2021 Cadillac CT5 problems, complaints & recalls

Updated Oct 11, 2026 from NHTSA data · How we count

Owners have filed 29 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Cadillac CT5, most often about electrical system. There are 4 recalls for this model year.

Complaints: 29
Recalls: 4
Crashes: 3
Fires: 0
Injuries: 2
Median mileage: 41,850 mi

Key facts

Electrical System is the most-reported problem area, named in 12 of 29 complaints (41%).
Body & Structure (6) and transmission & drivetrain (4) follow.
Half of the complaints that list mileage happened before 41,850 mi.
Owners reported 3 crashes, 0 fires and 2 injuries.
The 2021 Cadillac CT5 has 4 recalls on file.
NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation covering this vehicle.
It ranks 2nd of 7 Cadillac CT5 model years by our severity-weighted complaint score (1st = worst).
That is 26% fewer complaints than the 2020 model year (39).

A complaint can mention more than one problem area, so categories add up to more than the total.

Most-reported components

Component (as filed with NHTSA)	Complaints
Electrical system	12
Structure:body	6
Unknown or other	4
Power train	4
Forward collision avoidance: automatic emergency braking	2
Air bags	2
Steering	1
Tires	1

When problems happen (mileage)

Mileage at the time of the problem, for 2021 Cadillac CT5 complaints that list mileage.

2021 Cadillac CT5 recalls (4)

Recall 25V148000Mar 6, 202590,081 vehicles
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
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.
Risk: 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.
Recall 22V903000Dec 8, 2022740,108 vehicles
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:LIGHTING CONTROL MODULE:SOFTWARE
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."
Risk: 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.
Recall 21V611000Aug 5, 202134,157 vehicles
AIR BAGS · AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN
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.
Risk: 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.
Recall 21V421000Jun 10, 2021285,622 vehicles
AIR BAGS:SRS MALFUNCTION WARNING LAMP/LIGHT · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
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.
Risk: 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.

NHTSA defect investigations

PE21010Opened Apr 9, 2021Closed Aug 24, 2023
Air Bag Malfunction
On April 9, 2021, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened PE21-010 to investigate instances of air bag malfunction indicator light (MIL) illumination and potential for frontal air bag non-deployment in several vehicles manufactured by General Motors (GM). The vehicles included model year (MY) 2020 through 2021 CT4 and CT5 passenger cars, Sierra and Silverado trucks (1500/2500/3500 models), XT4 and MY 2021 Escalade, Suburban, Tahoe, Yukon SUVs.Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 21-NA-005, issued in March 2021, addresses air bag MIL illumination with diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) B0001…

Recent 2021 Cadillac CT5 complaints

Excerpts of the newest owner complaints, lightly cleaned of personal details. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Filed Sep 25, 2026PAOther / Unknown
The Cadillac CT5 door handles are operated via a button instead of a typical pull style handle. The buttons fail regularly meaning you cannot open the specific door(s) where the button has failed. With small children in the car when this fails it poses a severe health and safety risk. There needs to be a recall issued for this well known and documented problem.
NHTSA complaint #11766863 · source
Filed Sep 24, 2026TXTransmission & Drivetrain
I am filing a formal safety complaint against General Motors (GM) regarding an unresolved transmission safety hazard on my 2021 Cadillac CT5 550T. This vehicle is included under NHTSA Campaign Number 25V148000 for an internal transmission control valve failure that can cause sudden, dangerous wheel lock-up while driving. My vehicle is currently experiencing an active, catastrophic failure of the transmission valve body. The vehicle has completely lost its reverse gear,…
NHTSA complaint #11766791 · source
Filed Sep 21, 2026NJElectrical SystemOther / Unknown
I have experienced a serious and recurring safety issue with the door handles on my Cadillac CT5 vehicles. The exterior door handles have stopped working, preventing the doors from being opened normally. On one occasion, I was trying to get my child out of the back seat when the rear door handle failed and would not open. Because the child safety lock was engaged, my child was also unable to open the door from the inside. I had to climb through the vehicle and use another…
NHTSA complaint #11765920 · source
Filed Sep 20, 2026TNElectrical System
The exterior door handles on my 2021 Cadillac CT5 have experienced the same intermittent failure. The handles initially work intermittently and then become unable to release the door. The button on the inside of the door handle doesn't respond when pushed and that is the only way to get in the car without rolling the windows down or using the emergency key. I've seen many other forum posts about this so it seems to be a widespread issue across other models with the same…
NHTSA complaint #11765625 · source
Filed Sep 17, 2026TXElectrical System
Doors have routinely stopped opening using the electronic handles to pop open doors. Have taken to dealership to repair, but keep on not working on other doors. All 4 door handles have been replaced and now they're starting to not work again.
NHTSA complaint #11765139 · source
Filed Sep 17, 2026NEElectrical System
Both front doors will no longer open from the outside. The button on the inside of the door handle doesn't respond when pushed and that is the only way to get in the car without rolling the windows down or using the emergency key. I've seen many other forum posts about this so it seems to be a pretty widespread issue across other models with the same electric door opener mechanism.
NHTSA complaint #11764894 · source
Filed Aug 31, 2026NJBody & StructureElectrical System
All four exterior door handles on my 2021 Cadillac CT5 have experienced the same intermittent failure. The handles initially work intermittently and then become unable to release the door. This has occurred on all four doors. This creates a serious safety concern because occupants may be unable to enter or exit the vehicle normally, and emergency responders may be unable to access occupants through the affected doors. This appears to be a systemic defect affecting multiple…
NHTSA complaint #11761126 · source
Filed Aug 28, 2026TXTransmission & Drivetrain
The pump gear on the transmission went out during normal driving with only having 30,000 miles on it. I am told my numerous people that the Gm 10 speeds always have issues with them.
NHTSA complaint #11760237 · source

Compare the 2021 Cadillac CT5 with another vehicle →

Other 2021 Cadillac models

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation public data, as of Oct 11, 2026. Complaints are submitted by owners and are not verified by NHTSA or by us; a complaint does not prove a defect exists. View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov Methodology