Home · 2012 Cadillac Cts-v · Complaints

What 67 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Cadillac Cts-v

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (67)Crash / fire / injury (7)Electrical system (10)Lights (10)Brakes (8)Suspension (7)Airbags (6)Engine (6)Speed control (6)Body & structure (5)Steering (4)Transmission & drivetrain (4)

7 of 67 complaints match · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Jun 29, 2018Airbags1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CADILLAC CTS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING OR IMPACT. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO COAST THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BACK INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO QUANTRELL AUTO GROUP (1440 E NEW CIRCLE RD, LEXINGTON, KY 40509, (859) 266-2161) WHERE DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WAS COMPLETED, BUT THE CONTACT WAS UNAWARE OF THE RESULTS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,000.

NHTSA ODI 11104691

May 25, 2017Speed controlCrash2 injuries

THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVING IN NORMAL CONDITIONS, AT APPROX 40MPH IN THE EVENING. WHEN ACCELERATING TO PASS A CAR GOING SLOW IN A 50MPH+ ROAD, THE ACCELERATOR STUCK IN THE CADILLAC. THIS FORCED A DEFENSIVE DECISION TO UNFORTUNATELY HIT THE CAR IN FRONT VERSUS UNKNOWN CLEARING. AFTER (NOW AT 60MPH), THE ACCELERATOR STAYED STUCK, WHICH REQUIRED THE CAR TO THEN STRIKE A POLE AT 100MPH! THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SCENARIO AND ONLY BY GRACE WERE ALL PARTIES SAFE IN THE PRIMARY CAR (CADILLAC REFERENCED), AND THE CAR STRUCK. THE CAR WAS TOTALED AND EVEN THE BLACK BOX WAS NOT OPERATIONAL AFTER SITTING FOR A 3 WEEK SPAN IN A TOW LOT.

NHTSA ODI 10991625

Apr 21, 2016SuspensionBrakesCrash2 injuries

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CADILLAC CTS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, A LOUD NOISE EMITTED OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE AND LOWER CONTROL ARM DETACHED COMPLETELY. IN ADDITION, THE BRAKES, ROTORS, AND OTHER SUSPENSION SUPPORT DETACHED ONTO THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A CONCRETE BARRIER. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A LOWER BACK INJURY. THE FRONT SEAT OCCUPANT SUFFERED FROM A BUMP TO THE HEAD. THE INJURIES REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILALBE.

NHTSA ODI 10860646

Jun 22, 2015BrakesCrash1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CADILLAC CTS. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOOR WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT REAR ENDED THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE OTHER DRIVER WAS INJURED, BUT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

NHTSA ODI 10726607

Dec 8, 2014AirbagsBrakesCrash1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND FAILED TO RESPOND. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A HEAD, CHEST AND FOOT INJURY THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.

NHTSA ODI 10662860

Sep 25, 2014SteeringSuspensionBody & structureCrash

AS I APPROACHED A STREET FROM A STORE PARKING LOT, I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE BUT THE CAR DID NOT SLOW. AS I SAW I WAS NOT GOING TO STOP, I TRIED TO STEER THE CAR TO THE RIGHT TO TRY TO AVOID CROSSING INTO TRAFFIC. THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT TURN. I WAS GOING VERY SLOWLY AND SAW THE FACE OF THE DRIVER OF THE CAR THAT HIT ME. THAT CAR HIT MY CAR TWICE. ONCE IN THE FRONT LEFT CORNER AND THEN IN LEFT REAR CORNER, AS MY CAR SPUN 90 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT FROM THE FIRST IMPACT. SOMEONE ASKED ME IF MY CAR HAD TURNED OFF. I SAID I DIDN'T KNOW BECAUSE THE ENGINE IS SO QUIET. A RESPONDING SHERIFF'S DEPUTY TOLD MY HUSBAND THE DRIVER WHO HIT ME SAID HE SAW ME LOOKING AT HIM AND WAS SURE I WAS GOING TO STOP. LATER ANALYSIS BY A CADILLAC TECHNICIAN REVEALED ERROR CODES FROM THE FRONT WHEEL SPEED SENSORS. I HAVE BEEN TOLD A WHEEL SPEED SENSOR MALFUNCTION CAN AFFECT BRAKING. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10639093

Jun 3, 2014AirbagsCrash1 injury

VEHICLE WAS AT COMPLETE STOP IN CONGESTED TRAFFIC. DRIVER HAD TRANSMISSION IN DRIVE AND FOOT ON BRAKE. VEHICLE WAS APPROXIMATELY 5 FEET FROM VEHICLE DIRECTLY AHEAD. VEHICLE WAS STRUCK FROM BEHIND BY A LARGE SUV CAUSING VEHICLE TO COLLIDE WITH VEHICLE DIRECTLY AHEAD. VEHICLE WAS DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS. VEHICLE REAR RAILS WERE DEFORMED BY FORCE OF IMPACT. DRIVER OF VEHICLE WAS THROWN FORWARD, AND THEN BACKWARD, WITH SUFFICIENT FORCE TO EXPERIENCE INJURY TO NECK AND SHOULDERS. DRIVER SEAT BELT LOCKED TO REDUCE BODY MOVEMENT RESULTING IN BRUISES TO LEFT ARM AND CHEST. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO FRONT OF VEHICLE COLLIDING WITH VEHICLE AHEAD. DRIVER WAS TRANSPORTED TO HOSPITAL. INJURY CONSISTED OF SOFT TISSUE DAMAGE AND TRAUMA TO NECK. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10595956

Working with the data? Download all 67 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 25, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2012 Cadillac Cts-v verdict →