Page 4 of 4 · complaints 151–161 of 161

2013 Cadillac ATS complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2013 record →

Electrical System
Filed Oct 23, 201370 milesCA

WHILE DRIVING MY MANUAL TRANSMISSION CAD ATS IT STALLS WITHOUT WARNING OR REASON. IT STALLS MOSTLY WHEN IN NEUTRAL, LIKE WHEN SITTING AT A RED LIGHT, OR PULLING INTO A PARKING PLACE. IT ALSO STALLS WHEN IN FIRST OR SECOND GEAR,LIKE WHEN TURNING A CORNER. I AM NOT PULLING THE CLUTCH OUT TOO SOON AND HENCE STALLING THE CAR MYSELF, IT DOES IT ALL BY ITSELF! THE CAR GIVES NO WARNING SHAKE OR NOISE, IT SIMPLY IS OFF, OFTEN WITHOUT MY KNOWING IT IS OFF. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MY BRAND NEW ATS SINCE THE SECOND DAY OF HAVING IT, AND HAS EVER SINCE, APPROXIMATELY 7 WEEKS NOW. IT OCCURS WITH THE GAS TANK FULL, ALMOST EMPTY, AND IN BETWEEN. IT OCCURS ON FLAT STREETS, AND MAYBE AT AN INCLINE. IT OCCURS WHEN COLD IN THE MORNING, AND AFTER HOURS OF DRIVING. IT OCCURS DAY AND NIGHT, WITH AND WITHOUT PASSENGERS. THE DEALER HAS HAD THE CAR IN TWICE TO INVESTIGATE, WITH NO LUCK. THIS IS RIDICULOUS!! *TR

Electrical System
Filed Oct 22, 2013420 milesCA

VEHICLE QUIETLY STALLS AND HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE LESS THAN A MONTH AGO. BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER BUT THEY BASICALLY JUST SAY IT IS DESIGNED TO STALL IN CERTAIN INSTANCES WHICH I BELIEVE IS JUST NONSENSE AND UNSAFE. I HAVE READ ONLINE THAT THIS IS HAPPENING TO OTHER ATS OWNERS SO I KNOW THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS AND UNSAFE ISSUE WITH THE 6SPD ATS. *TR

Electrical System
Filed Oct 19, 201338 milesNJ

VEHICLE TURNS OFF WHEN IN NEUTRAL APPROACHING TO STOP. THIS IS NOT FROM IMPROPER FOOT WORK ON THE CLUTCH. THE VEHICLE IS IN NEUTRAL. IT HAS HAPPENED OVER 13 TIMES SINCE VEHICLE PURCHASED ON 7/26/2013 (FIRST INCIDENT ON DATE OF PURCHASE). THE VEHICLE WILL TURN ON IMMEDIATELY AFTER. IT HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP THREE TIMES AND TWICE THEY KEPT IT FOR A WEEK. THE PROBLEM DID NOT DUPLICATE WITH THE DEALERSHIP. ON THE THIRD VISIT THEY REPLACED THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE. FIVE DAYS AFTER PICKING IT UP AFTER THEY REPLACED THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE THE PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AS IT HAS HAPPENED AT BUSY INTERSECTIONS AND IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN. *TR

Engine
Filed Oct 7, 201363 milesTX

2.5 LITER ENGINE ON MY 2013 CADILLAC ATS SHAKES WHILE SITTING AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS. GM UPDATED THE SOFTWARE THREE TIMES ON A RECALL BUT NOW ADVISED THAT THE ENGINE SHAKING IN NORMAL AND THEY CAN DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. *TR

Engine
Filed Aug 29, 20131,000 milesIN

VEHICLE STALLED QUIETLY WHEN COMING TO STOP WITH VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL AND/OR CLUTCH DEPRESSED. I SAY QUIETLY BECAUSE I DID NOT HEAR OR FEEL IT SHUT OFF. (DIFFERENT FROM STALLING VEHICLE DUE TO IMPROPER FOOT WORK ON THE CLUTCH) WHEN I WENT TO TURN LEFT I REALIZED IT WAS DEAD. VEHICLE DID RESTART IMMEDIATELY. THIS HAS HAPPENED 6 - 10 TIMES IN THE LAST 3 MONTHS. MOST RECENTLY THE POWER STEERING RACK FAILED TO TURN BACK ON AT RESTART. DEALER SERVICED STEERING CONTROLLER PER TSB. THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE RANDOM STALLING IN A 10 MILE TEST DRIVE AS IT ONLY HAPPENS TO ME ONLY ONCE A WEEK OR TWO. THIS COULD BE MORE DANGEROUS IF IT DID NOT RESTART AND I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION OR MOVING.

