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U.S. public vehicle records

2018 Cadillac XT5 problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

66 owner complaints analyzed

0 distinct recall campaigns

31,640 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2018 model year. Data snapshot: . 22 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 15 of 66 complaints (22.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Steering behavior1624.2%
Braking behavior1218.2%
Transmission and shifting69.1%
Electrical and battery issues57.6%
Engine operation23.0%

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.

Engine
15
Electrical System
12
Steering
12
Unknown Or Other
12
Power Train
11
Service Brakes
7
Vehicle Speed Control
4
Visibility/Wiper
3
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Engine15
Electrical System12
Steering12
Unknown Or Other12
Power Train11
Service Brakes7
Vehicle Speed Control4
Visibility/Wiper3

Engine: 15; Electrical System: 12; Steering: 12; Unknown Or Other: 12; Power Train: 11; Service Brakes: 7; Vehicle Speed Control: 4; Visibility/Wiper: 3

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
9
25,000 to 49,999
8
50,000 to 74,999
2
75,000 to 99,999
3
100,000 to 149,999
0
150,000 and above
0
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,0009
25,000 to 49,9998
50,000 to 74,9992
75,000 to 99,9993
100,000 to 149,9990
150,000 and above0

Under 25,000: 9; 25,000 to 49,999: 8; 50,000 to 74,999: 2; 75,000 to 99,999: 3; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (9). 44 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.

2018
6
2019
5
2020
9
2021
7
2022
4
2023
8
2024
10
2025
11
2026
6
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20186
20195
20209
20217
20224
20238
202410
202511
20266

2018: 6; 2019: 5; 2020: 9; 2021: 7; 2022: 4; 2023: 8; 2024: 10; 2025: 11; 2026: 6

Pattern summary

Engine leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 16 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 12 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 6 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 11441284 · 2021-11-22 (November 22, 2021)

The contact owns a 2018 Cadillac XT5. The contact stated while the vehicle was stationary at a traffic light, the Stabilitrak warning light was illuminated for a short time and turned off when depressing on the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that on 11/19/2012, while his wife was driving 45 mph, the reduced steering capacity, pull over immediately and other multiple unknown warning lights were illuminated. The driver stated that the steering wheel became difficult to turn however, the driver was able to continue driving to her residence.…

Owner-reported narrative. 32,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11441284 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11441811 · 2021-11-27 (November 27, 2021)

When I get on the freeway and go around 68 mph my vehicle starts shaking and I constantly get a stabilitrak message that flashes on and off. I have to hold the steering will tight because it swerves a little and had to start driving away from cars. I took it to get the wheels balanced and it still does the same thing. The mechanic from the dealer ship I purchased the vehicle from said he could not find anything wrong with it.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11441811 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11234267 · 2019-07-23 (July 23, 2019)

I TOOK MY CADILLAC XT5 2018 IN FOR SERVICE TODAY 07/23/2019 FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND BRAKE CHECK AS THE BRAKES ARE SQUEALING. I WAS TOLD THEY WEREN'T GOING TO HAVE TIME TO WORK ON THE BRAKES BUT THAT "THE SOUND IS NORMAL DUE TO THE MATERIALS THAT GM USES. THAT THEY WOULD'VE ONLY LUBRICATED THE DISKS BUT THE NOISE WOULD'VE CAME BACK IN A WEEK OR 2". I TOOK IT IN BEFORE FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AND WHEN I RECEIVED A CALL LETTING ME KNOW THE SERVICES HAD BEEN COMPLETED, THE SERVICE AGENT INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS A PROBLEM THAT WAS HAPPENING A LOT WITH THE…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11234267 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11290592 · 2019-12-21 (December 21, 2019)

PARKED IN PUBLIC PARKING LOT. AFTER STARTING CAR AND ATTEMPTING TO BACKUP, CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. PARKING BRAKES WERE LOCKED. TRIED NUMEROUS TIMES TO RELEASE BRAKES. PARKING BRAKE WOULD NOT RELEASE. CAR WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD OR BACKWARDS. HAD SAME ISSUE WITH 2013/XTS AND 2014/XTS BUT TURNING CAR ON/OFF WOULD RELEASE BRAKES ON THOSE CARS. THIS TIME, HAD TO CALL TOW TRUCK. WEATHER SUNNY, TEMPERATURE 33F. CAR JUST RECENTLY RECEIVED MILEAGE MAINTENANCE. WARRANTY SERVICE FOR BRAKES TWICE SINCE PURCHASING THE CAR.

Owner-reported narrative. 31,280 miles reported. Look up ODI 11290592 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11109595 · 2018-07-05 (July 5, 2018)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 CADILLAC XT5. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, "TRANSMISSION" ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. WHILE APPROACHING A STOP SIGN, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY SHIFTED INTO PARK WHILE STILL IN MOTION. THE CONTACT THEN SHIFTED BACK INTO DRIVE AND CONTINUED DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER (QUANTRELL CADILLAC, 1490 E NEW CIRCLE ROAD, LEXINGTON, KY 40509) WHERE IT WAS AWAITING DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,900.

Owner-reported narrative. 2,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 11109595 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11182017 · 2019-02-22 (February 22, 2019)

I WAS IDLING IN LINE FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES WAITING FOR FOOD AT MCDONALDS. TRANSMISSION WAS IN DRIVE. ONCE SERVED, I STARTED TO DRIVE AWAY BUT CAR SHUTTERED AND STOPPED ABRUPTLY. APPARENTLY TRANSMISSION WILL AUTOMATICALLY SHIFT TO PARK AFTER IDLING FOR SEVERAL MINUTES EVEN IF IT HAS STARTED TO MOVE FORWARD 1 OR 2 MPH. WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I WAS TRAVELING FASTER WHEN IT SHIFTED TO PARK? IS THIS FEATURE A GOVERNMENTAL REQUIREMENT? WHY?

Owner-reported narrative. 990 miles reported. Look up ODI 11182017 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11328651 · 2020-06-13 (June 13, 2020)

2ND TIME THIS ISSUE OCCURRED. 1ST TIME WAS IN 2019 AND IT TOOK TWO WEEKS FOR THE DEALERSHIP TO FIGURE OUT IT WAS THE BATTERY. WHILE DRIVING THE CAR, THE ELECTRONICS GO CRAZY, THE ENGINE STOPS FOR A SPLIT SECOND, BRAKES ARE LOST FOR A SPLIT SECOND, CRUISE CONTROL TURNS OFF, EVERY POSSIBLE ALARM DISPLAYS ON THE DASH. THE DASH BEEPS, ALL OF THE LIGHTS FLASH, THE SPEED/PRESSURE/TEMPERATURE NEEDLES GO TO 0, THE AIR CONDITION TURNS OFF, ETC. ALL OF THIS OCCURRED WHILE I WAS DRIVING 60MPH ON A HIGHWAY. I QUICKLY PULLED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD…

Owner-reported narrative. 35,670 miles reported. Look up ODI 11328651 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11421377 · 2021-06-18 (June 18, 2021)

The accelerator on the car started to excel and shift in traffic where I had to pull over. Over the last few months the car has had some electrical issues with the braking and collision alerts going off and the car stopping which the dealer said they couldn't find the problem. Also the brakes since purchasing the vehicle has had to be switched out several times and now the parking brake light is on after being repaired 2 times. This car is definitely unsafe and the dealer insist it is.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11421377 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11422217 · 2021-06-24 (June 24, 2021)

The contact owns a 2018 Cadillac XT5. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated all of the warning lights were illuminated on the control panel. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer on three different occasions where it was diagnosed with nothing needing to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,264. Consumer stated vehicle completely shuts off and on without no codes or error messages.

Owner-reported narrative. 80,264 miles reported. Look up ODI 11422217 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11650503 · 2025-03-25 (March 25, 2025)

The contact owns a 2018 Cadillac XT5. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 86,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 86,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11650503 at NHTSA ↗