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2021 Cadillac Ct5-v Blackwing
Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.
20 owner complaints · 0 recalls · data verified July 16, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Complaints are still coming in strong late in this car's life, a chronic-problem pattern, not early teething.
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
Zero recalls, rare for a car this age.
The math, shown
Full methodology →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.
NHTSA crash-tested this model year but didn’t publish an overall star rating for it.
1 open NHTSA defect investigation on file for this model year, separate from the recalls above.
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 2021 Cadillac Ct5-v Blackwing, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Electrical system (7)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Electrical system
35%7 complaints · 7 in the last 2 years
“I've had my driver side door handle switch replaced beacuse it was faulty and I could not get into my car through the driver side. Now I am having the same issue with …”
Body & structure
20%4 complaints · 4 in the last 2 years
“Exterior driver side door handle will not open the door causing issues with ingress into vehicle.”
Transmission & drivetrain
10%2 complaints · 2 in the last 2 years
“Service transmission message showed up on dash. Dealer stated after performance test found P17A5 code for shift control. The dealer stated that the gear shift assembly…”
Airbags
10%2 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“My 2025 Cadillac CT5 was stationary at a red light behind a red truck when a black truck traveling in the opposite direction struck the truck head-on. The red truck wa…”
Recalls (0)
No recall campaigns on file for this model year.
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 2021 Cadillac CT5-V BLACKWING beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2021? See how every Ct5-v Blackwing model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2021 Cadillac Ct5-v Blackwing 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.