Instructions to Change the Starter in a Cadillac CTS

The starter motor in a Cadillac CTS resides on the lower-left side of the Cadillac’s engine. When you turn the ignition key, you send an electrical signal through the starter circuit to the starter motor. The starter then ejects a gear (known as a bendix) from its nosecone that spins the CTS’s flywheel and starts the engine. If the starter burns out or seizes or the bendix linkage breaks, you’ll need to change out the starter. If you have a solid grasp on the fundamentals of auto-repair, you can change the starter on your CTS in about an hour.

Things You'll Need:

• Battery wrench
• 2 wheel chocks
• Floor jack
• 2 jack stands
• Socket set

1. Open the CTS’s hood

Open the CTS’s hood. Unhook the negative cable from the battery. Place the wheel chocks against the right-rear tire to prevent the Cadillac from rolling.

2. Lift the CTS’s front end with your floor jack

Lift the CTS’s front end with your floor jack. Support the front end on two jack stands, set under the jack points on the body rail.

3. Climb under the CTS’s front end with your socket set

Climb under the CTS’s front end with your socket set and the new starter. Remove the starter solenoid connector from the starter by hand.

4. Unbolt the power cable from the CTS’s starter with the socket set

Unbolt the power cable from the CTS’s starter with the socket set. Remove the two starter mounting bolts with the socket set.

5. Lower the starter out of the CTS’s engine bay by hand

Lower the starter out of the CTS’s engine bay by hand. Insert the new starter and thread the starter mounting bolts in by hand. Tighten the bolts using your socket set.

6. Bolt the power cable to the starter

Bolt the power cable to the starter with your socket set. Connect the CTS’s starter solenoid connector to the new starter by hand.

7. Lower the CTS off the jack stands

Lower the CTS off the jack stands using the floor jack. Reconnect the negative cable to the battery with the battery wrench. Move the wheel chocks away from the CTS’s back tire before driving.

Video showing how to replace a Cadillac CTS starter:

Comments from this video:

• For the wire plug that requires the harness to be squeezed. Just take a long screwdriver or strong thin rod. Place it in under the top of the clip. Place the other end against the exhaust and just push I'm and up. Also note the new starter may have a new nut for the positive lead. Be sure to validate the size of that nut before shoving the starter back in.
  Replacing the starter on my wife's smart car was so much easier than this.
• Good job. The snap on connectors are always hard...have to be careful not to break old plastic parts ..thanks