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2020 Cadillac CT5
Solid pick — the complaint record is strong for its age. It does carry safety recalls, so confirm every one shows "remedy completed" on the VIN before money changes hands.
33 owner complaints · 4 recalls · data verified July 10, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Complaints are still coming in strong late in this car's life — a chronic-problem pattern, not early teething.
Transmission & drivetrain problems dominate (39% of complaints).
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
The math, shown
Full methodology →Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2020 Cadillac CT5, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Transmission & drivetrain (13) · Electrical system (8) · Engine (7)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint — a rough guide, not a schedule.
Transmission & drivetrain
39%13 complaints · 12 in the last 2 years
“While slowing down vehicle felt as if it was put into park momentarily, which cause car to slide on ice. After reading the recall, I am certain that the transmission f…”
Electrical system
24%8 complaints · 4 in the last 2 years
“My front door latch doesn't work often leaving me locked out of the car. If the car is off I can use the auto roll down feature, but if the car is on i can't. This is …”
Engine
21%7 complaints · 6 in the last 2 years
“The contact’s son owns a 2020 Cadillac CT5. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. After a visual i…”
Body & structure
12%4 complaints · 4 in the last 2 years
“I am receiving notice on the speed screen telling me the door lock need service. I never had a cadillac to tell me something about door lock need service.I have had ot…”
Recalls (4)
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.
Power Train · 25V148000
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Cadillac CT6, 2020-2021 CT4, CT5, and 2020-2022 Chevrolet Camaro vehicles equipped with a 10-speed transmission. The transmission may become damaged internally and cause the wheels to lock-up.
Risk: Wheel lock-up while driving increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will install transmission control module monitoring software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 7, 2025. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N242480630.
Exterior Lighting · 22V903000
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Cadillac CT4 and CT5; 2021-2023 Buick Envision; and 2022-2023 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. The daytime running lights (DRLs) may not deactivate when the headlights are on. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: DRLs that do not deactivate as intended may result in a glare, reducing visibility, and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: The body control module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 23, 2023. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N222386380. This recall expands previous recall number 22V-827.
Air Bags · 21V611000
General Motors, LLC. (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Cadillac CT4 and CT5 vehicles. The roof rail side-curtain air bags may not have been installed correctly, which could result in an improper air bag deployment during a crash.
Risk: Air bags that do not deploy properly can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect both left and right-side roof rail air bags and reinstall the air bags, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on August 30, 2021. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N212342780.
Service Brakes · 20V588000
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Corvette and Cadillac CT4, CT5 and XT4, 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer, and 2020-2021 Buick Encore GX vehicles. Sensor connection contamination in the electronic brake boost system may cause an interruption of communication between the sensor and the brake boost system.
Risk: If communication with the sensor is interrupted, the electronic brake boost assist could be lost. Extra pedal force will be required to slow and stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the electronic brake boost module, free of charge. The recall began December 9, 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, or Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is A202307260.
Before you hand over money
Verify the recall work was done
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–$250 independent inspection of this exact 2020 Cadillac CT5 beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2020? See how every CT5 model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2020 Cadillac CT5 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.