Cadillac CTS Coupe Vertical Door Kit Installation
Installation guide: This page explains how to install Vertical Doors, Inc. Coupe kit VDCCADCTSV0814, which is compatible with the 2011-2014 Cadillac CTS Coupe and 2011-2015 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe. It combines the official 12-page VDI installation manual with a complete customer installation video by Mareno The Car Guy.
Use the correct kit: Coupe kit VDCCADCTSV0814 and four-door Sedan kit VDCCADCTS0810 are different products and are not interchangeable. The general installation process is similar, but the hinge assemblies and vehicle fitment are different.
This is an advanced automotive modification. The work includes bumper, headlight, fender, door-panel, wiring, hinge-alignment, shock, and clearance work. Use a qualified installer if you are not experienced with body-panel removal, door alignment, wiring protection, grinding, and threadlocked fasteners.
View Coupe kit VDCCADCTSV0814 | Download the Cadillac CTS PDF instructions | Main VDI Installation Guide
Choose the correct Cadillac CTS kit
2011-2014 CTS Coupe and 2011-2015 CTS-V Coupe
Use VDCCADCTSV0814, the vehicle-specific VDI hinge conversion kit for the supported Cadillac CTS Coupe and CTS-V Coupe applications.
Shop the Cadillac CTS Coupe kit
2008-2013 Cadillac CTS four-door Sedan
Use VDCCADCTS0810. This is a separate four-door Sedan kit. The installation sequence is broadly similar, but Sedan owners must use the Sedan hinge assemblies, hardware, fitment information, and product support.
Shop the Cadillac CTS Sedan kit
Cadillac CTS installation resources
- Coupe fitment
- 2011-2014 Cadillac CTS Coupe and 2011-2015 Cadillac CTS-V Coupe
- VDI part number
- VDCCADCTSV0814
- Instruction source
- Vertical Doors, Inc. 12-page Cadillac CTS PDF installation manual
- Video
- Customer-performed installation and full video by Mareno The Car Guy, approximately 1 hour 25 minutes
- Door configuration
- The conversion retains the factory doors and replaces the factory front-door hinge system with the vehicle-specific VDI hinge assemblies.
Watch the complete Cadillac CTS installation
Customer credit: Mareno The Car Guy completed this installation himself and created the video and finished-build photos to document the project. Vertical Doors, Inc. is sharing his work as a real-world customer installation resource. Credit for the installation, video, and customer photos belongs to Mareno The Car Guy.
Watch Mareno's Cadillac CTS installation directly on YouTube.
This is a customer-created video and should be used as a visual companion to the official VDI PDF instructions. Always follow the instructions supplied with the correct kit and contact VDI technical support if the vehicle or hardware differs from what is shown.
Customer Cadillac CTS Coupe gallery
These customer-supplied photos show Mareno's completed CTS Coupe conversion with both front doors raised. They show the finished appearance only; use the official PDF and installation video above for the installation procedure.
Gallery photos courtesy of Mareno The Car Guy.
What is included with the kit?
The Cadillac instruction manual identifies the following components. Confirm every part is present before beginning:
- One left and one right VDI hinge assembly
- Two gas shocks
- Two shoulder bolts
- Two retaining pins
- Eight M8-1.25 x 30 mm bolts with washers
- Eight M8-1.25 x 40 mm bolts with washers
Tools and materials listed in the VDI manual
- Air ratchet, grinder, and cutter
- 10 mm, 11 mm, 13 mm, 14 mm, and 15 mm sockets with extensions
- Panel-removal fork and Phillips screwdriver
- Protected spacers for maintaining the factory door gap
- 3/16-inch Allen wrench
- 1/4-inch Torx bit
- 9/16-inch wrench
- Red threadlocker
- Painter's tape, electrical tape, zip ties, and protective wire loom
The manual notes that additional tools may be required for the exact vehicle. Follow current vehicle service information for panel removal, fastener handling, and electrical procedures.
Before beginning
- Confirm that a Coupe application uses VDCCADCTSV0814. Do not install the Sedan kit VDCCADCTS0810 on a Coupe.
- Read the complete VDI manual and watch the installation video once from beginning to end.
- Work on a level surface with adequate lighting and protect every painted edge.
- Have a qualified helper available to support the door and assist with shock installation.
- Record the factory door gaps and alignment with clear photos and measurements.
- Disconnect the battery according to the correct Cadillac service procedure.
- Keep removed fasteners organized by panel and location.
Cadillac CTS step-by-step installation overview
This sequence converts the original VDI manual into crawlable, mobile-friendly text. Use the manual photographs and diagrams for the exact locations referenced below.
1. Disconnect the battery
Complete the correct battery-disconnection procedure before removing trim, releasing electrical connectors, or working around the door harness.
2. Release the factory door check
Open the door and remove the fasteners securing the factory door check. The manual completes removal after the interior door panel and speaker have been removed.
3. Remove the bumper, headlight, and front fender
Remove the wheel-well fasteners and release the front portion of the side skirt to reach the lower fender fasteners. The VDI manual also identifies fasteners near the factory hinges, between the door and windshield pillar, behind the bumper, and near the headlight. Remove the required bumper and headlight components before lifting off the fender. Protect all painted edges during removal.
