AI Damage2010 Cadillac CTS: common problems
Owners of the 2010 Cadillac CTS filed 67 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 67
- involving a crash
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 24% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 24% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 15% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 13% of all complaints
- 5 Structure 12% of all complaints
- 6 Exterior lighting 10% of all complaints
- 7 Service brakes 9% of all complaints
- 8 Steering 7% of all complaints
- Air bags: 16 complaints (24% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 16 complaints (24% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine: 10 complaints (15% of all).
- Powertrain: 9 complaints (13% of all).
- Structure: 8 complaints (12% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- 3.6 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- 6.2 L · petrol · turbo · 8 cyl
- automatic, 6-speed
- manual, 6-speed
Drive: RWD, AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 67 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 16 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 16 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
While driving approximately 25 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle veered to the right and crashed into a parked vehicle. The contact sustained bruising and the passenger sustained knee injuries, which required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired.
All of a sudden when I started my car, the lights flickered constantly, the power steering failed, and it blew my starter and fairly new battery. I was so scared; I thought it was going to catch on fire because it smelled burnt.
Airbag warning light and Service Air Bag on dash. Code B0087-00 Left Rear SIS. Replaced sensor, still getting warning. Sensor is in LR door. Research revealed possible known issue with bending fatigue from routine door open/close motion and subpar wire size/material causing wire failure.
I took my car [address], bingo alignment, and two weeks after my alignment my steering wheel shipped and I bought it over to the shop and told them that they did not talk to the school down on my control arms and the lady told me to get off of her premises and get out and I think thatâs not right she did not on her…
Engine warning light on. Diagnosed by Mike Maroon Cadillac, Boulder Colorado as Po008 code Bank one engine timing off. Further diagnosed as faulty engine cam chain. Advised not to drive car. Car available for inspection. Not being driven. Safety put at risk by possible major engine failure during use.
When the malfunction occurs there is a warning light plus "Service Airbag" on the instrument panel. Sometimes the light and warning go off after several minutes, sometimes stays on for days. In Virginia presence of this warning during an annual safety inspection is considered a failure.
A black bolt in my steering column fell out onto my floormat and a second bolt was very loose, getting ready to fall out. The steering column just needs to be adjusted - recalibrated. No parts needed, very little time. Foundation Cadillac, Denver Colorado is charging me for diagnostics for bolts.
The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent dealer, who diagnosed that an unknown sensor needed to be replaced; however, the replacement part was on backorder.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 4,534 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 12% most complained about).
On average one model year of the CTS has 131 complaints (17 years in the data). This year has 67, below average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Other years of this model
- CTS 2003313 sources
- CTS 2004224 sources
- CTS 2005277 sources
- CTS 2006269 sources
- CTS 2007217 sources
- CTS 2008175 sources
- CTS 2009168 sources
- CTS 2011101 sources
- CTS 201265 sources
- CTS 201373 sources
- CTS 2014146 sources
- CTS 201549 sources
- CTS 20161,161 sources
- CTS 2017968 sources
- CTS 2018719 sources
- CTS 2019675 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2010 Cadillac CTS?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, electrical system, engine. Total complaints: 67. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (13%), stalls while driving (10%), airbag warning light (7%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2010 Cadillac CTS?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2010 Cadillac CTS from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2010 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-06.