The Lemon Index

All cars · Cadillac ATS · 2013

2013 Cadillac ATS. Advanced data.

The raw numbers: engines, recall campaign numbers, failure mileage and manufacturer communications.

Lemon Index130100 = average car
Complaints73NHTSA, first 3 years
Sold45,327U.S. model year
Per 100K sold161complaints
Complaint rank#4 of 4among the 4 scored Cadillac ATS model years (2013–2016); #1 = fewest complaints per car sold, not the YouTube rank

Failure mileage by system

Half of owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 1,050 and 16,500 miles. Median 6,536, from 69 complaints with a mileage.

Mileage owners typed into their NHTSA complaint, all complaints for this model year. People report some problems late, so read it as a range.

Complaints by system

SystemShare of complaints
Engine47%
Transmission & drivetrain29%
Electrical26%
Steering19%
Brakes11%

One complaint can name more than one system, so shares can add to more than 100%.

Severity, all complaints

TotalCrashesFiresInjuriesDeathsTows
7360303

As reported by owners to NHTSA. Not verified.

Recall campaigns 6

  • 15V558000 Sep 2015 Visibility / Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System

    Defect. 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.

    Risk. If the coil antenna generates excessive heat, there is an increased risk of a fire.

    Remedy. GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the Electronic Climate Control module to remove the automatic rear defogger "on" function, free of charge. The recall began on October 16, 2015. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 15299.

  • 15V463000 Jul 2015 Visibility / Sun/Moon Roof Assembly

    Defect. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Cadillac ATS vehicles manufactured April 25, 2012, to June 25, 2015. The affected vehicles may experience the roof panel closing automatically when the non-recessed switches are pressed and the roof panel is open. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 118, "Power-Operated Window, Partition, and Roof Panel Systems."

    Risk. Because the switch is not recessed, the roof panel switch may inadvertently be pressed resulting in unintended auto-closure of the roof panel, increasing the risk of personal injury.

    Remedy. GM will notify owners and dealers will replace the roof console accessory switch trim plate, free of charge. The recall began on August 19, 2015. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 15568. Note this recall supersedes 15V-106.

  • 14V488000 Aug 2014 Seat Belts / Front

    Defect. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Buick Encore vehicles manufactured August 23, 2012, to March 1, 2013, and model year 2013 Cadillac ATS vehicles manufactured April 23, 2012, to May 1, 2013. In the affected vehicles, the driver and passenger lap belt pretensioner cables may not lock in a retracted position, allowing the seat belts to extend when pulled upon.

    Risk. If the seat belts do not remain locked in the retracted position when under load, the seat occupant may not be adequately restrained in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

    Remedy. GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace both front the driver's and the passenger's lap belt pretensioners, free of charge. Parts are not currently available. GM sent interim notifications on October 7, 2014 and will send a second notification when remedy parts are available. The recall began on November 20, 2014. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, or Cadillac

  • 14V446000 Jul 2014 Seats

    Defect. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Buick Encore and Cadillac ATS; 2014 Cadillac CTS, ELR, Chevrolet Caprice and SS vehicles; and 2014-2015 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra Trucks. Due to an incomplete weld on the seat hook bracket assembly, the front seats in the affected vehicles may not stay secured in place during a high load condition such as a crash.

    Risk. A seat that does not stay secured increases the risk of occupant injury in a vehicle crash.

    Remedy. GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the seat hook bracket assembly weld and replace the lower seat track, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on August 15, 2014. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), and 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14340.

  • 14V338000 Jun 2014 Power Train / Automatic Transmission

    Defect. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Cadillac ATS vehicles manufactured April 23, 2012, to March 20, 2014, and 2014 Cadillac CTS vehicles manufactured June 10, 2013, to March 20, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the transmission shift cable may detach from either the bracket on the transmission shifter or the bracket on the transmission.

    Risk. If the transmission shift cable detaches while the vehicle is being driven, the transmission gear selection may not match the indicated gear and the vehicle may move in an unintended or unexpected direction, increasing the risk of a crash. Furthermore, when the driver goes to stop and park the vehicle, despite selecting the 'PARK' position, the transmission may not be in 'PARK.' If the vehicle i

    Remedy. GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles to make sure the cable is properly seated at the transmission and shifter brackets, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in early August 2014. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 14179.

  • 13V220000 May 2013 Electrical System

    Defect. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Cadillac ATS and model year 2013 Cadillac XTS; model year 2014 Chevrolet Impala; and 2013 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles. Originally, in May 2013, GM recalled 1,627 model year 2013 Cadillac ATS and model year 2013 Cadillac XTS; and model year 2014 Chevrolet Impala vehicles. In October 2013, GM informed the agency that it was adding model year 2013 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles to this campaign , representing an additional 8,050 units. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 9,677. On the affected vehicles, the brake lamps may in

    Risk. If the brake lamps flash when the vehicle is not slowing, a following driver may not adjust vehicle speed when the vehicle is in fact braking, and the brake lamps are illuminating as intended, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy. GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the body control module. The recall began on June 13, 2013. Owner's may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or Cadillac at 1-866-982-2339. GM's recall number is 13158.

Manufacturer communications 2402

Cadillac filed 2402 service communications for this car with NHTSA.

  • Due to engine overheating and ses light message in display, along with activity protection mode
  • Service update for inventory and customer vehicles transfer case oil delivery tube installed
  • On some trucks and passenger vehicles, accessory power outlets (apo) and trailer lighting are

Crash ratings by version

VersionOverallFrontSideRollover
Cadillac ATS 4 DR AWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
Cadillac ATS 4 DR RWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

Safety equipment

Electronic stabilityForward collision warningLane departure warning
StandardOptionalOptional

Engines and drivetrains 6

EngineTransmissionDriveCity / hwy / combinedFuelFuel cost/yr
2.0L 4-cyl turboAuto (S6)RWD21 / 31 / 24Regular$2,600
2.0L 4-cyl turboAuto (S6)AWD20 / 29 / 23Regular$2,700
2.0L 4-cyl turboManual 6-spdRWD19 / 29 / 23Regular$2,700
2.5L 4-cylAuto (S6)RWD22 / 32 / 26Regular$2,400
3.6L 6-cylAuto (S6)RWD19 / 27 / 22Regular$2,850
3.6L 6-cylAuto (S6)AWD18 / 26 / 21Regular$2,950

EPA test versions for this model year. Fuel cost is the EPA's current estimate, not the price in that year.

YouTube repair topics

200 videos about the 2013–2019 Cadillac ATS, 14.4M views.

TopicVideosViews
Heat, A/C & blend door3189K
Infotainment, battery & electrical4177K
Oil leaks & gaskets386K
Transmission & shifter375K
Cooling system375K
Intake, EGR & engine sensors272K
Death wobble & steering156K
Windows, doors & mirrors151K

Nearby model years

YearLemon IndexComplaintsSoldTop system
20131307345,327Engine
2014943729,890Engine
201518526,873Transmission & drivetrain
2016511221,505Transmission & drivetrain

Sources: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications; EPA fuel economy data; YouTube video titles. Complaints are owner reports, not proof of a defect.

Updated · Free to use with credit: Source: The Lemon Index (lemonindex.com). Get the data

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