning a Good verdict. It has 47 complaints and 3 recalls, led by transmission and powertrain issues at 40% of complaints.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 29/100
- #11 of 15 CTS years
- Verdict
- Good
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 47
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 3
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 2
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 2
- Injuries
- 0
- Top issue
- Transmission & Powertrain
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 21
- 18 city / 26 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 0 / 0
Top 2015 Cadillac CTS problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Transmission & Powertrain19 (40%)
- Other10 (21%)
- Brakes9 (19%)
- Engine9 (19%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires8 (17%)
- Electrical System5 (11%)
- Steering4 (9%)
- Structure & Body2 (4%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Adaptive cruise control has failed to disengage or engage properly at stops, in one case causing the car to lunge into the vehicle ahead.
- Owners describe the rear end swerving out of control at highway speed without warning.
- Some drivers report a metal-on-metal grinding noise when turning the steering wheel at low and high speeds.
- Transmission fuses reportedly failed, causing brief unintended acceleration between 35 and 45 mph before returning to normal.
- A car reportedly moved on its own while in park with the parking brake engaged and the engine off.
- Idling and cold starts reportedly trigger a shake or tremble felt throughout the cabin, with hard shifting into second gear during slow acceleration.
2015 Cadillac CTS recalls
3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2015 Cadillac CTS reliable?
- Relative to other CTS model years, the 2015 is one of the better ones. It has a complaint index of 29 and ranks 11th worst out of 15 years tracked, earning a Good verdict.
- What are the most common problems with the 2015 Cadillac CTS?
- NHTSA complaints show Transmission & Powertrain issues lead at 40% of complaints, followed by Brakes and Engine tied at 19% each, and Suspension, Wheels & Tires at 17%.
- Does the 2015 Cadillac CTS have any recalls?
- Yes, NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2015 Cadillac CTS covering a front-driver airbag inflator that may rupture, a brake pedal bracket that may fracture, and heated seat mats that could overheat.
- What is the median mileage for failures on the 2015 Cadillac CTS?
- Across all reported problems, the median mileage at failure is 55,750 miles, though Transmission & Powertrain issues showed a higher median of 78,000 miles.
- How does the 2015 CTS compare to other CTS years?
- The 2015 CTS (complaint index 29) ranks better than earlier years like 2009 (index 100, Avoid) and 2005 (index 93, Avoid), but not as strong as later years like 2017 through 2019, which all earned Best verdicts.