My husband was driving in our community, about 15 MPH. He made a right hand turn and the control arm snapped in half, the wheel broke off and the frame came crashing to the ground. We have owned the car for less than 3 weeks. Aaa towed the car to the nearest dealership. The dealership refuses to fix the car under the manufacturer's warranty claiming that the car had to have been in an…
2011 Cadillac CTS steering problems
severe 11 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $700 · see steering across all vehicles →
Complaints
11
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$700
1crash
When does it fail?
Of the 11 steering complaints filed for the 2011 Cadillac CTS, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA steering complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 12 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
Had steering trouble with your 2011 Cadillac CTS?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the steering problem on the 2011 Cadillac CTS?
It's a meaningful issue. 11 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $700.
At what mileage does the steering typically fail?
Based on the 11 complaints filed, steering issues most often appear around 51,009 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $700 for steering repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to steering?
No active recalls currently cover steering issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2011/Cadillac/CTS.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.