2021 Cadillac CT5 Recalls, Complaints & Specs
4 safety recalls list the 2021 Cadillac CT5, and owners have filed 29 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
4 safety recalls for the 2021 Cadillac CT5
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Automatic transmission (power train)
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Cadillac CT6, 2020-2021 CT4, CT5, and 2020-2022 Chevrolet Camaro vehicles equipped with a 10-speed transmission. The transmission may become damaged internally and cause the wheels to lock-up.
Remedy: Dealers will install transmission control module monitoring software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 7, 2025. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223 or Chevrolet…
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Software (exterior lighting)
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Cadillac CT4 and CT5; 2021-2023 Buick Envision; and 2022-2023 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. The daytime running lights (DRLs) may not deactivate when the headlights are on. As such,…
Remedy: The body control module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 23, 2023. Owners may contact GMC customer service at…
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Curtain (air bags) and air bags
General Motors, LLC. (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Cadillac CT4 and CT5 vehicles. The roof rail side-curtain air bags may not have been installed correctly, which could result in an improper air bag deployment during a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect both left and right-side roof rail air bags and reinstall the air bags, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on August 30, 2021. Owners may contact Cadillac customer…
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Srs malfunction warning lamp/light (air bags) and software (electrical system)
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Buick Envision, Cadillac CT4, CT5, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Corvette, Suburban, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL vehicles. The communications gateway module incorrectly processes a loss of communication with the sensing diagnostic module (SDM), causing the air bag malfunction…
Remedy: The communications gateway module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 1, 2021. Owners may contact Buick customer…
29 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2021 Cadillac CT5 have filed 29 complaints with NHTSA; 3 describe a crash. Reports cite 2 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 41,850 miles. Complaints peaked in 2026 with 16 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“The Cadillac CT5 door handles are operated via a button instead of a typical pull style handle. The buttons fail regularly meaning you cannot open the specific door(s) where the button has failed. Wit”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 25, 2026 · Unknown or other
“I am filing a formal safety complaint against General Motors (GM) regarding an unresolved transmission safety hazard on my 2021 Cadillac CT5 550T. This vehicle is included under NHTSA Campaign Number”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 24, 2026 · Power train
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2021 Cadillac CT5 (CT5 AWD, CT5 V, CT5 V AWD). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 21–26 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 18–23 / 26–32 |
| Fuel | Premium |
| EPA class | Midsize Cars |
| Engine | 4/6 cyl, 2/3 L |
| Transmission | Automatic (S10) |
Compare Cadillac CT5 model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Cadillac CT5 model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 Cadillac CT5 | 4 | 39 |
| 2021 Cadillac CT5 | 4 | 29 |
| 2022 Cadillac CT5 | 2 | 11 |
| 2023 Cadillac CT5 | 1 | 13 |
| 2024 Cadillac CT5 | 0 | 2 |
| 2025 Cadillac CT5 | 0 | 9 |
| 2026 Cadillac CT5 | 1 | 6 |
Checking a specific 2021 Cadillac CT5
How do I know if my 2021 Cadillac CT5 has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 4 campaigns currently list the 2021 Cadillac CT5; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Cadillac dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 21V421000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Cadillac models
- SRX3,262 complaints
- Deville2,725 complaints
- CTS2,217 complaints
- Escalade1,713 complaints
- Seville801 complaints
- Escalade ESV533 complaints
- DTS527 complaints
- Catera468 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.