There are 12 owner-reported body & structure complaints for the 2003 Cadillac CTSin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME UNDERNEATH THE FRONT DRIVER SEAT WAS RUSTED OUT, CAUSING HOLES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE AND THAT THERE WAS NO REMEDY AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRUNK LATCH FELL ON HER HEAD WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REMOVE SOMETHING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TRUNK WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED.THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 110,000.
MY CAR HAS BEEN GARAGED KEPT FOR 13 YEARS, ONLY CAME OUT IN THE SUMMER AND WEEKENDS. THE LAST 2 YEARS I HAVE BEEN USING IT AS A DAILY DRIVER.. IN 2012 MY MECHANIC NOTICED A LOT OF CORROSION ON MY CHASIS RAILS, I NOTIFIED CADILLAC, THEY SENT ME TO THE DEALER TO INSPECT MY COMPLAINT AND OFFERED ME 3,000 OFF A NEW VEHICLE. 2 WEEKS AGO I WENT FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND MY MECHANIC NOTICED HOW WORSE THE GOT. I CALLED CADILLAC AND THEY TOLD ME THE CORROSION WARRANTY WAS OVER. MY CADILLAC ONLY HAS 113,000 MILES, NOW THAT I NOTICED HOW BAD THEY GOT I WILL NOT PUT MY FAMILY IN THE CAR.
WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK I HEARD A SLIGHT CRASH NOISE, LOOKED IN MY REAR VIEW MIRROR TO SEE THE BEZEL PIECE FLEW OFF MY CAR AND ATTACHED WERE THE BACK UP LIGHTS. THE PIECE SHATTERED AND WAS IRREPLACEABLE. UPON RESEARCH IN CADILLAC BLOGS I READ THAT THIS WAS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH 03-05 CTS CARS DUE TO GM USING A CHEAP GLUE TO HOLD THE PIECE ON. CADILLAC ONLY AGREED TO REPLACE THE PART IF THE CAR WAS STILL COVERED UNDER THEIR FACTORY WARRANTY, BUT I AM NOT. FURTHER RESEARCH SHOWED THAT THEY DON'T EVEN OFFER ATHE SAME REPLACEMENT PIECE, NOW A NEW PART ONLY AVAILABLE IN AN ASSEMBLY KIT RANGING BETWEEN 4-500 DOLLARS. I FIND IT UNETHICAL TO SELL A LUXURY CAR, AND BUILD IT WITH CHEAP PLASTIC PIECES THAT SIMPLY FALL OFF DUE TO CHEAP ADHESIVE, AND CAUSE DANGER TO DRIVERS BEHIND ME. THE FACT THAT THE PART WAS DISCONTINUED ONLY PROVES THAT CADILLAC ACKNOWLEDGES THE PIECE WAS CHEAPLY CONSTRUCTED, AND SHOULD OFFER REPLACEMENTS TO ALL EARLY CTS MODELS. WHEN ASSEMBLING AUTOMOBILE ONLY QUALITY PARTS SHOULD BE USED, NOT CHEAP PLASTIC WITH FAULTY GLUE, I FEEL THIS WARRANTS A RECALL, BUT ONE WASN'T ISSUED. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR TAG PANEL DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE, AS A RESULT WATER SIP IN AND DAMAGE THE WIRING OF THE BRAKE LAMPS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE ADHESIVE THAT WAS USED TO HOLD THE PANEL WAS DEFECTIVE AS A RESULT IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE AND REFERRED HER TO NHTSA. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 95,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT WAS STRUCK IN THE HEAD IN BOTH JULY AND OCTOBER OF 2007 BY THE TRUNK LID COMING DOWN. SHE WAS STRUCK ON THE HEAD AND BACK AND WAS SORE, BUT DID NOT NEED TO SEE A DOCTOR. SHE SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE VEHICLE TO BE INSPECTED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 7,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,000. UPDATED 12/12/2007 *BF UPDATED 12/12/07
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CADILLAC CTS. ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, THE TRUNK WOULD SLAM DOWN ON ITS OWN. THE TRUNK SLAMMED DOWN ON THE CONTACT'S HEAD AND BACK ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. SHE ALSO STATED THAT THE TRUNK WAS DIFFICULT TO LIFT. THE DEALER INFORMED HER THAT THE FAILURE WAS COMMON AMONG THAT YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD REPLACE THE COMPONENT, BUT THE CONTACT HAD TO PAY THE LABOR FEES. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 41,990 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000. UPDATED 3/4/08 *CN THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE LIFT SUPPORTS WERE DEFECTIVE. UPDATED
TRUNK LID IS EXTREMELY HEAVY. MY WIFE HAS TROUBLE JUST OPENING IT. *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE OPENING THE TRUNK LID, THE HINGES THAT HOLD THE TRUNK LID OPEN FAILED. AS A RESULT, THE TRUNK LID WOULD NOT STAY OPEN. THE DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED AND NEW HINGES WERE ORDERED.
CADILLAC CTS 2003 REPLACED CAR SIDE PANEL. *BF THE CONSUMER NOTICED THERE WAS A FOAM INSULATION ABSORBENT MATERIAL INJECTED IN THE ROCKER WITHIN THE INNER AND OUTER PAN. THE CONSUMER STATE THE MATERIAL USED WAS FOUND TO HIGHLY FLAMMABLE. *JB
DASHBOARD WENT OUT INTERMITTENTLY. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND REPAIRS WERE MADE. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM KEPT COMING BACK. ON ONE OCCASION THE CONSUMER HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED FOR UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION. *AK DASHBOARD PROBLEMS AND VEHICLE HAS DIED 3 TIMES. ENCLOSED HERE WITH THE CUSTOMER CLAIM FORM FOR DETAILS AND THE TOWED TRUCK REPORT AND SERVICE DOCUMENTS FROM CAR DEALER. *BF
DESIGN PROBLEM WITH INSTRUMENT PANEL, GAUGES ARE HARD TO SEE. *MR THE INSTRUMENT PANEL IS BLACK, AND ON A BRIGHT CLEAR DAY IT WOULD BECOME DIFFICULT TO SEE THE SPEEDOMETER, ODOMETER, AND THE GAS GAUGE. THE PROBLEM WAS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS WHEN DRIVEN ON SUPER HIGHWAYS, ATTEMPTING TO SET THE CRUISE CONTROL, MONITOR SPEED WHEN THE SPEED HAS CHANGED GOING THROUGH DIFFERENT SPEED ZONES. *SCC *JB
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026