2009 Cadillac CTS Problems, Recalls & Reliability
222 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2009 Cadillac CTS, alongside 5 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 49/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Engine leads the reports, typically around 85,649 miles.
Below average
Where 2009 sits among all CTS years
What owners report
“Warning light came on.i brought the vehicle to my mechanic and he said that the timing chain was the problem. The car has only 61000 miles on it.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2009 CTS
“While driving my service traction control light came on i pulled over turn it off but not my car will not shift into gear and it has a loud roaring sound when driving”— owner report to NHTSA, 2009 CTS
“Leaking when it rain(not sun roof) dashboard light turning off while car in motion.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2009 CTS
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 154 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 65,577 miles. Half of those reports fall between 35,000 and 95,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (5)
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. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring.…
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on September 15, 2014.…
GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009-2010 CADILLAC CTS VEHICLES. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE A CONDITION IN WHICH A WAX COATING ON THE REAR SUSPENSION TOE LINK JAM NUTS MAY ALLOW THE NUT(S) TO LOOSEN. IF A NUT SUFFICIENTLY LOOSENS, THE TOE…
Fix: DEALERS WILL CLEAN ALL WAX RESIDUE FROM THE REAR SUSPENSION TOE LINK AND INSTALL TWO NEW JAM NUTS. IF NECESSARY THE REAR SUSPENSION TOE LINK MAY BE REPLACED. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF…
GM IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009-2010 CADILLAC CTS ALL WHEEL DRIVE AND CTS-V VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION."
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT ASSEMBLY AND, IN SOME VEHICLES MODIFY THE INSTRUMENT PANEL STRUCTURE. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER…
GM IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2009 BUICK, LUCERNE; CADILLAC DTS; HUMMER H2; MODEL YEAR 2008-2009 BUICK ENCLAVE; CADILLAC CTS; MODEL YEAR 2007-2009 CADILLAC ESCALADE, ESCALADE ESV, ESCALADE EXT; CHEVROLET AVALANCHE, SILVERADO, SUBURBAN, TAHOE; GMC…
Fix: DEALERS WILL PERMANENTLY DISABLE AND REMOVE THE HEATED WASHER FLUID MODULE. AN UPDATED PAGE FOR THE OWNER MANUAL WILL BE PROVIDED AND INSERTED IN THE OWNER MANUAL TO DOCUMENT THAT THE FEATURE HAS…
GM IS RECALLING 12,662 MY 2009 CADILLAC CTS VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, 'OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION.' UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, A SOFTWARE CONDITION WITHIN THE PASSENGER SENSING SYSTEM…
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE PASSENGER SENSING SYSTEM MODULE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 18, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339 OR THROUGH THEIR WEBSITE AT <A…
Technical service bulletins
1,247 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2009 Cadillac CTS. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2009 Cadillac CTS reliable?
The 2009 Cadillac CTS drew 222 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 49/100, scored against the model's worst year (2003).
What are the most common 2009 Cadillac CTS problems?
The top reported problems for the 2009 Cadillac CTS are engine (50 complaints), transmission & drivetrain (29), and electrical (29).
At what mileage do 2009 Cadillac CTS problems show up?
Owners most often report 2009 Cadillac CTS problems around 65,577 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 35,000 and 95,000 miles.
Does the 2009 Cadillac CTS have recalls?
5 recall campaigns apply to the 2009 Cadillac CTS. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.