The contact owns a 2003 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated that when driving at various speeds the vehicle would suddenly stalled and the instrument panel would illuminate. The message stating "starting disabled remove key" would display. The contact stated that they would be able to coast and restart the vehicle. Other times the contact would have to pull over to the side of the road and restart the vehicle. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who was unable to diagnose the vehicle. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 121,000.
2003 Cadillac CTS: engine stalls while driving
31 of the 313 complaints about the 2003 Cadillac CTS describe engine stalls while driving.
- owner complaints
- 31
- of this car's complaints
- 10%
- typical mileage
- 88,000
- recalls
- 0
Is there a fix? 68 service bulletins cover this area of the car. See below
Engine stalls while driving by model year
What owners say
While driving at a steady speed and for no apparent reason, the stability system engaged, I was unable to control vehicle, could not engage brakes, vehicle began losing power & stalled in freeway traffic. Lastly, the brakes vibrate and the car's valve cover gaskets are made of plastic which may leak & start a fire.
Car shuts down while driving on freeway/and city leaving me to have to put it in neutral to start back up. While car is rolling .
Tl* the contact owned a 2003 cadillac cts. While driving out of the parking lot, the vehicle stalled and abruptly shut down. As a result, another vehicle crashed into the contact's vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. The contact sustained neck, shoulder, and head injuries that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed and towed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 125,000.
The crank and cam sensors have caused the vehicle to stall out while driving or being stopped. I have seen several complaints online regarding this issue in my car and other gm cars. How many complaints have you received for this issue in gm cars. It seems the dealership should have recalled this since it is a well known and documented issue and is a safety issue with cars stalling in the middle of driving and while being stopped. I stalled on a freeway on ramp, at a stop sign and while being parked on the side of the road.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 cadillac cts. The contact stated that the repair for the federal safety agency campaign number: 14v394000 (electrical system) was performed; however, the repair did not remedy the failure. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled several times while driving and that the 'remove disable key' warning light illuminated. The vehicle could be restarted and resumed to normal function. The failure occurred several times. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 99,000.
Tl* the contact owned a 2003 cadillac cts. While driving approximately 30 MPH, the contact turned sharply to avoid an animal. The engine stalled, but the vehicle continued to coast and crashed into a tree. The air bags failed to deploy and the contact was launched through the windshield. The contact sustained lower back, neck, and head injuries that required medical attention. The vehicle was destroyed. A police report was filed. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency campaign number: 14v394000 (electrical system); however, the failure was already experienced. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 cadillac cts. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 25 MPH, the engine stalled without warning. The vehicle had to cool down completely before the vehicle restarted. The failure recurred numerous times. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or diagnosed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and the VIN was not included in the federal safety agency campaign number: 14v394000 (electrical system). The failure mileage was approximately 67,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 cadillac cts. While driving approximately 15 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. After restarting, the vehicle resumed normally. The failure recurred on a separate occasion. The vehicle was serviced six months ago under the federal safety agency campaign number: 14v394000 (electrical system) however, the remedy failed to correct the failure. The vehicle was not repaired for the most recent failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unavailable.
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 cadillac cts. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, the vehicle stalled without any warning causing the contact to loose control and crashed into a house. The air bag did not deploy. The vehicle was deemed destroyed and was towed. The contact sustained strain pelvis bone and injuries to the wrist, and nose which required medical attention. A police report was filed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 65,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 cadillac cts. The contact stated that the key was difficult to insert, remove, and turn to start the ignition. The vehicle was included in the federal safety agency campaign number: 14v394000 (electrical system) and was repaired, but the failure recurred and worsened. While at a stop light, the vehicle stalled. The contact was not able to turn the key to restart and drive the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the authorized dealer for further inspection. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 98,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 cadillac cts. While driving at approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The failure recurred on multiple occasions. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The mechanic diagnosed that the ignition module and switch failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 190,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Service bulletins that may apply
- This service bulletin advises of a new fuel injection cleaner kit used for decarbonizing the intake valves...
- This technical bulletin advises of a new fuel injection cleaner kit used for decarbonizing the intake...
- This service bulletin provides service information to technicians on guidelines to replace Oil Cooler, Oil...
- This PI bulletin advises the technician on the proper way to install the pistons in an engine.
- This service bulletin provides graphics, information and guidelines for engine component wear to assist...
- Engine
- This diagnostic tip bulletin provides additional information on how to diagnose a possible valve, lifter...
- This service bulletin provides service information on new torque specification and installation procedure...
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the 2003 Cadillac CTS stalling
Is engine stalls while driving a common problem on the 2003 Cadillac CTS?
31 of 313 owner complaints about the 2003 Cadillac CTS (10%) mention engine stalls while driving. The model year with the most reports is 2003.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2003 Cadillac CTS?
There are 0 recalls and 68 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2003 Cadillac CTS
Headlights 17Fire or smoke 12Loss of power 11Airbag light 10No deployment 10ABS 8Won't start 8Engine failure 7Jerking 7Brake failure 6Check engine light 6Whining noise 6Adaptive cruise 5Oil consumption 5
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