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2017 Cadillac CTS

Gas
Midsize Cars
6 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26
B
Safety Signal
85 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record
RecallsNHTSA campaigns 2
Complaints1 crash reported 27
Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★
Fuel economybest combined, EPA 25 mpg
2019201820172016

The 2017 Cadillac CTS is sold in the U.S. as a gas midsize sedan with 6 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the CTS, is EPA-rated at 25 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of B. Owners have filed 27 complaints, most often about the power train. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Cadillac CTS — photograph via Wikimedia Commons
Cadillac CTS · Photo: Bull-Doser · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov
ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombAnnual fuel*
CTSGasRWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo223025$3,300
CTSGasRWD3.6L 6-cyl203024$2,800
CTS AWDGasAWD2.0L 4-cyl turbo212924$3,400
CTS AWDGasAWD3.6L 6-cyl192722$3,050
CTSGasRWD3.6L 6-cyl turbo162418$4,550
CTS-VGasRWD6.2L 8-cyl142117$4,850

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 37924, 37770, 37926, 37771, 37925, 37927.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates
ConfigurationSmog ratingEmission standardWhere it can be sold newSmartWay
CTS, CTS AWD6 / 10Federal Tier 3 Transitional Bin 110All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards—
CTS6 / 10LEV-III ULEV125 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 125All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards—
CTS-V5 / 10LEV-III LEV160 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 160All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Gas-guzzler tax applies to CTS-V — a federal excise the manufacturer pays and prices in.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body styleSedan/Saloon
Doors4
GVWR classClass 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less)

Engine Basics

Cylinders8
Displacement6.2 L
Engine configurationV-Shaped

Fuel Economy

FuelGasoline

Seating

Seat rows2
Seating capacity5 seats

Transmission

DrivetrainRWD/Rear-Wheel Drive
TransmissionAutomatic
Transmission speeds8

Driver assistance

Standard: Adaptive cruise control, Anti-lock brakes, Automatic emergency braking, Backup camera, Blind-spot monitoring, Electronic stability control, Forward collision warning, Lane departure warning, Lane keeping assist, Parking assist

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: Luxury, Premium Luxury, V-Series, V-Sport). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada
Length195.7–197.6 in
Width (body, without mirrors)72.0 in
Height57.1 in
Wheelbase114.6 in
Track, front61.4–62.2 in
Track, rear61.0–61.8 in
Curb weight3,620–4,145 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear50/50 to 53/47

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 6 configurations: 4-door Sedan 2.0L AWD, 4-door Sedan 2.0L RWD, 4-door Sedan 3.6L AWD, 4-door Sedan 3.6L RWD, Cts-V 4-door Sedan RWD, Vsport 4-door Sedan RWD. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

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Factory warranty running out?

The 2017 Cadillac CTS is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. What an extended plan does and does not cover is worth reading before a dealer quotes you one.

What to check before you buy →

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

Recalls (2)

Source: NHTSA recall database
▲high

Steering

N252497020
934 vehicles 46% reported repaired
Problem General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Cadillac CTS, 2017-2018 Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Camaro, and Chevrolet Corvette vehicles. The electric power steering (EPS) assist may fail. Risk A loss of power steering assist can require greater steering effort, especially at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will replace the power steering gear assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 15, 2025. Owners may contact Cadilac customer service at 1-800-333-4223 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N252497020.
NHTSA campaign 25V175000 reported Mar 20, 2025 General Motors, LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Steering

N182182760
26,772 vehicles 85% reported repaired built Jul 1, 2016 – May 24, 2017
Problem General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Cadillac CTS, and 2017 Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Camaro, and Chevrolet Corvette vehicles. The electric power steering (EPS) assist system may fail. Risk Loss of power steering assist would require a higher steering effort, especially at lower speeds, which may increase the risk of a crash. Fix GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the power steering gear assembly, free of charge. The recall began June 13, 2019. GM' number for this recall is N182182760.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF
NHTSA campaign 19V086000 reported Feb 7, 2019 General Motors LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Whether any of this applies to one specific CTS

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2017 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Cadillac publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2017 Cadillac CTS, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

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Parts & accessories for the 2017 Cadillac CTS

Search by fitment on eBay Motors — OEM take-offs, aftermarket, and the trim pieces dealers no longer stock. The listing and the price are the seller's.

