2003 Cadillac CTS recalls and problems

The 2003 Cadillac CTS has 4 recalls and 313 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is engine.

How the 2003 compares

Highest

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

Highest complaint count among 17 CTS model years — the most of any year.

4recalls

313complaints

29crashes

12fires

21injuries

72,300median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.

Check your VIN →

4 recalls

Electrical System

Jul 2, 2014 · NHTSA campaign 14V394000 · 554,328 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Remedy & notes

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.

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Service Brakes

Mar 17, 2010 · NHTSA campaign 10V105000 · 139,131 vehicles

Problem: General motors has notified NHTSA of a defect in certain model year 2003-2007 Cadillac cts vehicles currently registered in or originally sold in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington d.c., West Virginia and Wisconsin. Some of these vehicles have a condition in which the front brake hose fitting at the caliper May corrode due to snow or water, containing road salt or other contaminants, entering and being retained in the routing sleeve. If the fitting corrodes significantly, the brake hose-tube interface May develop a leak.

Original NHTSA wording

GENERAL MOTORS HAS NOTIFIED NHTSA OF A DEFECT IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2003-2007 CADILLAC CTS VEHICLES CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN OR ORIGINALLY SOLD IN CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WASHINGTON D.C., WEST VIRGINIA AND WISCONSIN. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE A CONDITION IN WHICH THE FRONT BRAKE HOSE FITTING AT THE CALIPER MAY CORRODE DUE TO SNOW OR WATER, CONTAINING ROAD SALT OR OTHER CONTAMINANTS, ENTERING AND BEING RETAINED IN THE ROUTING SLEEVE. IF THE FITTING CORRODES SIGNIFICANTLY, THE BRAKE HOSE-TUBE INTERFACE MAY DEVELOP A LEAK.

Risk: The brake hose-tube interface May rupture suddenly without prior warning and increase vehicle stopping distance May occur increasing the risk of a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

THE BRAKE HOSE-TUBE INTERFACE MAY RUPTURE SUDDENLY WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING AND INCREASE VEHICLE STOPPING DISTANCE MAY OCCUR INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers are to replace both front brake hose assemblies free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during May 2010. Owners May contact Cadillac at 1-866-982-2339 or at the owner center at www.gmownercenter.com.

Gm recall no. 09149.owners May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to <a href=http://www.safercar.gov>http://www.safercar.gov</a> .

Equipment

Jul 15, 2003 · NHTSA campaign 03V250000 · 1,707,825 vehicles

Problem: Certain minivans, passenger and sport utility vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 225, "child restraint anchorage system." the owner's manual does not explain the meaning of the location symbols for the child restraint lower universal anchorage system.

Original NHTSA wording

CERTAIN MINIVANS, PASSENGER AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 225, "CHILD RESTRAINT ANCHORAGE SYSTEM." THE OWNER'S MANUAL DOES NOT EXPLAIN THE MEANING OF THE LOCATION SYMBOLS FOR THE CHILD RESTRAINT LOWER UNIVERSAL ANCHORAGE SYSTEM.

Risk: This does not meet the requirements of the standard.

Original NHTSA wording

THIS DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.

Remedy & notes

Owners will be provided with a supplement for their owner's manual. This supplement describes and shows the location symbols for the child restraint anchors that are located in the vehicle and on the child restraint or booster cushion. Owner notification began August 18, 2003. Owners should contact Buick at 1-866-608-8080, Cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, GMC at 1-866-996-9463, Pontiac at 1-800-620-7668, or Oldsmobile at 1-800-630-6537.

Gm recall no. 03039.customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Steering

Mar 24, 2003 · NHTSA campaign 03V115000 · 47,835 vehicles

Problem: Some passenger vehicles have a condition in which the intermediate steering shaft bolt May be loose.

Original NHTSA wording

SOME PASSENGER VEHICLES HAVE A CONDITION IN WHICH THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT BOLT MAY BE LOOSE.

Risk: An improperly tightened bolt could loosen, resulting in separation of the upper and lower steering shafts causing a loss of vehicle control. If this happens while the vehicle is moving, a crash could result without prior warning.

Original NHTSA wording

AN IMPROPERLY TIGHTENED BOLT COULD LOOSEN, RESULTING IN SEPARATION OF THE UPPER AND LOWER STEERING SHAFTS CAUSING A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. IF THIS HAPPENS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS MOVING, A CRASH COULD RESULT WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will inspect for the presence of the intermediate steering shaft bolt and ensure that it is tightened to the proper specification. Owner notification began March 20, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Cadillac at 1-800-458-8006.

Gm recall no. 03017.customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Engine67

Vehicle Speed Control24

Electronic Stability Control22

Structure22

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

Complaints by year filed

2003 vs. other Cadillac CTS years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2003. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2003 Cadillac CTS have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns covering the 2003 Cadillac CTS, the latest from Jul 2, 2014 (electrical system). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2003 Cadillac CTS?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention engine (67), electrical system (56), service brakes (47). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.