Reliable Auto DB

2015 Cadillac CTS reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2015 Cadillac CTS has 48 complaints with NHTSA after 12 years, or 2 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most CTS years here — under the median of the other years, which is 3. NHTSA has 3 recalls on file, including Inflator, Seat heater, and Pedals and linkages.

2012 Cadillac CTS
Photo by MercurySable99, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

48

Per year

2

Recalls

3

Years on the road

12

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Powertrain (19 of 48), then Service brakes (7) and Electrical system (5). Those filings include 2 that report a crash and 2 that report a fire.

Next to 2014 and 2016

The 2014 CTS has 146 complaints, 8 per year, and the 2016 has 31 complaints, 2 per year. The 2015 has fewer complaints per year than the 2014. The 2015 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2016.

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 2015 Cadillac CTS. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (3)

Recall air bags, frontal, driver side, inflator 2026-05-21 · NHTSA campaign 26V329000
Summary 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.
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.
Recall seats, front assembly, seat heater 2018-09-07 · NHTSA campaign 18V595000
Summary 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.
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.
Recall hydraulic brakes, pedals and linkages 2015-06-09 · NHTSA campaign 15V358000
Summary 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.
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.

Complaints by component (48 total)

Powertrain
19
Service brakes
7
Electrical system
5
Suspension
5
Engine
4
Speed control
4
Steering
4
Wheels
3
Equipment
2
Electronic stability control (ESC)
1
Engine and engine cooling
1
Exterior lighting
1
Hydraulic brakes
1
Seats
1
Structure
1
Tires
1
Show 8 more Show less
Crash-flagged

2

Fire-flagged

2

Injury reports

0

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

2201512016420174201852019720205202111202212023420243202512026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "Dash board message power steering service message hard to steer traction assist light is on."
    Steering, Unknown or other · filed 2026-08-28
  • "The contact owns a 2015 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, there was a loud grinding and squeaking sounds coming from the vehicle. Additionally, there was a high-pitched sound…"
    Suspension, Service brakes, Engine · filed 2025-07-25
  • "The contact owns a 2015 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle shuddered and made an abnormally loud sound. The contact exited the highway and drove to the nearest mechanic shop at a gas…"
    Powertrain · filed 2025-07-16
  • "The contact owns a 2015 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated that occasionally while driving at various slow speeds, the message "Driver Assist Unavailable" and the steering wheel was abnormally firm, requiring excess…"
    Steering · filed 2025-05-02
  • "The car was taken to Hutchinson dealership in Macon Georgia, to have the oil changed and when I went to pick up the car the Cue Screen was cracked. I asked being the car was in their possession they should be liable for…"
    Equipment · filed 2024-10-16

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2015 Cadillac CTS 4 DR AWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars
2015 Cadillac CTS 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
CTS 6.2L, 8-cyl Manual 6-speed Rear-wheel drive 14 19 16 MPG $5000
CTS 6.2L, 8-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Rear-wheel drive 12 18 14 MPG $5700
CTS Sedan 3.6L, 6-cyl Automatic (8-speed) Rear-wheel drive 16 24 18 MPG $4450
CTS Sedan 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) Rear-wheel drive 20 30 24 MPG $2700
CTS Sedan 3.6L, 6-cyl Automatic (8-speed) Rear-wheel drive 18 28 22 MPG $2950
CTS Sedan all-wheel drive 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (6-speed) All-wheel drive 19 27 22 MPG $2950
CTS Sedan all-wheel drive 3.6L, 6-cyl Automatic (6-speed) All-wheel drive 18 26 21 MPG $3100

Specs and fitment

3rd generation, 2014–2019
Body styles Sedan
Oil 5W-30 (all temps); 0W-30 below -29°C , 6 qt capacity
Tire size 245/45R17, 245/40R18, 255/35R19 (trim dependent)

Known issues for this generation

Recall 19V-086 covers certain 2016-2018 Cadillac CTS vehicles (and ATS/Camaro/Corvette years named in the campaign): the electric power steering assist system may fail, requiring higher steering effort especially at low speeds. Dealers replace the power steering gear assembly. Recall 25V-175 covers certain 2016-2018 CTS vehicles among other GM models for the same EPS assist failure mode; dealers replace the power steering gear assembly.

Compare

Previous year 2014 Cadillac CTS Next year 2016 Cadillac CTS See every Cadillac CTS model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2015 Cadillac CTS reliable?

The 2015 Cadillac CTS has 48 complaints with NHTSA after 12 years, or 2 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most CTS years here — under the median of the other years, which is 3. NHTSA has 3 recalls on file, including Inflator, Seat heater, and Pedals and linkages.

What are common problems with a 2015 Cadillac CTS?

The complaints owners file most often name Powertrain (19 of 48), then Service brakes (7) and Electrical system (5). Those filings include 2 that report a crash and 2 that report a fire.

Is the 2015 Cadillac CTS more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2014 CTS has 146 complaints, 8 per year, and the 2016 has 31 complaints, 2 per year. The 2015 has fewer complaints per year than the 2014. The 2015 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2016.

Has the 2015 Cadillac CTS been recalled?

The 2015 Cadillac CTS has 3 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 2015 Cadillac CTS?

Owners have filed 48 complaints about the 2015 Cadillac CTS with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2015 Cadillac CTS get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2015 Cadillac CTS is 19.6 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What oil does a Cadillac CTS take?

US notes list 5W-30 for all temperatures, with 0W-30 as an alternative below -29°C (about 6.0 qt with filter).

Does recall 19V-086 cover the Cadillac CTS?

It covers certain 2016-2018 CTS vehicles (and ATS/Camaro/Corvette years named in the campaign): electric power steering assist may fail; dealers replace the EPS assembly as directed.

What generation is a 2015 Cadillac CTS?

3rd generation (2014-2019). Model years 2012-2013 are 2nd generation in this catalog.