2016 Cadillac ATS Owner Complaints

VEHICLE TENDS TO DO A HARD DOWN SHIFT WHEN IT'S AROUND 10-15 MPH AND IT WILL FEEL LIKE SOMEONE HIT YOUR CAR FROM BEHIND. WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A COMPLETE STOP 10-15 MPH VEHICLE WILL STALL SOMETIMES.

5/11/2019

TAKEN MULTIPLE TIMES TO DEALER FOR TRANSMISSION ISSUES. GM HAS REPLACED IT AT 17475 MILES. MORE TRIPS FOR ISSUES WITH NEW TRANSMISSION. IMPROPER SHIFTING, HARD DOWN SHIFTING, HOLDING RPM GEAR LONGER THAN NORMAL.

8/26/2019

THE RADIO SCREEN IS CRACKING FROM THE INSIDE OF THE SCREEN I'M GETTING A SPIDERWEB EFFECT THAT IS NOT ALLOWING ME TO SEE THE SCREEN. CAN'T SEE THE SPEED OF MY AC FAN BECASUE I CAN'T SEE THE SCREEN, CAN'T CHANGE TO BLUETOOTH BECAUSE I CAN'T SEE THE SCREEN, CAN'T USE MY NAVIGATION SYSTEM THAT I PAID EXTRA FOR BECAUSE I CAN'T SEE THE SCREEN DUE TO THE SPIDERWEB EFFECT. THIS IS A DEFECT AS I HAVE USED THE RADIO UNDER NORMAL USE AND IT SHOULD NOT CRACK FROM THE INSIDE. I CAN'T USE ANY OF THE RADIO FEATURES DUE TO THIS ISSUE.

8/11/2020

WHILE ARRIVING AT STOP LIGHTS THE CADDILLAC ROUGHLY SHIFTS DOWN JOLTING THE WHOLE VEHICLE. AROUND 1500 RPMS WHETHER ITS SITTING OR JUST PASSING 1500 RPMS THE WHOLE VEHICLE SHUTTERS AND VIBRATES AGGRESIVELY UNTIL AROUND 2000 RPM. RPMS JUMP UP AND DOWN BETWEEN 1000 AND 3000 RPMS

12/15/2020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CADILLAC ATS. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT PLACED A MOBILE PHONE ON THE PASSENGER SEAT AND THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (HENNESSY CADILLAC LOCATED AT 3377 SATELLITE BLVD, DULUTH, GA 30096; (770) 680-7000) WHO STATED THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE A REMEDY FOR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO REPAIR THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,000. UPDATED 08/30/17*LJ

7/12/2017

When driving, I accidentaley hit a curb on the front left rim and the side air bags deployed. There was no damage to vehicle other than hitting the rim. I want to know if there is a recall on this or if there has been any other incidents of this kind. The only deployed air bags were the side ones by the windows The front air bags did not deploy. I need answers to why the car deplyed air bags when it was a curb check and no physical damage to the car? Is there any recalls on this?

9/27/2021

ALL 4 RIMS ARE CRACKING AND CAUSING AIR TO LEAK FROM THE TIRES. CANNON CADILLAC IN LAKELAND FL., HAS STATED THESE RIMS ARE A FACTORY DEFECT, BUT HAVE DENIED THE CLAIM TO REPLACE ALL THE RIMS WITH AN ACTIVE 2 YEAR WARRANTY STILL IN EFFECT. I ONLY NOTICED THIS PROBLEM ONCE I HAD JUST PURCHASED A NEW TIRE AND SEEN THAT THE AIR PRESSURE WAS LOW ON THE TIRE. ONCE I TOOK MY CAR TO THE TIRE SHOP, THE TIRE TECHS INFORMED ME THE RIMS WHERE DEFECTIVE, AT THAT MOMENT I MADE A APPOINTMENT AT CANNON CADILLAC. THE PROBLEM IS STILL NOT RESOLVED

