2012 Cadillac SRX problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
416 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
73,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2012 model year. Data snapshot: . 270 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Exterior Lighting is the most frequently named component, appearing in 213 of 416 complaints (51.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 51 | 12.3% |
| Steering behavior | 19 | 4.6% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 17 | 4.1% |
| Transmission and shifting | 6 | 1.4% |
| Engine operation | 6 | 1.4% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 0.2% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Exterior Lighting | 213 |
| Service Brakes | 42 |
| Suspension | 40 |
| Electrical System | 30 |
| Unknown Or Other | 27 |
| Exterior Lighting:Headlights | 18 |
| Steering | 17 |
| Air Bags | 15 |
Exterior Lighting: 213; Service Brakes: 42; Suspension: 40; Electrical System: 30; Unknown Or Other: 27; Exterior Lighting:Headlights: 18; Steering: 17; Air Bags: 15
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 38 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 31 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 68 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 72 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 57 |
| 150,000 and above | 4 |
Under 25,000: 38; 25,000 to 49,999: 31; 50,000 to 74,999: 68; 75,000 to 99,999: 72; 100,000 to 149,999: 57; 150,000 and above: 4
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (72). 146 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 7 |
| 2013 | 11 |
| 2014 | 16 |
| 2015 | 12 |
| 2016 | 25 |
| 2017 | 33 |
| 2018 | 48 |
| 2019 | 87 |
| 2020 | 62 |
| 2021 | 49 |
| 2022 | 31 |
| 2023 | 8 |
| 2024 | 11 |
| 2025 | 12 |
| 2026 | 4 |
2012: 7; 2013: 11; 2014: 16; 2015: 12; 2016: 25; 2017: 33; 2018: 48; 2019: 87; 2020: 62; 2021: 49; 2022: 31; 2023: 8; 2024: 11; 2025: 12; 2026: 4
Pattern summary
Exterior Lighting leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 51 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 19 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 17 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10526459 · 2013-07-23 (July 23, 2013)
THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WHILE SLOWING THE VEHICLE WHILE STILL IN DRIVE AND WHILE PULLING THE VEHICLE INTO A CURB PARKING. THE ACCELERATION COULD NOT BE STOPPED USING BRAKES AND STRUCK A PARKED CAR IN FRONT OF THE CADILLAC. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10526459 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10546892 · 2013-10-05 (October 5, 2013)
I WAS PULLING IN TO A PARKING SPACE AT A LOCAL MALL. AS I TURNED MY WHEEL MY VEHICLE TOOK OFF AND I LOST ALL CONTROL. THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND THE CAR WOULDN'T STOP. WITHIN A FEW SECONDS MY VEHICLE HIT 3 OTHER PARKED VEHICLES PUSHING ONE IN TO ANOTHER. I BELIEVE I HAD THEN EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION. THREE VEHICLES WERE TOWED AWAY INCLUDING MINE. NO TICKETS WERE ISSUED. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 16,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10546892 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10461634 · 2012-06-13 (June 13, 2012)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CADILLAC SRX. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN SHE EXITED THE VEHICLE, SHE LOCKED THE DOORS WITH THE RKE AND WENT INSIDE THE HOUSE. APPROXIMATELY 20-30 MINUTES LATER SHE WALKED BACK OUTSIDE TO FIND HER VEHICLE IN HER NEIGHBOR'S YARD ACROSS THE STREET FACING THE OTHER DIRECTION. IT WAS THEN DISCOVERED, THE VEHICLE WAS STILL IN DRIVE AND WAS LOCKED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THE POWER STEERING LOCK, WHICH ALSO CAUSED THE ACCIDENT. THE RKE ALLOWED THE CONTACT TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND LOCK IT, WITHOUT BEING IN PARK.
Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10461634 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10522352 · 2013-06-26 (June 26, 2013)
2012 CADILLAC SRX. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO STEERING PROBLEMS AND LUG NUTS FAILURE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED HIS WIFE COMPLAINED ABOUT A NOISE COMING FROM THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL AND FELT THE CAR WAS NOT PERFORMING CORRECTLY. THE CONSUMER STATED HE TOOK THE LUG COVER OFF AND THREE LUG NUTS FELL TO THE GROUND AND THE 4TH LUG NUT WAS LOOSE TO THE POINT THAT HE WAS ABLE TO UNSCREW IT BY HAND. THE TWO LUG NUTS THAT HELD THE WHEEL WERE ON, BUT NOT SNUG. HE THEN CHECKED ALL THE LUG NUTS ON THE OTHER WHEELS AND FOUND MOST OF THEM LOOSE AND NONE …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10522352 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10509635 · 2013-04-26 (April 26, 2013)
I OPENED THE REAR LIFT GATE FROM INSIDE THE CAR . I HAD JUST PARKED CURBSIDE AT MY 13 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER'S SCHOOL , AS I DO EACH SCHOOL DAY MORNING TO DROP HER OFF . AS SHE LEANED IN THE BACK CARGO SPACE TO PULL OUT HER BACK PACK AND LUNCH BOX THE CARGODOOR STARTED TO CLOSE ON ITS OWN ON MY DAUGHTER . NEITHER OF US HAD PRESSED THE BUTTON . I WAS UNAWARE AT FIRST AS I WAS IN THE FRONT SEAT FACING FORWARD , I HEARD HER SCREAM AND WAS WATCHING IN HORROR AS SHE WAS BEING CRUSHED BY THE DOOR BETWEEN THE DOOR AND HER BAG AND THE CARGO COMPARTMENT …
Owner-reported narrative. 15,021 miles reported. Look up ODI 10509635 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10683381 · 2015-02-13 (February 13, 2015)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CADILLAC SRX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT RECEIVED EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF MOISTURE, CAUSING THEM TO SHORT CIRCUIT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ENTIRE LIGHTING ASSEMBLY AND SEALS NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,485.
Owner-reported narrative. 52,485 miles reported. Look up ODI 10683381 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11081710 · 2018-03-27 (March 27, 2018)
REAR TIE ROD FAILED, CAME APART CAUSING STEERING TO BE VERY HAZARDOUS VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO ONCOMING LANE. TIE ROD DIDN'T BREAK IT WAS RUSTED FROM INSIDE, THE THREADS WERE WORN. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION IT WAS ON A SECONDARY ROAD AND THE ROAD IS IN GOOD CONDITION, NO POT HOLES SOME PATCHES HERE AND THERE BUT NOTHING TO WARRANT DISLODGING THE TIE ROD. AS STATED BEFORE TIE ROD DIDN'T BREAK SOMEHOW WATER GOT IN THE SLEEVE PART OF THE TIE ROD,CAUSING IT TO WEAR. I HAVE KEPT THE PARTS THAT THE DEALERSHIP FIXED JUST IN CASE THEY ARE IN NEED.
Owner-reported narrative. 57,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11081710 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11131926 · 2018-09-27 (September 27, 2018)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CADILLAC SRX. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE REAR DRIVER SIDE WHEEL SHIFTED OUT OF CONTROL. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE TO THE ROAD SHOULDER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO FOUND THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE WHEEL TOE LINK ADJUSTER SEPARATED, WHICH CAUSED THE WHEEL TO BE UNBALANCED. THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TOE LINK WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. AN UNKNOWN DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V5…
Owner-reported narrative. 97,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11131926 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10606809 · 2014-06-29 (June 29, 2014)
LOSS OF POWER. TWO MONTHS AFTER WE HAD PURCHASED THIS NEW SRX, MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING SOUTH ON INTERSTATE 77 IN NORTH CAROLINA AT 65 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY THE CAR HAD NO POWER. I WAS IN THE LEFT OF TWO LANES AND WAS ABLE TO STEER AND BRAKE INTO THE MEDIAN WHICH WAS DIVIDED BY A CONCRETE BARRIER FROM THE NORTH BOUND TRAFFIC. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK, THEN PUSHED HARDER AND HARDER ON THE ACCELERATOR, BUT THERE WAS NO SOUND, NO POWER. GM OFFERED TO TOW US TO THE NEAREST DEALER, BUT NO ONE WAS OPEN BECAUSE IT WAS SUNDAY. SO WE DECIDED TO TRY TO R…
Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10606809 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10839201 · 2016-03-01 (March 1, 2016)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CADILLAC SRX. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP, THE VEHICLE SHOOK. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WOULD INDEPENDENTLY DIM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURES OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 35,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10839201 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10560584 · 2014-01-19 (January 19, 2014)
LATE IN THE FIRST YEAR AFTER WE PURCHASED THE CAR WE NOTICED FROM THE BACK HOW LOW THE FUEL TANK EXTENDED TOWARD THE GROUND. WE DIDN'T THINK MUCH OF THIS UNTIL THIS YEAR WE NOTICED A DENT ON THE TANK. I CHECKED THE NEW SRXS AT THE DEALER AND FOUND THE NEWER MODELS HAD MUCH MORE GROUND CLEARANCE ON THE TANK. WE THOUGHT THERE MUST HAVE BEEN SOME PROBLEMS AND THEY HAD CHANGED THE TANK CLEARANCE TO CORRECT THIS. I HAVE NOT YET CONTACTED THE DEALER TO SEE IF A CORRECTION CAN BE MADE ON MY CAR. THIS APPEARS TO BE A POSSIBLE CAUSE FOR A FIRE WITH…
Owner-reported narrative. 8,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10560584 at NHTSA ↗