Find parts for this CTS →

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database
27complaints filed

1 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 0 injuries · 0 deaths reported

24 per 10,000 built · Cadillac reported 11,106 CTS built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2018: 1 · 2019: 7 · 2021: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2025: 10 · 2026: 1

Most-cited components

Power Train 9
Steering 8
Unspecified 4
Wheels 3
Electrical System 2
Air Bags 2

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

The contact owns a 2017 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. The service power steering message was displayed. The failure had occurred while the contact was in the middle of traffic. The dealer was made aware of the failure.
Steering at 45,000 miles Aug 13, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11756795
The airbag warning light appeared 45 days ago. I immediately took my 2017 Cadillac to the dealer (Sewell Cadillac of Houston). The vehicle is covered under a Sewell Extended warranty until 2028. The dealer performed troubleshooting and determined that the passenger seat sensors/module (part # 84567224 ) was defective.
Air Bags Dec 20, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11706260
I purchased this vehicle is certified preowned Cadillac and during the warranty time I had a transmission issue that was causing the transmission to jerk when shifting from 1st to 2nd gear and at highway speeds, it would start jerking nonstop.
Power Train Sep 20, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11688656
My dream car…2017 Cadillac CTS 3.6L prem. Lux. I’ve noticed a lot of complaints with very low miles under 30,000 service suspension system, car has new Perelli tires 19” and the driver front tire went flat. What’s going on, I don’t want the dealer to take advantage of me.
Suspension Mar 2, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11645851
our 2017 Cadillac CTS-V has all of a sudden a cracked CUE screen. The car is garage kept and only has 14395 miles. It just spontaneously cracked. The dealer that is fixing it is making us pay $125 deductible to get it fixed even though there is a class action law suit currently for others that have this same issue.
Electrical System Jun 24, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11470804
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.
Vehicle Speed Control at 15,000 miles Aug 26, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11246443

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Cadillac itself: 3 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 6 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 27 per 100,000 built. Every CTS model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

When owners reported it

Reported at 37k

miles, typically

Half the 12 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 15,000 and 45,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.

Too few readings for a curve — the 12 on file: 5 10k–20k, 3 30k–40k, 1 40k–50k, 1 50k–60k, 1 60k–70k, 1 100k–150k.

Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP
ConfigurationOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover risk
4 DR AWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★10%
4 DR RWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★10%
4 DR RWD★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★★10%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications
Extended coverage on file 1 filing by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year

The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every GM warranty extension (33) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 1,397
Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-09-26
Kindsas classified by NHTSA 1394 service bulletins, 1 warranty extension, 1 service campaign

Most often about: Equipment, Engine, Electrical System, Power Train, Unknown Or Other.

  • PIT5698F Service bulletin
    2026-09-26 · Unknown Or Other
  • This PI provides Diagnostics tips on how the LIN bus works and how to diagnosis it.
  • PIP5700H Service bulletin
    2026-09-21 · Unknown Or Other
  • This PI communicates the proper part numbers for transmission connectors and internal harness to prevent confusion when ordering
  • PIP4902W Service bulletin
    2026-09-04 · Unknown Or Other
  • This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
  • PIT5099J Service bulletin
    2026-07-21 · Unknown Or Other
  • PI to help diagnose A/C concern
  • PIT3271Q Service bulletin
    2026-04-01 · Unknown Or Other
  • This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size change is available.
  • PIP6104 Service bulletin
    2026-03-09 · Unknown Or Other
  • This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a Technical Assistance Case in CX Connect.
  • PIP4902V Service bulletin
    2026-03-09 · Unknown Or Other
  • This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
  • PIP5700G Service bulletin
    2026-01-12 · Unknown Or Other
  • This PI communicates the proper part numbers for transmission connectors and internal harness to prevent confusion when ordering

