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Cadillac ATS VIN Number Check

Decode a Cadillac ATS VIN free with NHTSA vPIC. See the NHTSA recalls for that model year, then read what owners have reported.

VIN prefix1G6

Free decode plus the NHTSA recalls for its model year. 17 characters, no I, O or Q.

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Cadillac ATS

About the Cadillac ATS

Cadillac sold the ATS in the US for model years 2013–2019. Across those years NHTSA lists 11 vehicle recall campaigns and 384 owner complaints. The 2013 has the most complaints of any model year (160). EPA rates it at 19–26 mpg combined. A free VIN decode gives you NHTSA vPIC’s record for the car (model year, engine, plant) and the NHTSA recalls for its model year. It won’t show theft, flood or lemon-law history.

US model years2013–2019
EPA classCompact Cars
NHTSA recall campaigns11
Owner complaints384 at NHTSA
Cadillac ATS photographed at a US vehicle auction
Auction lot photo, for illustration
Generations

Cadillac ATS at a glance

One generation in the data, 2013–2019: 11 NHTSA recall campaigns and 384 owner complaints.

1 / 1
ATS
2013–2019Compact Cars
Cadillac ATS (2013–2019)

Photo: M 93, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons

20132019
2013–2019

Cadillac ATS

EPA classCompact Cars
EPA combined mpg19–26
NHTSA recalls11

Engines (EPA)

  • 2.0 L 4-cyl (turbo) · 2013–2019
  • 2.5 L 4-cyl · 2013–2017
  • 3.6 L 6-cyl · 2013–2019
  • 3.6 L 6-cyl (turbo) · 2016–2019

Drive & transmission (EPA)

  • AWD/4WD, RWD
  • automatic (2013–2019), manual (2013–2019)

Known issues to check

Powertrain (transmission, driveline) (103)Electrical system (77)Engine and cooling (72)3 high-risk recall campaigns

Mentions in 384 NHTSA complaints.

Sample VIN pattern · ATS1G6AA5RA?D0······NHTSA vPIC decodes it as a 2013 Cadillac ATS Standard, built in Lansing - Grand River, Michigan
Check an ATS VIN

Sources: EPA · NHTSA · vPIC

NHTSA campaign data

Which ATS model years each recall covers

NHTSA data

NHTSA has 11 campaigns on file for ATS model years 2013–2019, and the 2013 shows up in more of them than any other year (6), ahead of the 2014 (4). Move the line to your model year to see which apply.

2013
Air bag inflator, fire risk or do-not-drive/park-outside advisorySafety recallCanada only
Pick a row
What to ask

Source: NHTSA recall database, vehicle campaigns only; row text is NHTSA’s summary. A listed year does not mean every car is covered, so check the VIN.

Canada rows: Transport Canada recalls database. Transport Canada recalls that match an NHTSA campaign are folded into that row by VinNumber.net; rows with the Canadian flag have no NHTSA match. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada · Transport Canada.

Owner reports · NHTSA complaints

What Cadillac ATS owners report

Owner summaries + NHTSA data

Between them, the 2013 and 2014 hold 264 of the 384 complaints, or 69%. Tap any bar or generation.

384NHTSA complaints, 2013–2019
21mention a crash
3mention a fire
25injuries reported
Owner complaints by model yearATS: 384 complaints · most for the 2013 (160)

Top complaint areas · ATS

Mentions in 384 complaints, 2013–2019.

Powertrain (transmission, driveline)103
Electrical system77
Engine and cooling72
Steering61
Air bags29
Brakes21
Crashes 21Fires 3Injuries 25

2013–2019

NHTSA data summary

The 2013 is the outlier. On its own it has 160 of the ’s 384 complaints (42%), more than any other ATS model year. By area, nothing stands out. Powertrain leads with 103, with the electrical system (77) and engine and cooling (72) close behind.

