CadillacCTS2016Overview/cadillac/cts/2016/base/

2016 Cadillac CTS

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2016 CTS.

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 2016 Cadillac CTS is a passenger car with an engine oil capacity of 5.0–6.0 and a recommended viscosity of 5W-30 or 0W-30. Over the model’s 2003–2019 complaint history, this model year recorded just 31 total owner complaints and four recalls, with the Power Train category representing the top complaint area. With the line spanning from a peak of 321 complaints in 2003 to a low of 8 in 2018, the 2016 model sits near the lower-complaint end of the spectrum, indicating a comparatively settled period in the nameplate’s run.

Model year201920182017201620132012201120102009

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity5.0-6.0OEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 / 0W-30OEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 48 · 660 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12731742. 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 48 · 660 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP245/45R17OEM · verified
Wheel / rim8.5 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter12731742 alt 25206377
Engine air filter20857930 alt 22844634
Spark plug12646780 alt 12662396
Battery88864542
Front wiper blades84017838 alt 84017839
Serpentine belt12643219 alt 12647764
Thermostat12582472 alt 12620318
Cabin air filter13508023

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length195.7 in
Overall width72 in
Overall height57.1 in
Wheelbase114.6 in
Curb weight3777 lb
Track (front / rear)61.4 / 61.8 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)50/50

Performance & power Independent road tests

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

Independent road tests for the CTS 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 — 2016 V-Sport Premium Sedan
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2016V-Sport Premium Sedan 3.6L Twin-Turbo V64.70 sec13.10 sec420 hpRWD
2016Premium 2.0T Sedan 2.0L Turbo I-45.80 sec14.50 sec272 hpAWD
2017V-Sport Premium Luxury Sedan 3.6L Twin-Turbo V64.50 sec12.90 sec420 hpRWD
2017Premium Luxury 3.6 Sedan 3.6L V65.70 sec14.20 sec335 hpRWD
2014Vsport Sedan 3.6L Twin-Turbo V64.40 sec12.90 sec420 hpRWD
2014Vsport Sedan 3.6L Twin-Turbo V64.40 sec12.80 sec420 hpRWD
2014Vsport Sedan 3.6L Twin-Turbo V64.50 sec13.00 sec420 hpRWD
2014Vsport Sedan 3.6L Twin-Turbo V64.60 sec13.10 sec420 hpRWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 5.0-6.0 of 5W-30 / 0W-30 engine oil, 75W-90 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Brake Fluid Capacity0.95-1.15
Differential Gear Oil75W-90
Engine CoolantDex Cool
Engine Coolant Capacity13.5 qt
Engine CoolantDex Cool
Engine Coolant Capacity10.6 qt
Engine Oil5W-30 · SAE 5W · synthetic · 0W-30

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs89 inch lbs. ft-lbs
Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs89 inch lbs. ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts49.0 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts34
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug15.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug15.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Driveshaft Flange to Transmission41.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel HubSedan - 158 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub Bearing Housing BoltsSedan - Install a new retaining nut. ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Cylinder Firing Order1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Gap.037 - .043 in
Spark Plug Torque15 ft-lbs
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Gap.037 - .043 in

Battery & A/C

Standard BCI Group Number48
Standard BCI Cranking Performance660 cca
Optional BCI Group Number94R
Optional BCI Cranking Performance730 cca
Standard BCI Group Number48
Standard BCI Cranking Performance660 cca
Optional BCI Group Number94R
Optional BCI Cranking Performance730 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test15 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature188-206 °F
Pressure Test15, Pressure should not exceed 20 psi.
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature194-225 °F
Pressure Test15, Pressure should not exceed 20 psi.
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief15 psi

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier TorqueFront: 22.0
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueFront: 111; Rear: 96 /; Front: 111 Then
ABS Sensor Torque7.5 / NS
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 in
Variation from Parallelism Thickness Variation.001
Maximum Rotor Runout.002

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Steering Track (Rod End) Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
126.0, Step 240 degrees
Camshaft Sprocket and/or Gear Bolt(s) — tightening sequence 1 stages
148.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9048 ft. lbs
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
118.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 11018 ft. lbs
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
122.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: loosen all bolts completely, Step 3: 18.0 ft. lbs., Step 4: 11022 ft. lbs
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
115.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 8515 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 2 stages

Prep Do not reuse old bolts. Do not allow oil on cylinder head or head bolt bosses · M11 Bolts:

122.0 ft. lbs.22 ft. lbs
2150 degrees; M8 Bolts:150 degrees
111.0 ft. lbs.11 ft. lbs
275 degrees75 degrees
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 2 stages

Prep Do not reuse old bolts.

122.0 ft. lbs.22 ft. lbs
2190 degrees190 degrees
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 4 stages

Prep Do not reuse the 11.0mm bolts. Ensure new bolts are the same thread pitch as the bolts being replaced. Failure to use bolts of the same thread pitch will cause engine damage or failure. · M11 Bolts

122.0 ft. lbs.22 ft. lbs
260 degrees60 degrees
360 degrees60 degrees
460 degrees; M6 Bolts60 degrees
18.9 ft. lbs.8.9 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 4 stages

Prep Do not reuse any bolts. Coat new bolts with specified engine oil

159.0 ft. lbs.59 ft. lbs
290 degrees90 degrees
3Bolts 7 and8 60 degrees60 degrees
4Bolt 9 40 degrees40 degrees
Engine Flywheel Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
139.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 2539 ft. lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
122.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 4522 ft. lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
111.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 22.0 ft. lbs., Step 3: 4511 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; 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) · Engine Oil (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil Life Monitor (inspect)
Every 22,500 miCabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 45,000 miBrake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Drive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect)
Every 60,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)
Every 97,500 miSpark Plug Wires (inspect)
At 150,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · 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 2016 Cadillac CTS represents a clear inflection point in reliability trends for its generation, particularly when viewed alongside the federal record. Complaints dropped sharply from 144 in 2014 and 47 in 2015 to just 31 in 2016, the lowest figure since the model’s redesign, while recalls held steady at four—consistent with 2015 but below the six issued in 2014. This decline in complaints mirrors a broader arc of improvement, as later model years (20172019) saw even fewer issues, with complaints falling to single digits by 2018. The 2016 model’s top complaint areas—primarily power train and electrical system concerns—are relatively minor in volume and lack the severity of earlier years, with no crash-related complaints and only one reported fire. While the data doesn’t specify root causes, the trend suggests Cadillac addressed many first-year redesign bugs by 2016, making this a notably stable year in the CTS’s lifecycle. **For a used buyer, the 2016 CTS stands out as a strong choice, offering a balance of maturity in the generation with minimal reliability red flags.**

4
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
1666
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
31
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 1 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 31 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Power Train6
Electrical System4
Unknown Or Other3
Air Bags2
Suspension2
Engine2
Steering1
Structure1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 4 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

18V595000Seats:Front Assembly:Seat Heater/CoolerReported 07/09/2018

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Cadillac CTS vehicles, equipped with heated front seats. The flexible heating mats in the front seats may be damaged over time, resulting in the seat heaters… Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will recalibrate the body control module, disabling the automatic activation of the heated seat when the vehicle is remotely started, free of…

19V086000Steering:Electric Power Assist SystemReported 07/02/2019

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Cadillac CTS, and 2017 Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Camaro, and Chevrolet Corvette vehicles. The electric power steering (EPS) assist system may fail. Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the power steering gear assembly, free of charge. The recall began June 13, 2019. GM' number for this recall is N182182760.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 1666 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
PIT3271Q2026-04-01Unknown Or OtherThis preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel…
PIP61042026-03-09Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and…
PIP4902V2026-03-09Unknown Or OtherThis preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into…
PIP5700G2026-01-12Unknown Or OtherThis PI communicates the proper part numbers for transmission connectors and internal…
PIP4902U2026-01-08Unknown Or OtherThis preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into…

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 CTS. 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 2016 CTS take?

5.0-6.0 of 5W-30 meeting GM Dexos 1 specification or equivalent. Where temperatures fall below -20 degreesF, GM recommends using either an SAE 5W-30 synthetic oil or an SAN 0W-30 oil., per the factory manual.

Does the 2016 CTS have open recalls?

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