MODELYEARINDEX

Which Cadillac ATS years to avoid

Across 6 scored model years, the 2013 and 2014 model years carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates.

Ownership label · Cadillac ATS Full report
F
Grade 2013–2018
2013 vs model median 7.8×
Model median3× median
Engine 35
Electrical 21
Drivetrain 17
Avoid

2013 · 2014

Best

2017 · 2018

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Year Complaint volume vs median Reports Grade
2013
7.85× 136 F
2014
3.47× 63 F
2015
0.67× 10 B
2016
1.15× 18 C
2017
0.85× 19 B
2018
0.42× 11 B

What owners report

The component groups most often named, with one representative report. These are unverified — allegations, not findings.

2013 F 136 reports · median 6,320 mi

  1. Engine 35

    Rough idle when in drive and stopped at light (always), I did bring it in for service for the rough idle and dealership stated nothing showed up on computer so they were unable to correct problem. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Electrical 21

    Right turn from stop onto major 6-lane highway; no power to engine after engagement of accelerator; acted as though not in-drive gear; tachometer reved past 6k; foot off of pedal; transmission engaged; very slow return… owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Drivetrain 17

    I have the 2013 ats 2.0 turbo and I had a few issues with it.the first is steering,sometimes feels like power failure, its the only new car I owned when the car is off the wheel turns completely.also pulls to… owner complaint filed with NHTSA

13 crash · 6 injuries

2014 F 63 reports · median 7,682 mi

  1. Engine 11

    While driving the car at about 15 to 20 miles an hour the car came to a complete stop. There was a total shut down of the electrical system. The emergency blinkers could not be engaged, the car could not be shifted. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Lights & Visibility 7

    My ats is equiped with the adaptive forward light which has an auto-leveling and calibration feature. This malfunctions infrequently causing the headlights to be aimed too high and blind oncoming traffic. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Electrical 6

    The contact owns a 2014 cadillac ats. While idling, the vehicle's back-up camera flickered on and off and the front driver side seat fractured. The failure recurred on several occasions. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

11 crash · 19 injuries

The best year for the ATS

Ranked by overall score among years with a full 60 months on the road.

2018 is the best-scoring ATS model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 84.4 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

Yearvs medianReportsGrade
2018 0.42× 11 B
2017 0.85× 19 B
2015 0.67× 10 B

Recalls

11 campaigns on record.

Campaign Component Model years Units affected
14V446000 SEATS 2013, 2014 124,007
15V558000 VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM 2013–2016 96,145
14V338000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION 2013, 2014 90,750
15V463000 VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY 2013–2016 63,665
14V488000 SEAT BELTS:FRONT 2013 48,114
19V086000 STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM 2017 26,772
13V220000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 2013 10,210
26V329000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE 2015, 2016 5,014
15V358000 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES 2015 2,163
25V175000 STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM 2017, 2018 934
18V358000 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP 2018 895

How long do they last?

Complaint records show when problems get reported, not how long a car survives. Where owners gave an odometer reading, faults on the 2013 were reported at a median of 6,320 miles. Treat that as the point problems start being noticed, not a lifespan.

Common questions

Answered directly from this model’s record.

Which Cadillac ATS years should you avoid?
2013, 2014 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Cadillac ATS model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the Cadillac ATS?
2018 is the best-scoring Cadillac ATS model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 84.4 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Cadillac ATS have?
11 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Cadillac ATS model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2013 ATS
Complaints in window
136
Severity-weighted
259
Model median (weighted)
33
vs model median
7.85×
Recall campaigns (weighted)
6
Open investigations
0
Score 10 F