AutoUtility currently tracks 8 official NHTSA owner defect complaints for the 2018 Cadillac CTS. Powertrain & Transmission issues are the most frequently reported category, appearing in 3 complaints (37.5% of submitted records). Among these NHTSA complaint records, 1 filing cites a crash.
- • Total NHTSA Complaints: 8 reports
- • #1 Reported Problem Area: Powertrain & Transmission (3 reports • 37.5% of submitted complaints)
- • Secondary Problem Areas: Electrical System (3), Air Bags & Restraints (1)
- • Crash-Citing Complaints: 1 filings
- • Fire-Citing Complaints: 0 filings
- • Complaints Reporting Injuries / Fatalities: 0 injury filings • 0 fatality filings
Most Reported Problems for 2018 Cadillac CTS
Top automotive subsystem defect categories ranked by unique owner complaint volume in federal records
Powertrain & Transmission
Electrical System
Air Bags & Restraints
Engine & Cooling
Exterior Lighting
Recent NHTSA Owner Reports for 2018 Cadillac CTS
Representative defect filings submitted by owners to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
"THE TRANSMISSION "SHUDDERS". It does not happen with any regularity and with no advance warning. It may be electronic or mechanical or both."
"What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? From 2018. The uauto start/stop system has failed 3 times. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? These components failing subjects the driver and surroundings to a stalled car that..."
"The airbag system failed to deploy during a single-vehicle accident in which the car left the service road and struck a tree. The vehicle sustained significant front-end damage. The driver lost consciousness or experienced disorientation and was unable to recall the events leading up to or..."
"To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to express my serious concerns regarding a known issue with the 2018 Cadillac CTS that poses a significant safety risk. The LCD/backup display screen in my 2018 Cadillac CTS has cracked on its own, taking up the entire display. This is a well-documented problem..."
"Rear differential failure confirmed by the dealer at 41,000 miles. Told not to drive it as rear wheels could lock up causing accident. Rear was making load noise 2 days prior to failure with fluid leak upon inspection. Dealer states failure is under warranty but no parts available for 3-6 months."
Complaint History for Cadillac CTS
Reported defect complaint volume across sibling model years (2015–2019)
| Model Year | NHTSA Complaints | Crash Reports | Safety Recalls | Detailed Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 Cadillac CTS | 47 | 2 | 4 | View 2015 Problems → |
| 2016 Cadillac CTS | 31 | 0 | 4 | View 2016 Problems → |
| 2017 Cadillac CTS | 27 | 1 | 2 | View 2017 Problems → |
| 2018 Cadillac CTS Current Page | 8 | 1 | 2 | Current |
| 2019 Cadillac CTS | 10 | 0 | 0 | View 2019 Problems → |
Detailed NHTSA Component Breakdown for 2018 Cadillac CTS
Complete distribution of consumer defect reports across all 7 granular NHTSA system and subsystem classifications
| Vehicle Component / System | Total Complaints | Crash Reports | Fire Reports | Reported Injury Entries | Reported Fatality Entries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System NHTSA category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Air Bags NHTSA category: AIR BAGS | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain NHTSA category: POWER TRAIN | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other / Uncategorized NHTSA category: UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The complaint records on this page are retrieved directly from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) public database.
Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.