Recalls (4)
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2016 Cadillac CTS. 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 ↗Air Bag Inflator May Rupture
- Summary
- General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, XTS, 2015-2016 Cadillac ATS, CTS, and SRX vehicles. The front-driver air bag inflator may rupture during deployment.
- Consequence
- An inflator rupture may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the front-driver air bag module, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed June 19, 2026. Additional letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223. The manufacturer's number for this recall is N262555870. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 21, 2026.
Loss of Power Steering Assist
- Summary
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Cadillac CTS, 2017-2018 Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Camaro, and Chevrolet Corvette vehicles. The electric power steering (EPS) assist may fail.
- Consequence
- A loss of power steering assist can require greater steering effort, especially at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the power steering gear assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 15, 2025. Owners may contact Cadilac customer service at 1-800-333-4223 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N252497020.
Loss of Power Steering Assist
- Summary
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Cadillac CTS, and 2017 Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Camaro, and Chevrolet Corvette vehicles. The electric power steering (EPS) assist system may fail.
- Consequence
- Loss of power steering assist would require a higher steering effort, especially at lower speeds, which may increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the power steering gear assembly, free of charge. The recall began June 13, 2019. GM' number for this recall is N182182760.
Damaged Seat Heaters Can Cause Fire
- Summary
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Cadillac CTS vehicles, equipped with heated front seats. The flexible heating mats in the front seats may be damaged over time, resulting in the seat heaters producing excessive heat.
- Consequence
- In cold ambient temperatures, the seat heaters in these vehicles can turn on automatically when the vehicle is remotely started. If a damaged seat heater is turned on while no one is inside the vehicle, the damaged seat heater can overheat, increasing the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will recalibrate the body control module, disabling the automatic activation of the heated seat when the vehicle is remotely started, free of charge. The recall began November 1, 2018. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for the recall is 18286.
PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.
Owner complaints (31)
31 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 31 |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 10 | 32.3% |
| Power train | 9 | 29% |
| Engine | 4 | 12.9% |
| Steering | 4 | 12.9% |
| Suspension | 4 | 12.9% |
| Unknown or other | 4 | 12.9% |
| Structure | 3 | 9.7% |
| Air bags | 2 | 6.5% |
| Wheels | 2 | 6.5% |
| Forward collision avoidance | 1 | 3.2% |
How 2016 compares with other CTS years
Best and worst CTS years →| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 67 | 3 |
| 2011 | 101 | 2 |
| 2012 | 65 | 2 |
| 2013 | 73 | 2 |
| 2014 | 146 | 6 |
| 2015 | 47 | 3 |
| 2016 | 31 | 4 |
| 2017 | 27 | 2 |
| 2018 | 8 | 2 |
| 2019 | 10 | 0 |
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), 2016 Cadillac CTS 4 dr awd, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Fuel economy: up to 25 mpg combined
- EPA annual fuel cost
- $3,300
- CO₂ tailpipe
- 360 g/mi
- EPA class
- Midsize Cars
What it costs you to run
Miles ÷ 25 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 · 8-speed automatic | Rear-Wheel Drive | 21 / 30 / 25 | $3,300 | 360 |
| 2 L 4-cyl · 8-speed automatic | All-Wheel Drive | 21 / 29 / 24 | $3,400 | 372 |
| 3.6 L 6-cyl · 8-speed automatic | Rear-Wheel Drive | 20 / 29 / 24 | $2,800 | 378 |
| 3.6 L 6-cyl · 8-speed automatic | All-Wheel Drive | 19 / 27 / 22 | $3,050 | 399 |
| 3.6 L 6-cyl · 8-speed automatic | Rear-Wheel Drive | 16 / 24 / 19 | $4,350 | 472 |
| 6.2 L 8-cyl · 8-speed automatic | Rear-Wheel Drive | 14 / 21 / 17 | $4,850 | 532 |
Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.
Looking at a 2016 CTS 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
2016 Cadillac CTS FAQ
How many recalls does the 2016 Cadillac CTS have?
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns: 26V329000 (air bag), 25V175000 (steering), 19V086000 (steering), 18V595000 (seat). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 2016 Cadillac CTS problems?
Owners filed 31 complaints with NHTSA. Electrical system (10), Power train (9), Engine (4) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
What mpg does the 2016 Cadillac CTS get?
EPA rates the 2 L 4-cyl · 8-speed automatic version at 21 city, 30 highway and 25 combined mpg. Other configurations are listed in the fuel economy section.
What safety rating did the 2016 Cadillac CTS get?
NHTSA rated the 2016 Cadillac CTS 4 dr awd 5 stars overall, with 5 stars frontal, 5 stars side and 5 stars rollover (10.1% rollover risk).
How does the 2016 CTS compare with other years?
Among the 2010–2019 Cadillac CTS model years at least five years old, the 2018 drew the fewest complaints (8) and the 2014 the most (146). The 2016 drew 31. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.
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.