11/22/2019

WE BOUGHT A USED 2016 ATS WITH 14,000 MILES. WITHIN 2 YEARS, WE HAVE HAD 4 CRACKED CADILLAC WHEELS. WE ALSO HAVE RUN FLAT TIRES, FACTORY INSTALLED. DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS, POT HOLES AND SEAMS IN ASPHALT SEEM TO BE WHAT CAUSED OF CRACKED RIMS. I SUSPECTED A DEFECTIVE ISSUE AFTER 2ND CRACKED WHEEL. I ASKED AT LOCAL DEALERSHIP ABOUT A RECALL AND THEY SAID THEY DIDN'T SEE ONE. I SEE A NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE AND FINALLY FOUND A COMPLAINT THROUGH CARCOMPLAINTS.COM THAT WAS NOTED ON NHTSA. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE, FACTORY DEFECT AT CANNON CADILLAC IN LAKELAND, FL. IF DRIVEN ON RUN FLATS APPROX 15 MILES TO REPAIR FACILITY, TIRES CAN ALSO BE DAMAGED AND HAVE TO BE REPLACED WHICH WAS MY SITUATION. MY LAST WHEEL PURCHASED LASTED ME 1 YR, 3 WEEKS AND CRACKED BECAUSE OF SEAM IN ASPHALT ON THE FREEWAY. THIS NEEDS TO BE A RECALL. I NOW HAVE 35K MILES AND I'M LOOKING AT THE EXPENSE OF REPLACING ALL 4 WHEELS DUE TO CADILLAC STANDING BEHIND THIS DEFECTIVE WHEEL

2/19/2020

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, A CAR WAS MERGING INTO MY LANE. I QUICKLY TURNED INTO THE NEXT AVAILABLE LANE AS IT WAS EMPTY, AND WHEN I TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL SLIGHTLY TO THE LEFT, IT OVERCOMPENSATED AND VIOLENTLY TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT, LEADING TO THE CAR SPINNING OUT ON THE FREEWAY. IT WAS DIFFICULT TO STRAIGHTEN THE WHEEL AT THAT POINT, UNTIL IT OVERCOMPENSATED TO THE RIGHT CAUSING ME TO SPIN OUT SOME MORE. THIS LED TO AN ACCIDENT, AND IT WAS A MIRACLE NO ONE WAS KILLED. DURING THE TIME OF THIS ACCIDENT, THE ROAD WAS IN GOOD SHAPE, VISIBILITY WAS GOOD, THE WEATHER WAS GOOD, IT WAS AROUND 60 DEGREES OUTSIDE, I HAD JUST GOT ON TO THE FREEWAY, AND WAS TRAVELLING AROUND 60 MPH WHEN THIS HAPPENED (I.E. NO SPEEDING), AND I WAS DRIVING WITH MY LEFT ARM (IT IS A MANUAL, AND MY RIGHT HAND WAS NOT ON THE STEERING WHEEL AT THE TIME) AND DUE TO THE POSITIONING (MY LEFT ARM RESTING ON THE ARMREST), IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO HAVE TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL ENOUGH TO HAVE SPUN OUT.

12/12/2019

THE VEHICLE HAS AN ISSUE WITH LOSS OF POWER STEERING. IT HAS HAPPENED AND RETURNED BUT IT GONE OUT TOTALLY NOW AND I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE PART OF THE CADILLAC POWER STEERING RECALL, BUT MY VIN IS NOT LISTED AS VEHICLE THAT IS AFFECTED.

11/1/2020

THERE WAS A SHUDDER TO THE VEHICLE WHILE IN MOTION AND IT LURCHES FORWARD LIKE IT SKIPS GEARS WHEN GOING FROM REVERSE INTO DRIVE AND OFTEN FROM INCREASE SPEED

7/7/2020

WHILE ARRIVING AT STOP LIGHTS THE CADDILLAC ROUGHLY SHIFTS DOWN JOLTING THE WHOLE VEHICLE. AROUND 1500 RPMS WHETHER ITS SITTING OR JUST PASSING 1500 RPMS THE WHOLE VEHICLE SHUTTERS AND VIBRATES AGGRESIVELY UNTIL AROUND 2000 RPM. RPMS JUMP UP AND DOWN BETWEEN 1000 AND 3000 RPMS

