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The short version
- A CTS wheel bearing splits first by generation. Stud count and package decide it after that, across the 2003 to 2013 cars.
- The first generation runs a five stud rear hub on the base car. The CTS V of the same years runs a six stud rear hub instead.
- The redesigned 2008 to 2013 car uses one number at both ends of the base position. It is 513282.
- The sport suspension package and the V Series performance model each carry their own numbers again from 2009 onward.
Cadillac built the CTS on two very different chassis between 2003 and 2013. A sport suspension package and a supercharged V Series sat on top of both.
A CTS wheel bearing depends on generation, stud count and package. Look at the wheel before you look at anything else.
Count the studs
The first generation CTS, 2003 to 2007, uses a five stud rear hub. It is cataloged as 512223.
The CTS V of the same years runs a six stud rear hub instead, cataloged as 512243. It is not interchangeable with the base car’s hub.
The general split between front and rear follows the pattern on the front versus rear page. On this car the stud count decides it first.
The sport suspension package
Cars with the sport suspension package carry their own numbers. 513316 covers the front and 512447 the rear for 2014 to 2016, then 512579 the rear for 2016 to 2017.
Those years sit past the 2003 to 2013 span this page is built around. They explain why a search on a later CTS returns different numbers.
The package code is on the glovebox or trunk option label. That is the reliable way to confirm it before ordering a CTS wheel bearing.
CTS wheel bearing part numbers
| Years | Detail | Number |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 to 2017 | Rear, sport suspension | 512579 check price |
| 2014 to 2016 | Front, sport suspension | 513316 check price |
| 2014 to 2016 | Rear, sport suspension | 512447 check price |
| 2010 to 2014 | Sport Wagon, front and rear | 513282 check price |
| 2009 to 2015 | Rear, sport suspension, 6.2 liter | 513281 check price |
| 2009 to 2013 | Front, sport suspension, 6.2 liter | 513281 check price |
| 2008 to 2013 | Front, base | 513282 check price |
| 2008 to 2013 | Rear, base | 513282 check price |
| 2004 to 2007 | Front, six stud, CTS V | 513197 check price |
| 2004 to 2007 | Rear, six stud, CTS V | 512243 check price |
| 2003 to 2007 | Front, five stud hub | 512246 check price |
| 2003 to 2007 | Rear, five stud hub | 512223 check price |
Every model year this chart resolves: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017.
The 2008 to 2013 base sedan uses 513282 at both the front and the rear. The 2010 to 2014 Sport Wagon uses the same number at both ends too.
The catalog draws no line between rear wheel drive and all wheel drive for either one. Do not read the repeated number as an error, and match the year and the body before ordering.
The wagon is its own car
513282 is cataloged for the Sport Wagon at both ends across 2010 to 2014. The base sedan uses the same number for those years.
Wagons sold in small numbers, so listings run thinner. Confirm the number against the old part rather than assume a sedan listing covers it.
Cross referencing the number rather than the body style is on the cross reference page.
What the fast ones do to hubs
The V Series versions of this car make serious power and run wide, sticky tires to put it down, and both raise the cornering load a rear hub sees.
Cornering load wears a bearing faster than straight line power does, which is one reason the six stud CTS V hub and the later V Series numbers exist as their own listings.
A car that has seen track use should be checked more often than its mileage alone suggests. That is on the failure page.
Diagnosing a CTS wheel bearing
- Count the wheel studs before ordering a CTS wheel bearing, since five and six stud hubs are not the same part.
- Check the option label for the sport suspension or V Series package.
- Note the body, since the Sport Wagon is cataloged separately from the sedan.
- Weave at road speed and note which side loads the noise.
- Rock the wheel at twelve and six with it raised.
Those steps are on the checking page and the tire noise page.
Price links lead to Amazon searches for that number. As an Amazon Associate this site earns from qualifying purchases.
Common questions
How do I pick the right CTS wheel bearing?
Count the studs on the first generation car, check the option label for sport suspension or V Series on any year, and confirm the body if it is a wagon.
Why does the stud count differ within one generation?
The CTS V used a different wheel and brake package than the base car, and the hub carries the studs that match it.
Does the redesigned 2008 car still split by studs?
No. The catalog gives the 2008 to 2013 base car one number at each end, 513282, without a stud or drivetrain qualifier.
Is the Sport Wagon really different?
It shares 513282 with the base sedan across 2010 to 2014, but the listing is thinner, so confirm it against the old part.
Do I need a press?
No. Every CTS position here is a bolt on hub assembly.