Recalls (4)
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2021 Cadillac CT5. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.
Check on NHTSA ↗Transmission Damage May Cause Wheel Lock-Up
- Summary
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Cadillac CT6, 2020-2021 CT4, CT5, and 2020-2022 Chevrolet Camaro vehicles equipped with a 10-speed transmission. The transmission may become damaged internally and cause the wheels to lock-up.
- Consequence
- Wheel lock-up while driving increases the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install transmission control module monitoring software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 7, 2025. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N242480630.
Running Lights May Not Deactivate/FMVSS 108
- Summary
- General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Cadillac CT4 and CT5; 2021-2023 Buick Envision; and 2022-2023 Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Sierra 1500, Yukon, and Yukon XL vehicles. The daytime running lights (DRLs) may not deactivate when the headlights are on. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
- Consequence
- DRLs that do not deactivate as intended may result in a glare, reducing visibility, and increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- The body control module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 23, 2023. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N222386380. This recall expands previous recall number 22V-827.
Roof Rail Side Air Bags May Not Deploy Properly
- Summary
- General Motors, LLC. (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Cadillac CT4 and CT5 vehicles. The roof rail side-curtain air bags may not have been installed correctly, which could result in an improper air bag deployment during a crash.
- Consequence
- Air bags that do not deploy properly can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect both left and right-side roof rail air bags and reinstall the air bags, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on August 30, 2021. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N212342780.
Air Bag Light May Not Indicate Malfunction
- Summary
- General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Buick Envision, Cadillac CT4, CT5, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Corvette, Suburban, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL vehicles. The communications gateway module incorrectly processes a loss of communication with the sensing diagnostic module (SDM), causing the air bag malfunction indicator light to inconsistently illuminate.
- Consequence
- The air bag malfunction indicator light may fail to warn the driver of a problem with the air bag, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- The communications gateway module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 1, 2021. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212338110.
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Owner complaints (29)
29 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The electrical system is mentioned most often.
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 29 |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 12 | 41.4% |
| Structure | 6 | 20.7% |
| Power train | 4 | 13.8% |
| Unknown or other | 4 | 13.8% |
| Air bags | 2 | 6.9% |
| Forward collision avoidance | 2 | 6.9% |
| Engine | 1 | 3.4% |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 3.4% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 3.4% |
| Seat belts | 1 | 3.4% |
How 2021 compares with other CT5 years
Best and worst CT5 years →| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 39 | 4 |
| 2021 | 29 | 4 |
| 2022 | 11 | 2 |
| 2023 | 13 | 1 |
| 2024 | 2 | 0 |
| 2025 | 9 | 0 |
| 2026 | 6 | 1 |
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Crash tests: 5 stars overall
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), 2021 Cadillac CT5 4 dr awd, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Fuel economy: up to 26 mpg combined
- EPA annual fuel cost
- $3,150
- CO₂ tailpipe
- 337 g/mi
- EPA class
- Midsize Cars
What it costs you to run
Miles ÷ 26 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.
EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.
Specs by configuration
| Engine · transmission | Drive | City / Hwy / Comb | EPA $/yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 L 4-cyl · 10-speed automatic | Rear-Wheel Drive | 23 / 32 / 26 | $3,150 | 337 |
| 2 L 4-cyl · 10-speed automatic | All-Wheel Drive | 21 / 31 / 25 | $3,300 | 389 |
| 3 L 6-cyl · 10-speed automatic | Rear-Wheel Drive | 19 / 28 / 22 | $3,750 | 404 |
| 3 L 6-cyl · 10-speed automatic | Rear-Wheel Drive | 18 / 27 / 21 | $3,900 | 423 |
| 3 L 6-cyl · 10-speed automatic | All-Wheel Drive | 18 / 26 / 21 | $3,900 | 419 |
| 3 L 6-cyl · 10-speed automatic | All-Wheel Drive | 18 / 26 / 21 | $3,900 | 419 |
Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.
Looking at a 2021 CT5 for sale?
Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.
Where to next
2021 Cadillac CT5 FAQ
How many recalls does the 2021 Cadillac CT5 have?
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns: 25V148000 (power train), 22V903000 (lighting), 21V611000 (air bag), 21V421000 (air bag). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 2021 Cadillac CT5 problems?
Owners filed 29 complaints with NHTSA. Electrical system (12), Structure (6), Power train (4) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
What mpg does the 2021 Cadillac CT5 get?
EPA rates the 2 L 4-cyl · 10-speed automatic version at 23 city, 32 highway and 26 combined mpg. Other configurations are listed in the fuel economy section.
What safety rating did the 2021 Cadillac CT5 get?
NHTSA rated the 2021 Cadillac CT5 4 dr awd 5 stars overall, with 5 stars frontal, 5 stars side and 5 stars rollover (9.5% rollover risk).
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.