2020 Cadillac XT5: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
22 owner complaints analyzed
5 distinct recall campaigns
34,817 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2020 model year. Data snapshot: . 9 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Power Train is the most frequently named component, appearing in 7 of 22 complaints (31.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 8 | 36.4% |
| Steering behavior | 5 | 22.7% |
| Braking behavior | 4 | 18.2% |
| Engine operation | 3 | 13.6% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 9.1% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 4.5% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Power Train | 7 |
| Steering | 6 |
| Engine | 4 |
| Unknown Or Other | 3 |
| Service Brakes | 2 |
| Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera | 1 |
| Electrical System | 1 |
| Electrical System:Instrument Panel:Speedometer/Odometer | 1 |
Power Train: 7; Steering: 6; Engine: 4; Unknown Or Other: 3; Service Brakes: 2; Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera: 1; Electrical System: 1; Electrical System:Instrument Panel:Speedometer/Odometer: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 3 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 4 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 1 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 3; 25,000 to 49,999: 4; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 0
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (4). 13 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 |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 5 |
| 2026 | 6 |
2019: 1; 2020: 1; 2021: 2; 2022: 3; 2023: 2; 2024: 2; 2025: 5; 2026: 6
Pattern summary
Power Train leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 8 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 5 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 4 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11287919 · 2019-12-09 (December 9, 2019)
DRIVING THE CAR NORMALLY AT NIGHT THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS WENT TO FULL INTENSITY WITHOUT DRIVER INPUT, AND WOULDN'T CHANGE. A FEW MINUTES LATER THE REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER STARTED OPERATING AND WOULDN'T STOP. TWENTY MINUTES LATER THE CAR FLASHED A NOTIFICATION THAT POWER STEERING ASSIST WAS NOT FUNCTIONING, AND IT BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE TURN SIGNALS WOULD NOT OPERATE. THE LOW FUEL WARNING INDICATOR CAME ON SHOWED ZERO MILES LEFT EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS AT LEAST A QUARTER TANK LEFT. THE SPEEDOMETER READOUT CHANGED TO ZERO, WHILE WE WE…
Owner-reported narrative. 8,250 miles reported. Look up ODI 11287919 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11378284 · 2020-12-07 (December 7, 2020)
VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT WARNING. ENGINE STOPS RUNNING. AFTER A SHORT TIME, IT CAN BE STARTED AFTER SEVERAL TRIES. THIS HAS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON A MAJOR CITY STREET, THERE IS A RECALL PENDING FOR REPLACEMNT OF FUEL PUMP MODULE. IN THE MEANTIME IT IS AT DEALER (3 WEEKS) AND THEY HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING TO FIX SINCE IT DOESN'T STALL IN THEIR TEST DRIVES. IT ONLY STALLED A FEW TIMES IN UNDER 2000 MILES. BUT DEALER DOESN;T WANT TO FIX IF HE'S UNSURE IF THERE IS ANYTHING TO FIX.
Owner-reported narrative. 1,650 miles reported. Look up ODI 11378284 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11405665 · 2021-03-30 (March 30, 2021)
THE CAR SHOWS A WARNING "ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED" THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IN 3 MONTHS. THE CAR REVS AT 5000RPM AND ONLY GOES 15 MPH, VERY DANGEROUS. THE DEALER REPLACED A SENSOR LAST TIME AND SEEMS UNCONCERNED FOR THE SAFETY OF DRIVING.
Owner-reported narrative. 25,991 miles reported. Look up ODI 11405665 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11414624 · 2021-04-30 (April 30, 2021)
POWER STEERING ASSIST HAS FAILED ON 2 OCCASIONS. THE FIRST IN LATE JAN. 2021, WITH APPROX 2000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER, AND THE SECOND ON 30 APRIL 2021. ON THE FIRST OCCASION, THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING ASSIST AT START-UP AFTER STOPPING FOR FUEL. THE SECOND WAS WHILE DRIVING AT APPROX. 40 MPH. THE OPERATOR WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER, OUT OF TRAFFIC SAFELY. ON BOTH OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCE WAS VERY HEAVY MANUAL STEERING; AND THE SHORT-TERM REMEDY WAS TO POWER OFF THE VEHICLE AND RESTART AFTER 5 OR SO MINUTES TO CONTINUE TRAVELING WITHO…
Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11414624 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11463281 · 2022-05-03 (May 3, 2022)
While driving at low speed lost all power steering . Was able to get it back home . When checked again later power steering was working . While driving later that day brakes engaged to a sudden slamming stop , red abs engaged light flashed then went away . Both incidents could’ve caused accidents. I’m scared to drive this car anymore. A week prior I thought the gears weren’t engaging / transmission seemed to be slipping ? 6 months prior braking engaged on freeway , also scary .. dealer said it needed a update and would be fine . 5 months …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11463281 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11484360 · 2022-09-14 (September 14, 2022)
The camera system has not been turning on intermittenly. Both the rear backup and the side/front cameras bring the screen to a black screen with a red triangle and red camera logo with a line through it (signifying no camera connected?). I have most commonly noticed it when I am parking in my garage at night, but it will work the next day, very hard to reproduce the conditions..