4. Remove the interior door panel
Remove the trim covers and fasteners, carefully release the control panel, and disconnect the associated harnesses. Disconnect the lower door light before pulling the panel away. Remove the speaker as directed so the door check and wiring retainers can be accessed.
5. Obtain the required wiring slack
Pull back the door cover and release the wiring clips shown in the manual. Remove the required hold-downs and factory tape without cutting the wires. Release the upper harness from its original retainers, gain the required movement, and secure the relocated harness with zip ties and electrical tape. Reconnect every loose harness before reinstalling the door panel.
6. Mark and secure the factory door position
Close the door and secure it to the body with painter's tape. Mark the horizontal and vertical position, then measure how far the upper and lower front edge of the door sits from the adjacent body structure. Protect the door and fender edges. After removing the factory hinge bolts, insert protected spacers so the original door gap is maintained.
7. Install the VDI hinge assembly
Position the VDI hinge so it sits flat against the mounting area. The manual instructs installers to tighten the door-side bolts before the body-side mounting bolts. Use only the supplied hardware in its specified location and follow the manual for fastener preparation.
8. Restore the horizontal door alignment
Use the adjustment nut and Allen set screw identified as #1 and #2 in the manual. Bring the adjustment screw into contact with the block, then open and close the door while adjusting until the latch meets the striker correctly. The door must close without being lifted, dropped, or forced. The manual leaves adjustment nut #1 loose until after the shock is installed because the alignment may need to be fine-tuned.
9. Prepare the shoulder bolt and shock correctly
Warranty-critical step: Grease the body of the shoulder bolt, apply red threadlocker to the shoulder-bolt threads, and grease the lower contact surface of the shock end exactly as shown on page 9 of the VDI manual.
Never grip the shock body or shaft with pliers. Do not scratch, paint, heat, drill, puncture, or apply foreign material to the shock body or shaft.
10. Install the gas shock
Have a helper raise and fully support the door. Seat the spherical rod mount in the spherical bearing, secure the upper connection to the swing arm with the specified fastener, and install the retaining pin at the lower shock end. Never rely on the uninstalled or partially installed shock to support the door.
11. Set the vertical opening adjustment and lubricate the hinge
Adjust set screw #3 until the swing arm can move vertically without binding. Fine-tune adjustment screw #2 so the door returns to the striker correctly. Grease the swing-arm contact points and every zerk fitting identified in the manual. Slowly cycle the door outward, upward, downward, and closed several times while checking alignment and clearance.
12. Protect the final wiring path
After the correct slack has been established, the VDI manual directs the installer to modify the factory wire boot and add protective aftermarket loom over the exposed wiring. Confirm that the harness never stretches, pinches, rubs on a sharp edge, or enters the hinge path through the full door movement.
13. Trim for fender clearance and reassemble
The VDI manual requires trimming the inner fender lip to clear the moving hinge assembly. The illustrated cut is a reference and the required opening can differ by vehicle. Remove only the material necessary for unrestricted movement, leave the protective lip described in the manual, smooth every sharp edge, and finish the edge with protective trim. Do not reinstall the fender until door alignment, set-screw security, fastener security, lubrication, wiring clearance, and repeated operation have all been verified.
14. Repeat the procedure on the opposite side
Complete the same controlled process on the second door. Do not assume the final adjustment will be identical from side to side. Recheck panel gaps, latch operation, hinge clearance, shock movement, and wiring movement independently.
Final operation and safety checklist
- The door opens outward to the VDI stop before it is raised.
- The latch meets the striker without slamming, lifting, or forcing the door.
- The closed-door position and panel gaps match the recorded factory alignment.
- The hinge, shock, wiring, door, and fender remain clear through the full travel.
- No wire is stretched, pinched, exposed to a sharp edge, or routed through a moving joint.
- All specified hardware, locking nuts, pins, and retainers are secure.
- Every required shoulder-bolt surface, contact point, and zerk fitting is lubricated.
- Every electrical function disconnected during installation works normally.
- Both doors have been cycled repeatedly before the vehicle is driven.
Common Cadillac installation questions
Does the VDI kit replace the factory Cadillac doors?
No. The vehicle-specific VDI kit retains the factory doors and replaces the factory front-door hinge assemblies with VDI hinge assemblies.
Why must the factory door position be marked?
The alignment marks and measurements provide a reference if the door moves after the factory hinges are removed. They help the installer restore the original gaps and striker relationship before setting vertical travel.
Is fender modification required?
Yes. The supplied Cadillac manual instructs the installer to trim the inner fender lip for hinge movement. The exact cut can differ by vehicle, so clearance must be verified through the complete door travel before final reassembly.
Can the Coupe and Sedan kits be interchanged?
No. Coupe kit VDCCADCTSV0814 and four-door Sedan kit VDCCADCTS0810 use different hinge systems for different body styles. Select the kit by body style, supported model year, and part number.
Can Sedan owners use this installation information?
The overall installation sequence is similar, so the PDF and general checkpoints can help a Sedan installer understand the process. However, a 2008-2013 four-door Sedan must use VDCCADCTS0810 and the correct Sedan product information. Do not use Coupe components on the Sedan.
Need help with a genuine VDI kit?
Before contacting Vertical Doors, Inc., have the vehicle year, body style, trim, VDI part number, proof of purchase, and clear photos or video of the concern available.
Call 951-245-8669 | Email sales@verticaldoors.com | Find a VDI Dealer or Installer