What ATS owners report across recent generations

Owner summary

2013–2019 (1st generation)

The 2013 and 2014 draw the most complaints, and totals drop after that. NHTSA owners of the 2013 describe power steering loss, stalling, transmission and shifting problems and a CUE screen that freezes. CarComplaints lists a glitchy CUE system, engine failure and rough running for 2013, fumes from other vehicles entering the cabin and run flat tire separation for 2014, and axle seal failure and a broken control arm for 2015. Cadillac ended the ATS after 2019. Recalls cover transmission shift cables on 2013–2014 models that may detach and rear defogger modules on 2013–2016 sedans that may overheat. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

What to check before buying

  • Run the VIN through the NHTSA recall lookup, including the shift cable and rear defogger recalls.
  • Ask whether the CUE screen has been replaced.
  • On the drive, turn the wheel at low speed to confirm steady assist, check that the shifter matches the gear shown, and inspect the run flat tires and axle seals.
Sources (5) and method
Sources:
  1. NHTSA recalls and owner complaints, 2013 Cadillac ATS
  2. CarComplaints.com, 2013 Cadillac ATS problems
  3. NHTSA recalls and owner complaints, 2014 Cadillac ATS
  4. CarComplaints.com, 2014 Cadillac ATS problems
  5. CarComplaints.com, 2015 Cadillac ATS problems

Counts: NHTSA complaints file, records to October 1, 2026, one count per complaint; areas are NHTSA component groups.

Owner summary updated September 25, 2026.

Owner complaints · by model year

ATS complaint breakdown by model year

NHTSA data

Every ATS version is counted together. Tap a year to see its top systems.

384complaints, 2013–2019
21mention a crash
3mention a fire
25injuries reported
Most complaints: 2013 (160), 2014 (104), 2016 (35)
160’13104’14’1535’16

2013 · 160 complaints

Crashes 9 · fires 0 · injuries 8

Engine48
Power train45
Electrical system36
Steering25
Service brakes17

Systems as NHTSA names them; a complaint can list several. Source: NHTSA complaints data, records to October 1, 2026.

EPA fuel economy & emissions

ATS CO₂, smog rating and yearly fuel cost

EPA data

EPA lists 49 ATS versions for model years 2013–2019. The lowest tailpipe CO₂ is 344 g/mi (2014). Pick a model year and powertrain to see each version.

ATS2013–2019

19–26 mpg · CO₂ 344–475 g/mi

2018
25combined MPG
348CO₂ grams per mile (tailpipe)
$3,300EPA yearly fuel cost
5/10Smog rating
1 = worst · 10 = cleanest
5/10Greenhouse gas rating
California LEV-III ULEV70 · Federal Tier 3 Bin 70Emission standard
Cleanest gas version of 2018: ATS · Auto (S8), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo — 25 MPG · 348 g/mi
Best (lowest) CO₂ by model year
30035040045050020152013 · Gas: 3442014 · Gas: 3442015 · Gas: 3562016 · Gas: 3482017 · Gas: 3472018 · Gas: 3482019 · Gas: 352
Gas

Annual fuel cost is EPA’s estimate at its current fuel-price assumptions (15,000 miles a year, 55% city driving), so older years are priced at today’s fuel prices. Smog rating and emission standard can differ by sales area (federal vs. California); both are shown. Source: fueleconomy.gov.

Compare rivals

ATS vs BMW 3 Series vs Mercedes-Benz C-Class

NHTSA + EPA data

Take 2013–2019. NHTSA lists 11 recall campaigns for the ATS, against 27 for the BMW 3 Series and 46 for the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Pick a range to compare.