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11484360 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11494701 · 2022-11-23 (November 23, 2022)
The contact owns a 2020 Cadillac XT5. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact heard abnormal noises coming from the vehicle. While attempting to accelerate, the vehicle hesitated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, no cause for the failure was found. The manufacturer was contacted and advised the contact to take the vehicle to the dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was 34,817.
Owner-reported narrative. 34,817 miles reported. Look up ODI 11494701 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11523070 · 2023-05-21 (May 21, 2023)
This vehicles transmission has went out twice. Both while driving and could have caused death on the freeway because the vehicle came to a complete stop. 2 young children could be at high risk for this issue. It was taken to the dealership the first time and the transmission was replaced and within 3 months the same issue occurred which could have been deadly. It again was given a new transmission and 6 months later the same issue is occurring. Yesterday the check engine light came on. The vehicle began to drive very slow as I was on the main r…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11523070 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
5 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
20V446000 · Air Bags:Side/Window:Curtain:Inflator
Reported: 2020-07-30 (July 30, 2020)
General Motors, LLC. (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT5 and XT6, Chevrolet Blazer, Silverado 1500, 2500 and 3500 and Traverse and GMC Acadia and Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500 vehicles. The diffuser component of the Roof-Rail Air Bag (RRAB) inflator may not have been properly crimped to the inflator and could separate from the inflator during air bag deployment.
Consequence: If the diffuser separates from the inflator during deployment, RRAB performance may be degraded, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the suspect RRAB modules, free of charge. The recall began September 3, 2020. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-630-2438, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223, or Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is N202305380.
NHTSA campaign record ↗20V639000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump
Reported: 2020-10-15 (October 15, 2020)
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT5, Cadillac XT6, Chevrolet Traverse, and GMC Acadia vehicles. The fuel pump's jet nozzle may have a plastic burr remaining from the manufacturing process, possibly causing a blocked nozzle and an insufficient fuel supply to the engine.
Consequence: Insufficient fuel supply can result in an engine stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump module. The recall began November 16, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick Customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202314760.
NHTSA campaign record ↗20V684000 · Tires
Reported: 2020-11-05 (November 5, 2020)
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT5, GMC Acadia and Chevrolet Traverse vehicles and 2020-2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles. The vehicles may have been manufactured with Continental tires that were overcured.
Consequence: Overcured tires may experience a carcass break in the sidewall resulting in a sudden air loss or could develop a belt edge separation which could lead to partial or full tread/belt loss. Either condition increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect vehicles and replace tires that have DOT number and production mold number combinations identified by Continental, free of charge. The recall began December 17, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202319030.
NHTSA campaign record ↗21V115000 · Tires
Reported: 2021-02-25 (February 25, 2021)
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, XT5, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, Traverse, GMC Yukon, Yukon XL, 2018-2021 Chevrolet Express, GMC Savana, 2019-2020 Chevrolet Blazer, Silverado 1500, GMC Acadia, Sierra 1500, and certain Continental tires sold to the aftermarket for various model year 2018-2021 vehicles. The affected tires were cured for too long during production.
Consequence: Over cured tires may develop a break in the sidewall resulting in sudden air loss or a belt edge separation which could lead to a tread/belt loss. Either condition can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the tires, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 22, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N212329050.
NHTSA campaign record ↗22V709000 · Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera
Reported: 2022-09-22 (September 22, 2022)
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Cadillac XT5, XT6, and GMC Acadia vehicles equipped with the optional Surround Vision feature. The rearview camera coaxial cable connectors may have been crimped improperly, causing the rearview camera to fail or function intermittently.
Consequence: An inoperative rearview camera can reduce the driver's rear visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the coaxial cables, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 18, 2023. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N222378380.
NHTSA campaign record ↗