Head-to-head reliability
Cadillac CTS vs FORD F 150
How the Cadillac CTS 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 CTS averages fewer NHTSA complaints per year. Cadillac CTS has 517 complaints and 26 recalls on record; FORD F 150 has 11,102 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 CTS | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 517 Better | 11,102 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 26 Better | 144 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 35 Better | 319 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 51.7 Better | 1110.2 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 28 Better | 287 |
| 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 CTS
- 01POWER TRAIN169
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM90
- 03STEERING54
- 04AIR BAGS52
- 05UNKNOWN OR OTHER50
“MY 2013 CTS HAS HAD A NUMBER OF PRIOR ISSUES BUT AT THIS TIME, I STARTED THE CAR, GOT INTO TRAFFIC AND THE VEHICLE JUST STOPPED RUNNING. IT EVERYTHING QUIT. I HAD NO POWER TO STEERING, BRAKES, LIGHTS. I COASTED PARTWAY INTO A PARKING SPACE I=ON THE SIDE OF TH…”
“AT 27K MILES OUR 2013 CTS PREMIUM MODEL DEVELOPED A UNIQUE NATURAL CHARACTERISTIC, THE FRONT WHEELS BIND WHEN TURNING. THIS NATURAL CHARACTERISTIC IS LABELED AS (STICK/ SLIP) WHEN MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN OUT ONTO A BUSY ROAD I WAS ALMOST BROADSIDED BY AN ONC…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,492
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,052
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,380
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,150
- 05ENGINE828
“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…”
“The vehicle experienced intermittent transmission-related drivability issues before the recall remedy was available. The vehicle had delayed/hard shifting, an intermittent wrench warning light, and a reduced power/limp mode condition where the transmission wo…”
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 CTS — 26 recalls
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Cadillac CTS, and 2017 Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Camaro, and Chevrolet Corvette vehicles. The electric power steering (EPS) assist system may fail.
The risk: Loss of power steering assist would require a higher steering effort, especially at lower speeds, which may increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the power steering gear assembly, free of charge. The recall began June 13, 2019. GM' number for this recall is N182182760.
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Cadillac CTS, and 2017 Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Camaro, and Chevrolet Corvette vehicles. The electric power steering (EPS) assist system may fail.
The risk: Loss of power steering assist would require a higher steering effort, especially at lower speeds, which may increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the power steering gear assembly, free of charge. The recall began June 13, 2019. GM' number for this recall is N182182760.
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Cadillac CTS, and 2017 Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Camaro, and Chevrolet Corvette vehicles. The electric power steering (EPS) assist system may fail.
The risk: Loss of power steering assist would require a higher steering effort, especially at lower speeds, which may increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the power steering gear assembly, free of charge. The recall began June 13, 2019. GM' number for this recall is N182182760.
The defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Cadillac CTS vehicles, equipped with heated front seats. The flexible heating mats in the front seats may be damaged over time, resulting in the seat heaters producing excessive heat.
The risk: In cold ambient temperatures, the seat heaters in these vehicles can turn on automatically when the vehicle is remotely started. If a damaged seat heater is turned on while no one is inside the vehicle, the damaged seat heater can overheat…
The fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will recalibrate the body control module, disabling the automatic activation of the heated seat when the vehicle is remotely started, free of charge. The recall began November 1, 2018. Owners may contact…
FORD F 150 — 144 recalls
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 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 and previously remedied under recall 18V894. During the previous repair, the block he…
The risk: A damaged cable could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring, increasing the risk of a fire.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will disable the engine block heater from being used. When replacement cables become available, a second notice will be mailed and dealers will replace the engine block heater cord, free of charge. The…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Ford F-150 Regular Cab and SuperCrew Cab vehicles. If a front seat belt pretensioner deploys as the result of a crash, the sparks may ignite materials such as carpeting or insulation within the B-pillar area.
The risk: A vehicle fire could result if materials ignite inside the vehicle.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will remove the B-pillar insulation material and wiring harness tape, and install heat resistant tape, free of charge. The recall began September 28, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Ford F-150, and 2017 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty trucks. The doors on these vehicles may have a bent or kinked actuation cable or the door latches may freeze after water gets into the latch. Either condition can result in the do…
The risk: A door that opens while driving can increase the risk of injury.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the door latch actuation cables and repair if necessary, and install water shields over the door latches, free of charge. The recall began October 12, 2018. Owners may contact Ford customer…
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 CTS | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 10 | 31 |
| 2018 | 8 | 38 |
| 2017 | 27 | 27 |
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 CTS or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Cadillac CTS vs FORD F 150
- Cadillac CTS total complaints
- 517
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,102
- Cadillac CTS total recalls
- 26
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 144
- Cadillac CTS avg complaints/year
- 51.7
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1110.2
- More reliable overall
- Cadillac CTS
- Cadillac CTS top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN