Fuel System complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 1 | 10% | — |
| 2016 | 1 | 3% | 43,000 miles |
| 2014 | 1 | 1% | 85,000 miles |
| 2013 | 1 | 1% | 89,000 miles |
| 2012 | 1 | 2% | 35,000 miles |
| 2011 | 2 | 2% | 45,000 miles |
| 2010 | 1 | 1% | 75,000 miles |
| 2009 | 10 | 6% | 80,000 miles |
| 2008 | 28 | 16% | 74,000 miles |
| 2007 | 6 | 3% | 130,000 miles |
| 2006 | 10 | 4% | 72,000 miles |
| 2005 | 15 | 5% | 48,000 miles |
| 2004 | 9 | 4% | 83,000 miles |
| 2003 | 11 | 4% | 79,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (fuel pump, injectors, fuel tank, hybrid and EV propulsion).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
My 2009 has 112,000 miles on it. Over a period of time we started to smell gasoline . Thought it may be simply from putting gas in the car. The smell got stronger. Fortunately we had to have a tire replaced. The tire service owner advised we had a major gas leak and advised us not to drive it far. End result was we had a fuel feed pipe that was leaking. Please know we had been driving our 4 year old nephew and 1 year old niece in the car. Final bill was over $2300. Leaking gas !! How can that not warrant a safety recall? Searching the web for information about others having the same problem I discovered others did. Please go to Cadillac Forums for starters. Please review and advise. More safety issues for the CTS involved a seat belt that was worn down and a passenger front door that would not open from either the inside or outside. Cell [redacted] Email [redacted]
The fuel pump is leaking gas on top of the fuel tank. I just bought the car and didn't know about the consistent problem with second generation CTS. The problem is stated to ba a plastic elbow attached to the fuel pump that ruptures.There is a fuel smell inside while I'm driving and around the car when the car is motionless. This a fire and explosion hazmats that is common to this model year. I can see some fuel on the side of the fuel tank. From reading , I can see that GM has recalled other vehicles for the same problem. I believe that the first generation CTS was recalled and the second generation was not included. Replacing the fuel pump is a very expensive a labor intensive process and I would like to have 2009 CTS included in the recall.
The contact owns a 2008 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, he noticed there was a puddle of fuel on the ground coming from the passenger's side fuel line. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with corrosion on the fuel line causing the fuel leak. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 34,000.
Fuel supply stops and engine stalls when I get near or below 1/4 tank. I can restart the engine and it will run for anywhere from a few seconds to sometimes a minute, but mostly only a few seconds. Limp my car this way to a gas station, fill the tank, problem solved. I know it had fuel in the tank as it only took 11 gallons with my 16 gallon tank. Installed a new fuel pump, problem continues. This can put someone in a life threatening situation. The first time it happened I was passing a semi truck on a 2 lane Interstate with cars and trucks behind me. Just as I got half way on the semi's left, I'm doing about 70 mph, the engine stalls. Luckily, I kept a cool head and turned on my blinker as the car slowed down. The semi behind me took a hint and backed off so I could coast to the right shoulder. This could very easily have caused a fatal accident. …
Rear differential seal leaking Midas told me when I had the oil changed right after I got the car exactly one year and one day ago today and there is like a weird noise when I drive but if I turn the heat or air in it stops
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Cadillac CTS. The contact heard a ticking noise coming from the engine. Upon inspection, the contact noticed fuel leaking from the oil pan gasket. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the oil pan gasket needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 140,000.
This vehicle has had thousands of complaints about ECM related problems. Every complaint is the same. The computer causes the temp gauge, fuel gauge to stop working, the tc light & antitheft lights to come on, and the key being stuck in the ignition. It renders the car undriveable because the temp & fuel gauges stop working. I have researched this and there has been the exact same issue with thousands of cars!!! When I contacted Cadillac about this they said I would have to pay hundreds of dollars for a diagnoses fee. I told them that this is obviously a defect with poor design and/or bad parts. I have included just one of many links that owners have had with this model of car. This model needs to be recalled and Cadillac needs to fix this ongoing problem!! …
Received notice of recall # 14405 in sept 2014. GM says this is not a recall, per Cadillac cust center [phone]). As such they have no information on said recall, nor a timeframe of when or if said recall will be performed. They have said parts are not currently available for repair of this supposed recall. There have been no reports of injuries or fatalities from this supposed problem, therefore it is not a priority to GM. The only remedy suggested by cust. Assistance is to pay dealer out of pocket to replace defective fuel pump with an identical part. There would be no recovery of cost due to same failure part being installed. Vehicle owner concludes GM will not comply with recall 14405, a known fire hazard to the vehicle and occupants. 10,005 vehicles are included in this recall.
Related recalls (2)
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2007 Cadillac CTS-V vehicles manufactured October 6, 2003, to March 15, 2007, and 2006-2007 Cadillac STS-V vehicles manufactured June 23, 2005, to March 15, 2007.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel module and fuel tank jumper harness, free of charge. GM sent out interim notices in late October. The recall began on March 12, 2015.
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery
Certain vehicles equipped with v6 engines May have a condition where fuel is no longer supplied to the engine. This condition occurs without the illumination of the fuel level low indicator light or the warning chime.
Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the electronic control module (ECM) with new software free of charge. Owners were notified in December 2005 and asked to maintain at least 1/4 of a tank fuel level to avoid this condition until…
Frequently asked questions
Which Cadillac CTS years have fuel system problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2008 (28), 2005 (15), 2003 (11), 2006 (10) and 2009 (10) model years. Fuel System complaints make up 16% of all complaints for the 2008.
Is there a recall for Cadillac CTS fuel system problems?
Yes — 2 recalls, including 14V-542 (fuel pump, Sep 9, 2014); 06V-020 (delivery, Jan 25, 2006). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Cadillac CTS fuel system problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 73,000 miles; 31% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the storage › fuel gauge system (5 mentions), followed by the delivery › hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (3).
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.