Engine
Filed Aug 17, 20134,000 milesFL

I HAVE THE 2013 ATS 2.0 TURBO AND I HAD A FEW ISSUES WITH IT.THE FIRST IS STEERING,SOMETIMES FEELS LIKE POWER FAILURE, ITS THE ONLY NEW CAR I OWNED WHEN THE CAR IS OFF THE WHEEL TURNS COMPLETELY.ALSO PULLS TO RIGHT.OTHER ISSUE I GET BANGING NOISE WHEN PUT IN REVERSE,AND A FEW TIMES SOUNDED LIKE TRANS MAKING RACE NOISE.THE CUE SYSTEM IS A JOKE,WHEN MY TRIAL FOR XM RAN OUT I TRIED TO LISTEN TO FM RDI AND THAT'S A JOKE,I CANT LISTEN TO ONE SONG,THERE'S STATIC EIGHTY PERCENT OF TIMES.OTHER ISSUES RIDE IS HORRIBLE RIDES LIKE A TRANS AM AND SHAKES WHEN HIT BUMPS.AFTER COMING OUT OF A ACURA AND HONDA I NOW KNOW WHY I STAYED AWAY FROM GM.OH FORGOT THE ENGINE SHAKES AT IDLE FEELS LIKE STALL,THEN REVS UP.ALL THE DEALER DOES IS SAYS MEETS DESIGNED FUNCTION.I ASK MYSELF A CAR THIS EXPENSIVE IS IT SUPPOSED TO BE CRAP. *TR

Electrical System
Filed Jun 14, 20131,050 milesTX

RIGHT TURN FROM STOP ONTO MAJOR 6-LANE HIGHWAY; NO POWER TO ENGINE AFTER ENGAGEMENT OF ACCELERATOR; ACTED AS THOUGH NOT IN-DRIVE GEAR; TACHOMETER REVED PAST 6K; FOOT OFF OF PEDAL; TRANSMISSION ENGAGED; VERY SLOW RETURN TO NORMAL OPERATION; EVASIVE ACTION BY OTHER DRIVERS FOLLOWING; NO REPLICATION BY DEALER AFTER 4-DAYS OF TESTING; RETURNED VEHICLE TO OWNER WITHOUT EXPLANATION OF PROBLEM. *TR

Engine
Filed Jun 7, 2013500 milesPA

2.5 LITER ENGINE AT STOP ENGINE SHAKES FOR NO REASON. AS USUAL TAKE TO DEALER AND CAN'T FIND ISSUE WITHOUT A CODE. NOW AT 2572 MILES STILL SHAKES AND DEALER SAYS THAT ALL ATS DO THIS SO LIVE WITH IT. I SAY THAT THIS ATS BY GM. NEEDS TO TAKE THESE ISSUES SERIOUSLY AS THIS WILL HURT THE SALES OF A REALLY COOL CAR. IS THERE SOMEONE THAT CAN GET THE CEO OF CADILLACS ATTENTION THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE TO PAID OVER 35K. WHEN I HAVE BRAND NEW KIA THAT HAS A 4 CYCL ENGINE WITH NO ISSUES. COME ON GM. LETS GET THIS ISSUE RESOLVED I HAVE ALREADY FILE A COMPLAINT TO GM. BUT NO RESPONSE PER USUAL. NO WONDER WE BY NON AMERICAN CARS.I HAVE WAITED 13 YEARS TO GET A NEW CAR AND I THOUGHT I GIVE THE ATS A TRY. WHAT ASHAME THAT SUCH A COOL CAR THAT THIS ENGINE RUINS THE GREAT FEELING TO OWN A AMERICAN CAR. CAN SOMEONE PLEASE HELP US. O BY THE WAY THE DEALER IS HILL CADILLAC IN NEWTOWN. EDGEMONT PA. ANY OTHER ATS CUSTOMERS HAVE SAME ISSUES. I SEE ON CADILLAC FORUM THERE SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF FRUSTRATION ABOUT LACK OF A FIX. *TR

Engine
Filed May 23, 201320 milesWA

ROUGH IDLE WHEN IN DRIVE AND STOPPED AT LIGHT (ALWAYS), I DID BRING IT IN FOR SERVICE FOR THE ROUGH IDLE AND DEALERSHIP STATED NOTHING SHOWED UP ON COMPUTER SO THEY WERE UNABLE TO CORRECT PROBLEM. *TR

Steering
Filed Jan 14, 20131,000 milesMI

WHILE TURNING INTO A PARKING LOT EXPERIENCED LOSS OF POWER STEERING. MESSAGE IN THE DIC INDICATED "SERVICE POWER STEERING, DRIVE WITH CARE". UPON RESTART OF ENGINE THE POWER STEERING BEGAN TO WORK AGAIN. DEALER SAW C0545 STEERING WHEEL TORQUE SENSOR FAULT, DEALER NOTES INDICATE THAT THE CONNECTOR WAS CHECKED AND WAS OK. ALSO CHECKED EBCM SOFTWARE, WHICH WAS UP TO DATE. NOTHING FURTHER WAS DONE, NO PARTS UPDATED OR REPLACED. I RECEIVED THE SAME DIC MESSAGE ~4 TIMES IN THE PAST 3 WEEKS WITHOUT THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING PRIOR TO THIS EVENT WHICH PROMPTED A VISIT TO THE DEALER. *TR

Steering
Filed Nov 28, 2012600 milesTX

WHEN TAKING A CORNER THE CAR APPEARED TO OVER STEER. AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS ME SO I WENT TO TURN THE WHEEL TO CORRECT IT AND IT FELT SLUGGISH FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD. ALMOST INSTANTLY AFTER THAT A WARNING CAME UP ON THE DASH THAT INDICATED SOMETHING LIKE "SERVICE POWER STEERING, PLEASE DRIVE SAFELY". THE WARNING OCCURRED TWO MORE TIMES IN A MATTER OF A COUPLE MILES BUT I DID NOT REALLY NOTICE ANY STEERING ISSUES THOSE TIMES. *TR

Reading these

NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Full record for the 2013 Cadillac ATS → · Every ATS year → · How the figures are calculated →