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Cadillac · NHTSA safety record

2015 Cadillac XTS

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

Owners have filed 14 safety complaints about the 2015 Cadillac XTS with the US government. Of those, 1 person was injured and no death is recorded. 3 recall campaigns are open against it, covering the air bags and the parking brake.

The most complained-about system is the electrical system, named in 5 complaints, 36% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 49,220 miles, the median across the 9 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers December 2016 to July 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

14 complaints on file

14

Complaints

0

Describe a crash

0

Mention fire

1

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 5 · 36%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 3 · 21%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 2 · 14%
POWER TRAIN 2 · 14%
AIR BAGS 1 · 7%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 1 · 7%
EQUIPMENT 1 · 7%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 1 · 7%
STEERING 1 · 7%
SUSPENSION 1 · 7%
VISIBILITY 1 · 7%
0 4 8

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 14.

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 2017 at 3.

4 3 2 1
16 17 18 19 21 22 23 24 26

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2016 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 2015 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

3 on file

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE

26V329000 · May 21, 2026

The defect
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, XTS, 2015-2016 Cadillac ATS, CTS, and SRX vehicles. The front-driver air bag inflator may rupture during deployment.
The risk
An inflator rupture may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants, resulting in serious injury or death.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the front-driver air bag module, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed June 19, 2026. Additional letters will be mailed once the remedy is available. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223. The manufacturer's number for this recall is N262555870. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 21, 2026.

General Motors, LLC · up to 5,014 vehicles across all model years covered

AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW

15V666000 · October 16, 2015

The defect
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac XTS, Chevrolet Camaro, Equinox, Malibu, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The affected vehicles have front seat-mounted side impact air bags whose inflator may rupture upon its deployment.
The risk
In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of one or both of the side impact air bags, the air bag's inflator may rupture and the air bag may not properly inflate. The rupture could cause metal fragments to strike the vehicle occupants, potentially resulting in serious injury or death. Additionally, if the air bag does not properly inflate, the driver or passenger is at an increased risk of injury.
The remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the side impact air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began on October 19, 2015. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 01320.

General Motors LLC · up to 395 vehicles across all model years covered

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

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

1 injured · 45,842 miles

A FAILURE OF THE SELF-LEVELING REAR AIR SPRING COMPRESSOR OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING THROUGH PARKING LOT. "SERVICE REAR LEVELING SYSTEM" WARNING WAS NOT ACTIVATED / DISPLAYED AS PUBLISHED IN VEHICLE OWNERS MANUAL NOR DID ANY AUDIBLE ALERT SOUND, NOTIFYING DRIVER OF ANY IMPENDING PROBLEM. AS THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE PROCEEDED TO PASS OVER A SPEED BUMP AT IDLE SPEED, THE AUTOMOBILE SUBSEQUENTLY "BOTTOMED OUT" LEADING TO SIGNIFICANT SPINE INJURY. AUTOMOBILE WAS UN-DRIVEABLE AFTER INCIDENT AND WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS VIA FLAT BED TRUCK. AFTER SUSPENSION COMPRESSOR WAS REPLACED, THE AUTOMOBILE CONTINUED TO HAVE AUDIBLE CREAKING IN REAR SUSPENSION WHILE TRAVELING OVER BUMPS AND

NHTSA complaint 11013828, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING
I have a 2015 Cadillac XTS I am experiencing water in the headlight and condensation I am well aware of there have been many complaints about this issue I would like Cadillac to repair this

NHTSA complaint 11750310. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The CUE system has totally quit so we are unable to change radio stations, get driving instructions, talk on the telephone etc. After reading online, this is a problem that Cadillac is not addressing and just tells us we have to replace it at our cost. Very disappointed that this hasn't been addressed in the past as many cars have been affected.

NHTSA complaint 11622738. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Forward collision system has not been working properly for the past 3 years the car has been in for service for this problem the last time was March 1st 2023. I nearly had 3 accidents due to the system not working. The last contact was Holman Cadillac I was told by the service manager he would set up appt with the factory service rep and he has not gotten back to me by today's date June 12th 2023. Looking forward to hearing from someone about this problem I feel I am getting the runaround! Thank you [XXX] [XXX] [XXX]. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA complaint 11526626. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN
Please note GM PIP5146A...Chatter or Bind Feel on turns... AKA transmission shudder. According to Cadillac dealer in Durham, NC. The car needs it's rear differential replaced; 90,000 miles.. That is happening now. Ally, the extended warranty company, sent a technician to inspect the part. I don't know if the original part is still available. I 1st noticed the problem in Fall 2019. Shop invoice, 62,187miles, reflects differential fluid & filter change which temporarily, partially mitigated the problem for a few years. It never disappeared. I am not sure what the worse case safety scenario is. I never let it get that far.

NHTSA complaint 11508980. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:INFOTAINMENT
Cue screen spiderd Causing you to not control radio at times I’m driving and my radio is on 12 and the volume and can out of nowhere jump up to like 60 you cannot turn it down even if you hold the button on the steering wheel This has happened multiple times I’ve had at the dealership they have seen the video and they’re telling me it’s possibly an electrical issue but it needs to be fixed before he causes an accident

NHTSA complaint 11487942. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

55,000 miles

THIS IS MY 2N CUE SYSTEM STEREO, OTHER WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY AND THE SCREEN IS NOW CRACKING AND AFFECTING VISIBILITY AND FUNCTION

NHTSA complaint 11404317. 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 —
2014 50 4 —
2013 103 5 —

Other 2015 Cadillac models

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