U.S. public vehicle records

2004 Cadillac CTS problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

224 owner complaints analyzed

6 distinct recall campaigns

50,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2004 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 172 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 34 of 224 complaints (15.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	46	20.5%
Electrical and battery issues	22	9.8%
Steering behavior	19	8.5%
Transmission and shifting	13	5.8%
Engine operation	8	3.6%
Fuel system concerns	6	2.7%

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.

Electrical System

Power Train:Driveline:Differential Unit

Service Brakes

Air Bags

Power Train

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

Steering

Vehicle Speed Control

Electrical System: 34; Power Train:Driveline:Differential Unit: 32; Service Brakes: 21; Air Bags: 18; Power Train: 12; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 12; Steering: 11; Vehicle Speed Control: 10

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: 58; 25,000 to 49,999: 26; 50,000 to 74,999: 24; 75,000 to 99,999: 31; 100,000 to 149,999: 24; 150,000 and above: 9

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (58). 52 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.

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2022

2024

2003: 3; 2004: 22; 2005: 17; 2006: 29; 2007: 7; 2008: 17; 2009: 2; 2010: 22; 2011: 11; 2012: 7; 2013: 10; 2014: 26; 2015: 14; 2016: 13; 2017: 5; 2018: 8; 2019: 3; 2020: 3; 2022: 1; 2024: 4

Pattern summary

Electrical System leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 46 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 22 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 19 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 10034370 · 2003-10-01 (October 1, 2003)

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES PEDAL WOULD GO TO THE FLOOR RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTED. THE DEALER THEN BLED THE SYSTEM . IT APPEARED THAT THE BRAKES WERE IMPROPERLY BLED DURING FACTORY ASSEMBLY*AK *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 1,044 miles reported. Look up ODI 10034370 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10078863 · 2004-06-26 (June 26, 2004)

UNDER POWER THE REAR SUSPENSION RATTLES UP AGAINST THE FLOOR. IT SOUNDS LIKE ITS FALLING APART WHICH PROMPTS YOU TO STAB THE BRAKES UPON HEARING IT. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10078863 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10133671 · 2005-08-21 (August 21, 2005)

APRIL 2005, NOTIFIED OF TIRE DETERIORATION - 12,000 MILES ON NEW VEHICLE. JULY 2005, DEAD BATTERY WITH CAR. AUGUST 2005, CAR SHUT ITSELF DOWN WHILE ON INTERSTATE 80. UNABLE TO USE ANY AUTOMATIC EQUIPMENT. AUGUST 2005 NOTIFIED OF TIRE DETERIORATION AGAIN, 18,000 MILES. THIS IS A LOT OF PROBLEMS BOTH MECHANICAL AND WITH THE TIRES IN A RELATIVELY SHORT PERIOD. TIRES AND MECHANICAL PROBLEM I BELIEVE TO BE A MANUFACTURES DEFECT.

Owner-reported narrative. 12 miles reported. Look up ODI 10133671 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10207902 · 2007-11-05 (November 5, 2007)

ON MY 2004 CADILLAC CTS THE AREA WHERE THE BACKUP LIGHTS ARE LEAKS FROM RAIN, OR A CAR WASH. THIS CAUSES THE CONSTANT REPLACEMENT OF BULBS BECAUSE OF RAIN AND MOISTURE GETTING INTO THE AREA CAUSING THE SHORT CIRCUIT OF THE BULBS, AND CORROSION OF ELECTRICAL SOCKETS, LET ALONE THE RISK INVOLVED OF BACKING UP AND SOMEONE HITTING OUR CAR FROM THE REAR BECAUSE OF FAILURE OF THE BACK UP LIGHTS, (WE'VE HAD TO REPLACE THE BULBS FOUR TIMES IN 2 MONTHS). WE TOOK OUR CAR TODAY TO THE CADILLAC DEALERSHIP, ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT THEY DO NOT FIX THIS PROB…

Owner-reported narrative. 75,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10207902 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10075930 · 2004-06-08 (June 8, 2004)

WHILE MAKING A RIGHT OR LEFT HAND TURN THE POWER STEERING WHEEL FAILS TO RETURN TO ITS ORIGINAL CENTER POSITION. THE PROBLEM IS IN FACT CONTINUOUS. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER, IN WHICH THE DEALER WAS ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER ACKNOWLEDGE A PROBLEM EXIST, HOWEVER, THE DEALER STATED THE PROBLEM CAN'T BE RESOLVED BECAUSE THE PROBLEM IS INHERIT WITH THESE VEHICLES. THE MANUFACTURE FAILS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS.

Owner-reported narrative. 450 miles reported. Look up ODI 10075930 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10099383 · 2004-11-04 (November 4, 2004)

WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH VEHICLE MOMENTARY LOST STEERING CONTROL. CONSUMER SLAMMED ON BRAKES AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO FISHTAIL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 25,413 miles reported. Look up ODI 10099383 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10149467 · 2006-02-05 (February 5, 2006)

MANUAL TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR HAS CAUSED MANY NEAR ACCIDENTS. GM CLAIMS THAT THIS IS NORMAL AND REFUSES TO FIX THIS. MANY PEOPLE REPORT THIS ISSUE AND GM HAS NOT YET ADDRESSED THIS ON THE CADILLAC CTS-V. IT IS A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION WHEN I CANNOT SHIFT OR GET INTO GEAR. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10149467 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10156629 · 2006-05-02 (May 2, 2006)

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE TRANSMISSION BECAME STUCK IN REVERSE WHILE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. THE VEHICLE EXCESSIVELY INCREASED IN SPEED WITHOUT WARNING, SPUN THREE TIMES AND COLLIDED WITH A PARKED VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND BOTH PASSENGERS INCURRED PINCHED NERVE INJURIES AND MILD SPINAL INJURIES IN THE COLLISION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SERVICE DEALER WHERE ONLY THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. SINCE THIS INCIDENT, THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN EXCHANGED FOR A DIFFERENT VEHICLE. UPDATED

Owner-reported narrative. 12 miles reported. Look up ODI 10156629 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10062993 · 2004-03-11 (March 11, 2004)

CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 55-MPH VEHICLE STALLED, CAUSING CONSUMER TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. DEALER INSPECTED VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES, BUT COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM . *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10062993 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10142895 · 2005-11-16 (November 16, 2005)

DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE IT STALLED AND COULD NOT BE RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THE GAS TANK WAS DEFECTIVE. THE GAS TANK WAS BENT, AND THE FUEL COULD NOT GET TO THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY AND WAS REPAIRED BY THE DEALER. *AK UPDATED 11/30/2005 - *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 17,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10142895 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10145049 · 2005-12-12 (December 12, 2005)

FUEL TANK SHOWING FULL TANK OF GAS. DRIVING NORMALLY, CAR SUDDENLY DIES, NO POWER TO STEERING OR GAS PEDAL. PULLED OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD, CALLED ONSTAR, POLICE AND TOW TRUCK SUMMONED TO SCENE. TOW TRUCK TOWED ME TO NEAREST CADILLAC DEALERSHIP, CAR LEFT OVER THE WEEKEND. MONDAY MORNING DEALER CALLS TO SAY FUEL PUMP IS DEFECTIVE, AND THAT TANK WAS BONE DRY, EVEN THOUGH GAUGE WAS REPORTING 100% FULL...THIS ALL A RESULT OF THE FUEL PUMP PROBLEM. CAR ONLY HAS 6,200 KILOMETERS (ABOUT 3,500 MILES). FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED, HOWEVER FUEL RANGE STILL…

Owner-reported narrative. 6,250 miles reported. Look up ODI 10145049 at NHTSA ↗