2009 Cadillac Cts Problems and Recalls (165 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2009 Cadillac Cts is Engine (27% of 165 owner reports). There are 5 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Engine — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 165 complaints · 5 recalls

What problems show up on the 2009 Cadillac Cts?

44 of 165 filings named Engine (27% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Electrical (23 reports).

There are 5 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Airbags, Suspension, and Electrical. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 2008 has 175 reports on file; this year has 165. A smaller lifetime total is not a clean bill of health. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 2009 Cadillac Cts

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 5 campaigns on file below.
  2. Engine. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise.
  3. Electrical. Have a shop scan for stored codes and check battery, charging and any warning lights that stay on.
  4. Transmission / driveline. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Engine. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Engine 44 complaints · 26.7% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 10
  • Fires 0
  • Injuries 7
  • Deaths 3
All Cadillac Cts years →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Engine (ENGINE) appears in 44 of 165 owner complaints (26.7%) in this vehicle snapshot. Engine (ENGINE): 44 complaints, 26.7% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 44 · 26.7% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 23 complaints, 13.9% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 1 crash reports 23 · 13.9% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 23 complaints, 13.9% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 23 · 13.9% Airbags (AIR BAGS): 9 complaints, 5.5% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 3 crash reports 9 · 5.5% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 8 complaints, 4.8% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 8 · 4.8% Steering (STEERING): 8 complaints, 4.8% of reports Steering (STEERING) 1 crash reports 8 · 4.8% Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM): 7 complaints, 4.2% of reports Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 7 · 4.2% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 7 complaints, 4.2% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 7 · 4.2% Suspension (SUSPENSION): 6 complaints, 3.6% of reports Suspension (SUSPENSION) 6 · 3.6% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 27 complaints, 16.4% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 1 crash reports 27 · 16.4% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Engine (ENGINE) 44 26.7% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 23 13.9% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 23 13.9% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 9 5.5% 3 crashes · 0 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 8 4.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Steering (STEERING) 8 4.8% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 7 4.2% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 7 4.2% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Suspension (SUSPENSION) 6 3.6% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 27 16.4% 1 crashes · 0 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Jan 2009; the first recall shown was reported in Nov 2008. 2009-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2009-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2009-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2009-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2010-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2010-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2010-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2010-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2011-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2011-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2011-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2011-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2012-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2012-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2014-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2014-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2014-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2014-Q4: 8 owner reports 8 2015-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2015-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2015-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2015-Q4: 7 owner reports 7 2016-Q1: 6 owner reports 6 2016-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2016-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 2016-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2017-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2017-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2017-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2017-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2018-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2018-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2018-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2018-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2019-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2019-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2019-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2019-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2020-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2020-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2020-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2022-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2022-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2023-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2023-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2023-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2024-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2024-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2025-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 Owner reports Nov 2008 Jan 2025 Recall campaign 08V582000 ◆ Recall campaign 08V582000 Recall campaign 10V240000 ◆ Recall campaign 10V240000 Recall campaign 10V414000 ◆ Recall campaign 10V414000 Recall campaign 11V089000 ◆ Recall campaign 11V089000 Recall campaign 14V394000 ◆ Recall campaign 14V394000
  • Campaign 11V089000 was reported 281 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 14V394000 was reported 1,568 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2009-Q1 Owner reports 3
2009-Q2 Owner reports 2
2009-Q3 Owner reports 2
2009-Q4 Owner reports 1
2010-Q1 Owner reports 5
2010-Q2 Owner reports 5
2010-Q3 Owner reports 4
2010-Q4 Owner reports 4
2011-Q1 Owner reports 3
2011-Q2 Owner reports 3
2011-Q3 Owner reports 2
2011-Q4 Owner reports 1
2012-Q3 Owner reports 1
2012-Q4 Owner reports 1
2013-Q1 Owner reports 1
2013-Q3 Owner reports 1
2013-Q4 Owner reports 2
2014-Q1 Owner reports 6
2014-Q2 Owner reports 4
2014-Q3 Owner reports 3
2014-Q4 Owner reports 8
2015-Q1 Owner reports 3
2015-Q2 Owner reports 5
2015-Q3 Owner reports 5
2015-Q4 Owner reports 7
2016-Q1 Owner reports 6
2016-Q2 Owner reports 5
2016-Q3 Owner reports 8
2016-Q4 Owner reports 3
2017-Q1 Owner reports 3
2017-Q2 Owner reports 5
2017-Q3 Owner reports 2
2017-Q4 Owner reports 1
2018-Q1 Owner reports 4
2018-Q2 Owner reports 5
2018-Q3 Owner reports 3
2018-Q4 Owner reports 3
2019-Q1 Owner reports 5
2019-Q2 Owner reports 4
2019-Q3 Owner reports 4
2019-Q4 Owner reports 4
2020-Q2 Owner reports 2
2020-Q3 Owner reports 1
2020-Q4 Owner reports 2
2022-Q2 Owner reports 2
2022-Q4 Owner reports 1
2023-Q1 Owner reports 1
2023-Q2 Owner reports 3
2023-Q3 Owner reports 1
2024-Q1 Owner reports 1
2024-Q2 Owner reports 2
2025-Q1 Owner reports 2
Recall campaign 1 08V582000
Recall campaign 1 10V240000
Recall campaign 1 10V414000
Recall campaign 1 11V089000
Recall campaign 1 14V394000
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (5)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Airbags, Suspension, and Electrical.

