2026 Cadillac CT5

Routine

Owners filed 5 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the forward collision avoidance › adaptive cruise control. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Forward Collision Avoidance › Adaptive Cruise Control2
000
Service Brakes1
100
Forward Collision Avoidance › Automatic Emergency Braking1
000
Engine1
000

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Equipment › Other › Owners/Service/Other Manual26V114000
Filed Feb 26, 20265,861 vehiclesGeneral Motors, Llc

Defect. General Motors has decided that certain 2027 Chevrolet Bolt EV, 2025-2026 Cadillac OPTIQ, Chevrolet Colorado, Equinox EV, GMC Canyon, 2026 Buick Enclave, Envision, Cadillac CT5, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade IQ, Escalade IQL, LYRIQ, VISTIQ, Chevrolet Blazer EV, Corvette Convertible, Corvette Coupe, Corvette Convertible E-Ray, Equinox, Silverado 1500, 2500, 3500, Silverado EV, Suburban 1500, Tahoe, Traverse, GMC Acadia, Hummer EV Pickup, Hummer EV SUV, Sierra 1500, 2500, 3500, Sierra EV, Terrain, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. The radio may not have been set to the correct status to download the electronic owner's manual during production. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, “Occupant Protection.”

Risk. Without an owner's manual to consult, owners may not know how to safely use and operate the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

Remedy. Dealers will reset the vehicle radio, which will facilitate automatic download of the electronic owner’s manual, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 16, 2026. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-866-467-9700, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223. The manufacturer's number for this recall is N252540430. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on February 26, 2026.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Service BrakesCrash
Filed Sep 14, 2026FL

CRITICAL SAFETY SYSTEM FAILURE & CONCEALED SOFTWARE REPAIR: Within 14 days of vehicle delivery, a 2026 Cadillac CT5 experienced a complete failure of its heavily advertised Reverse Automatic Braking (RAB) driver-assistance technology. While reversing at a safe, low speed toward a full-sized stationary vehicle, the system failed to detect the obstacle, issued zero visual/audible warnings, and failed to apply automatic braking, resulting in an unmitigated collision ($2,800 physical damage). SUBSEQUENT OEM CONCEALMENT & SOFTWARE FLASH: The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealership (Wallace Cadillac). While in dealer custody, onboard vehicle logs confirm that GM Update 661.10 was flashed to the vehicle's modules on June 8th. GM Corporate and the dealership subsequently claimed no repairs or updates were performed, stating the system tested "fully functional" on June 13th (after the undisclosed software patch was applied). GM Executive Management (Case #103080717 / PAC Case #101155599) has repeatedly refused to provide written diagnostic findings or supply the owner with the Event Data Recorder (EDR) telemetry logs as requested under the Driver Privacy Act of 2015, communicating denials strictly via telephone to avoid a paper trail. This issue directly correlates with ongoing federal investigations into GM electronic brake control module failures. The failure of active safety collision-avoidance systems poses an immediate, severe safety risk to vehicle occupants and pedestrian

Forward Collision Avoidance › Adaptive Cruise Control
Filed Jul 1, 2026GA

Adaptive Cruise control acts like it’s going to maintain a gap (user selectable gap distance is able to be manipulated and displayed on drivers information center) but will rush right onto a preceding cars bumper. I’m told that even though manual transmission cars have the components and illusion that adaptive cruise control works, it doesn’t which is bad if you think it will work. Please make adaptive cruise control work in manual transmission CT5s like it does in auto. Similarly, the Surround Video Recorder equipment is installed but doesn’t record and isn’t viewable. Please make that function as well. Again, all of the hardware is there - implement it!

Forward Collision Avoidance › Automatic Emergency Braking
Filed May 19, 2026IL

While driving vehicle at approximately 50 mph in normal driving conditions, the vehicle’s automatic emergency braking/forward collision system activated an alert when a vehicle ahead of me slowed and turned out of my lane. After the lane was fully clear and there was no obstacle in front of the vehicle, the system aggressively braked and brought the car completely to a stop on the highway. During the event, the vehicle temporarily would not respond to accelerator input even while pressing the gas pedal. This created an extremely dangerous situation and nearly resulted in a high-speed rear-end collision. No crash occurred, but if a larger vehicle such as a semi-truck had been behind me, serious injury or death could have resulted. I am reporting this as a potential false automatic emergency braking / phantom braking event. Vehicle is a rental, history unknown…

Engine
Filed Feb 17, 2026OK

Catastrophic engine failure within 700 miles Requires full engine replacement Problems began around 150 miles on odometer Message: Reduced accelerated speed Check engine light Service transmission system Service variable valve timing system

Forward Collision Avoidance › Adaptive Cruise Control
Filed Sep 17, 20251,200 milesKY

The contact owns a 2026 Cadillac CT5. The contact stated that while driving the vehicle with the Super Cruise feature activated, the message indicated a road construction zone, and the brakes independently activated. The contact stated that there was no road construction nearby. The contact reset the super cruise control feature. The contact stated that while the super cruise control was set at 75 MPH, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated to 100 MPH within seconds. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The dealer was made aware of the failure; however, the contact was awaiting scheduling information. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The contact was advised to cease using the cruise control feature until the vehicle was inspected by the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 1,200.

5 of 5 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2020
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
2026 — this page5100Routine
20258000Routine
20242001Fatalities reported
202312100Routine
202211200Routine
202125400Routine
202038400Routine

Compare every CT5 year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Feb 26, 2026. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.