What 160 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Cadillac ATS

TURNED CAR OFF. STARTED 5 MINS LATER MOVED JUST A COUPLE MILES AND HOUR AND POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES WENT OUT. TURNED CAR OFF AND WORKED AFTER THAT. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10598875

THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE SITTING IN NEUTRAL, WAITING AT A RED LIGHT. THE AIR CONDITIONING WAS RUNNING. THE ENGINE RUNS SO QUIETLY THAT FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TELL THE ENGINE HAD SHUT OFF IF THE A/C HAD NOT STOPPED BLOWING. I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND AN ALERT CAME ON THE DASH SCREEN STATING: SERVICE POWER STEERING, DRIVE WITH CARE. I WAS APPROXIMATELY 3/4 OF A MILE FROM MY HOME COMING DOWNHILL ON A QUIET NEIGHBORHOOD STREET SO I CAREFULLY DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME AND PARKED IN THE GARAGE WHILE I CALLED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT MY LOCAL CADILLAC DEALERSHIP. HE TOLD ME THE POWER STEERING IS CONTROLLED BY THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MAY HAVE GLITCHED WHEN I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND NOT BEEN ACTIVATED. HE SAID I COULD RESTART THE VEHICLE AFTER 30 SECONDS AND THE POWER STEERING SHOULD FUNCTION PROPERLY AGAIN. HE TOLD ME IF THERE IS AN ISSUE I CAN HAVE GM TOW THE VEHICLE IN, OR IF THE POWER STEERING BEGINS TO FUNCTION AGAIN I CAN DRIVE IT IN TO HAVE IT SERVICED. ONCE I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE THE POWER STEERING WAS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. I WILL BE HAVING CADILLAC LOOK AT THE VEHICLE THIS AFTERNOON. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10578497

I HAVE TWO ISSUES TO REPORT THAT MAY BE A SAFETY CONCERN: 1) THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE TIMES WHEN DRIVING IN WET CONDITIONS (RAIN/SNOW) WHERE I WILL GET A 'POWER STEERING FAILURE' WARNING. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE POWER STEERING DOES ONE OF TWO THINGS. IT EITHER ALMOST LOCKS UP AND BECOMES EXTREMELY HARD TO TURN THE WHEEL, OR IT WILL STILL MOVE EASILY, BUT IT WON'T AUTO CENTER WHEN MAKING TURNS. I HAVE REPORTED THIS TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WAS A BAD STEERING ANGLE SENSOR. THEY REPLACED THE SENSOR BUT THE ISSUE IS NOT RESOLVED AND NOW THAT IT'S SNOWING IT'S HAPPENING MORE AND MORE CONSISTENTLY. 2) THERE HAVE BEEN 3 CASES WHERE I WAS DRIVING AND COMING TO A STOP AND THE CAR WILL JUST RANDOMLY SHUT DOWN. I LOSE ALL ABILITY TO STEER (SINCE IT'S ELECTRIC STEERING) AND BRAKE. THIS STALL IS DIFFERENT THEN A STALL ASSOCIATED MISUSE OF THE CLUTCH. THE CLUTCH HAS BEEN PRESSED IN ALL THE WAY IN WHEN THIS HAPPENS AND THE CAR DOESN'T SHUTTER LIKE A CLUTCH STALL, JUST TOTALLY SHUTS DOWN QUIETLY. LUCKILY THERE HAS NOT BEEN AN ACCIDENT YET, BUT IF THIS HAPPENS WHEN THERE ARE MULTIPLE CARS AROUND ME IT WILL BE DIFFICULTY TO AVOID ONE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10555555

VEHICLE HEADLIGHTS WITH THE HID OPTION DO NOT ALWAYS ALIGN PROPERLY CAUSING ONE SIDE, EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT ON OCCASION TO AIM HIGHER THAN THE OTHER. THIS ISSUE SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING WHEN THE VEHICLE HEADLIGHT SELECTION IS IN THE AUTO MODE AND THE KEY FOB OR IGNITION BUTTON IS USED. THIS HAS BECOME A NUISANCE BECAUSE I MUST CONSTANTLY PARK BY A WALL TO MAKE SURE THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE ALIGNED PROPERLY BEFORE DRIVING OFF AND BLINDING ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE CALIBRATION CYCLE SEEMS TO BE FAULTY AND I HAVE BEEN TO TWO DEALERS WITH NO RESOLVE. I AM ALSO WORKING WITH CADILLAC CUSTOMER SERVICE AND AM HOPING FOR A QUICK SOLUTION. THIS ISSUE MAY BLIND ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND I MUST STOP AND RESTART THE CAR NUMEROUS TIMES TO GET THE HEADLIGHT CYCLE TO ALIGN THE LIGHTS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10551245

