Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2003 Cadillac CTS, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Electrical system56
- Engine and engine cooling38
- Exterior lighting37
- Air bags36
- Engine29
- Steering28
- Service brakes, hydraulic25
- Power train25
- Vehicle speed control24
- Structure22
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 21 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 22 2003 CTS vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 22 people died inside them, and 4 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 2003 Cadillac CTS failed the safety check 2.17% of the time — 3% more often than the average 2003 passenger car (2.11%). Median odometer at inspection: 102,407 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In the Netherlands
25 first registered in 2003 are on Dutch roads; 12% arrived later as imports.
Most common APK defects
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen8
- Band onvoldoende profiel4
- Remlicht werkt niet (goed)4
- Kentekenplaatverlichting werkt niet (goed) / ontbreekt3
- Roestschade hulpbalk2
- Band beschadigd2
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld2
- Schijf-, trommelrem loopt niet vrij2
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In Finland
13 of these cars first registered in 2003 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 217,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
2 2003 cars are on the New Zealand register; 100% arrived as used imports, 0% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 2 variants: combined 12.2–12.4 L/100 km (about 19 mpg US), CO₂ 281–285 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| CTS · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 14.2 | 9.7 | 12.2 |
| CTS · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 14.5 | 9.9 | 12.4 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
4 Transport Canada recalls for the 2003 Cadillac CTS.
| 2014273 2 Jul 2014 | Electrical On certain vehicles, there is a risk that some drivers may bump the ignition key with their knee and unintentionally move the key from out of the "run" position… |
| 2010080 16 Mar 2010 | Brakes On certain vehicles, originally sold, or currently registered in areas of heavy road salt usage during winter months (Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scoti… |
| 2003172 16 Jul 2003 | Seats And Restraints Certain vehicles do not comply with CMVSS 225 and 210.2. The Owner's Manual does not include the location symbols for the Lower Universal Anchorage System for … |
| 2003074 20 Mar 2003 | Steering On certain vehicles, the intermediate steering shaft bolt may not be torqued to the proper specification. An under-torqued bolt could loose, resulting in a sep… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on July 2, 2014 that they are recalling 554,328 model year 2003-2014 Cadillac CTS vehicles manufactured August 16, 2001, to April 28, 2014, and 2004-2006 Cadillac SRX vehicles manufactured March 20, 2003, to August 11, 2006. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.
GENERAL MOTORS HAS NOTIFIED NHTSA OF A DEFECT IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2003-2007 CADILLAC CTS VEHICLES CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN OR ORIGINALLY SOLD IN CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WASHINGTON D.C., WEST VIRGINIA AND WISCONSIN. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE A CONDITION IN WHICH THE FRONT BRAKE HOSE FITTING AT THE CALIPER MAY CORRODE DUE TO SNOW OR WATER, CONTAINING ROAD SALT OR OTHER CONTAMINANTS, ENTERING AND BEING RETAINED IN THE ROUTING SLEEVE. IF THE FITTING CORRODES SIGNIFICANTLY, THE BRAKE HOSE-TUBE INTERFACE MAY DEVELOP A LEAK.
CERTAIN MINIVANS, PASSENGER AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 225, "CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHORAGE SYSTEM." THE OWNER'S MANUAL DOES NOT EXPLAIN THE MEANING OF THE LOCATION SYMBOLS FOR THE CHILD RESTRAINT LOWER UNIVERSAL ANCHORAGE SYSTEM.
SOME PASSENGER VEHICLES HAVE A CONDITION IN WHICH THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT BOLT MAY BE LOOSE.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Cadillac told its dealers about the 2003 Cadillac CTS: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 637357 | INFORMATION PERTAINING TO CUSTOMER COMPLAINT THAT THE RIDE IS TOO STIFF, FROM OVER INFLATED TIRES.*TT |
| 637318 | BRIEF INFORMATION REGARDING INOPERATIVE POWER SEATS. *TT |
| 637292 | THIS MESSAGE IS FOR CONCERNS OF WATER CONDENSATION, SOAP BUBBLES OR DUST BEING TRAPPED AROUND THE PERIMETER OF THE REAR APPLIQUE AT THE CHIMSEL. *TT |
| 637276 | THIS MESSAGE CONCERNS INOPERATIVE SUNROOFS. *TT |
| 637244 | THIS MESSAGE CONCERNS THE INABILITY TO PROGRAM THE GARAGE DOOR OPENERS. *TT |
| 637233 | INFORMATION ON THE DEALER INSTALLED SMOKER'S PACKAGE CONSISTING OF AN ASHTRAY FOR THE CENTER STACK, A REAR CENTER CONSOLE ASHTRAY AND DOOR, TWO LIGHTERS AND TWO LIGHTER HOUSINGS. *TT |
| 637216 | INFORMATION REGARDING THE JUNE EDITION OF EMERGING ISSUES FOR VARIOUS MODELS. *TT |
| 637215 | SUBJECT REGARDNG WATER LEAK EMERGING ISSUES. *TT |
| 636702 | CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ON THE VOLUME EITHER BEING TOO LOW OR TOO HIGH WHEN MAKING AN ONSTAR CALL. *TT |
| 636628 | THIS MESSAGE CONCERNS VEHICLES WITH THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION AND A CONCERN WITH A RATTLE OR FLUTTERING NOISE WHILE DRIVING IN FIFTH GEAR. *TT |
| 636588 | SUBJECT REGARDING MAP LIGHT BULB REPLACEMENT. *TT |
| 636549 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY EXPERIENCE AN SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT WITH THE DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P0128 SET. *TT |
| 636548 | AN ABNORMAL LOUDER UPPER ENGINE LIFTER TICK NOISE. *TT |
| 636543 | INFORMATION ON WATER LEAKS. *TT |
| 636507 | CONCERNS ABOUT ABNORMAL UPPER ENGINE LIFTER TICK NOISE. *TT |
| 636506 | SERVICE ENGINGE SOON LIGHT WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P0128 SET. *TT |
| 634965 | CONCERNS WITH LAUNCH SHUDDER FELT ON HARD ACCELERATION. *TT |
| 634953 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT A FLUTTERING OR WIND NOISE IS HEARD WHILE DRIVING IN 5TH GEAR ABOVE 40 MPH. *TT |
| 634949 | SUBJECT REGARDING REVISED TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT PROCEDURE AND FASTENER TIGHTENING SPECIFICATIONS. *TT |
| 634843 | SOME CUSTOMER MAY COMMENT ABOUT THE APPEARANCE OF THE SERVICE STABILITY SYSTEM MESSAGE ON THE DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER (DIC) WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE C1286 SET. *TT |
| 634768 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ON A HOLLOW VIBRATING / REVERBERATING BUMP OR THUMP TYPE NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT UNDERBODY AREA. *TT |
| 634670 | SUBJECT REGARDING VOICE RECOGNITION SYSTEM ON UPLEVEL RADIO NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY IN COLD WEATHER. *TT |
| 634529 | SUBJECT REGARDING RECOMMENDED CLEANING PROCEDURE FOR RESIDUE OR WATER MARKS ON HOOD INSULATOR. *TT |
| 634505 | THIS BULLETIN CONTAINS REPAIR INFORMATION REGARDING WATERLEAKS OR MUSTY ODOR IN THE LH AND / OR RH REARPASSENGER FLOOR CARPET OR FOOT WELL AREA. *TT |
| 634319 | REMOTE KEYLESS ENTRY WILL NOT FUNCTION UNLESS THEY ARE CLOSE TO THE VEHICLE. *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)