Reliable Auto DB

2018 Cadillac CT6 reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 12 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Cadillac CT6 over 9 years — 1 per year. The other CT6 years sit at about the same rate: their median is 1 complaints per year. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Rear or other and Middle or rear assembly.

2016 Cadillac CT6
Photo by Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY 2.0
Complaints

12

Per year

1

Recalls

2

Years on the road

9

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (4 of 12), then Powertrain (4) and Steering (3).

Next to 2017 and 2019

The 2017 CT6 has 26 complaints, 3 per year, and the 2019 has 17 complaints, 1 per year. The 2018 has fewer complaints per year than the 2017. The 2018 has more complaints per year than the 2019.

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 2018 Cadillac CT6. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (2)

Recall seat belts, rear or other 2018-09-26 · NHTSA campaign 18V673000
Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Cadillac CT6, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Volt, and GMC Yukon XL vehicles. Certain second-row or third-row rear seatbelts retractor assemblies may not automatically lock when the seatbelt is fully pulled out of the retractor, possibly preventing a child seat from being properly secured. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear seatbelt retractors and replace them if necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 7, 2018. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18315.
Recall seats, middle or rear assembly 2018-06-28 · NHTSA campaign 18V437000
Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Cadillac CT6 vehicles. The inboard child seat anchorage bars may have had excess structural adhesive applied during assembly, which can interfere with the installation of a child seat. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 225, "Child Restraint Anchorage Systems."
Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, remove any excess adhesive, and apply anti-corrosion primer to the inboard child seat anchorage bars, free of charge. The recall began August 3, 2018. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 18228.

Complaints by component (12 total)

Engine
4
Powertrain
4
Steering
3
Fuel and propulsion system
2
Electrical system
1
Electronic stability control (ESC)
1
Exterior lighting
1
Forward collision avoidance
1
Lane departure
1
Service brakes
1
Structure
1
Suspension
1
Show 4 more Show less
Crash-flagged

0

Fire-flagged

0

Injury reports

0

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

12018220202202122023120241202532026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "During refueling the gas station pumping nozzle would shut off indicating a full gasoline fuel tank; but, the dash board fuel gage indicated the fuel was not full. Had to dribble in fuel to fill. Dealer Mechanic found:…"
    Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2026-08-07
  • "When vehicle was purchased new there was a slight bearing wear noise at the front driver side, which grew louder with years. Noise synchronized with tire rolling rpm. Replacing (my self) front trans axle, the brake…"
    Powertrain · filed 2026-08-07
  • "Stuck Thermostat. Vehicle not achieving operating temperature in the correct time. ALL 3 of the people I know with CT-6's had the exact same issue this year."
    Engine · filed 2026-06-23
  • "Front differential case ripped in half and separated from the ring gear. The broken chunk of differential case and pinion was still attached to the driveshaft while coming to an abrupt stop. Damage done within…"
    Powertrain · filed 2025-12-26
  • "Yes my car was sold to me with structural damages, and I was told any of this when I purchased it!!!!"
    Steering, Suspension, Structure · filed 2024-02-15

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2018 Cadillac CT6 4DR AWD Not rated Not rated Not rated Not rated
2018 Cadillac CT6 4DR RWD Not rated Not rated Not rated Not rated
2018 Cadillac CT6 PHEV 4DR AWD Not rated Not rated Not rated Not rated

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
CT6 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (8-speed) Rear-wheel drive 22 30 25 MPG $3200
CT6 all-wheel drive 3L, 6-cyl Automatic (8-speed) All-wheel drive 18 26 21 MPG $3800
CT6 all-wheel drive 3.6L, 6-cyl Automatic (8-speed) All-wheel drive 18 27 21 MPG $3100
CT6 Plug-In 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (variable gear ratios) Rear-wheel drive 23 29 25 MPG / 430 mi range $3200

Specs and fitment

First generation, 2016–2020
Body styles Sedan
Oil 5W-30 (all temps); 0W-30 below -29°C (2.0L turbo example) , 5 qt capacity
Tire size 235/50R18, 245/45R19, 245/40R20 (trim-dependent) front / 235/50R18, 245/45R19, 245/40R20, 265/45R18 (trim-dependent) rear

Known issues for this generation

Recall 18V-437 covers certain 2016-2018 Cadillac CT6 vehicles: excess structural adhesive on the inboard child-seat anchorage bars may prevent a child restraint from attaching properly, which can increase injury risk in a crash. Dealers remove excess adhesive and inspect the anchorage bars. Recall 21V-759 covers certain 2016-2017 CT6 vehicles: the park/position lights may be excessively bright, so the vehicles fail to comply with federal lighting standards; dealers replace the affected lamp assemblies or reprogram as specified in the campaign.

Compare

Previous year 2017 Cadillac CT6 Next year 2019 Cadillac CT6 See every Cadillac CT6 model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2018 Cadillac CT6 reliable?

Owners have filed 12 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Cadillac CT6 over 9 years — 1 per year. The other CT6 years sit at about the same rate: their median is 1 complaints per year. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Rear or other and Middle or rear assembly.

What are common problems with a 2018 Cadillac CT6?

The complaints owners file most often name Engine (4 of 12), then Powertrain (4) and Steering (3).

Is the 2018 Cadillac CT6 more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2017 CT6 has 26 complaints, 3 per year, and the 2019 has 17 complaints, 1 per year. The 2018 has fewer complaints per year than the 2017. The 2018 has more complaints per year than the 2019.

Has the 2018 Cadillac CT6 been recalled?

The 2018 Cadillac CT6 has 2 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 2018 Cadillac CT6?

Owners have filed 12 complaints about the 2018 Cadillac CT6 with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2018 Cadillac CT6 get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2018 Cadillac CT6 is 23 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What oil does a Cadillac CT6 use?

Common specs cite 5W-30 (0W-30 below −29 °C on some turbo engines) with about 5 qt including filter; confirm for your engine code.

What tire sizes fit the Cadillac CT6?

OE sizes include 235/50R18, 245/45R19, and 245/40R20 with some trims using a wider rear; check the door placard.

What recalls affect the Cadillac CT6?

Recall 18V-437 covers certain 2016-2018 CT6 models for excess adhesive on inboard child-seat anchor bars; 21V-759 covers certain 2016-2017 CT6 vehicles for overly bright park/position lamps.