repaired · 2016 Q4
Delivery: fuel pump
Risk. If the flange melts, a hole may be created allowing the fuel pump to leak fuel, causing the vehicle to stall, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
2006 Cadillac CTSProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 269 owner complaints about the 2006 Cadillac CTS, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 6 safety recalls, and for recall 14V-542 the manufacturer reports only 51% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through June 1, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Vauxford, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2006 Cadillac CTS has problems
269 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
87Air bags12 crash/fire/injury
45Power train2 crash/fire/injury
43Electrical system3 crash/fire/injury
40Service brakes5 crash/fire/injury
28Engine1 crash/fire/injury
14Service brakes, hydraulic
10Vehicle speed control
10Suspension
9Engine and engine cooling
6121 other systems6 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 87 | 12 |
| Power train | 45 | 2 |
| Electrical system | 43 | 3 |
| Service brakes | 40 | 5 |
| Engine | 28 | 1 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 14 | 3 |
| Vehicle speed control | 10 | 4 |
| Suspension | 10 | 1 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 9 | 0 |
| 21 other systems | 61 | 6 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
6 recalls
2006 Cadillac CTS recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2016 Q2
Electrical system: ignition
Risk. If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
no report yet
Frontal: sensor/control module-inactive
Risk. NON-DEPLOYMENT OF THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH NECESSITATING THAT AIR BAG'S DEPLOYMENT MAY REDUCE PROTECTION OF THE PASSENGER AND…
no report yet
Foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Risk. THE BRAKE HOSE-TUBE INTERFACE MAY RUPTURE SUDDENLY WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING AND INCREASE VEHICLE STOPPING DISTANCE MAY OCCUR INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Show 2 more recalls
no report yet
Axle shaft: seal
Risk. A REAR DIFFERENTIAL FAILURE MAY CAUSE LOSS OF MOTIVE POWER AND POSSIBLY LOSS OF CONTROL INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
no report yet
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery
Risk. IF THE ENGINE STOPS RUNNING, THE OPERATOR WILL NOT BE ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE WHICH COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Cadillac.
Mileage at failure
When do air bags problems start?
64kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 75 air bags complaints. 75% were reported before 100,000 miles.
9under 30k miles56under 100k miles19100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Air bags
8 owners mentioned a cost$777median
Middle half: $618 – $830
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2006 vs. every other CTS year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the CTS median. How we score
'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2006 Cadillac CTS safety ratings
2006 Cadillac CTS 4-DR. w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Stability control: Optional
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
3 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2006 Cadillac CTS, and the recalls they led to.
- REAR DRIVETRAIN COMPONENT FAILURENo recall
- IEE Passenger Sensing System MatsNo recall
- FAILURE OF THE REAR DIFFERENTIALLed to recall 07V-589
In owners' words
What CTS owners report
Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The air bad light on passenger side and on the review mirror it passenger airbag bag off that a safety issue it won’t work if in a accident need to be recalled
Well I am uncertain but we have two 2006 Cadillac cts and both have had multiple transmissions replaced. Multiple differential problems and air bag and wireing problems
Service airbag light on dash is on. No one ever sits in the passenger front seat. The rear view mirror indicates that the passenger seat airbag is off. I dont know how to turn it on just to see if the RVM will indicate an on position. I took the car in for a diagnosis and it it indicated that the…
Own a 2006 CTS?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.