WHEN COASTING TO COME TO A STOP THE VEHICLE ENGINE WILL STALL. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES SINCE THE FIRST INCIDENT IN JANUARY. THIS IS A 6 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION EQUIPPED VEHICLE, AND THE TRANSMISSION IS EITHER IN NEUTRAL OR THE CLUTCH PEDAL IS DEPRESSED SO THAT THE ENGINE/TRANSMISSION ARE DECOUPLED. I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WATCH THE TACHOMETER WHEN IT HAS STALLED TWICE, AND IT SEEMS TO GET TO A LOWER RPM THAN NORMAL (<500RPM) AND THEN THE ENGINE JUST SHUTS OFF, VERY ABRUPTLY. IT HAS ALSO HAPPENED WHEN SLOWING TO TAKE A TURN WITH THE CLUTCH PEDAL DEPRESSED, WHICH IS VERY DIFFICULT TO GET BACK STARTED AS YOU ARE TRYING TO DRIVE AND NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE REPORTED THIS TO THE DEALER, AND THEY HAVE TRIED TO DIAGNOSE IT, HOWEVER NO FIX HAS HAPPENED. IT WILL NORMALLY STALL ABOUT ONCE EVERY WEEK OR SO, IT IS VERY INTERMITTENT AND SEEMS MORE OFTEN WITH A HIGHER LOAD ON THE ENGINE (HOT DAYS, A/C RUNNING, ETC...). THE DEALER WENT AS FAR AS TO BLAME ME FOR STALLING THE VEHICLE, THEY SAID I DIDN'T DISENGAGE THE CLUTCH AT A HIGH ENOUGH RPM WHICH IS COMPLETELY UNTRUE AND REGARDLESS THE CAR WAS IN NEUTRAL AND I WAS COASTING TO A STOP (THEREFORE IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO STALL THE VEHICLE IN GEAR). I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS ISSUE, THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS PEOPLE ON FORUMS COMPLAINING OF THE SAME ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10549456

WHEN COASTING TO COME TO A STOP THE VEHICLE ENGINE WILL STALL/TURN OFF. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES SINCE THE FIRST INCIDENT IN JUNE. THIS IS A 6 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION EQUIPPED VEHICLE, AND THE TRANSMISSION IS EITHER IN NEUTRAL OR THE CLUTCH PEDAL IS DEPRESSED SO THAT THE ENGINE/TRANSMISSION ARE DECOUPLED. I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WATCH THE TACHOMETER WHEN IT HAS STALLED TWICE, AND THEN THE ENGINE JUST SHUTS OFF, VERY ABRUPTLY (NO SHAKING, OR NOISE). IT HAS ALSO HAPPENED WHEN SLOWING TO TAKE A TURN WITH THE CLUTCH PEDAL DEPRESSED, WHICH IS VERY DIFFICULT TO GET BACK STARTED AS YOU ARE TRYING TO DRIVE AND NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT (PLUS THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS). I HAVE REPORTED THIS TO THE DEALER, AND THEY HAVE TRIED TO DIAGNOSE IT, HOWEVER NO FIX HAS HAPPENED. IT WILL NORMALLY STALL ABOUT ONCE EVERY WEEK OR SO, IT IS VERY INTERMITTENT. THE DEALER WENT AS FAR AS TO BLAME ME FOR STALLING THE VEHICLE, THEY SAID I DIDN'T DISENGAGE THE CLUTCH AT A HIGH ENOUGH RPM WHICH IS COMPLETELY UNTRUE AND REGARDLESS THE CAR WAS IN NEUTRAL AND I WAS COASTING TO A STOP (THEREFORE IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO STALL THE VEHICLE IN GEAR). I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS ISSUE, THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS PEOPLE ON FORUMS COMPLAINING OF THE SAME ISSUE. MY CAR IS CURRENTLY IN THE LEMON PROCESS WITH THE BBB AUTOLINE PROGRAM AS THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES. DEALER/GM CAN NOT DUPLICATE THE ISSUE AND HAS NO IDEA WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10549521

