Head-to-head reliability
Cadillac CT6 vs FORD F 150
How the Cadillac CT6 and FORD F 150 compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
Cadillac CT6 averages fewer NHTSA complaints per year. Cadillac CT6 has 76 complaints and 13 recalls on record; FORD F 150 has 11,157 complaints and 144 recalls. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Cadillac CT6 | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 76 Better | 11,157 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 13 Better | 144 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 5 Better | 324 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 15.2 Better | 1115.7 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 2 Better | 287 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 1 | 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 CT6
- 01POWER TRAIN46
- 02ENGINE8
- 03SERVICE BRAKES8
- 04ELECTRICAL SYSTEM7
- 05FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE5
“I am experiencing recurring transmission and drivability issues with my 2016 Cadillac CT6. 1.Rough Shifting: When shifting from park to reverse, the transmission shifts roughly, causing a noticeable jolt throughout the vehicle. 2.Fluid Leakage: I have observe…”
“I HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH MY VEHICLE THAT INVOLVES HARD SHIFTING AT TIMES AND ALSO, THE VEHICLE SOMETIMES WILL LURCH QUITE ABRUPTLY. IT ACTUALLY FEELS AS IF THE VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP ON 4 OCCASIONS AND THEY WERE ONLY…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,503
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,058
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,383
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,150
- 05ENGINE829
“I started noticing hard and delayed shifts from 7th into 8th gear. My RPM's were not increasing when this happened, and then on a very crowded major road I lost all power, vehicle shut off and drifted, then started up and jerked again very hard. This failure…”
“I am filing a safety complaint regarding the transmission in my 2019 Ford F-150 equipped with the 5.0L V8 and 10-speed automatic transmission. My vehicle currently has approximately 88,000 miles. The transmission began experiencing abnormal shifting, includin…”
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 CT6 — 13 recalls
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Cadillac CT6 vehicles. The inboard child seat anchorage bars may have had excess structural adhesive applied during assembly, which can interfere with the installation of a child seat. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirement…
The risk: If the child seat cannot be attached correctly to the anchorage bar, there is an increased the risk of injury.
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, remove any excess adhesive, and apply anti-corrosion primer to the inboard child seat anchorage bars, free of charge. The recall began August 3, 2018. Owners may contact Cadillac customer se…
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Cadillac CT6 vehicles manufactured July 21, 2016, to July 22, 2016. The bolt that connects the front passenger seat belt webbing to the seat's anchor plate may be missing. Without the bolt, the seat belt webbing may detach from the seat a…
The risk: If the seat belt webbing detaches from the seat anchor, the seat belt may not properly restrain the front seat passenger in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the existing front passenger seat belt webbing anchor bolt, or install a bolt if it is missing, free of charge. The recall began on September 24, 2016. Owners may contact Cadillac customer se…
The defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Cadillac CT6 vehicles. The Park/Position lights may be excessively bright. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
The risk: The excessive brightness may affect the vision of other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will install right and left side in-line headlight jumper harnesses, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 3, 2021. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this reca…
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Cadillac CT6 vehicles. The inboard child seat anchorage bars may have had excess structural adhesive applied during assembly, which can interfere with the installation of a child seat. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirement…
The risk: If the child seat cannot be attached correctly to the anchorage bar, there is an increased the risk of injury.
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, remove any excess adhesive, and apply anti-corrosion primer to the inboard child seat anchorage bars, free of charge. The recall began August 3, 2018. Owners may contact Cadillac customer se…
FORD F 150 — 144 recalls
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 trucks equipped with high series LED headlamps with Autolamp (On/Off) functionality. The Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) may remain activated instead of dimming to parking lamps when the Master Lighting Switch (MLS) is manually rotated from…
The risk: DRL that cannot dim may reduce the visibility of other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the body control module, free of charge. The recall began March 10, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20C03.
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019-2020 F-150 vehicles. The fastener securing the Power Distribution Box (PDB) 12V cable and Battery Monitoring System (BMS) eyelets to the positive battery terminal may loosen and affect the vehicle's systems such as instrument panel displays and br…
The risk: Inoperative vehicle systems or an engine stall can increase the risk of a crash. Reduced braking and steering efforts increases the risk of a crash. This condition could also create a resistive short, increasing the risk of a fire.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the positive battery cable/BMS/PDB joint for excess sealant adhesive and remove any excessive adhesive, reassemble the joint, and retorque the fastener, as necessary, free of charge. The re…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Ford F-150 and 2017-2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty, F-350 Super Duty, F-450 Super Duty, and F-550 Super Duty pick-up trucks equipped with an engine block heater. Water and contaminants may get into the block heater cable's splice connector causin…
The risk: When the heater is plugged in, prolonged corrosion could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring which can increase the risk of a fire.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will disable the block heater cable, free of charge. Once parts are available, Dealers will replace the engine block heater cable, free of charge. The recall began June 3, 2019. Owners may contact Ford…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 and 2019-2020 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty pickup trucks, and 2018-2019 Ford Explorer, 2019-2020 Expedition, and 2020 Escape vehicles equipped with driver and/or passenger's manual front seat back recliner mechanisms. Also…
The risk: A seat back with an improperly assembled recliner mechanism may have reduced strength and may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and Ford and Lincoln dealers will inspect the seat structure and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 21, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's num…
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 CT6 | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 11 | 27 |
| 2019 | 16 | 32 |
| 2018 | 12 | 42 |
| 2017 | 26 | 31 |
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 CT6 or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Cadillac CT6 vs FORD F 150
- Cadillac CT6 total complaints
- 76
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,157
- Cadillac CT6 total recalls
- 13
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 144
- Cadillac CT6 avg complaints/year
- 15.2
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1115.7
- More reliable overall
- Cadillac CT6
- Cadillac CT6 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN