U.S. public vehicle records

2013 Cadillac ATS problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

160 owner complaints analyzed

6 distinct recall campaigns

33,375 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2013 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 124 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 48 of 160 complaints (30.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Steering behavior	32	20.0%
Transmission and shifting	31	19.4%
Engine operation	29	18.1%
Braking behavior	20	12.5%
Electrical and battery issues	5	3.1%
Fuel system concerns	3	1.9%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Engine

Power Train

Electrical System

Steering

Unknown Or Other

Service Brakes

Vehicle Speed Control

Air Bags

Engine: 48; Power Train: 41; Electrical System: 36; Steering: 25; Unknown Or Other: 17; Service Brakes: 14; Vehicle Speed Control: 9; Air Bags: 8

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 55; 25,000 to 49,999: 22; 50,000 to 74,999: 22; 75,000 to 99,999: 12; 100,000 to 149,999: 11; 150,000 and above: 2

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (55). 36 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

2012: 1; 2013: 23; 2014: 26; 2015: 11; 2016: 12; 2017: 7; 2018: 11; 2019: 16; 2020: 12; 2021: 11; 2022: 7; 2023: 10; 2024: 4; 2025: 9

Pattern summary

Engine leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 32 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 31 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 29 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10486378 · 2012-11-28 (November 28, 2012)

WHEN TAKING A CORNER THE CAR APPEARED TO OVER STEER. AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS ME SO I WENT TO TURN THE WHEEL TO CORRECT IT AND IT FELT SLUGGISH FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD. ALMOST INSTANTLY AFTER THAT A WARNING CAME UP ON THE DASH THAT INDICATED SOMETHING LIKE "SERVICE POWER STEERING, PLEASE DRIVE SAFELY". THE WARNING OCCURRED TWO MORE TIMES IN A MATTER OF A COUPLE MILES BUT I DID NOT REALLY NOTICE ANY STEERING ISSUES THOSE TIMES. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10486378 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10492962 · 2013-01-14 (January 14, 2013)

WHILE TURNING INTO A PARKING LOT EXPERIENCED LOSS OF POWER STEERING. MESSAGE IN THE DIC INDICATED "SERVICE POWER STEERING, DRIVE WITH CARE". UPON RESTART OF ENGINE THE POWER STEERING BEGAN TO WORK AGAIN. DEALER SAW C0545 STEERING WHEEL TORQUE SENSOR FAULT, DEALER NOTES INDICATE THAT THE CONNECTOR WAS CHECKED AND WAS OK. ALSO CHECKED EBCM SOFTWARE, WHICH WAS UP TO DATE. NOTHING FURTHER WAS DONE, NO PARTS UPDATED OR REPLACED. I RECEIVED THE SAME DIC MESSAGE ~4 TIMES IN THE PAST 3 WEEKS WITHOUT THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING PRIOR TO THIS EVENT WHI…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10492962 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10519834 · 2013-06-14 (June 14, 2013)

RIGHT TURN FROM STOP ONTO MAJOR 6-LANE HIGHWAY; NO POWER TO ENGINE AFTER ENGAGEMENT OF ACCELERATOR; ACTED AS THOUGH NOT IN-DRIVE GEAR; TACHOMETER REVED PAST 6K; FOOT OFF OF PEDAL; TRANSMISSION ENGAGED; VERY SLOW RETURN TO NORMAL OPERATION; EVASIVE ACTION BY OTHER DRIVERS FOLLOWING; NO REPLICATION BY DEALER AFTER 4-DAYS OF TESTING; RETURNED VEHICLE TO OWNER WITHOUT EXPLANATION OF PROBLEM. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 1,050 miles reported. Look up ODI 10519834 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10549244 · 2013-10-23 (October 23, 2013)

WHILE DRIVING MY MANUAL TRANSMISSION CAD ATS IT STALLS WITHOUT WARNING OR REASON. IT STALLS MOSTLY WHEN IN NEUTRAL, LIKE WHEN SITTING AT A RED LIGHT, OR PULLING INTO A PARKING PLACE. IT ALSO STALLS WHEN IN FIRST OR SECOND GEAR,LIKE WHEN TURNING A CORNER. I AM NOT PULLING THE CLUTCH OUT TOO SOON AND HENCE STALLING THE CAR MYSELF, IT DOES IT ALL BY ITSELF! THE CAR GIVES NO WARNING SHAKE OR NOISE, IT SIMPLY IS OFF, OFTEN WITHOUT MY KNOWING IT IS OFF. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MY BRAND NEW ATS SINCE THE SECOND DAY OF HAVING IT, AND HAS EVER SINCE, APPRO…

Owner-reported narrative. 70 miles reported. Look up ODI 10549244 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10535892 · 2013-08-17 (August 17, 2013)

