This preliminary informational (PI) bulletin provides information to dealership personnel that may be helpful when addressing underbody component corrosion with customers.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2013 Cadillac CTS powertrain problems
moderate Owners of the 2013 Cadillac CTS have filed 10 NHTSA complaints about the powertrain at roughly $2,500 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See powertrain across all vehicles →
Complaints
10
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$2,500
| Model year | powertrain complaints |
|---|---|
| 2009 CTS | 28 |
| 2011 CTS | 23 |
| 2012 CTS | 4 |
| 2013 CTS (this page) | 10 |
| 2014 CTS | 76 |
| 2015 CTS | 17 |
| 2016 CTS | 8 |
| 2017 CTS | 8 |
When does it fail?
Of the 10 powertrain complaints filed for the 2013 Cadillac CTS, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 50,000-75,000 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 powertrain complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 10 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering powertrain on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
This bulletin provides information on identifying Non-GM Engine Calibrations for Gasoline Engines using the Tech 2 or GDS 2.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This service bulletin provides information on the harmful effects of ethylene glycol in transmission fluid.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This informational bulletin explains Unscheduled Supplemental Services and the importance of GM Simplified Maintenance Schedules.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This bulletin provides information on Policies Applicable to All U.S. Dealers for Engine and Transmission Assembly Replacement Under Warranty, Policy or Customer Enthusiasm and information on Submission of Warranty Transaction in Global Warranty Management.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 2013 Cadillac CTS powertrain failures break into clear patterns. Transmission problems dominate: owners report inability to shift into gear, fluid leaks causing stalling at low mileage (31,000 miles), transmission replacement at 93,000 miles, and driveshaft shearing issues recurring after repair. One owner had sheared driveshaft bolts twice in two years, costing $841 the second time, with dealers unable to explain why bolts fail or guarantee it won't happen again.
Unexplained stalling shows up across multiple incidents—highway stalls at 70 mph with no codes found, complete power loss at 14,400 miles resulting in engine seizure, and battery saver mode activation followed by total shutdown on a busy highway. In that last case, the ECM was diagnosed as faulty despite a good battery and alternator; Cadillac refused to recall.
Several owners report transmission control communication loss with stability control cutting in during turns or stops, and hard shifting delays that five dealer visits couldn't fix. One owner dealt with random hesitation and hard shifts plus front-end noise and motor mount replacement without resolution. A sixth complaint involved loss of power steering and brakes during a stall event, though power brakes also failed intermittently at startup in another case.
Same Cadillac CTS powertrain reports on nearby years: 2011 · 2014 · 2015
Failure modes owners describe
Transmission Failure / Inability to Shift
Multiple owners report inability to shift into gears (reverse or drive) or difficult shifting. Some involve leaking transmission fluid; others involved seized or defective transmissions requiring replacement.
When: 31,000 miles (fluid leak); 93,000 miles (reverse failure); 2019 (driveshaft shear bolts 3 years after initial repair); 69,000 miles (differential replacement)
Symptoms owners cite: Will not go into gear; Cannot shift into reverse; Difficulty stopping; Transmission fluid leak; Vehicle stalls while driving; Delayed and hard shifts; Loss of communication to transmission control module (TCM)
Codes mentioned: P0101, P0100, U0101
Repairs/costs cited: Transmission replacement; driveshaft replacement ($841); rear differential replacement; sheared driveshaft bolts (owner suspects wrong size bolts or defective parts)
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer informed of transmission leak at 93,000 miles but stated repair would be at owner's expense; no recall confirmed for 2013 CTS transmission issues
Engine Stalling / Loss of Power
Multiple owners report sudden loss of engine power and stalling while driving at highway speeds or normal operation. One incident involved complete loss of power steering and brakes; another resulted in dealer diagnosis of engine seizure.
When: 400 miles (stall at 70 mph); 14,400 miles (complete power loss); unspecified mileage (stall during lane change under acceleration)
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle stalls without warning while driving; Engine downshift with high RPM but no power; Complete loss of engine power, power steering, and power brakes; Engine seizure; Random loss of power upon startup or light throttle
Repairs/costs cited: One owner reported engine seized at 14,400 miles; other failures could not be duplicated by dealers
Electrical System / ECM Failure
Owner experienced sudden onset of service battery charging system warning, engine light, radio cutoff, climate control loss, and complete vehicle shutdown on highway. Diagnosed as ECM (engine control module) failure after battery and alternator tested fine.
When: Unspecified mileage; occurred on highway during normal operation
Symptoms owners cite: Engine light comes on; Service battery charging system warning; Battery saver mode engages; Radio cuts off; Heat/climate control cuts off; Vehicle cuts off in middle of highway; Multiple fault codes related to low voltage and running lean
Codes mentioned: Low voltage codes, Engine running lean
Repairs/costs cited: Fourteen different codes logged; battery tested at 95%; alternator tested fine; diagnosed as ECM failure
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Cadillac informed owner no recall exists for 2013 CTS ECM issue, though owner found multiple complaints online suggesting potential recall need
Transmission Solenoid / Control Module Communication Loss
Owner reports solenoid malfunction that communicates between transmission and engine computer, causing stability control to engage unexpectedly and vehicle to stall while driving or sitting still.
When: 69,000 miles at time of purchase
Symptoms owners cite: Stability trac kicks on without warning; Vehicle stalls while driving; Vehicle stalls while sitting still during turns; Loss of communication to transmission control module
Codes mentioned: P0101, P0100, U0101 (loss of communication to TCM)
Repairs/costs cited: Solenoid replacement; rear differential replacement required
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owner contacted GM corporate office for assistance
Transmission Shift Quality / Hesitation
Owner reports transmission does not shift smoothly—hesitation followed by hard, abrupt shifts. Vehicle also exhibits front-end noise and has required multiple dealer visits without issue resolution.
When: Unspecified mileage; multiple dealer visits attempted
Symptoms owners cite: Transmission hesitates before shifting; Hard, abrupt shifts; Delay in shifting response; Popping noise in front end; Throttle body issues; Loose steering feel
Repairs/costs cited: Motor mount replacement performed; throttle body work; dealers unable to locate root cause after 5 service visits
Transmission Shifting Shudder
Owner reports random shuddering under light throttle during automatic transmission shifts, particularly in traffic. Issue persisted before and after a separate power loss incident.
When: Unspecified; recurring intermittently
Symptoms owners cite: Random shuddering during light throttle acceleration; Occurs during transmission shifts in traffic; Intermittent occurrence
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer could not duplicate problem during test drive
Synthesized from 10 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
The car hesatates like it wants to cut off popping in the front end trottle body stable link the motor mount was broke they just fixed it. Cant beleive a 2013 needs these things already have been to cad 5 times and they claim they cant find the problem. Im very disappointed in this
Solenoid that communicates with the transmission and the computer. (this was causing the the stability trac to kick on and sometimes shut the car off while driving or sitting still turning) they also discovered that the entire rear differential had to be replace. This is a 2013 cts coupe 69000 miles when purchased. I contacted gm corporate office for assistance. (p0101 ,p0100, u0101, lost of…
Had powertrain trouble with your 2013 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 powertrain problem on the 2013 Cadillac CTS?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 10 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $2,500 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?
Based on the 10 complaints filed, powertrain issues most often appear around 69,125 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 $2,500 for powertrain 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 powertrain?
No active recalls currently cover powertrain 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/2013/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.