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)

8 of 67 complaints match · Brakes · clear filters

Jun 3, 2023Speed controlBrakes

There have been a collection of other Vin numbers for this year make and model for the symptoms I have been experiencing since taking ownership in 2019. The vehicle will stall while running and randomly disable ALL WHEEL drive, Traction Control, ABS, and send Check engine light on causing me amdy son on infinite number of times to almost be hit In the middle of amd intersection, after a stop sign at low speeds, upon turning the wheels into or put of driveway, parking spaces and worst off at 60 mph on a freeway. This has resulted in multiple near accidents as the vehicle randomly disables itself. It occurs mostly after pressing the brakes to shift gears and almost always causes the vehicle to become inoperable for over an hour where it sits as there is no option to disable AWD or choose from FWD OR RWD. It happens in manual mode (or called performance mode) as well as automatic mode and has been occurring for 5 and a half years. I have been charged an exorbitant amount for supposed repairs from.dealers and mechanics who have claimed to fix it and I have severe autoimmune disease, a foot prosthetic, AND a minor child I have to transport to and from.school in the car. My issue and warning lights and symptoms mirror the recall of the Vin numbers the manufacturer has performed the recall repair on exactly and yet I have been sent from dealers who refuse to check the part that's defective which is I believe the hydrolic brake rod to the brake petal. The bold needs to be simply retorqued to the proper torque to fix the problem as it was either assembled improperly torqued and or can loosen over time resulting in dangerous and immediate and unexpected complete loss of power to the vehicle allowing people to slam into you at any time. I have had it towed numerous times after these incidents. All features, climate control, locks, entertainment, windows and everything functions when this happens. I have replaced batteries, brakes, oil changes etc. Unresolved.

NHTSA ODI 11525157

May 11, 2023Brakes

The contact owns a 2012 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the brake pedal was depressed and the AWD inadvertently deactivated, causing the vehicle to lose motive power. The service brake assist, check engine, traction control, ABS, and stabili-trak warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to two independent mechanics; however, no failure was found. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 11V536000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

NHTSA ODI 11521525

Jan 25, 2017Brakes

HEARD A GRINDING NOISE WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED, IMMEDIATELY TOOK TO DEALERSHIP, WAS TOLD BRAKES WERE COMPLETELY GONE, METAL ON METAL. ASKED WHY NO WARNING BRAKES WERE GOING BAD AND WHY ALL FOUR BRAKES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED ON SO CALLED HIGH END/TOP QUALITY VEHICLE LIKE A CADILLAC AT ONLY 30,000 MILES AND WAS TOLD "BECAUSE IT HASN'T BEEN DRIVEN ENOUGH AND BRAKES WORE FASTER DUE TO RUST". ALTHOUGH THE MECHANICS AGREED THIS WAS AN ILLOGICAL EXPLANATION AND SEEMS LIKE A PRODUCT DEFECT, I WAS STILL EXPECTED TO PAY $600-800 TO REPLACE THE FAULTY PARTS - WHICH I HAVE NOT YET DONE. I WAS NEVER PROVIDED AN EXPLANATION FOR WHY THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING THAT THE BRAKES WERE FAILING, EVEN THOUGH I EXPRESSED MY CONCERN ABOUT THIS BEING A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE. AFTER A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH, I DISCOVERED OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED PREMATURE BRAKE WEAR ON CADILLAC VEHICLES.

NHTSA ODI 10947692

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 22, 2014Brakes

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE BRAKE LINE FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN REPAIRED THE VEHICLE BY REMOVING AND REPLACING THE BRAKE LINE HOSE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 13,300.

NHTSA ODI 10638166

Nov 4, 2013Brakes

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WERE TO CLOSE TOGETHER UNLIKE NORMAL PEDALS. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THEY COULD NOT CORRECT THE PEDALS BEING CLOSE TO EACH OTHER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 10,000.

NHTSA ODI 10550753

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 →