2013 Cadillac XTS: complaints, problems and recalls

THE NEW CADILLAC TOUCH-SCREEN INTERFACE IS A HORRIBLE SAFETY ISSUE. WHY DOES NO ONE AT CADILLAC REMEMBER HOW IMPORTANT ERGONOMICS ARE FOR SAFETY, AND HOW ALMOST EVERYTHING IN THE CAR MUST BE OPERABLE BY FEEL, ALLOWING THE DRIVER TO KEEP HIS EYES ON THE ROAD? TOUCH-SCREEN OFFERS NO TACTILE FEEDBACK. IT DEMANDS THAT THE DRIVER TAKE HIS EYES OFF THE ROAD. ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS ABOUT HOW BAD TEXTING-WHILE-DRIVING IS ARE NOW COMMON. AND NOW A CAR COMPANY, CADILLAC, NO LESS, COMES OUT WITH AN INTERFACE THAT REQUIRES THE CAR BE OPERATED BY "T…

Owner-reported narrative. 1 miles reported. Look up ODI 10466540 at NHTSA ↗

PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WILL NOT ACTIVATE. SHE WEIGHS 115 LBS, IS 5'1". SHE SITS ON 3 INCH MEMORY FOAM CUSHION FOR BACK FOR EIGHT YEARS, NO STRUCTURE, ONLY FOAM. IN EIGHT YEARS SHE HAS USED CUSHION, WE HAVE OWNED 5 CARS AND HAVE RENTED OVER 40 CARS AND SHE HAS NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE PASSENGER AIRBAG ACTIVATION. CADILLAC SAYS THE SYSTEM IS OK. I ASKED TO TRY ON ANOTHER XTS AND IT STILL DID NOT ACTIVATE. THIS IS A DESIGN PROBLEM. I UNDERSTAND THAT SOME CUSHIONS MIGHT INTERFERE WITH THE AIRBAG SYSTEM, BUT THIS THIN CUSHION DOES NOT. I SHOULD S…

Owner-reported narrative. 35 miles reported. Look up ODI 10497591 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CADILLAC XTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH IN RAINY WEATHER, THE DRIVER ASSISTANCE PACKAGE FAILED TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE IT WAS STATED THAT THE PACKAGE WOULD NOT OPERATE IN THE RAIN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 8,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10535286 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2013 CADILLAC XTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LOW BEAMS FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE BULBS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE SUN ROOF SUDDENLY EXPLODED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 9,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10573402 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CADILLAC XTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES WOULD EXHIBIT A LOUD, SQUEAKING NOISE SPORADICALLY WHEN APPLIED. THE CONTACT HAD ALSO EXPERIENCED HESITATION WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 14V116000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) AND HAD EXPERIENCED THE BRAKES CONTINUOUSLY EXHIBITING A LOUD NOISE PRIOR TO THE RECALL NOTICE BEING RECEIVED. THE CONTACT WAS SCHEDULED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE INSPECTED, DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR THE RECALL RE…

Owner-reported narrative. 7,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10585744 at NHTSA ↗

2013 CADILLAC XTS4. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO RECEIVING PROFESSIONAL AND SATISFACTORY CUSTOMER SERVICE WHEN CONSUMER DROPPED OFF VEHICLE AT DEALERSHIP FOR RECALL. *SMD

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10585920 at NHTSA ↗

IN LIGHT OF THE RECENT GM'S RECALL FOR FAULTY IGNITION SWITCHES, THESE CAR HAVE A PROBLEM TOO! IT IS WAY TO EASY TO ACCIDENTALLY SHUT THE CAR OFF BY TOUCHING THE STOP START BUTTON ON THE DASH. WE DID THIS AT A STOP LIGHT AND HAD TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND STEP ON THE BRAKE TO RESTART IT. I LATER TESTED WHAT WOULD HAPPEN WHILE THE CAR WAS MOVING AT 35 MPH IF THE STOP/START BUTTON WAS HIT. THE CAR SHUT OFF AND THERE WERE NO POWER BRAKES OR POWER STEERING. I IMAGINE THE AIR BAGS WOULDN'T WORK EITHER. TO RESTART THE CAR, IT NEEDS TO BE IN PARK OR N…

Owner-reported narrative. 18,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10615833 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE TRAVELING IN PARKING LOT, ANOTHER CAR PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF ME. AS I TRIED TO BRAKE TO AVOID A COLLISION, I NOTICED IT WAS TAKING AN INORDINATE AMOUNT OF BRAKE PRESSURE TO SLOW DOWN VEHICLE. LOOKED AT TACHOMETER AND RPM'S WERE OVER 4000 IN DRIVE AND NOT LOSING SPEED. APPLIED BRAKE PRESSURE WITH BOTH FEET ATTEMPTING TO SLOW VEHICLE DOWN. HAD TO SLAM VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL AND TAP ON ACCELERATOR PEDAL NUMEROUS TIMES TO RETURN ENGINE TO IDLE RPM'S. TOOK VEHICLE TO CADILLAC DEALER WHO ADVISED COMPUTER SAID NOTHING OCCURRED. THIS SAFETY DEF…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10619306 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2012-10-31 (October 31, 2012)

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.

Consequence: In the event of a vehicle crash, the lowered head restraint may increase the occupant's risk of neck injury.

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.

Reported: 2013-05-24 (May 24, 2013)

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."

Consequence: 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.

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.

Reported: 2014-03-17 (March 17, 2014)

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.

Consequence: The corrosion of the brake booster pump relay connector may cause a resistive short and melt the connector, increasing the risk of a fire.

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.

Reported: 2014-08-28 (August 28, 2014)

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."

Consequence: In manufacturing mode, the vehicle's air bags will not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of occupant injury.

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.

Reported: 2014-09-09 (September 9, 2014)

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.

Consequence: Brake pads that remain partially engaged with the rotors may cause excessive brake heat that may result in a fire.

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.