  1. Recall campaign 08V582000

    Airbags

    Report date
    Component:
    Airbags (AIR BAGS)
    Consequence:
    IN A VEHICLE CRASH, IF THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG DOES NOT OPERATE AS DESIGNED, INCREASED PERSONAL INJURY COULD OCCUR.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE PASSENGER SENSING SYSTEM MODULE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 18, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339 OR THROUGH THEIR WEBSITE AT HTTP://WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Recall campaign 10V240000

    Safety recall 10V240000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE HEATED WASHER MODULE TO IGNITE AND A FIRE MAY OCCUR.
    Remedy:
    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 WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Recall campaign 10V414000

    Safety recall 10V414000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE FRONT PASSENGER MAY BE AT AN INCREASED RISK OF LEG INJURY.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT ASSEMBLY AND, IN SOME VEHICLES MODIFY THE INSTRUMENT PANEL STRUCTURE. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 20, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Recall campaign 11V089000

    Suspension

    Report date
    Component:
    Suspension (SUSPENSION)
    Consequence:
    THE DRIVER MAY EXPERIENCE SUDDEN CHANGES WITH VEHICLE HANDLING AND MAY NOT BE ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL CLEAN ALL WAX RESIDUE FROM THE REAR SUSPENSION TOE LINK AND INSTALL TWO NEW JAM NUTS. IF NECESSARY THE REAR SUSPENSION TOE LINK MAY BE REPLACED. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE MARCH 24, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339 AND AT THE OWNER CENTER AT WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  5. Recall campaign 14V394000

    Electrical

    Report date
    Component:
    Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
    Consequence:
    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.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Safety incident filters
Showing 8 of 165 complaints · page 1 of 7
2025-03-13Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11648137
CrashFireInjuryDeath
To whom it may concern, My name is [XXX] . I am writing this correspondence with regard to a purchase of a 2009 Cadillac CTS . I purchased the vehicle for my mother in Missouri December 2022. I reside in California and had the vehicle shipped to California when my mother relocated to California. The vehicle had not been driven frequently. In September of 2024, my mother was driving on the freeway when she heard what sounded like metal hitting the underside of the car. My mother stopped twice on the freeway and contacted me to inform of the sound. I asked my mom if she was close to our residence, and she stated that she was close. I advised that she attempt to drive slowly home. My mom made her way to the residence, pulled into the driveway, and the vehicle accelerated with no prompting on the gas through my residence. I contacted General Motors to inform of the concern. GM sent out a representative who has determined the accident was intentional citing my mother hit the gas pedal. This incident has caused medical concerns with my mother. She has had to seek medical care on an ongoing basis (with her legs swelling, constant headaches, back concerns, and etc.). I am writing because I was not made aware by GM there had been a recall, and other individuals were experiencing the same concerns with this particular vehicle. GM claimed the issue with the recall of this vehicle had been rectified, but failed to give a date of the repair. I am writing this with concerns to prevent other individuals experiencing the same mishap with this vehicle, to prevent others from harm or worse. Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
2025-02-11TIRESUnclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11641895
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2009 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was swaying to the left or the far right without the contact moving the steering wheel. The contact stated that while driving at slower speeds, the vehicle was easier to control. The contact stated the traction control, TPMS, service brake assist, air bags, and service stabili-trak warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle had not been taken to the dealer. The contact became aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 11V089000 (Suspension) and called the NHTSA Hotline to see if the VIN was included. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 150,000.
2024-05-27Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11590940
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Gas leaking from above gas tank took car in for service 5/6/24. they could not duplicate issue on 5/24 engine light comes on. On 5/26/24 code indicated fuel pump issue. Several months before all of this, I would notice a strong gas smell after driving
2024-04-05Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
NHTSA ODI 11581265
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Severe and sudden malfunction of the ABS/Stabilitrak system at 45MPH causing loss of directional control of the vehicle. Failure caused by disintegration/cracking of ABS/HUB RELUCTOR RINGS, feeding incorrect wheel speeds to stability system. This failure caused a total loss of power, vehicle veering right despite full left steering input, ABS activation continuously (increasing stopping distance). Vehicle exited road due to loss of control.
2024-02-24Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)
NHTSA ODI 11573764
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The all wheel drive link is not working. This causes the stabilitrac and abs to go out leaving only rear wheel drive. With very little weight in the rear of the car, it is very difficult to drive in snow or rain conditions as the car slides very easily. This is the 2nd time it's happened.
2023-09-16Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11544862
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The fuel pump is leaking gas on top of the fuel tank. I just bought the car and didn’t know about the consistent problem with second generation CTS. The problem is stated to ba a plastic elbow attached to the fuel pump that ruptures.There is a fuel smell inside while I’m driving and around the car when the car is motionless. This a fire and explosion hazmats that is common to this model year. I can see some fuel on the side of the fuel tank. From reading , I can see that GM has recalled other vehicles for the same problem. I believe that the first generation CTS was recalled and the second generation was not included. Replacing the fuel pump is a very expensive a labor intensive process and I would like to have 2009 CTS included in the recall.
2023-06-02Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 11525016
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The car constantly makes a noise. Even when it's parked you can still smell gas. It jerks all the time. Been having problem with it since day one I got it.
2023-05-23Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
NHTSA ODI 11523409
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2009 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated that while at a traffic light, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle made an abnormal sound. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who informed the contact about Technical Service Bulletin:10-07-30-005a (Transmission output shaft and transfer case input shearing). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2009 Cadillac Cts?

Owners named Engine most often — 44 of 165 reports (27%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2009 Cadillac Cts?

NHTSA lists 5 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Airbags, Suspension, and Electrical. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 2009 Cadillac Cts?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources