2013 Cadillac ATS Engine Problems

NHTSA component category: ENGINE · data through 07/14/2026

48Engine complaints

30%Of all 160 complaints

#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How engine ranks on this vehicle

ENGINE48 · 30%

POWER TRAIN41 · 25.6%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM36 · 22.5%

STEERING25 · 15.6%

Unspecified / other17 · 10.6%

Share of the 160 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2013 Cadillac ATS overview page.

What owners report

“ENGINE IDLES ROUGHLY. I HAVE ONLY USED PREMIUM GAS DURING FILLUPS. THE DEALERSHIP SAYS IT'S BECAUSE I'M NOT USING TOP TIER GAS, WHICH IS RIDICULOUS…”NHTSA complaint 10809568 — filed 12/10/2015

“TRANSMISSION ISSUES. RATTLING UNDER THE CHASSIS THAT SOUNDS LIKE SOMEONE GRABS THE DRIVE SHAFT AND SHAKES IT WHEN THE CLUTCH IS PUSHED AT SLOW SPEEDS…”NHTSA complaint 10671481 — filed 01/09/2015

“HELLO NHTSA OFFICER, I'M A CADILLAC 2013 ATS CUSTOMER FROM CHINA. SOMEDAY I FIND SOME CUSTOMERS SAY THIS CAR'S ENGINE LEAKS OIL FROM FORUM. THE…”NHTSA complaint 10649004 — filed 10/21/2014

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Engine complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2013 Cadillac ATS have engine problems?

Engine is the most-reported problem area on the 2013 Cadillac ATS: 48 of 160 complaints on file (30%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2013 Cadillac ATS have in total?

160 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 9 involved a crash, 0 involved a fire, 8 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's engine category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ENGINE category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.