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Cadillac · NHTSA safety record

2013 Cadillac XTS

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

Owners have filed 103 safety complaints about the 2013 Cadillac XTS with the US government. Of those, 2 mention a fire and no death is recorded. 5 recall campaigns are open against it.

The most complained-about system is the electrical system, named in 41 complaints, 40% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 53,000 miles, the median across the 75 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers July 2012 to May 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

103 complaints on file

103

Complaints

0

Describe a crash

2

Mention fire

0

People injured

0

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 41 · 40%
SUSPENSION 25 · 24%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 13 · 13%
ENGINE 12 · 12%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 9 · 9%
SERVICE BRAKES 6 · 6%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 6 · 6%
WHEELS 6 · 6%
SEATS 4 · 4%
AIR BAGS 3 · 3%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 3 · 3%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 3 · 3%
0 19 38

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 103.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2019 at 15.

16 12 8 4
12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2012 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2013 Cadillac XTS, and it is a separate question from what owners report going wrong later.

Test 4 DR AWD 4 DR FWD
Overall
Frontal crash
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash
Side barrier
Side pole
Rollover
Chance of rollover 11.8% 11.8%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard

A rating belongs to a tested body style and drivetrain, not to the model as a whole, which is why more than one is listed. A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.

Recall campaigns

5 on file

PARKING BRAKE

14V541000 · September 9, 2014

The defect
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Cadillac XTS vehicles manufactured February 14, 2012, to August 22, 2014, and 2014-2015 Chevrolet Impala vehicles manufactured November 5, 2012, to September 2, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the electronic parking brake piston actuation arm may not fully retract causing the brake pads to stay partially engaged.
The risk
Brake pads that remain partially engaged with the rotors may cause excessive brake heat that may result in a fire.
The remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the electronic parking brake software, free of charge. The recall began on October 28, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 14471.

General Motors LLC · up to 205,309 vehicles across all model years covered

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE

14V518000 · August 28, 2014

The defect
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Cadillac XTS vehicles manufactured April 11, 2013, to June 27, 2013, and 2014 Chevrolet Impala vehicles manufactured May 13, 2013, to November 5, 2013. The affected vehicles may have left the factory with the sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) set to "manufacturing mode."
The risk
In manufacturing mode, the vehicle's air bags will not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of occupant injury.
The remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers are to reprogram the SDM to the correct mode, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in September 2014. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 14532.

General Motors LLC · up to 5 vehicles across all model years covered

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

14V116000 · March 17, 2014

The defect
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Cadillac XTS vehicles manufactured February 14, 2012, through March 7, 2014. In the affected vehicles, a cavity plug on the brake booster pump connector may dislodge allowing corrosion of the brake booster pump relay connector.
The risk
The corrosion of the brake booster pump relay connector may cause a resistive short and melt the connector, increasing the risk of a fire.
The remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will apply sealant to the connector cavity plugs, re-route the vacuum pump vent hose and replace the front body wiring harnesses as needed, free of charge. The recall began on April 7, 2014. Owners may contact Cadillac at 1-866-982-2339. GM's number for this recall is 14062.

General Motors LLC · up to 63,903 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

13V220000 · May 24, 2013

The defect
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Cadillac ATS and model year 2013 Cadillac XTS; model year 2014 Chevrolet Impala; and 2013 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles. Originally, in May 2013, GM recalled 1,627 model year 2013 Cadillac ATS and model year 2013 Cadillac XTS; and model year 2014 Chevrolet Impala vehicles. In October 2013, GM informed the agency that it was adding model year 2013 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles to this campaign , representing an additional 8,050 units. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 9,677. On the affected vehicles, the brake lamps may intermittently flash without the brakes being applied and the cruise control may disengage. Thus, these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108, "Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
The risk
If the brake lamps flash when the vehicle is not slowing, a following driver may not adjust vehicle speed when the vehicle is in fact braking, and the brake lamps are illuminating as intended, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the body control module. The recall began on June 13, 2013. Owner's may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or Cadillac at 1-866-982-2339. GM's recall number is 13158.

