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Which Years of Used Cadillac CT5s Are Most Reliable?

in Reliability
Cadillac CT5 driving on a road

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The Cadillac CT5 is a part of the Cadillac CTS run. Over about 20 years, the vehicle has undergone numerous iterations and evolutions in terms of its aesthetic, design, and safety features. It’s a popular luxury sedan equipped with a powerful engine and consumer-friendly, comfort-boosting features. If you’re in the market for a used Cadillac CT5, you’ll want to know what is the most reliable Cadillac CT5 year.

Because the Cadillac CT5 has varied so much over the years, that can be a difficult question to answer. Let’s take a closer look at the years of used Cadillac CT5s and go over which of them are the most and least reliable.


THE CADILLAC CT5 YEARS TO AVOID

Although the years out so far are all decent, a few stand out as the worst. Read on to learn more about the Cadillac CT5 years to avoid, the worst year available, and other critical information you should know.


Most Reliable Years for the Cadillac CT5

Generally, the Cadillac CT5 has become a slightly more reliable vehicle as time has gone on. Therefore, the most reliable Cadillac CT5 years include:

  • 2010 Cadillac CT5
  • 2011 Cadillac CT5
  • 2015 Cadillac CT5
  • 2016 Cadillac CT5
  • 2017 Cadillac CT5
  • 2018 Cadillac CT5
  • 2019 Cadillac CT5

In these model years, the Cadillac CT5 did not have as many product recalls because of electrical or design errors. Furthermore, Cadillac built upon its lessons learned from previous generations and had a pair of good “streaks” between 2010 and 2011 and between 2015 and 2019 when the Cadillac CT5 was seen as a more reliable, fun vehicle to own without unexpected maintenance hiccups.


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Are Cadillac CT5s Generally Reliable?

With approximately two decades of manufacturing experience to draw from, you might think that a Cadillac CT5 is automatically a reliable car. That’s not necessarily the case, however.

According to getjerry.com, both the Cadillac CT4 and CT5 are known to have poor reliability. The Cadillac CT5 specifically has a reliability score of two out of five, partially because it has been impacted by two different recorders related to airbags and electrical systems.

Meanwhile, gmauthority.com says that the Cadillac CT5 is not a reliable vehicle, and offers a recommendation against it compared to rival European cars. It has a high road test rating, but a low owner satisfaction and predictive reliability rating.

Which Cadillac CT5s Are the Least Reliable?

While any Cadillac CT5 is not the most reliable used car you can purchase, some years are more prone to have mechanical issues than others. The least reliable years of Cadillac CT5 include:

  • 2006 Cadillac CT5
  • 2007 Cadillac CT5
  • 2008 Cadillac CT5
  • 2009 Cadillac CT5
  • 2014 Cadillac CT5

Many of these model years are plagued by recall issues, issues with the transmission, and other expensive fixes. For example, the 2008 Cadillac CT5 had problems with a steering wheel position sensor, which caused the serviceability message to activate, triggering the brakes or cruise control. Stay away from these model years if you wish to purchase a used Cadillac CT5.

Are Cadillac CT5s Expensive to Maintain?

When you buy a used Cadillac CT5, you don’t just pay the purchase price. You’ll also need to take maintenance costs into account.

According to caredge.com, a used Cadillac CT5 will cost about $9221 for maintenance and repairs over the first 10 years of service. That’s around $900 per year. In aggregate, that’s better than the industry average for luxury sedans by $2740. But there’s also a 27.02% chance that a Cadillac CT5 will need a major repair during that decade.

Depending on the exact model you choose to purchase, your used Cadillac CT5 may have repair and maintenance issues like faulty engine control models, seized engines, and much more.


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Which Cadillac CT5 is Most Reliable?

Even though there’s the chance of maintenance issues with a Cadillac CT5, some model years have better reliability ratings than others. If you really want to sit in the driver’s seat of this luxury vehicle, you’ll want to stick with one of the most reliable Cadillac CT5 years according to motorbiscuit.com, including:

  • 2010 Cadillac CT5
  • 2011 Cadillac CT5

Both of these variations of the Cadillac CT5 had the fewest complaints and recall issues. In fact, both of these model years began a streak of better reviews and better performance with the Cadillac CT5 until they were replaced by the 2015 Cadillac CT5. If you want a more modern Cadillac CT5, the 2019 Cadillac CT5 is also known to be quite reliable and desirable in a preowned marketplace. It’s the most reliable Cadillac CT5 year overall.

What Are the Most Common Cadillac CT5 Problems?

Maintenance time and costs can quickly eat into your budget as a used car owner. Given the Cadillac CT5’s spotty history, it’s no surprise that there are several problems in mechanical issues you should keep an eye out for.

According to carhp.com, the most common Cadillac CT5 problems include:

  • Misfires, no-starts, and extended cranking from the engine
  • Electronic stability problems
  • Airbag issues
  • Structural build weaknesses
  • Airbag indicator malfunctions that don’t warn you about a problem with your airbags

The last issue was supposedly handled by a recall in 2022. However, it’s still possible that Cadillac CT5 models from this year and earlier may have the same problem.


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Is the Cadillac CT5 Worth It?

Even though the Cadillac CT5 does have some reliable years, such as 2010 to 2011 and 2015 to 2019, we can’t recommend the Cadillac CT5 as a reliable consumer-friendly vehicle. This luxury-focused sedan has its excellent points, including a well-designed interior, but there are too many opportunities for things to go wrong for it to be a good choice as a used car.

Furthermore, the Cadillac CT5 has seen many recall orders over its 20-year lifespan. Because of this, there’s always the chance you could purchase a used Cadillac CT5 that should have been recalled, but was not, putting your life in jeopardy.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, the Cadillac CT5 is not the best used vehicle to target if you are looking for something reliable and consistent. Maintenance problems, potential recall issues, and other downsides make the Cadillac CT5 a luxury vehicle, not an automobile you can expect to perform flawlessly.

Hopefully, this guide has been helpful and now you know which years to target if you decide to purchase a used Cadillac CT5.



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