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#BS-2009-CADCTS-65762009 Cadillac Cts
Based on reports from 222 owners and 5 recalls for this exact model.
Preliminary Verdict
Think Twice
Based on 222 complaints, 18 crashes, 0 fires, and 5 recalls. This is the worst model year for this vehicle.
Top reported problems
timing chain failure
7 complaints β’ Severity 7.7/10
dead transfer case
4 complaints β’ Severity 10/10
transmission failure
3 complaints β’ Severity 9.3/10
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Mechanic Inspection Checklist
50 owners reported engine issues β failures commonly reported around 61K miles.
Failure Timeline by Mileage
Peak failure range: 0β30K miles (47 reports) β’ Median: 61K miles
30,000-Mile Cost Projection
Best Case
Most Likely
Worst Case
Top cost driver: Engine (50 reports).
Also in your report
Owner Intelligence
AI-synthesized themes from real complaints
Buyer Lot Checklist
Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers
Negotiation Talking Points
Data-backed dollar deductions
Buy / Skip Verdict
Final recommendation with conditions
Where the complaints fall
2009 Cadillac Cts: Known Issues & Problem Areas
Engine Issues
Engine complaints account for 23% of all reports filed for the 2009 Cadillac Cts, with 50 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 61,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 61K-mile mark.
Electrical Issues
Electrical complaints account for 11% of all reports filed for the 2009 Cadillac Cts, with 25 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Drivetrain Issues
Drivetrain complaints account for 10% of all reports filed for the 2009 Cadillac Cts, with 22 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to drivetrain-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Brakes Issues
Brakes complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 2009 Cadillac Cts, with 14 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to brakes-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.
Complaint trend by year
Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2009 Cadillac Cts. Recent trend: decreasing.



Don't negotiate blind β know what this car costs to own
Repair costs β’ Negotiation scripts β’ Mechanic checklist β’ Buy/skip verdict
Recall History (5 recalls)
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
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 MAY DISABLE THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG WHEN IT SHOULD BE ENABLED OR ENABLE IT WHEN IT SHOULD BE DISABLED.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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 ACADIA, SIERRA, YUKON, YUKON XL; SATURN OUTLOOK; AND MODEL YEAR 2009 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A HEATED WASHER FLUID SYSTEM (HWFS). A RECALL WAS IMPLEMENTED IN 2008 TO ADD A FUSE TO THE CONTROL CIRCUIT HARNESS TO ADDRESS THE POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES OF A PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD (PCB) ELECTRICAL SHORT. HOWEVER, THERE HAVE BEEN NEW REPORTS OF THERMAL INCIDENTS ON HWFS MODULES AFTER THIS IMPROVEMENT WAS INSTALLED. THESE INCIDENTS RESULTED FROM A NEW FAILURE MODE ATTRIBUTED TO THE DEVICE'S THERMAL PROTECTION FEATURE. THE SIGNIFICANCE VARIES FROM MINOR DISTORTION TO CONSIDERABLE MELTING OF THE PLASTIC AROUND THE HWFS FLUID CHAMBER.
EQUIPMENT
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."
SUSPENSION:REAR
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 LINK COULD SEPARATE AND THE REAR WHEEL WOULD BE ABLE TO TURN INBOARD OR OUTBOARD. OWNERS MAY HEAR A METALLIC CLANKING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE THAT MAY WARN OF A LOOSENING NUT.
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. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on July 2, 2014 that they are recalling 554,328 model year 2003-2014 Cadillac CTS vehicles manufactured August 16, 2001, to April 28, 2014, and 2004-2006 Cadillac SRX vehicles manufactured March 20, 2003, to August 11, 2006. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.
Recall severity analysis & seller scripts
The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
This is the worst model year for the Cadillac Cts according to owner complaint data. The biggest problem area is engine.
2009 Cadillac Cts vs. Class Average (Midsize Cars)
This vehicle
222
Class avg
230
Complaint volume is roughly in line with other midsize cars vehicles from 2009.
Complaint counts correlate with sales volume β popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.
About this data
NHTSA Complaints
Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 222 records for this vehicle.
NHTSA Recalls
Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 5 recalls found for this vehicle.
Repair Cost Data
Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.
Other Cadillac Cts Model Years
View all Cadillac Cts years β2009 Cadillac Cts: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common problem with the 2009 Cadillac Cts?
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How much does it cost to fix 2009 Cadillac Cts problems?
Does the 2009 Cadillac Cts have any recalls?
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Get the Full 2009 Cadillac Cts Report
10 sections of AI analysis based on 222 owner reports. Know before you buy.