Most common 2021 Cadillac CT5 problems
Share of the 30 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Cadillac CT5 complaints by model year
2021 Cadillac CT5 recalls (4)
Power train › Automatic transmission
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.
Exterior lighting › Lighting control module › Software
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.
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.
Air bags › Side/window › Curtain
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.
Air bags › SRS malfunction warning lamp/light
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…
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2021 Cadillac CT5:
Air Bag Malfunction
On April 9, 2021, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE21-010 to investigate instances of air bag malfunction indicator light (MIL) illumination and potential for frontal air bag non-deployment in several vehicles manufactured by General Motors (GM).
What 2021 Cadillac CT5 owners say
Electrical system
When approaching a stopping vehicle the brake pedal became extremely hard to press and I could not brake enough to stop and had a collision. Come to find out that the ABS computer and the main ECU weren't communicating correctly which turned off the assisted braking, assisted steering and the AWD.
The exterior door handle latch release switch fails to open the door. This issue happened to all 4 exterior doors. The problem starts with intermittently, then progresses to complete failure. Once it fails, the entire door handle needs to be replaced. If all 4 doors fail, the only way to access the car is with the Emergency Key or if you activated the Remote Window Down. This only works if you have access to the key. If you left your keys in the car, the car would lock (even if running) then your only option is to fiddle with the switch in hopes of activating it or crawl through the trunk (if you're small enough). If an infant or a pet is in the car, then that could lead to problems. Also if you pass out and emergency responders came out, they would have to break the window or pry the door open to gain access, which could pose a life or death situation. …
Body & structure
All 4 of my door handles suddenly stopped working and they will start working from time to time. Most of the time it's 3-4 days where i cant open my door's from the outside. I have looked into this and have found that MANY other CT5 users have had the same experience where they are unable to open their doors from the outside, most stating that it could be the door actuator. Others stating they have taken their vehicle in and have been quoted up to $4,000 to do the repair on something we shouldn't have to worry about. Getting into our own vehicles? we shouldn't have to be worrying about not being able to open our doors because of a faulty door actuator. I believe this should be recalled so no one has to worry about the safety of needing to get into our vehicles quickly or in case a child closes the doors oj themselves and we are unable to open the doors to get the out. …
The door opening mechanism has failed on the drivers outside door handle. It locks and unlocks fine but it will not open. I can use an alternative by the getting the emergency access key out of the fob and popping off the handle and open with that key. Or I can go in thru another door and open it from inside or somehow open all the windows using the fob with some kind of press this and that at the same time, and access inside handle thru the window. This becomes a safety concern because I'm usually alone, and this makes me vulnerable when I have to get into the car. Especially in parking lots and garages or gas stations, or anytime there may be a situation where a quick get out of there may be required. I have been visiting the Cadillac forums and have heard many of this same complaint in the on-line discussions. …
Transmission & drivetrain
The contact owns a 2021 Cadillac CT5. The contact stated that while driving approximately 42 MPH - 66 MPH, the vehicle was shaking abnormally. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked and shuddered while shifting gears. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 48,600.
Service transmission message showed up on dash. Dealer stated after performance test found P17A5 code for shift control. The dealer stated that the gear shift assembly needed to be replaced and if not, that the car could get stuck in gear which I feel is a safety risk. My vehicle only has 37,111 miles on it and I am pretty much the only driver.
2021 Cadillac CT5 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 10-speed automatic | RWD | 23 / 32 / 26 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl turbo | 10-speed automatic | AWD | 21 / 31 / 25 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl turbo | 10-speed automatic | RWD | 19 / 28 / 22 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl turbo | 10-speed automatic | AWD | 18 / 26 / 21 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2021 Cadillac CT5 a good car?
There isn't enough complaint history for the CT5 to compare model years reliably. So far owners have filed 30 complaints with NHTSA.
What is the most common problem with the 2021 Cadillac CT5?
The electrical system — 13 complaints, 43% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the body & structure (7) and transmission & drivetrain (4).
How many recalls does the 2021 Cadillac CT5 have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2021 Cadillac CT5, the most recent from March 6, 2025 (automatic transmission). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do 2021 Cadillac CT5 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 49,000 miles; 100% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.