Reliable Auto DB

2014 Cadillac ATS reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2014 Cadillac ATS has 104 complaints with NHTSA after 13 years, or 12 per year. That is more complaints per year than most ATS years here — over the median of the other years, which is 2. NHTSA has 4 recalls on file, including Defroster and HVAC, Sunroof, and Seats.

2013 Cadillac ATS
Photo by IFCAR, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons Public domain
Complaints

104

Per year

12

Recalls

4

Years on the road

13

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Powertrain (30 of 104), then Electrical system (18) and Engine (14). Those filings include 6 that report a crash, 2 that report a fire, and 6 that report an injury.

Next to 2013 and 2015

The 2013 ATS has 160 complaints, 20 per year, and the 2015 has 29 complaints, 1 per year. The 2014 has fewer complaints per year than the 2013. The 2014 has more complaints per year than the 2015.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2014 Cadillac ATS. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (4)

Recall visibility, defroster and HVAC 2015-09-03 · NHTSA campaign 15V558000
Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Cadillac ATS sedan vehicles manufactured April 23, 2012, to September 2, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the coil antenna module that powers the rear defogger system may generate excessive heat due to excessive cycling or continuous operation.
Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the Electronic Climate Control module to remove the automatic rear defogger "on" function, free of charge. The recall began on October 16, 2015. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 15299.
Recall visibility, sunroof 2015-07-24 · NHTSA campaign 15V463000
Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Cadillac ATS vehicles manufactured April 25, 2012, to June 25, 2015. The affected vehicles may experience the roof panel closing automatically when the non-recessed switches are pressed and the roof panel is open. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 118, "Power-Operated Window, Partition, and Roof Panel Systems."
Remedy GM will notify owners and dealers will replace the roof console accessory switch trim plate, free of charge. The recall began on August 19, 2015. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 15568. Note this recall supersedes 15V-106.
Recall Seats 2014-07-23 · NHTSA campaign 14V446000
Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Buick Encore and Cadillac ATS; 2014 Cadillac CTS, ELR, Chevrolet Caprice and SS vehicles; and 2014-2015 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra Trucks. Due to an incomplete weld on the seat hook bracket assembly, the front seats in the affected vehicles may not stay secured in place during a high load condition such as a crash.
Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the seat hook bracket assembly weld and replace the lower seat track, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on August 15, 2014. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), and 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14340.
Recall powertrain, automatic transmission 2014-06-19 · NHTSA campaign 14V338000
Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Cadillac ATS vehicles manufactured April 23, 2012, to March 20, 2014, and 2014 Cadillac CTS vehicles manufactured June 10, 2013, to March 20, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the transmission shift cable may detach from either the bracket on the transmission shifter or the bracket on the transmission.
Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles to make sure the cable is properly seated at the transmission and shifter brackets, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in early August 2014. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 14179.

Complaints by component (104 total)

Powertrain
30
Electrical system
18
Engine
14
Steering
10
Air bags
7
Suspension
5
Visibility and wipers
5
Wheels
5
Electronic stability control (ESC)
3
Speed control
3
Tires
3
Equipment
2
Exterior lighting
2
Fuel and propulsion system
2
Seats
2
Service brakes
2
Structure
2
Adaptive and mobility equipment
1
Back-over prevention
1
Engine and engine cooling
1
Forward collision avoidance
1
Seat belts
1
Show 14 more Show less
Crash-flagged

6

Fire-flagged

2

Injury reports

6

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

82014172015102016220179201882019202020820217202232023720242202532026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "In August 2026, at approximately 99,639 miles, my 2014 Cadillac ATS was taken to an authorized Cadillac dealership for service. During the inspection, the dealership discovered and diagnosed a leaking right rear axle…"
    Powertrain · filed 2026-08-24
  • "My 2014 Cadillac ATS experienced a transmission shift cable/linkage failure. After driving normally, I pulled into my garage and moved the shifter to Park. The physical shifter was in Park, but the instrument cluster…"
    Powertrain · filed 2026-08-17
  • "service rear view camera message on randomly and then the camera goes blank. Independent service center diagnostic scan reported: FAULT B127B Rearview camera input signal circuit missing reference (Symptom 2B) - History…"
    Electrical system · filed 2026-05-28
  • "Vehicle transmission shift cable failed. This part is considered recalled, but GM is refusing to fix."
    Powertrain · filed 2025-09-27
  • "Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2014 Cadillac ATS. The contact discovered a mileage discrepancy after the purchase of the vehicle. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was…"
    Electrical system · filed 2025-08-28

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2014 Cadillac ATS 4 DR AWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars
2014 Cadillac ATS 4 DR RWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
ATS 2.5L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Rear-wheel drive 22 32 26 MPG $2500
ATS 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Rear-wheel drive 21 30 24 MPG $2700
ATS 3.6L, 6-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Rear-wheel drive 18 27 22 MPG $2950
ATS 2L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed Rear-wheel drive 19 29 23 MPG $2800
ATS all-wheel drive 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) All-wheel drive 20 29 23 MPG $2800
ATS all-wheel drive 3.6L, 6-cyl Automatic (6-speed) All-wheel drive 18 26 21 MPG $3100

Specs and fitment

1st generation, 2013–2019
Body styles Sedan, Coupe
Oil 5W-30 (2.0L/3.6L all temps); 0W-20/5W-20 (2.5L) , 5 qt capacity
Tire size 225/40R18, 225/45R17, 255/35R18 (trim dependent)

Known issues for this generation

Recall 25V-175 covers certain 2017-2018 Cadillac ATS vehicles among other GM models: electric power steering assist may fail, requiring greater steering effort especially at low speeds. Dealers replace the power steering gear assembly. Recall 18V-358 covers certain 2018 ATS vehicles among other GM models: the high-pressure fuel pump may detach and damage a fuel line, creating a leak and fire risk; dealers replace the pump and high-pressure pipe.

Compare

Previous year 2013 Cadillac ATS Next year 2015 Cadillac ATS See every Cadillac ATS model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2014 Cadillac ATS reliable?

The 2014 Cadillac ATS has 104 complaints with NHTSA after 13 years, or 12 per year. That is more complaints per year than most ATS years here — over the median of the other years, which is 2. NHTSA has 4 recalls on file, including Defroster and HVAC, Sunroof, and Seats.

What are common problems with a 2014 Cadillac ATS?

The complaints owners file most often name Powertrain (30 of 104), then Electrical system (18) and Engine (14). Those filings include 6 that report a crash, 2 that report a fire, and 6 that report an injury.

Is the 2014 Cadillac ATS more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2013 ATS has 160 complaints, 20 per year, and the 2015 has 29 complaints, 1 per year. The 2014 has fewer complaints per year than the 2013. The 2014 has more complaints per year than the 2015.

Has the 2014 Cadillac ATS been recalled?

The 2014 Cadillac ATS has 4 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2014 Cadillac ATS?

Owners have filed 104 complaints about the 2014 Cadillac ATS with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2014 Cadillac ATS get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2014 Cadillac ATS is 23.2 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What oil does a Cadillac ATS take?

US notes list 5W-30 for 2.0L/3.6L (all temps) and 0W-20/5W-20 for the 2.5L (about 5.0 qt with filter on common fills).

Does recall 25V-175 cover the Cadillac ATS?

It covers certain 2017-2018 ATS vehicles among other GM models: electric power steering assist may fail, requiring greater steering effort at low speeds; dealers replace the EPS parts named in the campaign.

What generation is the Cadillac ATS?

1st generation for the US years this site tracks (2013-2019).