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2018 Cadillac CTS

Gas

Midsize Cars
5 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

85 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns 2

Complaints1 crash reported 8

Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 25 mpg

2019 2018 2017 2016

The 2018 Cadillac CTS is sold in the U.S. as a gas midsize sedan with 5 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 8 complaints, most often about the electrical system. 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

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
CTS	Gas	RWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	22	30	25	$3,300
CTS	Gas	RWD	3.6L 6-cyl	20	30	24	$2,800
CTS AWD	Gas	AWD	2.0L 4-cyl turbo	21	29	24	$3,400
CTS AWD	Gas	AWD	3.6L 6-cyl	19	27	22	$3,050
CTS	Gas	RWD	3.6L 6-cyl turbo	16	24	19	$4,350

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 38704, 38921, 38918, 38916, 38919.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
CTS, CTS AWD	5 / 10	Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 / California LEV-III ULEV70	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—
CTS, CTS AWD	5 / 10	California LEV-III ULEV70 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 70	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—
CTS	3 / 10	California LEV-III ULEV125 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 125	All 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.

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 style	Sedan/Saloon
Doors	4
GVWR class	Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less)

Engine Basics

Cylinders	8
Displacement	6.2 L
Engine configuration	In-Line

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

Seating

Seat rows	2
Seating capacity	5 seats

Transmission

Drivetrain	AWD/All-Wheel Drive
Transmission	Automatic
Transmission speeds	8

Driver assistance

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

Optional: Adaptive cruise control

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: Base, Luxury, Premium Luxury, V-Series). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada

Length	195.7 in
Width (body, without mirrors)	72.0 in
Height	57.1 in
Wheelbase	114.6 in
Track, front	61.4 in
Track, rear	61.8 in
Curb weight	3,620–3,984 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear	50/50

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 5 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, 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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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.

Filed with NHTSADefect report PDF Owner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

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 2018 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.

NHTSA VIN check →Cadillac’s own VIN lookup →

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 2018 Cadillac CTS, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

8complaints filed

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

9.6 per 10,000 built · Cadillac reported 8,340 CTS built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2019: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2026: 1

Most-cited components

Electrical System 3

Power Train 3

Exterior Lighting 1

Engine 1

Unspecified 1

Air Bags 1

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 TRANSMISSION "SHUDDERS". It does not happen with any regularity and with no advance warning. It may be electronic or mechanical or both

Electrical System Jan 27, 2026 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11713692

The airbag system failed to deploy during a single-vehicle accident in which the car left the service road and struck a tree. The vehicle sustained significant front-end damage. The driver lost consciousness or experienced disorientation and was unable to recall the events leading up to or immediately following the accident.

Air Bags Apr 17, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11655332

Rear differential failure confirmed by the dealer at 41,000 miles. Told not to drive it as rear wheels could lock up causing accident. Rear was making load noise 2 days prior to failure with fluid leak upon inspection. Dealer states failure is under warranty but no parts available for 3-6 months

Power Train Sep 26, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11486548

I was driving my 2018 Cadillac Cts between 50-60mph and I lightly tapped on the gas and the car started shaking and vibrating. Felt like it could be a transmission or a engine misfire. My cars transmission also shifts very very rough kindly jerky which creates a unsafe environment while in motion.

Engine at 12,300 miles Mar 24, 2021 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11404668

The Cadillac daytime running lights and headlights exceed american medical association eye safety requirements of 3000k color temperature or less. The Cadillac lights are damaging the eyes of drivers of oncoming vehicles and of pedestrians.

Exterior Lighting Jan 18, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11170691

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? From 2018. The uauto start/stop system has failed 3 times. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? These components failing subjects the driver and surroundings to a stalled car that may not start again.

Electrical System Dec 23, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11706788

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: 8 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 1 killed, 8 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 96 per 100,000 built. Every CTS model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
4 DR AWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	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

Term not in NHTSA’s summary · GM warranty extension 22-NA-244This warranty administration service bulletin provides information about GM Accessories - Dealer-Installed, Repaired or Replaced During Warranty Coverage Period.

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 1,089

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-09-26

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 1084 service bulletins, 3 service campaigns, 1 warranty extension

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.

Code	What it means	Most often filed under	Where it appears
P0300 P0300 on Cadillac →	Misfire detected, but not isolated to one cylinder.	Engine · Ignition coils →	13 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
P0016 P0016 on Cadillac →	The crankshaft and camshaft are not where they should be relative to each other — timing, chain or phaser.	Engine	7 bulletins
P0018 P0018 on Cadillac →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	7 bulletins
P0308 P0308 on Cadillac →	Cylinder 8 is misfiring.	Engine · Ignition coils →	7 bulletins
P050D P050D on Cadillac →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	7 bulletins
P0011 P0011 on Cadillac →	Camshaft timing on bank 1 is more advanced than commanded.	Engine	6 bulletins
P0014 P0014 on Cadillac →	The second camshaft on bank 1 is timed further advanced than commanded.	Equipment	5 bulletins
P0021 P0021 on Cadillac →	Camshaft timing on bank 2 is more advanced than commanded.	Equipment	5 bulletins
P0024 P0024 on Cadillac →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Equipment	5 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.

CTS by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2019 A 0 10 25 mpg 2018 this page B 2 8 25 mpg 2017 B 2 27 25 mpg 2016 D 4 31 25 mpg

Common questions about the 2018 CTS

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2018 Cadillac CTS have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 2 recall campaigns for the 2018 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 2018 Cadillac CTS?

NHTSA gave the 2018 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 2018 Cadillac CTS?

Across the 5 EPA-rated configurations of the 2018 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 2018 Cadillac CTS?

Transport Canada measured it at 195.7 in long, 72.0 in wide (body, without mirrors), 57.1 in tall, on a 114.6 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 3,620–3,984 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 2018 Cadillac CTS?

Owners have filed 8 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Cadillac CTS, most often about electrical system, power train, exterior lighting. 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 2018 Cadillac CTS?

The EPA smog rating for the 2018 Cadillac CTS runs 3 to 5 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 — California LEV-III ULEV125, California LEV-III ULEV70, Federal Tier 3 Bin 125, Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2018 Cadillac CTS?

The manufacturer has filed 1089 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2018 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.

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.

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	5 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	5 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	2	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	8	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	2 tested	NHTSA NCAP	Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins	1089	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	none	NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation	No defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reports	none	NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01	No 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 NHTSA	12 fields	NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns	What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions	7 fields	Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications	Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipment	none	Manufacturer press kit	We 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.

JSON for this page · API

2018 Cadillac CTS

Specs & fuel economy

Emissions & certification

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Dimensions Exterior

Engine Basics

Fuel Economy

Seating

Transmission

Driver assistance

Dimensions & weight

Factory warranty running out?

Recalls (2)

Steering

Steering

Whether any of this applies to one specific CTS

Hear about a recall before the letter does

Parts & accessories for the 2018 Cadillac CTS

Owner complaints

Most-cited components

In owners' own words

Crash ratings

Service bulletins & campaigns

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

CTS by model year

Common questions about the 2018 CTS

Does the 2018 Cadillac CTS have any recalls?

How safe is the 2018 Cadillac CTS?

What is the fuel economy of the 2018 Cadillac CTS?

What are the dimensions of the 2018 Cadillac CTS?

What do owners complain about on the 2018 Cadillac CTS?

How clean is the 2018 Cadillac CTS?

Are there service bulletins for the 2018 Cadillac CTS?

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Where to go next

Sources & method