12/15/2020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CADILLAC ATS. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS PULLING INTO A DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A GARAGE. THERE WAS NO WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MINOR ACHES AND PAINS THAT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CADILLAC OF SANTA FE (505-240-6622, LOCATED AT 4450 CERRILLOS RD, SANTA FE, NM 87507) THE PREVIOUS DAY FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND THE TECHNICIAN WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE HESITATED BEFORE IT STARTED. THE TECHNICIAN PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST, BUT COULD NOT FIND A FAILURE. THE CONTACT WENT TO THE SAME DEALER AFTER THE CRASH AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS AN UNKNOWN FEATURE IN THE VEHICLE THAT FAILED TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF PRIOR TO THE CRASH. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND THE SENIOR ADVISER STATED THAT THE PRODUCT DIVISION WOULD BE NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT WAS NOT CALLED BACK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 21,000. *DT CONSUMER TRADED IN THE VEHICLE.*JB

9/12/2019

WHEN OPERATING MY VEHICLE INTO DRIVE MANY TIMES WHEN TURNING THE FRONT WHEELS THE CAR LOOSE IT POWER AND STALLS. THIS CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS WHEN TURNING VEHICLE INTO OTHER CROSS SECTIONS OR SMIPLY TURNING. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS BEFORE SOMETHING SERIOUS HAPPENHIS. THIS INCIDENT OCCURS WHEN STATIONARY OR MOVING FORWARD SLOWLY. I WAS MOVING FORWARD OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AND INTO ON GOING TRAFFIC. LUCKLY I WAS ABLE TO BAGBACK INTO DRIVEWAY .

3/13/2020

WHEN OPERATING MY VEHICLE INTO DRIVE MANY TIMES WHEN TURNING THE FRONT WHEELS THE CAR LOOSE IT POWER AND STALLS. THIS CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS WHEN TURNING VEHICLE INTO OTHER CROSS SECTIONS OR SMIPLY TURNING. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS BEFORE SOMETHING SERIOUS HAPPENHIS. THIS INCIDENT OCCURS WHEN STATIONARY OR MOVING FORWARD SLOWLY. I WAS MOVING FORWARD OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AND INTO ON GOING TRAFFIC. LUCKLY I WAS ABLE TO BAGBACK INTO DRIVEWAY .

3/13/2020

DROVE MY CAR ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE BRAKES FAILED. I APPLIED ALL OF MY FORCE TO GET THE CAR TO STOP. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE BRAKES FAILED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IN LESS THAN 14 MONTHS. HAD IT REPAIRED THE FIRST TIME. IT HAD NO BRAKE ASSIST AND A CRACKED PCV VALVE. THE VACUUM PUMP AND HOSE TO BOOSTER WAS REPLACED. 14 MONTHS LATER IT HAPPENED AGAIN.

2/23/2021

REAR VIEW MIRROR IS VERY FOGGY. I BOUGHT IT FROM A DEALERSHIP AND IT WAS ALREADY LIKE THAT.

7/28/2020

My back glass on my 2016 Cadillac ATS shattered on 3-10-2023. It looks like it got hot from the defroster lines as it shattered every inch of the back glass and separated from the seals. I contacted Cadillac and they started Case #9-9552142107. I had the car inspected at my dealership on 3-11-23. They filled out the report on this case number to support the findings of a current recall already in place. Recall date 2015-09-03 Recall no.15V558000 General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Cadillac ATS sedan vehicles manufactured April 23, 2012, to September 2, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the coil antenna module that powers the rear defogger system may generate excessive heat due to excessive cycling or continuous operation. When I contacted Cadillac they said I needed to contact NHTSA with the info to have my car put on the recall

