2021 Cadillac CT5
The Verdict
Worst problem area
Electrical
Electrical leads by volume: 8 of 23 complaints (35%) mention it. Complaints mentioning Airbags & Restraints include more reported injuries (2) than those mentioning any other identified area.
Complaints filed fell from 38 in 2020 to 23 in 2021.
Data last changed . Sources: NHTSA complaints and recalls, EPA fuel economy data. Methodology
Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History
| Category | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | vs. 2021 Midsize Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fuel cost ($) | 3,000–3,900 | 3,000–3,700 | 2,850–5,150 | 2,850–5,150 | |
| Combined MPG | 20–26 | 21–26 | 15–27 | 15–27 | |
| City / Highway MPG | 17–23 / 25–32 | 18–23 / 26–32 | 13–23 / 21–33 | 13–23 / 21–33 | |
| CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi) | 337–442 | 337–423 | 333–573 | 333–592 | |
| Complaints filed | 38 | 23 | 10 | 12 | |
| Recalls issued | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | |
| Crash-involved complaints | 2 | 3 | 0 | 3 | |
| Fire-involved complaints | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Injuries reported | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | |
| Deaths reported | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Configurations compared | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 |
Not compared: this database has no vehicle sales or registration figures, so a raw count mostly reflects how many were sold, not how safe the vehicle is.
Common questions
How many recalls does the 2021 Cadillac CT5 have?
4 NHTSA recall campaigns as of Sep 16, 2026. Check your VIN with NHTSA to see whether one applies to your car.
What is the most common complaint about the 2021 Cadillac CT5?
Electrical: 8 of 23 NHTSA complaints (35%) mention it.
What gas mileage does the 2021 Cadillac CT5 get?
EPA rates it 21–26 MPG combined across 6 configurations.
How much does it cost to fuel a 2021 Cadillac CT5?
EPA estimates $3,000–$3,700 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.
Similar Vehicles
EPA-Rated Configurations (6)
| Configuration | Transmission | Cylinders | Displacement | Drivetrain | Fuel Type | Vehicle Class | City | Highway | Combined | Annual Fuel Cost | CO₂ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration 1 | Automatic (S10) | 6 | 3.0L | Rear-Wheel Drive | Premium | Midsize Cars | 19 mpg | 28 mpg | 22 mpg | $3,500 | 404 g/mi |
| Configuration 2 | Automatic (S10) | 6 | 3.0L | Rear-Wheel Drive | Premium | Midsize Cars | 18 mpg (low) | 27 mpg | 21 mpg (low) | $3,700 (high) | 423 g/mi (high) |
| Configuration 3 | Automatic (S10) | 6 | 3.0L | All-Wheel Drive | Premium | Midsize Cars | 18 mpg (low) | 26 mpg (low) | 21 mpg (low) | $3,700 (high) | 419 g/mi |
| Configuration 4 | Automatic (S10) | 6 | 3.0L | All-Wheel Drive | Premium | Midsize Cars | 18 mpg (low) | 26 mpg (low) | 21 mpg (low) | $3,700 (high) | 419 g/mi |
| Configuration 5 | Automatic (S10) | 4 | 2.0L | Rear-Wheel Drive | Premium | Midsize Cars | 23 mpg (high) | 32 mpg (high) | 26 mpg (high) | $3,000 (low) | 337 g/mi (low) |
| Configuration 6 | Automatic (S10) | 4 | 2.0L | All-Wheel Drive | Premium | Midsize Cars | 21 mpg | 31 mpg | 25 mpg | $3,100 | 389 g/mi |
Complaints by Category
| Category | Complaints | Crash-Involved | Fire-Involved | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Transmission & Drivetrain | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brakes | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension, Wheels & Tires | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Airbags & Restraints | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Driver Assistance & Speed Control | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Body, Seats & Latches | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility & Lighting | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.
Recalls (4)
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION · Campaign 25V148000 · Mar 6, 2025
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.
Consequence: Wheel lock-up while driving increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N242480630.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:LIGHTING CONTROL MODULE:SOFTWARE · Campaign 22V903000 · Dec 8, 2022
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 when the headlights are on. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Consequence: DRLs that do not deactivate as intended may result in a glare, reducing visibility, and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N222386380. This recall expands previous recall number 22V-827.
AIR BAGS; AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN · Campaign 21V611000 · Aug 5, 2021
Defect: General Motors, LLC. (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Cadillac CT4 and CT5 vehicles. The roof rail side-curtain air bags may not have been installed correctly, which could result in an improper air bag deployment during a crash.
Consequence: Air bags that do not deploy properly can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect both left and right-side roof rail air bags and reinstall the air bags, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on August 30, 2021. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N212342780.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE; AIR BAGS:SRS MALFUNCTION WARNING LAMP/LIGHT · Campaign 21V421000 · Jun 4, 2021
Defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Buick Envision, Cadillac CT4, CT5, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Corvette, Suburban, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL vehicles. The communications gateway module incorrectly processes a loss of communication with the sensing diagnostic module (SDM), causing the air bag malfunction indicator light to inconsistently illuminate.
Consequence: The air bag malfunction indicator light may fail to warn the driver of a problem with the air bag, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: The communications gateway module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 1, 2021. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212338110.