YearToAvoid

Cadillac Best and Worst Years by Model

15 Cadillac models, 8,892 NHTSA owner complaints and 217 recall campaigns for model years 2005–2025. Pick a model to see which years to avoid and which are the safest bets.

Cadillac models ranked by owner complaints

Sorted by popularity. Years to avoid / best years come from each model’s own Complaint Index.

Verdicts are based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls per model-year, compared within each model. This is not a reliability rating. How the Complaint Index works.

ModelYearsComplaintsRecallsYears to avoidBest yearsTop issue
Cadillac Escalade2005–20251,287452007, 2009, 2015, 2021, 2022, 20232012, 2013, 2018, 2020Engine
Cadillac XT52017–2025301152017, 2018, 20252021, 2023Engine
Cadillac XT62020–2025105122020, 20222021, 2025Electrical System
Cadillac SRX2005–20193,046182010, 2011, 2012, 2015—Electrical System
Cadillac CTS2005–20191,680222005, 2006, 2007, 20092016, 2017, 2018, 2019Transmission & Powertrain
Cadillac XT42019–202510682024, 20252021Electrical System
Cadillac XTS2013–2019225102013, 20142018, 2019Electrical System
Cadillac ATS2013–2019380112013, 20142018Transmission & Powertrain
Cadillac DTS2005–201152062006, 20082011Electrical System
Cadillac CT62016–20206582016, 20202018Transmission & Powertrain
Cadillac CT52020–202510052020, 20212022Electrical System
Cadillac Deville2005951——Electrical System
Cadillac Lyriq2023–202512910——Electrical System
Cadillac STS2005–201136862005, 20062011Airbags
Cadillac Escalade ESV2005–2025485402007, 2017, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023—Engine

Cadillac model years with the most complaints

Raw complaint counts (not adjusted for age or sales). Click through for the breakdown.

  1. 2010 Cadillac SRX · 474 complaints · 6 recalls Avoid
  2. 2011 Cadillac SRX · 446 complaints · 7 recalls Avoid
  3. 2015 Cadillac SRX · 442 complaints · 4 recalls Avoid
  4. 2012 Cadillac SRX · 416 complaints · 3 recalls Avoid
  5. 2013 Cadillac SRX · 393 complaints · 5 recalls Caution
  6. 2014 Cadillac SRX · 390 complaints · 2 recalls Caution
  7. 2005 Cadillac CTS · 277 complaints · 6 recalls Avoid
  8. 2006 Cadillac CTS · 269 complaints · 6 recalls Avoid
  9. 2006 Cadillac DTS · 255 complaints · 4 recalls Avoid
  10. 2007 Cadillac Escalade · 230 complaints · 4 recalls Avoid

How we rank Cadillac years

For each model we compare its own model years using the Complaint Index: complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and “Do Not Drive” recalls reported to NHTSA, adjusted for how long each year has been on the road. The top quarter of a model’s years is marked Avoid, the bottom quarter Best. Because NHTSA publishes no sales data, models are not ranked against each other. Full details in the methodology.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.