Home · 2013 Cadillac Cts-v · Complaints

What 72 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 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 (72)Crash / fire / injury (10)Electrical system (26)Transmission & drivetrain (13)Airbags (11)Steering (10)Brakes (7)Engine (7)Suspension (6)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (5)Lights (5)Seats (3)

11 of 72 complaints match · Airbags · clear filters

Dec 29, 2024Airbags

I noticed that on the dash a message that service is needed on one of the airbags. I then scheduled appointment to have the problem corrected. I was informed by the dealership’ service department that I need a passenger airbag replacement on the passenger side of the car, and they also informed me that GM no longer manufactures the airbag that I need. I was not given any assistance on how to replace this safety feature in the car, nor was I notified by the manufacturer that airbag was discontinued.

NHTSA ODI 11632917

Dec 1, 2022AirbagsCrash

Air bags didn’t come out

NHTSA ODI 11495714

May 3, 2021AirbagsCrash1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2013 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A DEER WHICH CAUSED AN AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT MESSAGE; THE AIR BAGS WERE NOT DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT STATED ONLY AN ODD SMELLING POWDER EMITTED FROM THE AIR BAG LOCATION. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BRUISING IN TORSO, AND SWELLING IN EYES DUE TO POWDER; MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT SOUGHT. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO LOCAL TOW LOT WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH BEING DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 11415011

May 17, 2020Airbags

SERVICE AIR BAG LIGHT ON

NHTSA ODI 11324898

Dec 5, 2019AirbagsCrash1 injury

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 NOT DEPLOYING.

NHTSA ODI 11287256

Oct 20, 2019Airbags

I WAS DRIVING ALONG HIGHWAY 70 DOWNTOWN ST LOUIS WHEN ALL THE SUDDEN ALL 4 CEILING/CURTAIN AIRBAGS WENT OFF ONLY, NO OTHER AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, JUST THE ONES STATED. I PULLED THE VEHICLE OFF THE HIGHWAY. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE BACK TO MY HOUSE WHERE IT REMAINS. THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED ON THE EVENING OF OCTOBER 19, 2019. I JUST PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE 3 WEEKS AGO. THE DEALERSHIP IS CLOSED ON SUNDAYS WHERE I PURCHSED IT. THERE IS NO BODY DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE, LIKE I SAID THE AIRBAGS JUST WENT OFF FOR NO REASON.

NHTSA ODI 11269767

Jun 3, 2019AirbagsSeats

TAKATA, SERVICE AIR BAG IS ON ACROSS STEREO CONSOLE & LIGHT ON DASH. IT CAME ON WITHIN LAST 4 WEEKS WHILE DRIVING & AFTER A BUMP IN ROAD. WON'T GO OFF. DEEPLY CONCERNED. ALSO DRIVER POWER SEAT MODULE DOESN'T WORK TO RAISE NOT GREAT FOR SOMEONE SHORT.

NHTSA ODI 11217452

Aug 1, 2017Airbags

OVER 1 YEAR AGO (JULY 2016) I WAS NOTIFIED OF A SAFETY RECALL OF AIRBAG INFLATORS CAN DEGRADE IN HOT HUMID AREAS. I LIVE IN TEXAS WHERE IT'S CURRENTLY OVER 105 DEGREES. THE NOTIFICATION STATES I WILL BE NOTIFIED WHEN PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. NOW I SEE A YEAR LATER THERE IS NO REMEDY FOR THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI 11012048

Aug 16, 2016Electrical systemAirbags

AIR BAG LIGHT HAS CAME ON. WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE PASSENGER REAR WINDOW CAME DOWN ON IT'S OWN AND WOULD NOT ROLL BACK UP. MY CAR ONLY HAVE 60,000 MILES.

NHTSA ODI 10896419

Sep 17, 2014AirbagsBrakesCrash1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 45 MPH, HE BECAME INVOLVED IN A MULTI-VEHICLE CRASH. THE CONTACT ABRUPTLY APPLIED THE BRAKES HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND AND THE AIR BAG EXPLODED. THERE WAS AN UNKNOWN GRAY SUBSTANCE THAT WAS EMITTED FROM THE AIR BAG UPON DEPLOYMENT, WHICH AFFECTED THE CONTACT'S VISION AND BREATHING ABILITIES. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT SUSTAINED THREE FRACTURED RIBS AND INJURIES TO THE NECK, KNEE, ANKLE AND HEAD WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE BRAKE FAILURE. THE CONTACT HAD ALSO RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 14V394000 (ELECTRICAL) HOWEVER, THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WERE NOT AVAILABLE. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS ABLE TO INDICATE WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000.

NHTSA ODI 10637099

Jan 24, 2014AirbagsSeatsBrakesCrash1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 15 MPH WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO HER REAR. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND. ADDITIONALLY, THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT SHE BECAME PINNED IN THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE DRIVER'S SEAT COLLAPSED, CAUSING SPINAL INJURIES TO THE CONTACT. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000.

NHTSA ODI 10561336

Working with the data? Download all 72 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 2013 Cadillac Cts-v verdict →