2008 Cadillac CTS problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
175 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
58,261 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2008 model year. Data snapshot: . 126 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 38 of 175 complaints (21.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 39 | 22.3% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 31 | 17.7% |
| Fuel system concerns | 16 | 9.1% |
| Steering behavior | 15 | 8.6% |
| Transmission and shifting | 10 | 5.7% |
| Engine operation | 10 | 5.7% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 38 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 23 |
| Engine | 22 |
| Unknown Or Other | 17 |
| Power Train | 16 |
| Steering | 13 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 13 |
| Air Bags | 12 |
Electrical System: 38; Fuel/Propulsion System: 23; Engine: 22; Unknown Or Other: 17; Power Train: 16; Steering: 13; Vehicle Speed Control: 13; Air Bags: 12
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 32 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 23 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 24 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 17 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 25 |
| 150,000 and above | 5 |
Under 25,000: 32; 25,000 to 49,999: 23; 50,000 to 74,999: 24; 75,000 to 99,999: 17; 100,000 to 149,999: 25; 150,000 and above: 5
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (32). 49 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 14 |
| 2009 | 14 |
| 2010 | 10 |
| 2011 | 4 |
| 2012 | 10 |
| 2013 | 8 |
| 2014 | 28 |
| 2015 | 16 |
| 2016 | 11 |
| 2017 | 17 |
| 2018 | 15 |
| 2019 | 7 |
| 2020 | 5 |
| 2021 | 4 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2023 | 3 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 3 |
| 2026 | 1 |
2008: 14; 2009: 14; 2010: 10; 2011: 4; 2012: 10; 2013: 8; 2014: 28; 2015: 16; 2016: 11; 2017: 17; 2018: 15; 2019: 7; 2020: 5; 2021: 4; 2022: 3; 2023: 3; 2024: 2; 2025: 3; 2026: 1
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 39 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 31 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 16 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 10222933 · 2008-03-31 (March 31, 2008)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CADILLAC CTS. WHILE DRIVING 2 MPH WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT STRUCK THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE FRONT BUMPER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 1,500.
Owner-reported narrative. 1,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10222933 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10232458 · 2008-06-26 (June 26, 2008)
I TOOK THE CAR IN AND THEY LET ME GO WITH THE ABS LIGHT ON AND THE STABILITY TRACK LIGHT ON. IF I KNEW THE THAT THIS CAR WAS UNDRIVABLE WITH THESE SAFETY FIXTURES OUT I WOULD HAVE NEVER PICKED UP THE CAR. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 120,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10232458 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10245205 · 2008-10-12 (October 12, 2008)
THIS IS A REQUEST FOR MOTOR VEHICLE ANALYSIS, NATIONWIDE, ON A MONTHLY OR MORE FREQUENT BASIS TO INSURE COMPLIANCE/INSPECTIONS SIMILAR TO THOSE REQUIRE FOR THE COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSE HOLDER ON THE FOLLOWING AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS: (1) ELECTRICAL (2) COOLING (3) STEERING, SUSPENSION (4) TRANSMISSION (5) ENGINE (6) ENGINE (7) ALL FLUIDS FOR NON-CONTAMINATION (8) BRAKES (9) EXHAUST, EMISSIONS. PLEASE BEGIN THESE INSPECTIONS FOR 1990 - CURRENT YEAR MAKE, MODELS ON THE FOLLOWING: CADILLAC, ROLLS ROYCE, BENTLEY, BMW, MERCEDES BENZ. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10245205 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10265589 · 2009-04-16 (April 16, 2009)