General Motors LLC · up to 10,210 vehicles across all model years covered

SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY

12V525000 · October 31, 2012

The defect
General Motors is recalling certain model year 2013 Cadillac XTS vehicles manufactured from October 12, 2011, through August 30, 2012, for failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 202, "Head Restraints." The rear seat head restraints may not lock in the upright position after being folded forward. If the head restriant is at its lowest position and it falls forward, it will not meet the height required by the standard.
The risk
In the event of a vehicle crash, the lowered head restraint may increase the occupant's risk of neck injury.
The remedy
General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will replace the head restraints, free of charge. The recall began on December 4, 2012. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-458-8006.

General Motors LLC · up to 12,626 vehicles across all model years covered

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

fire · towed · 69,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CADILLAC XTS. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED AN ABNORMAL ODOR AND OBSERVED SMOKE COMING FROM THE DASHBOARD. THE CONTACT WAS ALERTED BY ANOTHER DRIVER THAT THERE WERE FLAMES UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT HAD TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL DUE TO SMOKE INHALATION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 69,000.

NHTSA complaint 10924677. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE

fire · towed · 120,000 miles

The contact owned a 2013 Cadillac XTS. The contact stated that they parked their vehicle and approximately 5-10 minutes afterward the vehicle caught fire. The fire department arrived on the scene and extinguished the fire. A police report was filed. There were two vehicles and a bicycle nearby that caught on fire as a result of the contact's vehicle fire spreading. There were no injuries and medical attention was required. The vehicle was towed and deemed totaled. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and opened a case regarding the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000.

NHTSA complaint 11499363. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

156,000 miles

The contact owns a 2013 Cadillac XTS. The contact stated that several codes will intermittently illuminate on the vehicle, such as code 813, which refers to a transmission communication failure; a malfunction with the Instrument or Cluster (IPC); and code 62, which refers to the Body Control Module (recalls 13 and 158). The Power Steering, Drive Carefully, and Suspension warning lights would illuminate. The instrument panel would suddenly black out, or certain monitoring systems, such as the speedometer, would fail. All failures would occur intermittently. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic, who informed them that water intrusion into a bulk cluster behind the bumper of the front

NHTSA complaint 11735040, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SUSPENSION:FRONT:STABILIZER BAR

200,000 miles

The contact owns a 2013 Cadillac XTS. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the rear suspension was bouncing, and the vehicle became difficult to maneuver. The message to "Check Leveling System" was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact researched and became aware of a recall; however, the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was taken to the residence and the vehicle was self-diagnosed and it was determined that the stabilizer bar had detached. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report a failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.

NHTSA complaint 11716757. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Automatic Headlamp Leveling System malfunction causing safety issues with nighttime driving.

NHTSA complaint 11703855. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My VIN is not associated with the recall, identified as NHTSA ID 12V525. It affected 12,626 2013 Cadillac XTS vehicles manufactured between October 12, 2011, and August 30, 2012. However, the rear seat headrests in this 2013 Cadillac XTS will not stay in the upright position. SAFETY CONCERN: This could lead to the headrest collapsing during a crash, potentially increasing the risk of injury to rear seat occupant I called my local dealer Red Nolan Cadillac and they informed me that since the VIN is not associated with the recall, they cannot help me with a replacement unless I pay $497 for labor and parts to replace the headrests in the rear of my vehicle. HELP!!! I believe this is a safety

NHTSA complaint 11656856, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
As I’m driving with cruise set my brake lamps intermittently flashing without breaking and the cruise control potentially disengage. A software glitch in the body controls module. Plus, my passenger light says the dim light it out when it’s not. I’v had a mechanic replace the light multiple times and he says it something in the wiring.

NHTSA complaint 11645576. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I have replaced my low beam 4 times and it’s still showing the light is out and it is. My cruise control disengaged when I’m driving above 65 with the cruise set and there’s no cars in front of me.

NHTSA complaint 11642498. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Cadillac XTS

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2017 24 0 —
2015 14 3 —
2014 50 4 —

Other 2013 Cadillac models

SRX 393 ATS 160 CTS 73 Escalade 19

Complaints on file, same model year.

Every Cadillac on this site — 97 vehicles.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst