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2013 Cadillac Cts-v
Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.
72 owner complaints · 2 recalls · data verified July 25, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Electrical system problems dominate (36% of complaints).
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
Complaint reports have faded. Early issues appear resolved or aged out.
Score breakdown, by factor
Full methodology →#48 of 499Among the 2013 models with a matured record, the 2013 Cadillac Cts-v ranks #48, scoring higher than 87% of them. See the 2013 ranking →
Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
5/5 overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating · 2013 Cadillac CTS SW AWD
Rollover risk in a single-vehicle crash: 10%
No open NHTSA defect investigations on file.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2013 Cadillac Cts-v, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Electrical system (26) · Transmission & drivetrain (13) · Airbags (11) · Steering (10)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint. Treat them as a rough guide.
Electrical system
36%26 complaints · 2 in the last 2 years
“My 2013 has only 75k miles on it and all the dash lights flash and the car fails every couple of days. It has a brand new battery but the gauges on the dash continue t…”
Transmission & drivetrain
18%13 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“The contact owns a 2013 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated that the transmission fluid was leaking, and the vehicle stalled while driving at various speeds. The vehicle …”
Airbags
15%11 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT WITH MY 2013 CADILLAC, SUFFERING A SEVERED LIP, REQUIRING 24 STITCHES IN MY BOTYOMLIP, LOST TOOTH, AND SUFFERED NECK AND BACK PAIN DUE TO AIRBAGS …”
Steering
14%10 complaints
“THE VEHICLE STALED ON THE STREET AND THE TWO SIGNS POPPED UP ABOUT STABILITY CONTROL AND TRACTION. CARS HAD TO ACT QUICKLY SO THEY WOULDN'T HIT ME FROM BEHIND”
Check it against this car’s mileage
Type the odometer reading on the actual car you’re looking at to see which of these problem areas owners tend to report before it, around it, or after it.
Too few owners named a mileage on this model to place issues against an odometer yet.
Read all 72 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 10 crash/fire/injury reports →
Recalls (2)
Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.
Electrical System · 14V614000
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Cadillac CTS, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL, and 2014 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Express, Impala, Silverado HD, Traverse, GMC Acadia, Savana, and Sierra HD vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the chassis electronic module may be internally contaminated, resulting in an electrical short.
Risk: If the module experiences an electrical short, the vehicle could stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the chassis electronic module, free of charge. The recall began on December 26, 2014. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), and 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GMs number for this recall is 14515.
Electrical System · 14V394000
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.
Risk: If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on September 15, 2014. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 14172.
Questions to ask the seller
Questions worth asking the seller of this Cadillac before you buy, drawn from its public record:
- NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2013 Cadillac Cts-v. Can you run this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and confirm each one shows "Remedy Completed"?
- Owners of this model report electrical system problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any electrical system symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Owners of this model report transmission & drivetrain problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any transmission & drivetrain symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Has this car been in any accident or had any structural, airbag, or flood-related repair? Do you have a clean title and a recent history report (Carfax / AutoCheck)?
- How many owners has it had, do you have the maintenance records, and why are you selling it?
- Are you open to me having an independent mechanic inspect it before we settle on a price?
Before you hand over money
Check the VIN for open recalls
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2013 Cadillac CTS-V beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2013? See how every Cts-v model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2013 Cadillac Cts-v against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.