YearToAvoid

2014 Cadillac XTS Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

83/100

#2 most-complained of 7 XTS years

The 2014 Cadillac XTS has 50 NHTSA complaints and 4 recalls, with a Complaint Index of 83, ranking it 2nd worst of 7 model years. Electrical System issues make up 32% of complaints, followed by Suspension, Wheels & Tires at 26%.

Complaints
50
Recalls
4
Crashes / fires
2 / 3
Injuries / deaths
1 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
19
16 city / 24 hwy

Top 2014 Cadillac XTS problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Electrical System16 (32%)
  2. Suspension, Wheels & Tires13 (26%)
  3. Other10 (20%)
  4. Brakes9 (18%)
  5. Engine6 (12%)
  6. Steering4 (8%)
  7. Structure & Body4 (8%)
  8. Airbags3 (6%)
  9. Collision Avoidance & Cameras2 (4%)
  10. Fuel System1 (2%)

What owners report

  • Owners report engine compartment fires starting near the brake booster pump, in one case totaling the vehicle.
  • Some drivers describe the engine stalling on the interstate at low mileage, with dealers unable to find a fault.
  • Steering became hard to turn during turns or while backing up, reported alongside a Takata airbag inflator issue.
  • Airbags failed to deploy in a side-impact crash, resulting in a head injury.
  • Blind spot detection systems reportedly fail intermittently, creating a lane-change safety concern despite repeated dealer visits.
  • Some owners describe the brake pedal catching on interior trim or making a clunking noise when released.
2014 Cadillac XTS complaints: complaints filed per month6Jun 2014Mar 2016Jan 2018Jun 2019Jul 2020Feb 2022Jun 2025
70 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jun 2014 to Sep 2026; peak Jun 2014 (6).

2014 Cadillac XTS recalls

4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 14V541000Sep 9, 2014Brakes205,309 vehicles

    Parking brake

    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.

    Risk: 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.

  2. NHTSA 14V518000Aug 28, 2014Airbags5 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive

    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."

    Risk: 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.

  3. NHTSA 14V409000Jul 2, 2014Steering106 vehicles

    Steering

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014 Buick Regal, Cadillac XTS, Chevrolet Camaro and Chevrolet Impala vehicles. Improperly torqued fasteners may cause the steering intermediate shaft and the steering gear and/or the lower control arm and the lower ball joint to separate.

    Risk: If any of the components separate, the vehicle may have a loss of steering, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: GM began to notify owners on June 27, 2014, and dealers will inspect the fasteners for correct torque, correcting them as necessary, free of charge. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac) or 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet). GM's number for this recall is 14378.

See all 4 recalls for the 2014 Cadillac XTS →

2014 Cadillac XTS fuel economy and fuel cost

City
16 MPG
Highway
24 MPG
Combined
19 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,800
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2014 compared with other XTS years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)02550751002013201420152016201720182019
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2013Avoid100103518.5
2014Avoid8350419
2015Good3314319
2016Caution5022018

All Cadillac XTS years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2014 Cadillac XTS reliable?
Compared to other XTS model years, 2014 ranks 2nd worst out of 7 years, with a Complaint Index of 83 and 50 NHTSA complaints. It carries an 'Avoid' verdict relative to other XTS years.
What are the most common problems with the 2014 Cadillac XTS?
Electrical System complaints account for 32% of reports, followed by Suspension, Wheels & Tires at 26% and Brakes at 18%, according to NHTSA data.
Does the 2014 Cadillac XTS have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2014 XTS covering brakes (electronic parking brake software and brake booster pump), airbags, and steering shaft fasteners. None are do-not-drive recalls.
What year Cadillac XTS should I avoid?
Among XTS years, 2013 has the highest Complaint Index at 100, and 2014 is second worst at 83. Both carry 'Avoid' verdicts compared to later years like 2018 and 2019, which are rated 'Best'.
How many fires and crashes were reported for the 2014 Cadillac XTS?
NHTSA data shows 3 fires and 2 crashes reported for the 2014 XTS, along with 1 injury and no deaths.

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.