2008 Cadillac Cts problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Electrical System (20) · Fuel/Propulsion System (18) · Vehicle Speed Control (13)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Cadillac Cts model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
126 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (2)
Electrical System:ignition 2014-07-02 · campaign 14V394000 · 554,328 vehicles
Defect: 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
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.
Fix: 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.
Electrical System 2010-06-04 · campaign 10V240000 · 1,365,070 vehicles
Defect: GM IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2009 BUICK, LUCERNE; CADILLAC DTS; HUMMER H2; MODEL YEAR 2008-2009 BUICK ENCLAVE; CADILLAC CTS; MODEL YEAR 2007-2009 CADILLAC ESCALADE, ESCALADE ESV, ESCALADE EXT; CHEVROLET AVALANCHE, SILVERADO, SUBURBAN, TAHOE; GMC ACADIA, SIERRA, YUKON, YUKON XL; SATURN OUTLOOK; AND MODEL YEAR 2009 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A HEATED WASHER FLUID SYSTEM (HWFS). A RECALL WAS IMPLEMENTED IN 2008 TO ADD A FUSE TO THE CONTROL CIRCUIT HARNESS TO ADDRESS THE P
Risk: IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE HEATED WASHER MODULE TO IGNITE AND A FIRE MAY OCCUR.
Fix: DEALERS WILL PERMANENTLY DISABLE AND REMOVE THE HEATED WASHER FLUID MODULE. AN UPDATED PAGE FOR THE OWNER MANUAL WILL BE PROVIDED AND INSERTED IN THE OWNER MANUAL TO DOCUMENT THAT THE FEATURE HAS BEEN PERMANENTLY DISABLED AND REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 11, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080, CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339, CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, SATURN AT 1-800-972-8876, GMC AT 1-866-996-9463 AND HUMMER AT 1-800-732-5493 OR AT THE OWNER CENTER AT
Service bulletins (1,139)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Unknown Or Other 2025-09-09 · 13598 · Other
new vehicle monitoring programs section in ivh
Unknown Or Other 2025-08-07 · PIC5650M · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an intermittent no crank, no start, or start stall concern with the security light coming on. technician may find diagnostic trouble codes b3055, b3060, b3935, c0750, c0755, c0760, c0765, and/o
Unknown Or Other 2025-07-18 · PIP5601C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this pi communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic assistance from tac.
Unknown Or Other 2025-05-30 · PIT5074R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communication provides information to the technician about the use of j-35616-64b and mini 50 terminal test probe, replacement terminals, and terminated leads.
Unknown Or Other 2025-05-30 · PIT5074R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communication provides information to the technician about the use of j-35616-64b and mini 50 terminal test probe, replacement terminals, and terminated leads.
Unknown Or Other 2025-05-30 · PIT5074R · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communication provides information to the technician about the use of j-35616-64b and mini 50 terminal test probe, replacement terminals, and terminated leads.
Showing the 6 most recent of 1,139 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2026-06-04 · Air Bags“me and my husband were visiting my brother in vienna, maryland and we were packing up to leave to go visit my mom and the surrounding area where we live and then go home. after my husband got everything in the car as well as the kids and my dog we were both getting in the car he had gotten in prior to me and shut the door and all of the srs airbags…”
2025-06-28 · Unknown Or Other“i haven't had a problem with my car and my truck. but my main concern is the led and laser headlights almost every new car and truck that comes equipped with them. even the aftermarket replacement bulbs and light assemblies, they are way too bright at night. blindly bright. i have to put my hand in front of my eyes and face to reduce the amount of …”
2025-05-29 · Electrical System“the recall performed on this vehicle were not performed. they played a [xxx] man made him get athe recall performed on this vehicle we’re not performed. they played a [xxx] man made him get a timing chain for morris cadillac. i have several receipts from the vehicle being serviced because of the faulty windshield washer heater system that was sup…”
2025-01-28 · Unknown Or Other · 🔥 fire“vehicle purchase statement – top tier auto i, [xxx] , purchased a vehicle from top tier auto on [xxx]. the vehicle details are as follows: vin: [xxx] warranty: 30-day coverage for the transmission and engine after owning the vehicle for only 15 minutes, i entered the freeway, and the car began to shake violently. shortly after, a gentleman drivi…”
2024-08-22 · Air Bags · 💥 crash“airbags did not deploy in a massive front end collision. that failure caused me physical injury which possibly would not have occurred had the airbags deployed. i don’t know how many 2008 cadillac cts are on the road at this time but feel it is an important enough matter that should be investígated. this was never recalled. thank you, [xxx] , [xx…”
2024-02-25 · Vehicle Speed Control“ever since i purchased this 2008 cts vehicle, i have dumped thousands of dollars to repair the vehicle even after the "recall repairs". problems persist and the car has become more dangerous than ever. the vehicle had inspected by the dealership a number of times the first 5 years of ownership the first 3, listed below, were the replaced recalls…”
2023-09-07 · Unknown Or Other“i was driving down the road going bout 29 miles per hour when i heard a big boom. it sounded nd felt like i had hit something . so i slowed down and pulled over to the side of the road put the car in park looked underneath nothing was there . i then preceeded to my at. which thank god was only another block away .i started going only going maybe 5 …”
2023-07-18 · Power Train“car went crazy one day while behind the wheel everything malfunctioned then car shut off and won't start again. i could of easily got into an accident had there been any other vehicles around. kids were scared. codes come up as u0100,u0140,u0101,c0242,b0081-0f,b0081-71,b1370-01,b1370-06,u0155-00,u0170-00,p0856-00. …”
2023-02-15 · Service Brakes“i was pulled over by the police because my 2008 cadillac cts license plate lights were not working and my rear brake lights were not working. these light failures were caused by a known design flaw with the wiring harness in the trunk lid near the right trunk lid hinge in where the wires inside the harness that go to the brake lights break in half …”
2022-09-27 · Fuel System, Gasoline · 34,000 mi“the contact owns a 2008 cadillac cts. the contact stated that while starting the vehicle, he noticed there was a puddle of fuel on the ground coming from the passenger's side fuel line. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with corrosion on the fuel line causing the fuel leak. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.