WHILE DRIVING MY MANUAL TRANSMISSION CAD ATS IT STALLS WITHOUT WARNING OR REASON. IT STALLS MOSTLY WHEN IN NEUTRAL, LIKE WHEN SITTING AT A RED LIGHT, OR PULLING INTO A PARKING PLACE. IT ALSO STALLS WHEN IN FIRST OR SECOND GEAR,LIKE WHEN TURNING A CORNER. I AM NOT PULLING THE CLUTCH OUT TOO SOON AND HENCE STALLING THE CAR MYSELF, IT DOES IT ALL BY ITSELF! THE CAR GIVES NO WARNING SHAKE OR NOISE, IT SIMPLY IS OFF, OFTEN WITHOUT MY KNOWING IT IS OFF. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MY BRAND NEW ATS SINCE THE SECOND DAY OF HAVING IT, AND HAS EVER SINCE, APPROXIMATELY 7 WEEKS NOW. IT OCCURS WITH THE GAS TANK FULL, ALMOST EMPTY, AND IN BETWEEN. IT OCCURS ON FLAT STREETS, AND MAYBE AT AN INCLINE. IT OCCURS WHEN COLD IN THE MORNING, AND AFTER HOURS OF DRIVING. IT OCCURS DAY AND NIGHT, WITH AND WITHOUT PASSENGERS. THE DEALER HAS HAD THE CAR IN TWICE TO INVESTIGATE, WITH NO LUCK. THIS IS RIDICULOUS!! *TR

NHTSA ODI 10549244

VEHICLE QUIETLY STALLS AND HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE LESS THAN A MONTH AGO. BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER BUT THEY BASICALLY JUST SAY IT IS DESIGNED TO STALL IN CERTAIN INSTANCES WHICH I BELIEVE IS JUST NONSENSE AND UNSAFE. I HAVE READ ONLINE THAT THIS IS HAPPENING TO OTHER ATS OWNERS SO I KNOW THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS AND UNSAFE ISSUE WITH THE 6SPD ATS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10548972

VEHICLE TURNS OFF WHEN IN NEUTRAL APPROACHING TO STOP. THIS IS NOT FROM IMPROPER FOOT WORK ON THE CLUTCH. THE VEHICLE IS IN NEUTRAL. IT HAS HAPPENED OVER 13 TIMES SINCE VEHICLE PURCHASED ON 7/26/2013 (FIRST INCIDENT ON DATE OF PURCHASE). THE VEHICLE WILL TURN ON IMMEDIATELY AFTER. IT HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP THREE TIMES AND TWICE THEY KEPT IT FOR A WEEK. THE PROBLEM DID NOT DUPLICATE WITH THE DEALERSHIP. ON THE THIRD VISIT THEY REPLACED THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE. FIVE DAYS AFTER PICKING IT UP AFTER THEY REPLACED THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE THE PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AS IT HAS HAPPENED AT BUSY INTERSECTIONS AND IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10548563

VEHICLE STALLED QUIETLY WHEN COMING TO STOP WITH VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL AND/OR CLUTCH DEPRESSED. I SAY QUIETLY BECAUSE I DID NOT HEAR OR FEEL IT SHUT OFF. (DIFFERENT FROM STALLING VEHICLE DUE TO IMPROPER FOOT WORK ON THE CLUTCH) WHEN I WENT TO TURN LEFT I REALIZED IT WAS DEAD. VEHICLE DID RESTART IMMEDIATELY. THIS HAS HAPPENED 6 - 10 TIMES IN THE LAST 3 MONTHS. MOST RECENTLY THE POWER STEERING RACK FAILED TO TURN BACK ON AT RESTART. DEALER SERVICED STEERING CONTROLLER PER TSB. THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE RANDOM STALLING IN A 10 MILE TEST DRIVE AS IT ONLY HAPPENS TO ME ONLY ONCE A WEEK OR TWO. THIS COULD BE MORE DANGEROUS IF IT DID NOT RESTART AND I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION OR MOVING.

NHTSA ODI 10537906

RIGHT TURN FROM STOP ONTO MAJOR 6-LANE HIGHWAY; NO POWER TO ENGINE AFTER ENGAGEMENT OF ACCELERATOR; ACTED AS THOUGH NOT IN-DRIVE GEAR; TACHOMETER REVED PAST 6K; FOOT OFF OF PEDAL; TRANSMISSION ENGAGED; VERY SLOW RETURN TO NORMAL OPERATION; EVASIVE ACTION BY OTHER DRIVERS FOLLOWING; NO REPLICATION BY DEALER AFTER 4-DAYS OF TESTING; RETURNED VEHICLE TO OWNER WITHOUT EXPLANATION OF PROBLEM. *TR

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