3/13/2023

THE TOUCH SCREEN DOES NOT WORK. IT MOVES BY ITSELF AND EVEN WHEN WE SELECT AN OPTION IT DOES NOT RECOGNIZE IT. IT IS A SCARY AS WE CANNOT RECEIVE PHONE CALLS AND IT IS A CONSTANT DISTRACTION WHERE THE WHOLE MENU IS NOT WORKING. WE HAVE BEEN TO THE DEALER A COUPLE OF TIMES AND I ALSO KEPT A MESSAGE FOR THE MANAGER ON FRIDAY (SEPTEMBER 28TH). HE NEVER REPLIED BACK. WE HAVE A FEW VIDEOS THAT SHOW THE TOUCH SCREEN IS NOT WORKING (IT WORKS A FEW TIMES). THE PROBLEM OCCURS MORE WHEN IT IS WARM WEATHER. MANY OTHER FOLKS HAVE REPORTED THE SAME ISSUE (A GOOGLE SEARCH SHOWS MANY FOLKS REPORTING THE SAME ISSUE).

10/2/2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CADILLAC ATS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE MADE LOUD NOISES AND DECELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO RED NOLAND CADILLAC (719-633-4633, LOCATED AT 990 MOTOR CITY DR, COLORADO SPRINGS, CO 80905) AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO ONE AVAILABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS REFERRED TO ALPINE BUICK GMC SOUTH (719-301-2573, LOCATED AT 1313 MOTOR CITY DR, COLORADO SPRINGS, CO 80905) WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT BE INSPECTED RIGHT AWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE EXHAUST PIPE DETACHED AND CAUSED CARBON MONOXIDE TO BLOW INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS NO DEALER THAT WAS WILLING TO TAKE THE VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING AROUND LOOKING FOR DEALERS, THE CONTACT BECAME ILL AND RECEIVED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE DOCTOR INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT HER ILLNESS WOULD HAVE BEEN FATAL HAD SHE NOT RECEIVED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED TO SEND A TOW TRUCK. THE CONTACT INFORMED THE MANUFACTURER THAT THERE WAS NO NEED FOR A TOW TRUCK, RATHER SPEAK WITH EITHER OF THE DEALERS TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT ASSIST. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO LEWIS CHEVROLET CADILLAC OF GARDEN CITY (620-275-7171, LOCATED AT 1903 US-50 BUS, GARDEN CITY, KS 67846) WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED AND REPLACED THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND STATED THAT SHE DID NOT FEEL SAFE RETRIEVING OR DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE REMAINED AT THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 16,700.

6/13/2019

THE GAS FUEL TANK CONTINUOUSLY STOPS EVERY TIME YOU ARE PUMPING GAS. SO IT TAKES VERY LONG TO FILL UP THE TANK. MY CENTER ELECTRICAL SCREEN FOR THE RADIO, BLUETOOTH, ETC DOESN'T WORK. I PAID EXTRA FOR THE FEATURE AND IT DOESN'T WORK.

4/22/2021

THE GAS FUEL TANK CONTINUOUSLY STOPS EVERY TIME YOU ARE PUMPING GAS. SO IT TAKES VERY LONG TO FILL UP THE TANK. MY CENTER ELECTRICAL SCREEN FOR THE RADIO, BLUETOOTH, ETC DOESN'T WORK. I PAID EXTRA FOR THE FEATURE AND IT DOESN'T WORK.

4/22/2021

My 2016 Cadillac ATS Coupe has a serious repeating safety defect. The vehicle violently shakes, vibrates, and becomes unstable while driving. This happened TWICE. Both times the rear bolts came out except one. Both mechanics who inspected it said they have NEVER seen this before. The first time, I paid $4,000 out of pocket at another shop. The problem happened again, proving this is a manufacturing defect. My AXP diagnostic on November 4, 2025 confirms major rear differential/axle issues. The vehicle is unsafe and undrivable. One mechanic told me DO NOT DRIVE IT. Cadillac told me the opposite — “safe to pick up” — even though they did no real diagnostic. Cadillac refused to give anything in writing, refused a loaner, and ignored multiple emails. A Cadillac representative told me they reviewed the previous calls, meaning they know the full history. They still refused to fix the dangerous defect. I have paid over $33k, paid $4k for the first repair, still owe $7k, and Cadillac now wants another $7k for the same issue. This is a major safety risk to me and other drivers.

11/24/2025