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

CodeWhat it meansMost often filed underWhere it appears
P0300
P0300 on Cadillac →
Misfire detected, but not isolated to one cylinder.Engine · Ignition coils →21 bulletins
B3055
B3055 on Cadillac →
Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Electrical System · Battery →10 bulletins
B3060
B3060 on Cadillac →
Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Electrical System · Battery →10 bulletins
B3935
B3935 on Cadillac →
Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Electrical System · Battery →10 bulletins
P0308
P0308 on Cadillac →
Cylinder 8 is misfiring.Engine · Ignition coils →9 bulletins
P050D
P050D on Cadillac →
Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Engine9 bulletins
P0011
P0011 on Cadillac →
Camshaft timing on bank 1 is more advanced than commanded.Engine7 bulletins
P0016
P0016 on Cadillac →
The crankshaft and camshaft are not where they should be relative to each other — timing, chain or phaser.Engine7 bulletins
P0018
P0018 on Cadillac →
Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Engine7 bulletins
P0106
P0106 on Cadillac →
The manifold pressure sensor reading does not track what the engine is doing.Electrical System · Battery →7 bulletins
P0506
P0506 on Cadillac →
Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Electrical System · Throttle body →7 bulletins
P0014
P0014 on Cadillac →
The second camshaft on bank 1 is timed further advanced than commanded.Engine5 bulletins

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2017 Cadillac CTS failed the emissions check on 5.1% of first inspections — higher than the 3.7% for every 2017 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 2.8% (every 2017 vehicle: 2.1%).

New York inspections 5.1%

failed emissions

214 initial inspections of 211 vehicles.

MeasureThe 2017 CTSEvery 2017 vehicleBehind it
Failed the emissions check5.1%3.7%214
Failed the safety inspection2.8%2.1%214
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit0.47%0.25%214
Miles driven a year8,03910,048odometer at inspection
Average odometer74,97593,238odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2017 vehicle” is every 2017 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

Common questions about the 2017 CTS

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2017 Cadillac CTS have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 2 recall campaigns for the 2017 Cadillac CTS. The most serious on file is 25V175000, covering Steering. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2017 Cadillac CTS?

NHTSA gave the 2017 Cadillac CTS 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 5-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 5-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it B (85/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2017 Cadillac CTS?

Across the 6 EPA-rated configurations of the 2017 Cadillac CTS, the best EPA combined figure is 25 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2017 Cadillac CTS?

Transport Canada measured it at 195.7–197.6 in long, 72.0 in wide (body, without mirrors), 57.1 in tall, on a 114.6 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,620–4,145 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2017 Cadillac CTS?

Owners have filed 27 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Cadillac CTS, most often about power train, steering, unspecified. Of those, 1 involved a crash. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2017 Cadillac CTS?

The EPA smog rating for the 2017 Cadillac CTS runs 5 to 6 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — Federal Tier 3 Bin 125, Federal Tier 3 Bin 160, Federal Tier 3 Transitional Bin 110, LEV-III LEV160, LEV-III ULEV125 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2017 Cadillac CTS?

The manufacturer has filed 1397 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2017 Cadillac CTS, most often covering equipment, engine, electrical system. The most recent is dated 2026-09-26. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2017 Cadillac CTS do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2017 Cadillac CTS failed the emissions check on 5.1% of first inspections — higher than the 3.7% for every 2017 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 2.8% (every 2017 vehicle: 2.1%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

DataHeldSourceWhat it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations6 configurationsEPA certification recordsEvery configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates6 configurationsEPA emission certificatesSmog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls2NHTSA recall campaignsA complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints27NHTSA complaint databaseAlso complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings3 testedNHTSA NCAPOnly the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins1397NHTSA manufacturer communicationsEverything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
InvestigationsnoneNHTSA Office of Defects InvestigationNo defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reportsnoneNHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA12 fieldsNHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patternsWhat the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions7 fieldsTransport Canada, Canadian Vehicle SpecificationsLength, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipmentnoneManufacturer press kitWe have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

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