I HAVE THE 2013 ATS 2.0 TURBO AND I HAD A FEW ISSUES WITH IT.THE FIRST IS STEERING,SOMETIMES FEELS LIKE POWER FAILURE, ITS THE ONLY NEW CAR I OWNED WHEN THE CAR IS OFF THE WHEEL TURNS COMPLETELY.ALSO PULLS TO RIGHT.OTHER ISSUE I GET BANGING NOISE WHEN PUT IN REVERSE,AND A FEW TIMES SOUNDED LIKE TRANS MAKING RACE NOISE.THE CUE SYSTEM IS A JOKE,WHEN MY TRIAL FOR XM RAN OUT I TRIED TO LISTEN TO FM RDI AND THAT'S A JOKE,I CANT LISTEN TO ONE SONG,THERE'S STATIC EIGHTY PERCENT OF TIMES.OTHER ISSUES RIDE IS HORRIBLE RIDES LIKE A TRANS AM AND SHAKES WH…

Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10535892 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10551766 · 2013-11-11 (November 11, 2013)

THE BRAKE AND GAS PEDAL ARE SO CLOSE TOGETHER THAT WHEN BRAKING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC IT IS POSSIBLE TO DEPRESS THE GAS PEDAL WHILE BRAKING RESULTING IN AN ENGINE SURGE CONDITION. THIS ONLY HAPPENS IN BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC OR WHEN STOPPING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10551766 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10553831 · 2013-11-26 (November 26, 2013)

I WAS PULLING IN TO A PARKING SPOT BEHIND A CAR AT A VERY LOW SPEED WHEN I PRESSED THE BRAKES FOR THE CAR TO STOP, INSTEAD IT ACCELERATED AND SMASHED IN TO A CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I TRIED PRESSING THE BRAKES HARDER IN ORDER TO AVOID THE IMPACT AND THE CAR DID NOT RESPOND. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 7,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10553831 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10578497 · 2014-04-09 (April 9, 2014)

THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE SITTING IN NEUTRAL, WAITING AT A RED LIGHT. THE AIR CONDITIONING WAS RUNNING. THE ENGINE RUNS SO QUIETLY THAT FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TELL THE ENGINE HAD SHUT OFF IF THE A/C HAD NOT STOPPED BLOWING. I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND AN ALERT CAME ON THE DASH SCREEN STATING: SERVICE POWER STEERING, DRIVE WITH CARE. I WAS APPROXIMATELY 3/4 OF A MILE FROM MY HOME COMING DOWNHILL ON A QUIET NEIGHBORHOOD STREET SO I CAREFULLY DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME AND PARKED IN THE GARAGE WHILE I CALLED THE SERVICE…

Owner-reported narrative. 3,920 miles reported. Look up ODI 10578497 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10654765 · 2014-11-13 (November 13, 2014)

I BOUGHT A 2013 CADILLAC ATS IN EARLY 2013. IN FIRST MONTH, IT NEEDED 3 BATTERY JUMPS. IT ALSO HAS A PROBLEM WITH MOVING FROM DRIVE INTO PARK. THIS IS UNDER RECALL AS IS A SEATBELT ISSUE I BELIEVE. I HAVE HAD 2 ACCIDENTS. 1 ON A VERY BUSY CRAWLING ROAD WISCONSIN AVE, DC ON A BUSY SAT AFTERNOON IN BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC WHEN I STARTED TO ACCELERATE AND THE FORCE OF MY MOVEMENT CAUSED THE TRUCK IN FRONT OF ME TO CRASH INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. WEIRD, BUT CONFUSING. I HAD A SIMILAR EPISODE THIS PAST WEEK LEAVING MY HOME. …

Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10654765 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11283195 · 2019-12-01 (December 1, 2019)

THE FUEL LINE BROKE DUE TO THE HIGH SIDE FUEL PUMP SEIZING UP AND THE BREAK AWAY BOLT BREAKING CAUSING THE PUMP TO BE UNSTABLE. THUS THE VIBRATION CAUSING THE FUEL LINE TO BRAKE SPEWING GAS ALL OVER. THE FUEL LINE BREAKING THEN PROMPTS THE COMPUTER SOMETHING WITH FUEL IS MALFUNCTIONING AND SHUTS MOTOR TO HALF RUNNING POWER AN THROUGHS SOME MORE FUEL RELATED CODES. RENDERING YOUR VEHICLE INOPERABLE AND NEEDING A TOW TO A SHOP FOR REPAIRS. THE FUEL PUMP DESIGN HELPS SAVE YOUR MOTOR IN THIS EVENT FROM BEING DESTROYED, WHEN IT MALFUNCTIONS LIKE THI…

Owner-reported narrative. 106,492 miles reported. Look up ODI 11283195 at NHTSA ↗