Page 7 of 7 · complaints 301–313 of 313

2003 Cadillac CTS 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 2003 record →

Exterior Lighting › Headlights
Filed Dec 10, 2002CT

HEADLIGHTS PROJECT BLACK BAR ACROSS ROADWAY OBSTRUCTING STREET SIGNS, STOP SIGNES, ETC. DT

Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Nov 30, 2002NC

THE DEALER UNKINKED A FUEL TANK HOSE. THIS PROBLEM MADE IT DIFFICULT TO PUMP GAS INTO THE TANK. THIS VEHICLE IS NOT GETTING THE PROPER GAS MILEAGE AND BURNS TOO MUCH OIL, ENGINE COOLER LEAKING FLUID, WHEN THE VEHICLE SITS OVERNIGHT IT HAS TO BE CRANKED TWO OR THREE TIMES BEFORE THE ENGINE STARTS . *JG *NLM

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Nov 22, 2002CA

THE CAR STALLS AT 25 MPH TO 45 MPH, OVER 20 OCCURANCES, DEALER ATTEMPTED 3 REPAIRS. DT

Visibility › Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System
Filed Nov 20, 2002FL

WINDSHIELD GETS FOGGED UP, MAKES VISIBILITY DIFFICULT WHEN DRIVING. DT

Exterior Lighting › Headlights
Filed Nov 13, 2002TX

A BLACK BAR APPEARS ABOUT 75 FEET IN FRONT OF THE CAR WITH THE LOW BEAMS ON. THIS IS PARTICULARLY NOTICEABLE WHEN DRIVING ALONG NARROW COUNTRY ROADS IN THE AREA IN WHICH I LIVE. I FEEL THAT THIS IS AN UNSAFE DESIGN AND HAVE REPORTED IT AS SUCH TO CADILLAC BUT THE COMPANY DOESN'T SEE ANYTHING WRONG WITH A LOW BEAM SYSTEM THAT HAS A BUILT IN BLIND AREA IN THE PROJECTED BEAM IN THE DRIVERS LINE OF SIGHT. REQUEST YOU INVESTIGATE THIS SAFETY COMPLAINT PLEASE. DT

Unknown or Other
Filed Oct 25, 2002NC

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND NO WARNING THE FLOORBOARD STAYS WET AND THIS IS A DISTRACTION TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER NOTIFIED TS

Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System
Filed Oct 25, 2002NC

8/13/02 MALFORMED FUEL TANK INLET HOSE REPLACED; 8/28/02 LOW COOLANT SENSOR INTERNAL FAILURE, REPLACED COOLANT RESERVOIS AND ADDED COOLANT; 9/17/02 RED FLUID LEAKING FROM ENGINE OIL COOLER. RESEALED OIL COOLER AND AGAIN FILLED COOLING SYSTEM; 10/8/02 NOW CAR MUST BE CRANKED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE ENGINE STARTS. CAR IS A LEMON. DT

Exterior Lighting › Headlights › Concealment Devices
Filed Oct 10, 2002OH

THE HEAD LAMPS PROJECT A VISIBLE BAR ACROSS SIGHT LINE. WHEN GOING DOWN A SMALL INCLINE THE ROAD DISAPPEARS. *JB ****DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS****768331

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Sep 16, 2002LA

VEHICLE WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP WITH FOOT ON BRAKES, AND IT ACCELERATED AT A HIGH SPEED.*AKCONSUMER HAD STOPPED WITH FOOT ON THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE SPEEDED UP AND CONSUMER HAD TO CUT THE VEHICLE OFF TO STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG. THE VEHICLE IS ALSO EXPERIENCING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. *JG

Vehicle Speed ControlCrash
Filed Sep 10, 2002NY

WHILE PARKING AND SHIFTING VEHICLE INTO PARK AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION VEHICLE TOOK OFF, RESULTING IN A CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHR INFORMATION.*AK

Steering › Steering Wheel/Handle Bar
Filed Aug 30, 2002GA

COMPONENT IN STEERING COLUMN FAILED....LEAVING A LOT OF PLAY IN STEERING WHEEL AT HIGH SPEEDS. CENSORS DID NOT PICK UP FAILURE. MECHANIC AT DEALER ACTUALLY HEARD IT MAKING A NOISE. DEALERSHIP DECLARED IT UNSAFE TO DRIVE. GM ANTICIPATES 2 TO 3 WEEKS TO GET PART OFF ASSEMBLY FLOOR.*AK

Power Train › Manual Transmission
Filed Aug 8, 2002PA

THE ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AT 600 MILES DUE TO A RATTLING NOISE IN 2ND AND 5TH GEAR. AT 800 MILES THE NOISE REOCCURRED IN THE NEW TRANSMISSION. CADILLAC CLAIMS TO BE WORKING ON A FIX, HOWEVER NO ONE IN THE CADILLAC ORGANIZATION CAN COMMENT ON WHEN THE FIX WILL TAKE PLACE. THE NOISE CONTINUES TO GET WORSE AND CONTINUES TO GET LOUDER.*AK

Power Train › Manual Transmission
Filed May 20, 2002MO

TRANSMISSION 5TH GEAR KEEPS GOING OUT, ORIGIONAL AND NEW TRANS. HAVE BOTH GONE OUT, ALL WITHIN 200 MILES. GM WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM, BECAUSE THEY HAVE TOLD ME THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIX IT. THEY WANTED ME TO CONTINUE DRIVING IT, BUT I REFUSED AND AFTER COMPLAINING FOR A WEEK I WAS GIVEN A LOANER. THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THERE IS A SAFTY ISSUE OR NOT.

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 2003 Cadillac CTS → · Every CTS year → · How the figures are calculated →