Head-to-head reliability
Cadillac CT4 vs Toyota Camry
How the Cadillac CT4 and Toyota Camry compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
Cadillac CT4 vs Toyota Camry: The CT4 has 35 complaints over 7 years (5/year) and 11 recalls, while the Camry has 2,056 complaints over 10 years (206/year) and 31 recalls. CT4 issues include sudden power loss and brake failure; Camry issues include key stuck and hesitation. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Cadillac CT4 or Toyota Camry more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Cadillac CT4
The Cadillac CT4 is a compact luxury sedan with a relatively low complaint volume—35 over seven years, or about 5 per year. Owners most often report engine and electrical problems, including sudden loss of power and dashboard warnings. Brake and power train complaints also appear, with some describing hard shifting or reduced braking. Overall, the data suggests a car that can leave you stranded or with diminished control if these issues arise.
Toyota Camry
The Toyota Camry is a mainstream midsize sedan with a much higher complaint count—2,056 over ten years, averaging about 206 per year. Power train, engine, and brake issues are common, with reports of hesitation, shuddering, and brake noise. Electrical and unknown problems also appear, sometimes involving multiple systems at once. The volume of complaints is large, but it reflects the Camry's huge sales numbers.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Cadillac CT4 | Toyota Camry |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 35 Better | 2,056 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 11 Better | 31 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 2 Better | 171 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 5.0 Better | 205.6 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 1 Better | 158 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 1 |
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall records.
What actually goes wrong
The problems owners report
The most-complained-about systems on each vehicle — what fails, and what owners say in their own words.
Cadillac CT4
- 01ENGINE10
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM7
- 03SERVICE BRAKES7
- 04POWER TRAIN6
- 05STEERING6
Owners report sudden loss of propulsion at highway speeds, with the transmission dropping out of gear or the engine losing power without warning. This can leave you unable to accelerate in traffic, a serious safety concern.
Multiple dashboard warning lamps may illuminate at once, sometimes accompanied by a brake-assist warning and reduced braking response. This can happen while driving, making it hard to know if the car is safe to continue.
Some drivers experience a sudden loss of brake pressure—the pedal goes to the floor—along with all dashboard lights coming on. They had to coast to a stop, which is frightening in traffic.
Complaints include sudden downshifts at highway speed with engine revving, and hesitation or hard shifting. One owner cited a known issue where the transmission control valve may stick or wear, causing jerking.
“While driving at highway speeds on the freeway in my 2021 Cadillac CT4-V, the vehicle experienced a sudden, catastrophic loss of propulsion. Without warning, the transmission dropped out of gear as if it were in neutral. I completely lost the ability to accel…”
“The contact owns a 2022 Cadillac CT4. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60-65 MPH, the power steering and power brakes failed to operate as needed. The check engine and the crash warning lights were illuminated. The contact coasted to the si…”
Toyota Camry
- 01POWER TRAIN385
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER323
- 03ENGINE315
- 04SERVICE BRAKES285
- 05ELECTRICAL SYSTEM237
Owners report the ignition key getting stuck and unable to be removed even when the car is in Park, requiring a battery disconnect. Others describe hesitation and shuddering while driving, with the check engine light on.
A delayed throttle response is a common complaint—pressing the gas pedal results in a several-second delay before the car moves. This can be dangerous when merging or pulling out.
The electronic parking brake may fail to disengage, requiring a tow. Also, a clicking or vibrating sound from the brake pedal area is reported, which dealers attribute to the ABS system but owners find abnormal.
Multiple systems can malfunction at once, including stability control, power steering, blind spot monitoring, and lane keeping. This can happen while driving, leaving the driver with reduced assistance and warning lights.
“My 2023 Toyota Camry has developed an intermittent defect where the ignition key becomes stuck and cannot be removed even though the dashboard shows the vehicle is in Park. The only way to remove the key is to disconnect the vehicle's battery, which is not a…”
“The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was hesitating and shuddering, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle…”
Official recalls
Safety recalls on record
Federal recall campaigns — the defect, the risk, and the fix. Confirm any open recall was completed before you buy.
Cadillac CT4 — 11 recalls
The defect: 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.
The risk: Wheel lock-up while driving increases the risk of a crash.
The 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 1-8…
The defect: 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.
The risk: Wheel lock-up while driving increases the risk of a crash.
