Cadillac ATS Complaints (2013)

161 consumer complaints on file.

#11772902October 22, 2026
POWER TRAIN
NHTSA: 14V338 Date Issued: 2014-06-18 Transmission shifter cable detach from Transmission. Vehicle will not change gears. Contacted GM 10/22/26 9:52am est spoke with Terran, GM states no details of any repairs, shows inspected 07/15/2014, unable to assist with repairs due to outside of timeframe. My research shows no timeframe or milage limits for this specific recall. GM has done no repairs for this recall.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11690585September 30, 2025
AIR BAGS
I was in a vehicle accident on 9-26-25 and was t-boned. The other driver hit me at 35-45 after she blew the stopping, I was hit on the driver side pillar and back driver door. My air bags never deployed and I was trapped inside the car until the fire department was on scene
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11681368August 18, 2025
STEERING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Vehicle would not steer lost power steering and loud noise. Had the vehicle towed to a mechanic. The mechanic informed me that the bolts for the electronic power steering had corroded causing the electronic steering motor to fall. He told me that it is a problem with these cars and gave me a reference number (N202301950) I called GM and they said it was not a recall it was a service bulletin which I never received and is now expired. The vehicle needs a whole new Electric Power Steering Rack and Pinion Assembly due to the faulty corroded GM Bolts not to mention that I could have died or someone else could have been killed due to losing the ability to steer the vehicle because of the faulty GM parts. GM said it is my responsibility to pay for repairs which is thousands of dollars again due to their faulty parts and no fault of my own also not normal wear and tear.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11664360June 2, 2025
ENGINE
Found metal shavings in oil after 13 visits to 3 different dealerships. Engine had to be replaced. Under 100,000 mikes with a service contract
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11654145April 11, 2025
AIR BAGS
Air bag lights came on.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11650155March 24, 2025
POWER TRAIN
Car has a shudder at acceleration acting as if it's in the wrong gear or shifts too soon seems like failing TCC in tge transmission not sure this issue could cause accidents due to car not accelerating fast enough with people behind you they could rear end you
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11645927March 3, 2025
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2013 Cadillac ATS. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the engine overheated. The contact stated that the A/c was independently turned off due to engine overheating. The contact was able to pull over safely. The contact stated that the coolant reservoir was empty. The contact added coolant, but the engine continued overheating. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that the water pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. While driving at an undisclosed speed, the stability track and engine warning lights illuminated and started flashing. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate above 25 MPH. The vehicle was towed to the same independent mechanic, who determined that the engine had misfired over 40,000 times. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 191,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11644330February 23, 2025
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SERVICE BRAKES
I’m writing here to state that the Cadillac with this VIN [XXX] IS A FRAUDULENT SALE my husband and I have experienced. The car show no damages on CarFax but when we took the car to a certified Cadillac dealership they said they were shocked we could even drive it. The catalytic Converter is completely missing along with several other computer systems issues. The car jumps up and down when you drive it, feels like horseback riding more than a car ride. Cadillac denied working on the car and advised us not to drive it at all Every single warning light that could be on the dash/odometer lit up approx 5mins of being on the highway. Throw the car in the junkyard where it belongs! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11644284February 22, 2025
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Car keeps cutting off, when put in neutral, or just cutting on RPM goes up then goes down and cut off, when driving car starts off slow then speed up. put a new fuel pump in the car.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11634096January 4, 2025
STEERING
I had a total loss of steering about two weeks ago, scariest thing ever in my 50 years of driving. A local automotive shop inspected the car and found one steering motor bolt missing and two broken/sheared laying in their casting holes.General Motors issued a Customer Satisfaction Program 18207 – Loss of Power Steering Assist directive for steering rack inspection and repair and/or replacement. My 2013 Cadillac ATS had the bolt failure exactly as described in the directive but is not covered as the directive program was in effect until November 30, 2020 and has expired. It was and is still a poor engineering design by GM engineering and it still effects those of us operating the models listed in GM CSP 18207. This should have been a recall and not have had an end date of 11/30/2020. I'm sure there are many owners like myself that were never notified by General Motors of this design flaw as it was never a formal recall. I would ask that the NHTSA review Customer Satisfaction Program 18207 as the loss of electric steering due to poor engineering design along with the safety of owners driving the affected vehicles still poses a danger and could seriously injure or kill someone. I do not understand why GM ended the program 11/30/2020. I would like to see either a CSP 18207 with no end date or preferably a recall to ensure owners are notified. I had never heard of an issue with my 2013 Cadillac ATS steering until I had this total steering failure. I only found out about Customer Satisfaction Program 18207 – Loss of Power Steering Assist because I searched the Web to see if other owners had experienced this failure. The repair cost to fix this is around $3,000 dollars. General Motors knows it was a poor design and in my opinion they should continue their 18207 Customer Satisfaction Program and not expect owners to pay. Thank you.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11631694December 19, 2024
POWER TRAIN
My Vehicle will shift out of gear but will not move and there is a rattling sound when the gear is tried to be put back in park and rest of gears
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11621735October 24, 2024
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2013 Cadillac ATS. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle and switching gears, the vehicle would not move forward or backward. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the failure was possibly related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V338000 (Power Train). Another local independent mechanic was contacted for a second opinion and informed the contact that the transmission shifter cable had failed. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to the VIN not being included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V338000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 87,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11591239May 29, 2024
SERVICE BRAKES
Breaks are not working properly, once the car sits for a few hours, then once I start it and put it into gear (reverse/drive) as I press the breaks(new break pads) the car continues to roll. This could be the abs module or the calipers but these should be good for the life of the vehicle. No dealer has the abs module. So now I'm stuck putting myself and others in danger.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11583376April 16, 2024
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2013 Cadillac ATS. The contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V338000 (Power Train). The contact discovered that the recall was repaired, however, the failure occurred. The contact's husband was parked in the vehicle while shifting into drive, and the gear shifter became stuck in between park and drive. The contact turned the vehicle off; however, the vehicle would not restart. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with automatic transmission control shift cable detachment. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 86,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11555187November 15, 2023
POWER TRAIN
Took it in 2 weeks ago for an oil changed and they replaced a camshaft solenoid saying that was causing my issues. I had to take it back yesterday and now they're telling me it's a torque converter or a transmission and it's going to cost me $3,500. After reviewing I think have GM has a lot of issues with this component . GM was aware of the situation and never fixed it. As I read through the technical Bulletin due to the cost so they have the consumers pick up the cost.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11551989October 26, 2023
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Greetings! I hope this message finds you in great health and spirits. I am experiencing an issue with the transmission linkage cable on my 2013 Cadillac ATS Luxury. There was a product safety recall issued in 2014 - recall bulletin 14179A. I purchased this vehicle in January 2015. I took it to a local Cadillac dealership and they found that I need a new cable. They stated the issue was repaired in 2014, before I owned the vehicle, and they have refused to fix the issue at no cost to me. If the cable was replaced with the same part that has deemed defective and the recall does not expire, this should be resolved at the manufacturer's expense.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11547616October 1, 2023
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Adaptive forward lighting malfunctions. Lights point upward sometimes while driving and will not change. It blinds on coming vehicles.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11545227September 18, 2023
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2013 Cadillac ATS. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle and attempting to shift into drive, the vehicle failed to shift out of park. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related it to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V338000 (Power Train), and the VIN was included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was repaired under the recall by the previous owner of the vehicle. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 150,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11538026August 11, 2023
POWER TRAIN
Second time shifter cable failed. Thankfully I was in park and not driving. I had it replaced in 2021 and now 2023 it did the same thing.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11535202July 29, 2023
SEATS
I was in a minor rear end accident. I was the victim. My driver seat felt like it came off the hinges causing me to hit my face and chest on the steering wheel.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0

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