Problems · NHTSA complaints

2008 Cadillac SRX problems

Owners filed 47 complaints about the 2008 Cadillac SRX with NHTSA between Sep 2007 and Dec 2023. The most-cited component is power train (11).

Complaints
47
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
6
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
5
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Power train11
  2. Air bags8
  3. Electrical system7
  4. Visibility7
  5. Structure6
  6. Engine5
  7. Service brakes4
  8. Steering2
  9. Exterior lighting2
  10. Visibility/wiper2
  11. Electronic stability control (esc)2
  12. Equipment2
  13. Fuel system, gasoline1
  14. Vehicle speed control1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 8, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20071
20084
20095
20105
20112
20120
20132
20147
20151
20164
20171
20186
20194
20202
20211
20221
20231

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Power train

11 reports1 crash
“THIS COMPLAINT IS A CONTINUATION OF COMPLAINT BIN23-53927 AND DESCRIBES THE FINDINGS OF THE TRANSMISSION DISASSEMBLY. DISASSEMBLY WAS DELAYED DUE TO MEDICAL TREATMENT UNRELATED TO THIS INCIDENT. TRANSMISSION FAILED SUDDENLY IN HIGH VOLUME "RUSH" HOUR TRAFFIC. TORQUE WAS LOST JUST BEFORE AN EXIT ALLOWING THE VEHICLE TO EXIT WITHOUT POWER HOWEVER THE VEHICLE STOPPED IN MIDDLE LANE OF A SERVICE ROAD. ON COMING VEHICLES HAD TO BRAKE BEHIND THE VEHICLE. SUDDEN TRANSMISSION FAILURE IN HEAVY HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC PRESENTS A HIGH RISK OF REAR COLLISION WITH MULTIPLE VEHICLES AND INJURY. FURTHERMORE, IF THE TRANSMISSION FLUID PUMP HAD NOT FAILED, THE TRANSMISSION COULD HAVE LOCK-UP OR EXHIBITED HIGH SPEED DOWN SHIFTING, DUE TO FAILURE OF OTHER PARTS. THIS INCIDENT SHOULD NOT BE DISMISSED BECAUSE THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT OR PERSONAL INJURY. SOME MOTHER WITH CHILDREN COULD EASILY HAVE A DIFFERENT OUT COME ON A CROWDED LARGE CITY HIGHWAY. NO COMPUTER CODES WERE DISPLAYED. 5LTE-40 5-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. DISASSEMBLY OF THE TRANSMISSION REVEALED EXCESSIVE METAL PARTICLES AND DEBRIS. THE TRANSMISSION FLUID PUMP FAILED WHICH CAUSED LOSS OF TORQUE DUE TO INADEQUATE FLUID…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 2, 2019Power train, Unknown or otherODI 11194014

Air bags

8 reports2 crashes
“The contact owns a 2008 Cadillac SRX. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated and the horn became inoperable. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 4, 2022Air bagsODI 11463323

Electrical system

7 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2008 CADILLAC SRX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER HER DAUGHTER ARRIVED HOME AND PARKED THE VEHICLE INSIDE THE GARAGE, SEVERAL WARNING LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING ON AND OF. HER DAUGHTER ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE LOCAL DEALER DELAWARE CADILLAC (1606 PENNSYLVANIA AVE, WILMINGTON, DE 19806) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE FAILURE WAS DIAGNOSED AS AN ISSUE WITH THE AIR BAG SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED DUE TO THE PARTS NOT BEING AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 153,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 14, 2021Electrical system, Air bagsODI 11408076

Visibility

7 reports
“I WAS DRIVING MY SRX BACK TO WORK ON AIRPORT RD IN WATERFORD MICHIGAN AT 40MPH. THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC WITHIN VIEW OF ME WHEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN MY SUNROOF EXPLODED DROPPING GLASS ALL OVER MY INTERIOR AND MYSELF. I WAS UNHARMED OTHER THAN A FEW VERY SMALL PIECES SCRATCHING MY ARM. I LOOKED ON THE INTERNET TO FIND THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHER OWNERS HOWEVER WHEN I AND OTHER HAVE CALLED GM TO DISCUSS THE PROBLEM WE ALL GET THE SAME ANSWER."I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THAT HAPPENING" I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS YET ANOTHER MANUFACTURER PROBLEM WITH GM AND THEY ARE DODGING IT. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 21, 2014VisibilityODI 10583976

Structure

6 reports3 crashes1 fire
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2008 CADILLAC SRX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HIS WIFE WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 ' 70 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL SOUND COMING FROM THE PASSENGER'S SIDE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS WIFE CHECKED THE REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE WINDOW TO SEE IF THE WINDOW WAS ROLLED DOWN. THE WINDOW WAS NOT DOWN. SEVERAL SECONDS LATER, THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE AND THE DRIVER LOSS CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE VEHICLE STARTED SPINNING OUT OF CONTROL. THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS HEADING TOWARDS THE GUARDRAIL. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE GUARDRAIL AND SPUN OUT INTO THE ROADWAY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. ANOTHER DRIVER THAT WITNESSED THE CRASH REMOVED THE DRIVER FROM THE CRASHED VEHICLE. THE DRIVER WAS PLACED IN THE VEHICLE OF THE OTHER DRIVER. THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM THE CRASHED VEHICLE. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A DISLOCATED VERTEBRAE, HIP AND NECK INJURIES WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DUTTON CADILLAC OF RIVERSIDE LOCATED AT 8201 AUTO DR #101, RIVERSIDE, CA 92504, (951)842-2566 TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 1, 2020Steering, StructureCrash reportedFire reportedODI 11377286

Engine

5 reports1 crash
“WHEN DRIVING THE ACCELERATION IS SLOW TO PICK UP. THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND WHEN I TOOK IT TO GET CHECK THE CODE P0008 CAME UP. THAT'S WHEN YOU HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE ENGINE MODULE DETECTING A PROBLEM WITH THE TIMING BETWEEN THE CRANKSHAFT AND BANK 1 CRANKSHAFT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 27, 2018EngineODI 11154307
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 8, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.