The 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 1-8…
The defect: 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 wh…
The risk: DRLs that do not deactivate as intended may result in a glare, reducing visibility, and increasing the risk of a crash.
The 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, Chev…
The defect: 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 wh…
The risk: DRLs that do not deactivate as intended may result in a glare, reducing visibility, and increasing the risk of a crash.
The 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, Chev…
Toyota Camry — 31 recalls
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023 Camry and Camry Hybrid vehicles. The lug nuts that attach the wheels to the vehicle may be loose, which can result in wheel detachment.
The risk: A wheel that detaches from a moving vehicle can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Dealers will inspect and tighten the lug nuts, and replace any damaged components, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Camry and Camry Hybrid vehicles. The second-row center and right-side seats may have insufficiently welded head restraint brackets. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle…
The risk: A head restraint bracket that is insufficiently welded may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the 60% rear seat-back frame sub-assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 19, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 24TB0…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short cir…
The risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Camry and Camry Hybrid vehicles. The second-row center and right-side seats may have insufficiently welded head restraint brackets. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle…
The risk: A head restraint bracket that is insufficiently welded may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the 60% rear seat-back frame sub-assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 19, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 24TB0…
Buyer analysis
Cadillac CT4 or Toyota Camry: which should you buy?
The Cadillac CT4 has far fewer complaints per year (about 5) than the Toyota Camry (about 206), but the Camry's higher count is partly due to much higher sales. In practice, the CT4's issues tend to be severe—sudden power loss or brake failure—while the Camry's are more varied but often less immediately dangerous. Neither is problem-free, but the CT4's lower volume doesn't guarantee fewer problems per car.
Key differences
- The Cadillac CT4 has 35 complaints over 7 years, while the Toyota Camry has 2,056 over 10 years—but the Camry sells in far higher numbers.
- Cadillac CT4 owners report sudden loss of propulsion and brake failure, which can be life-threatening; Camry owners report key stuck, hesitation, and brake noise, which are annoying but rarely catastrophic.
- The CT4 has 11 recalls, including power train and lighting software; the Camry has 31 recalls, covering wheels, seats, and air bag sensors.
- Crash-related complaints: 2 for the CT4, 171 for the Camry; injuries: 1 for the CT4, 158 for the Camry; deaths: 0 for the CT4, 1 for the Camry.
- During a test drive, accelerate hard onto a highway and listen for sudden downshifts or loss of power—this matches reports of transmission dropping out of gear.
- Check for any dashboard warning lights, especially brake or engine, and test the brakes at low speed for a firm pedal; some owners reported the pedal going to the floor.
- Test the ignition key removal in Park—if it sticks, that's a known complaint that may require battery disconnection.
- Listen for clicking or vibrating from the brake pedal area and test the electronic parking brake engagement and disengagement; failures have required tows.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and check for open recalls on the NHTSA website using the VIN.
- Have a pre-purchase inspection by a mechanic familiar with the specific model, focusing on transmission, brakes, and electrical systems.
- During the test drive, include highway speeds and stop-and-go traffic to feel for hesitation, hard shifting, or brake issues.
- Ask the seller for maintenance records, especially any transmission or brake repairs.
- For the Camry, verify that all recall work (especially air bag and seat sensors) has been completed.
Year by year
Which model years to avoid
Complaints per model year for both vehicles — lower is better. The spikes are the years to scrutinize.
| Year | Cadillac CT4 | Toyota Camry |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2 | 0 |
| 2025 | 2 | 163 |
| 2024 | 7 | 50 |
| 2023 | 3 | 64 |
| 2022 | 6 | 61 |
| 2021 | 7 | 157 |
| 2020 | 8 | 274 |
Check the actual car
Comparing models is smart. Checking the VIN is essential.
Brand averages tell you the trend. A VIN check tells you what's wrong with the specific Cadillac CT4 or Toyota Camry in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Cadillac CT4 vs Toyota Camry
- Cadillac CT4 total complaints
- 35
- Toyota Camry total complaints
- 2,056
- Cadillac CT4 total recalls
- 11
- Toyota Camry total recalls
- 31
- Cadillac CT4 avg complaints/year
- 5.0
- Toyota Camry avg complaints/year
- 205.6
- More reliable overall
- Cadillac CT4
- Cadillac CT4 top complaint area
- ENGINE
- Toyota Camry top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN