CadillacCT42021Overview/cadillac/ct4/2021/base/

2021 Cadillac CT4

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2021 CT4.

The 2021 Cadillac CT4, a model that takes 5.28 quarts of 0W-20 oil, recorded 7 owner complaints and 4 recalls, with issues concentrated in vehicle speed control, engine, and fuel/propulsion systems. Within the CT4’s 20202025 complaint history, this model year stands as the highest, while the 2025 model year dropped to just 2 complaints, marking the 2021 as a peak in reported concerns for the nameplate.

Model year2026202520242023202220212020

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity5.28 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type0W-20OEM · verified
Lug nut torque103 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI Models not equipped with start/stop: 48 · 700 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12727115. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI Models not equipped with start/stop: 48 · 700 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnLAMPOEM · verified
Tire size225/45R17 91VOEM · verified
Wheel / rim8 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter12727115
Engine air filter84498926
Spark plug12688094 alt 55504354
Battery88864542
Front wiper blades84574892 alt 84613732
Serpentine belt12666589 alt 55488926
Cabin air filter13356914 alt 13508023

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length187.4 in
Overall width71.7 in
Overall height55.9 in
Wheelbase109.4 in
Curb weight3578 lb
Track (front / rear)60.2 / 61.8 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)54/46

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the CT4 of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

4.7–5.8 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 4.70 sec — 2020 Premium Luxury 450T
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2020Premium Luxury 450T 2.7L Turbo I-44.70 sec13.40 sec309 hpAWD
2020Premium Luxury 450T 2.7L Turbo I-45.00 sec13.70 sec309 hpAWD
2020Premium Luxury 450T 2.7L Turbo I-45.10 sec13.50 sec309 hpRWD
2023Premium Luxury 350T 2.0L Turbo I-45.80 sec14.30 sec237 hpRWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 5.28 qt of 0W-20 engine oil, Dot 4 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 103 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity8.1 qt
Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity7.4 qt
Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity8.1 qt
Brake FluidDot 4
Brake Fluid Capacity.909 pt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor Bolt(s)6.25 ft-lbs
Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor Bolt(s)6.25 ft-lbs
Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor Bolt(s)6.25 ft-lbs
Engine Coolant Temperature (ECT) Sensor Bolt(s)6.6 ft-lbs
Oxygen (O2S) Sensor Bolt(s)31.0 ft-lbs
Knock Sense (KS) Bolt(s)11.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pan to Block Bolts6.25 ft-lbs
Torque Converter Bolts44.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts103 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug11.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug11.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs
Automatic Transmission Drain Plug6.6 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Gap.028-.031 in
Spark Plug Torque13 ft-lbs
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Gap.025-.029 in
Spark Plug Torque13 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR1234yf
Refrigerant Capacity1.2 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Capacity4.00 oz
Standard BCI Group NumberModels not equipped with start/stop: 48
Standard BCI Cranking Performance700 cca
Optional BCI Group NumberModels equipped with start/stop: 94R
Optional BCI Cranking Performance730 cca

Service checks

Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)50.0

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier Torque30.0
ABS Sensor Torque6.0
Minimum Pad Thickness0.078 in
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for ReplacementFront: 1.063; Rear: .827
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness after RefinishFront: 1.102; Rear: .866
Variation from Parallelism Thickness Variation.001
Maximum Rotor Runout.002

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Camshaft Sprocket and/or Gear Bolt(s) — tightening sequence 1 stages
137.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 28°37 ft. lbs
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
118.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 75°18 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 1 stages
1M6 Bolts 11-1811 ft. lbs
Flex or Driveplate Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
111.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 75°11 ft. lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
1Bolts 1-73.7 ft. lbs
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
115 ft. lbs., Step 2: 120°15 ft. lbs
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
115.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 120°15 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant at 150,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 150,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miAccelerator Pedal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake Shift Interlock Solenoid (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (inspect)
Every 15,000 miWindshield Wiper Blade (replace)
Every 22,500 miCabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 45,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect)
Every 60,000 miSpark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)
Every 75,000 miHood Hinge (inspect)
Every 97,500 miTransfer Case Assembly (drain & refill)
At 150,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Drive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2021 Cadillac CT4 sits near the peak of early-life complaints and recalls for this generation, matching 2020's four recalls with one ongoing NHTSA investigation—the only investigation recorded across the entire model run. Complaint volume (7) is the second highest in the generation, though notably the top 2021 issues (fuel/propulsion, powertrain, engine) are spread across only one complaint each, with zero crash or fire complaints filed that year. The trend across the generation shows steady improvement: complaints drop from 7 in 2021 to 3 by 2023, recalls fall from four to one, and TSBs decline from 807 to 543 as the platform matures. By 2024–2025, recalls cease entirely and complaints normalize to low single digits. The 2021 model year carries the same recall burden as the pre-model-year launch, suggesting early manufacturing磨合 issues that the manufacturer addressed through warranty repairs; the data does not specify root causes. Compared to later model years, 2021 offers a well-documented service history and resolved recalls, but buyers should verify all four recalls were completed and budget for potential age-related consumables as the vehicle approaches five years old.

4
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
807
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
7
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★
Frontal★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 7 complaints on record, top 7 components.

Vehicle Speed Control,Engine,Fuel/Propulsion System1
Fuel/Propulsion System1
Power Train1
Engine1
Suspension,Engine1
Steering,Electrical System,Forward Collision Avoidance1
Tires1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 4 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

21V611000Air Bags:Side/Window:CurtainReported 05/08/2021

General Motors, LLC. (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Cadillac CT4 and CT5 vehicles. The roof rail side-curtain air bags may not have been installed correctly, which could result in an improper air bag deployment… Remedy: Dealers will inspect both left and right-side roof rail air bags and reinstall the air bags, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on August 30…

21V421000Air Bags:Srs Malfunction Warning Lamp/LightReported 10/06/2021

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Buick Envision, Cadillac CT4, CT5, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Tahoe, Corvette, Suburban, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL vehicles. The communications gateway module… Remedy: The communications gateway module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 1…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 807 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
PIT5966F2026-06-23Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary information communicates an issue with an OTA pending message still…
PIP61152026-05-20Unknown Or OtherThe document advise technicians after an engine repair involving removal of the camshaft…
PIT6215C2026-05-20Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary information communicates to dealership technicians that if they…
PIC6423A2026-05-11Unknown Or OtherPi created to provide GM dealers with information on gathering information for projection…
PIC6551B2026-05-11Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary information communicates to dealer to perform a MEC reset for wireless…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific CT4. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2021 CT4 take?

5.28 qt of Dexos1 Gen 2 0W-20, per the factory manual.

Does the 2021 CT4 have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.