2017 Cadillac CTS reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2017 Cadillac CTS holds 27 complaints after 10 years, a rate of 3 per year. That is more complaints per year than most CTS years here — over the median of the other years, which is 2. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Electric power steering.

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

Complaints

Per year

Recalls

Years on the road

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Powertrain (9 of 27), then Steering (8) and Wheels (3). Those filings include 1 that reports a crash.

Next to 2016 and 2018

The 2016 CTS has 31 complaints, 2 per year, and the 2018 has 8 complaints, 1 per year. The 2017 has more complaints per year than the 2016. The 2017 has more complaints per year than the 2018.

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 2017 Cadillac CTS. How we count. Data as of 2026-10-16.

Recalls (2)

Recall Electric power steering 2025-03-20 · NHTSA campaign 25V175000

Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Cadillac CTS, 2017-2018 Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Camaro, and Chevrolet Corvette vehicles. The electric power steering (EPS) assist may fail.

Remedy Dealers will replace the power steering gear assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 15, 2025. Owners may contact Cadilac customer service at 1-800-333-4223 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N252497020.

Recall Electric power steering 2019-02-07 · NHTSA campaign 19V086000

Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Cadillac CTS, and 2017 Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Camaro, and Chevrolet Corvette vehicles. The electric power steering (EPS) assist system may fail.

Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the power steering gear assembly, free of charge. The recall began June 13, 2019. GM' number for this recall is N182182760.

Complaints by component (27 total)

Powertrain

Steering

Wheels

Air bags

Electrical system

Engine

Seats

Speed control

Suspension

Tires

Show 2 more Show less

Crash-flagged

Fire-flagged

Injury reports

Death reports

Complaints filed per year

Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings

"The contact owns a 2017 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. The service power steering message was displayed. The…"
Steering · filed 2026-08-13
"The airbag warning light appeared 45 days ago. I immediately took my 2017 Cadillac to the dealer (Sewell Cadillac of Houston). The vehicle is covered under a Sewell Extended warranty until 2028. The dealer performed…"
Air bags, Seats · filed 2025-12-20
"The power steering went out on the vehicle. I was not driving at the time. There was a recall on these vehicles pertaining to the EPS module."
Steering · filed 2025-11-23
"The Cadillac CUE screen cracks and becomes unresponsive. When driving this is effecting anything related to system including navigation, radio, hvac, phone and all other functions creating a distraction to the driver…"
Unknown or other · filed 2025-09-20
"I purchased this vehicle is certified preowned Cadillac and during the warranty time I had a transmission issue that was causing the transmission to jerk when shifting from 1st to 2nd gear and at highway speeds, it…"
Powertrain, Engine · filed 2025-09-20

NHTSA crash ratings

Version	Overall	Front	Side	Rollover
2017 Cadillac CTS 4 DR AWD	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars	5 stars
2017 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	3.6L, 6-cyl	Automatic (8-speed)	Rear-wheel drive	20	30	24 MPG	$2700
CTS	3.6L, 6-cyl	Automatic (8-speed)	Rear-wheel drive	16	24	18 MPG	$4450
CTS	2L, 4-cyl	Automatic (8-speed)	Rear-wheel drive	22	30	25 MPG	$3200
CTS all-wheel drive	2L, 4-cyl	Automatic (8-speed)	All-wheel drive	21	29	24 MPG	$3300
CTS all-wheel drive	3.6L, 6-cyl	Automatic (8-speed)	All-wheel drive	19	27	22 MPG	$2950

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 2016 Cadillac CTS Next year 2018 Cadillac CTS See every Cadillac CTS model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2017 Cadillac CTS reliable?

What are common problems with a 2017 Cadillac CTS?

The complaints owners file most often name Powertrain (9 of 27), then Steering (8) and Wheels (3). Those filings include 1 that reports a crash.

Is the 2017 Cadillac CTS more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2016 CTS has 31 complaints, 2 per year, and the 2018 has 8 complaints, 1 per year. The 2017 has more complaints per year than the 2016. The 2017 has more complaints per year than the 2018.

Has the 2017 Cadillac CTS been recalled?

The 2017 Cadillac CTS 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 2017 Cadillac CTS?

Owners have filed 27 complaints about the 2017 Cadillac CTS with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2017 Cadillac CTS get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2017 Cadillac CTS is 22.6 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.