I OWN A 2008 CADILLAC CTS WITH AWD. I BOUGHT IT IN DECEMBER 2007. AT AROUND 7000 MILES IN MID-FEBRUARY 2009 MY CAR WOULD NOT START. THE ANTITHEFT DEVICE WAS ACTIVATED. A ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TECHNICIAN CAME OUT. HE SAID IT WAS A DEFECTIVE BATTERY WHICH HE REPLACED. THREE WEEKS LATER I TRIED TO START THE CAR & RECEIVED A DASHBOARD ALERT THAT THE BATTERY REGISTERED LOW VOLTAGE AND COULD NOT BE STARTED. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO WORKED ON IT FOR TWO DAYS. THEY TOLD ME THAT "MAYBE" THE COMPUTER WAS BEING TURNED ON WHEN THE CAR WAS SHUT OFF…
Owner-reported narrative. 7,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10265589 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10242736 · 2008-09-17 (September 17, 2008)
DRIVING UP A HILL IN PA. WE WERE ON STATE HIGHWAY 118 NEAR SWEET VALLEY PA. CAR BUCKED AND JERKED VIOLENTLY. CAR STOPPED RUNNING IN MIDDLE OF ROADWAY WITH TRAFFIC BACKED UP BEHIND ME. EVENTUALLY CARS WORKED THEIR WAY BY ME AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIFT CAR BACK TO A PLACE WHERE I COULD GET IT OFF THE ROAD AND OUT OF THE WAY. VERY HARROWING EXPERIENCE. VERY UNSAFE. CAR WAS TOWED IN AS IT WOULD NOT RESTART. TOW TRUCK DRIVER ALSO TRIED TO RESTART TO MOVE CAR TO OPTIMUM PLACE TO PUT CAR ON FLATBED. CAR WOULD NOT RESTART. AFTER DIAGNOSIS THE D…
Owner-reported narrative. 7,239 miles reported. Look up ODI 10242736 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10245423 · 2008-10-14 (October 14, 2008)
WHILE DRIVING MY 2008 CTS, WITH NO ADVANCE NOTICE, THE ENGINE JUST DIED. IT SEEMED TO RUN OUT OF GAS. MY FUEL GAUGE READ BETWEEN 1/2 TO 3/4 FULL. THIS HAPPENED 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. ALL 3 TIMES I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM. ALL 3 TIMES I GOT DIFFERENT REASONS IT HAPPENED, FROM BAD FUEL PUMP IN GAS TANK, TO SOME TYPE OF BAD CONNECTION, ETC. AFTER THIS HAPPENED THE 3RD TIME, I DEMANDED A NEW CAR, WHICH I RECEIVED. I HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH THIS CTS, RUNS GREAT. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10245423 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10257986 · 2009-02-08 (February 8, 2009)
VIBRATION IN CAR ABOVE 62 MILES PER HOUR. STEERING WHEEL SHAKES IN YOUR HANDS. TAKEN TO DEALER TWICE THEY HAVE ROTATED AND BALANCED TIRES TWICE NO IMPROVEMENT. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10257986 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10604502 · 2014-06-19 (June 19, 2014)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHIFTING INTO REVERSE, THE BRAKES BECAME DIFFICULT TO DEPRESS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE BOOSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,134, AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 76,400. UPDATED 7/14/15*CN THE DEALER WAS ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AFTER LETTING THE VEHICLE SIT OVERNIGHT. AN AUXILIARY VACUUM PUMP WAS INSTAL…
Owner-reported narrative. 46,134 miles reported. Look up ODI 10604502 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10339794 · 2010-06-23 (June 23, 2010)
1. CAR STALLS/HESITATES ON RIGHT TURN. DEALER SERVICE COULD NOT REPLICATE. PROBLEM STARTED AT OWNERSHIP, AND CONTINUES AT 25K MILES. PROBLEM NOT CORRECTED. 2. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT: CAR VIBRATES/SHAKES STANDING AT IDLE. 21 DAYS OUT OF SERVICE. 3 DEALERS; FOUR VISITS. ONE DEALER COULD NOT EXTINGUISH CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. DEALER DISASSEMBLED ENGINE AND MADE REPAIRS. (EXHAUST IS NOTICEABLY LOUDER (NOT REPAIRED) AND THE FM RADIO WILL NOT WORK WHEN THE REAR DEFROSTER IS SWITCHED ON--I SUSPECT A GROUND WIRE WAS BROKEN DURING THE REPAIR (NOT REPAIRED…
Owner-reported narrative. 9,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10339794 at NHTSA ↗