2017 Cadillac CTS problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
27 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
36,124 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2017 model year. Data snapshot: . 12 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Power Train is the most frequently named component, appearing in 8 of 27 complaints (29.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 7 | 25.9% |
| Braking behavior | 4 | 14.8% |
| Transmission and shifting | 3 | 11.1% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 3.7% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Power Train | 8 |
| Steering | 8 |
| Unknown Or Other | 4 |
| Wheels | 3 |
| Air Bags | 2 |
| Electrical System | 2 |
| Engine | 1 |
| Power Train:Driveline:Differential Unit | 1 |
Power Train: 8; Steering: 8; Unknown Or Other: 4; Wheels: 3; Air Bags: 2; Electrical System: 2; Engine: 1; Power Train:Driveline:Differential Unit: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 5 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 4 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 2 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 1 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 5; 25,000 to 49,999: 4; 50,000 to 74,999: 2; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (5). 15 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 |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 7 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 10 |
| 2026 | 1 |
2018: 1; 2019: 7; 2021: 1; 2022: 2; 2023: 2; 2024: 3; 2025: 10; 2026: 1
Pattern summary
Power Train leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 7 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 4 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 3 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 11193396 · 2019-04-02 (April 2, 2019)
TL* THE CONTACT LEASES A 2017 CADILLAC CTS. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING AND BECAME DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO HER RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V086000 (STEERING); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT CALLED KING O'ROURKE BUICK GMC (LOCATED AT 756 SMITHTOWN BYPASS #102, SMITHTOWN, NY 1178…
Owner-reported narrative. 17,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 11193396 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11193584 · 2019-04-03 (April 3, 2019)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V086000 (STEERING) AND STATED THAT THE REPAIR EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME. FITZGERALD CHEVROLET (114 BAUGHMANS LANE, FREDERICK, MD 21702) CONFIRMED THAT PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11193584 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11222338 · 2019-06-24 (June 24, 2019)
CAR HAS LOCKED IN 2ND OR 3RD GEAR TWO DIFFERENT TIMES, BOTH AFTER LONG DRIVES (2+ HOURS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS) AND WOULD NOT DOWNSHIFT INTO 1ST TO STOP MOVEMENT. THE FIRST TIME WAS A STOP LIGHT AND ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT, THE SECOND TIME WAS IN MY DRIVEWAY AND ALMOST HIT THE HOUSE. GOOD BRAKES ARE THE ONLY THING THAT SAVED ME. BOTH TIMES, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED TO 1ST WITH A LOUD BANG. TRANSMISSION ALSO JERKS THE CAR FORWARD FROM THE STOPPED POSITION WHEN ENGINE STARTS AT A STOP SIGN OR LIGHT (WHEN AUTO-START./STOP IS ENABLED).
Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11222338 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11246443 · 2019-08-26 (August 26, 2019)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE STOPPED AT A LIGHT THE RPM' S INCREASED, THE VEHICLE ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. THE CONTACT STATED AS THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED HE TURNED OF THE VEHICLE, SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL, RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE WITH NO MORE ISSUES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SUBURBAN CADILLAC OF TROY (1810 MAPLELAWN DR. TROY, MI) WHERE THE FAILURE WAS DIAGNOSED AS A THROTTLE BODY ISSUE. THE THROTTLE BODY WAS REPLACED. HOWEVER, A YEAR LATER THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE …
Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11246443 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11288587 · 2019-12-12 (December 12, 2019)
THE CAR HAS 37250 MILES ON IT. 6 MONTHS AGO, IT STARTED SHIFTING ROUGHLY BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND GEAR. WE TOOK IT TO WALDORF CADILLAC/GM IN WALDORF, MD. THEY ACKNOWLEDGED IT WAS A KNOWN ISSUE AND WOULD TAKE THE FOLLOWING STEPS: FLUSH THE TRANSMISSION, RE-PROGRAM THE TRANSMISSION, REPLACE THE VALVE, AND ULTIMATELY, REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. THEY HAVE DONE ALL THE ACTIONS EXCEPT REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AND WON'T TAKE FURTHER ACTION. THE CAR SHIFTS SO VIOLENTLY AT TIMES THAT YOU DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE GOING TO HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF YOU. WE LIVE IN TH…
Owner-reported narrative. 37,247 miles reported. Look up ODI 11288587 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11673062 · 2025-07-12 (July 12, 2025)
Unknown I have been driving my car for 2 years now. For about the last year the steering in has been handling horrible and I have checked all parts every think is in good condition. I have read online it's a common problem and I see it as a safety concern especially since it's recalled on the same vehicle different vin. So when driving down the highway it's hard to stay centered and the car pulls different directions and the steering gets stiff to where it feels locked up. It is electrical power steering and I have experience from a prior expe…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11673062 at NHTSA ↗