Vehicle primarily failed while parked at owner residence [XXX] and remained inoperable for approximately three weeks prior to tow to Cadillac dealership. The ignition key became trapped and could not be removed. A manual override release beneath the driver-side steering column was required to free the key — confirming the lock was held electronically, not mechanically jammed. Fault confirmed by authorized Cadillac dealer: intermittent electrical fault within the shifter assembly lock mechanism. A similar intermittent concern was previously documented on this vehicle in 2011 (logged as "Customer Concern Not Duplicated"), establishing a recurring pattern. GM Technical Service Bulletin 07-07-30-032D (2006–2011 Cadillac CTS, automatic transmission) explicitly documents this exact condition: key sticking, Shift to Park DIC message, shifter binding, and battery drain. OEM replacement part is now discontinued. Manufacturer declined goodwill or recall coverage. Dealer refuses repair unless owner assumes full financial responsibility for a used part with no warranty and no guarantee against recurrence. Safety concern: ignition/shift interlock failure causing vehicle immobilization, key entrapment, and loss of transportation for an elderly owner dependent on the vehicle for medical care. Defect evades shop diagnosis due to intermittency. No safe OEM remedy exists. Prior recall: the federal safety agency 14V394000 / GM Campaign 14172 addressed same interlock system. Current failure represents recurrence beyond that recall's scope. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
2007 Cadillac CTS electrical problems
41 complaints (19% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 99,000. 5 crashes reported.
- owner complaints
- 41
- of this car's complaints
- 19%
- typical mileage
- 99,000
- crashes
- 5
- recalls
- 1
Which part fails
- Ignition: switch1
- Ignition1
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
Cadillac CTS electrical problems in other years
Related recalls
Electrical system: ignition
- What is wrong
- This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on July 2, 2014 that they are recalling 554,328 model year 2003-2014 Cadillac CTS vehicles manufactured August 16, 2001, to April 28, 2014, and 2004-2006 Cadillac SRX vehicles manufactured March 20, 2003, to August 11, 2006. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.
- Risk
- If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on September 15, 2014. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1‑800‑458‑8006. GM's number for this recall is 14172.
Recall number 14V394000 · Recall details
What 2007 Cadillac CTS owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
The contact owns a 2007 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated upon parking the vehicle, he attempted to release the ignition key from the ignition switch however, the key remained stuck inside the ignition switch. The message Thief was displayed. The contact was able to release the ignition key after several minutes. The contact stated upon entering the ignition key inside the ignition switch and starting the vehicle in his garage, the message Thief was displayed. The contact turned off the vehicle but could not release the ignition key from the ignition switch. The contact stated that the ignition key had remained stuck inside the ignition key for a week. Additionally, the contact stated that the gear shifter had seized in park(P). An unknown dealer was notified of the failure and advised the contact to take the vehicle in for repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 99,000. The consumer stated after having the vehicle repaired air condition, cruise control, and speedometer stopped working.
The contact owns a 2007 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated while driving 30 mph, the ignition switch failed, and the steering wheel locked causing the contact to lose control of the vehicle. The vehicle crashed on the driver's side on-ramp. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact and his daughter sustained injuries to the back but did not seek medical assistance. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence, then to the dealer. The contact stated that the failure was related to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 14V394000 (Electrical System). The contact received the recall notification after the crash. The contact stated that the dealer refused to provide a diagnostic test on the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was informed that the vehicle owner was responsible for the cost of the repair. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000.
When driving my car will shut off by its self and it has done this the whole time I have had the car... When it shuts off the car gets reads stuck in park because the key gets stuck in ignition... When nights are on and I turn right my height lights come on... And my passenger air bag light came on and won't go off
The seller lied about everything! The first question I asked was if the car was in an accident. He bragged about being a mechanic, and doing all the work on the car, so everything in the car is in, "tip top shape." he replied, "no, never!" he did not allow us to ride the car on the interstate before the purchase, claiming it was illegal. 10 mins after leaving the car lot, the car cuts off and is unable to crank back up. The seller meets us and claims it the battery. A "new" battery was placed in the vehicle, but the problem persists. My fianc, who is not a mechanic, told him more than once, that the problem was not the battery, but the alternator. He got the car to crank. As we are riding down the interstate, the car cuts off, and we are left aimlessly rolling and are unable to control the wheel. Plus, the electricity in the car is off so we can't even turn on our hazard lights to caution the other cars on the road. After speaking to the seller, once again, he tells us there is nothing he can do about it and will not cancel the deal. We've only had the car for 4-5 hours. After speaking to several mechanics, they quickly confirm that the alternator is the problem and anybody that claims to be a mechanic can see the problem immediately. They also inform us the car has been wrecked and should have not been resold for safety measures. Driving this vehicle almost cost us our lives.
Vehicle was stationary in our home garage. It would not start, it would start when jumped but died shortly after. We had the battery tested, it was bad, we replaced w a new battery. Car started right up, but would not cut power once the key was removed from the ignition. Car dings and dash and radio are on as if keys are still in the ignition.
Mine is the timing chain slips caused from wrong valve cover gasket and the life on the oil
While turning left at low speed the brakes failed so I centered the steering wheel and the car stopped.
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 cadillac cts. The contact stated that the fuel and temperature gauges malfunctioned and the key was stuck in the ignition. The vehicle was taken to crestmont cadillac (26000 chagrin blvd, beachwood, oh 44122, (216) 831-5300) where it was diagnosed that the computer system for the vehicle was faulty and needed to be replaced. The dealer also stated that an unknown recall repair needed to be performed for the ignition and key failure. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 95,223.
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 cadillac cts. While the vehicle was parked and the key was inserted in the ignition, the vehicle failed to start. As a result, the key was unable to be removed from the ignition and the anti-theft warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency campaign number: 14v394000 (electrical system); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was unknown.
Questions about the 2007 Cadillac CTS electrical
Does the 2007 Cadillac CTS have electrical problems?
Owners have filed 41 complaints about the electrical of the 2007 Cadillac CTS, 19% of all its complaints.
At what mileage do 2007 Cadillac CTS electrical problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 99,000 miles.
Was there a recall on the 2007 Cadillac CTS electrical?
Yes, 1 recall: 14V394000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Cadillac CTS have the most electrical problems?
The Cadillac CTS model years with the most electrical complaints are 2003 (56 complaints), 2006 (43 complaints) and 2007 (41 complaints).
Other 2007 Cadillac CTS problems
Airbags 64Brakes 59Transmission 33Engine 30Steering 16Acceleration 8Body 8Fuel system 6Suspension 6Visibility 6Lights 5Seats 4Driver assistance 3Seat belts 3Tires 3Wheels 2
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