2013 Cadillac CTS: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
72 NHTSA owner complaints · 2 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Owner complaints: 72 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 5.54
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
My 2013 has only 75k miles on it and all the dash lights flash and the car fails every couple of days. It has a brand new battery but the gauges on the dash continue to dance. I’m not sure what the problem is but it’s a huge safety factor in drivability.
I noticed that on the dash a message that service is needed on one of the airbags. I then scheduled appointment to have the problem corrected. I was informed by the dealership’ service department that I need a passenger airbag replacement on the passenger side of the car, and they also informed me that GM no longer manufactures the airbag that I need. I was not given any assistance on how to replace this safety feat…
The contact owns a 2013 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated that the transmission fluid was leaking, and the vehicle stalled while driving at various speeds. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission fluid was significantly low. The transmission was topped off. The contact stated that the vehicle was driven to the residence; however, on arrival the transmission f…
Recalls: 2 campaigns (2 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 14V614000 | Electrical System | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Cadillac CTS, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Yukon XL, and 2014 Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Express, Impala, Silverado HD, Traverse, GMC Acadia, Savana, and Sierra HD vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the chassis electronic module may be internally… |
| 14V394000 | Electrical System:Ignition | This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a large premium car of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 14 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $4,450
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Electrical System26 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Power Train13 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Air Bags11 complaints · typical job: Airbag module, clockspring or sensor replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$600–$1,700
- Steering10 complaints · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement (5.0 h labour + parts)$1,020–$2,500
- Engine7 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Service Brakes7 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
Other Cadillac CTS years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2013 Cadillac CTS?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Electrical System (26 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2013 Cadillac CTS a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 78/100, computed from 72 NHTSA complaints and 2 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2013 Cadillac CTS's most common problem?
26 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2013 Cadillac CTS sit in the Electrical System group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement: about 3.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $540–$1,310 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2013 Cadillac CTS cost to run per year?
About $6,905 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $34,525 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2013 Cadillac CTS have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for the 2013 Cadillac CTS, 2 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 01/10/2014. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other luxury larges of about the same age.
What will a 2013 Cadillac CTS really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Moderate evidence — 72 complaints, 2 recalls on record
- 72 NHTSA complaints on record (5.5/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (4.5/yr)
- 2 recall campaigns, 2 touching safety-critical systems