Cadillac ATS

Model years 2013–2019

NHTSA recall campaigns
11
NHTSA owner complaints
384
EPA combined mpg
19–26
Engines (EPA)
4-cyl 2.0, 2.5 L · 6-cyl 3.6 L
Also listed
turbo
Drive (EPA)
AWD/4WD, RWD
NHTSA crash rating
5★ overall (2018)

Most-reported complaint areas (NHTSA)

  1. Powertrain (transmission, driveline) 103
  2. Electrical system 77
  3. Engine and cooling 72

BMW 3 Series

Model years 2013–2019

NHTSA recall campaigns
27
NHTSA owner complaints
1,302
EPA combined mpg
19–36
Engines (EPA)
4-cyl 2.0 L · 6-cyl 3.0 L
Also listed
turbo, hybrid, diesel, plug-in hybrid
Drive (EPA)
AWD/4WD, RWD
NHTSA crash rating
5★ overall (2018)

Most-reported complaint areas (NHTSA)

  1. Engine and cooling 529
  2. Electrical system 290
  3. Fuel system 209

Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Model years 2013–2019

NHTSA recall campaigns
46
NHTSA owner complaints
2,088
EPA combined mpg
15–30
Engines (EPA)
4-cyl 1.8, 2.0 L · 6-cyl 3.0, 3.5 L · 8-cyl 4.0, 6.2 L
Also listed
turbo, plug-in hybrid
Drive (EPA)
AWD/4WD, RWD
NHTSA crash rating
5★ overall (2018)

Most-reported complaint areas (NHTSA)

  1. Air bags 508
  2. Engine and cooling 456
  3. Structure and body 259

NHTSA recalls (vehicle campaigns for all powertrain versions; equipment and tire campaigns left out), complaints (not sales-adjusted) and 5-Star overall ratings for the latest year rated for all three; EPA mpg, engines and drive. Rivals: same EPA class, picked by VinNumber.net.

Cadillac ATS VIN number location

Where to find the VIN on an ATS

Tap a spot. Every location should show the same 17 characters.

Black Cadillac ATS (2013-2019) sedan, front three-quarter view, with the VIN locations marked

Photo: Hans Haase, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped

Illustration: VinNumber.net

Photo: Bull-Doser, Public domain; edited and VIN pins added by VinNumber.net

The ATS was discontinued after 2019. Its VIN sits at the base of the driver's side windshield, with a door jamb sticker and trunk lid label as secondary locations. Engine bay stamp is present.

  1. Windshield plateRead it through the glass at the base of the driver's side windshield.
    Source: 49 CFR 565.13(f) (NHTSA): VIN inside the passenger compartment, readable through the glazing next to the left windshield pillar
  2. Door jamb labelOpen the driver's door: the certification label on the B-pillar lists the VIN.
    Source: 49 CFR 567.4 (NHTSA): certification label with VIN at the driver door hinge pillar, latch post or door edge
The title, registration and insurance card show the VIN as well. All locations should match.
FAQ

Common Cadillac ATS VIN questions

Which Cadillac ATS model years have the most owner complaints?

The 2013 leads with 160, ahead of the 2014 (104) and 2016 (35). Those first two alone make up 69% of the 384 ATS complaints filed with NHTSA, not adjusted for sales.

How many recalls has the Cadillac ATS had?

NHTSA’s recall records show 11 vehicle campaigns for model years 2013–2019, leaving out equipment and tire campaigns.

Which Cadillac ATS recalls are high risk?

26V-329 covers air bag inflators that can rupture. NHTSA’s record names a fire risk in 15V-558 and 18V-358. Each should show as closed on a VIN check.

What fuel economy does the Cadillac ATS get?

It varies. EPA rates the 2013–2019 ATS at 19–26 mpg combined, depending on engine and drive (fueleconomy.gov).

How does the Cadillac ATS compare with the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class on recalls?

For 2013–2019 models the ATS has 11 NHTSA recall campaigns. The BMW 3 Series has 27, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class 46. Complaints run 384, 1,302 and 2,088 in that order, with no sales adjustment.

What crash rating does the Cadillac ATS have?

NHTSA’s 5-Star Safety Ratings give the 2018 ATS 5 stars overall. Both rated versions, 4 DR AWD and 4 DR RWD, get that score. NHTSA lists 4 versions for that year, 2 of them rated.

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