2021 Cadillac CT5 recalls and problems

The 2021 Cadillac CT5 has 4 safety recalls and 30 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at any Cadillac dealer.

Recalls
4
Complaints
30
Crashes / fires
3 / 0
Injuries / deaths
2 / 0

Recalls may cover only some 2021 Cadillac CT5 vehicles. Check your VIN at NHTSA ↗ to see open recalls for your exact car.

2021 Cadillac CT5 recalls

Recall 25V-148: Power Train

Reported Mar 6, 2025 · 90,081 vehicles affected · General Motors, LLC

Problem: 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.

Fix: 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 22V-903: Exterior Lighting

Reported Dec 8, 2022 · 740,108 vehicles affected · General Motors, LLC

Problem: 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.

Fix: 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 21V-611: Air Bags

Reported Aug 5, 2021 · 34,157 vehicles affected · General Motors, LLC

Problem: 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.

Fix: 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 21V-421: Air Bags, Electrical System

Reported Jun 10, 2021 · 285,622 vehicles affected · General Motors, LLC

Problem: 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.

Fix: 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.

2021 Cadillac CT5 problems reported by owners

Problem areaReports
Electrical System13
Structure7
Unknown or Other4
Power Train4
Air Bags2
Forward Collision Avoidance2
Seat Belts1
Tires1
Visibility1
Service Brakes1
Steering1
Visibility/Wiper1

Most reported parts

  • Structure › Body — 7
  • Forward Collision Avoidance › Automatic Emergency Braking — 2
  • Visibility › Sun/Moon Roof Assembly — 1

Typical mileage at the time of the problem: 48,600 miles (median of owner reports).

Problems that are not covered by a recall are paid repairs; labor rates follow local mechanic pay — see what auto mechanics earn in each state.

Recent 2021 Cadillac CT5 complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA, as written (personal details removed). Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.

Electrical System · reported Oct 14, 2026
This vehicle is equipped with electronic door handles that are failing widely and prematurely. Essentially the button that actuates the cylinder to allow the door to open fails. This poses a safety risk as you're unable to open the door from the exterior in the event of an emergency. Imagine if you were in a collision that resulted in a fire and you needed to be able to retrieve a young child from the vehicle but the door won't open. This is a lawsuit waiting to happen. Manufacturer doesn't care to address the concern with a recall, but rather offers to repair at an astronomical price tag. The…
Unknown or Other · reported Sep 25, 2026
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.
Unknown or Other · reported Sep 21, 2026
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 door to get my child out. This situation is especially concerning because, in an emergency such as a collision, fire, or…
Electrical System · reported Sep 20, 2026
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 electric door opener mechanism. This creates a serious safety concern for me because occupants may be unable to enter the…
Electrical System · reported Sep 17, 2026
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.

Other Cadillac CT5 years

Compare all Cadillac CT5 years · All Cadillac models

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2021 Cadillac CT5 have any recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2021 Cadillac CT5: 25V-148 (power train), 22V-903 (exterior lighting), 21V-611 (air bags), 21V-421 (air bags, electrical system). Not every vehicle is affected, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What is the most common problem with the 2021 Cadillac CT5?

Owners report electrical system problems most often (13 reports), followed by structure (7). The typical mileage when problems were reported is about 48,600 miles.

Are Cadillac recall repairs free?

Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized Cadillac dealers, whether you are the first owner or bought the car used.