Problems · NHTSA complaints
2008 Cadillac XLR problems
Owners filed 3 complaints about the 2008 Cadillac XLR with NHTSA between Feb 2010 and Mar 2017. The most-cited component is power train (1).
Complaints
3
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Power train1
- Fuel/propulsion system1
- Exterior lighting1
- Electrical system1
- Latches/locks/linkages1
- Electronic stability control (esc)1
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 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 1 |
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.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Power train
1 report
“WHEN CAR IS STATIONARY IN OUR GARAGE, THE GASOLINE VAPORS ARE WAY TOO STRONG! LITERALLY CAN KNOCK YOU OVER AS YOU OPEN THE DOOR BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND CLOSED-UP GARAGE. DOESN'T SEEM TO MATTER IF IT'S RECENTLY BEEN FILLED WITH GASOLINE OR IF IT'S DEPLETED SOME. *TOOK OUR CAR TO THE LOCAL CADILLAC DEALER FOR THE WORST RAW GAS SMELL EVER WITHIN OUR GARAGE, WHERE WE PARK THIS 'NEW BLACK BEAUTY'. THEY'VE DONE ALL SORTS OF TESTS, BUT HAVE FOUND NO LEAKS, ETC. :-( THIS SEEMS LIKE A REALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION WHEN OUR ATTACHED GARAGE FILLS UP WITH GASOLINE VAPORS!!! (HAVE ONLY OWNED THIS CAR FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 WEEKS!) **HOWEVER, THEY DID FIND A FRAYED AND BROKEN SHIFT CABLE! NONE AVAILABLE, AS ALL ARE BACK-ORDERED! TRYING TO LOCATE ONE SOMEWHERE IN THE COUNTRY! ANYWAY, AFTER REVIEWING ALL OF THE MANY COMPLAINTS AND PROBLEMS LISTED ON VARIOUS WEBSITES AND THE OTHER XLR FORUMS, AND DETERMINING THAT WE ARE DEFINITELY NOT ALONE IN THIS REALLY EXPENSIVE SHIFT CABLE FIX, WE BELIEVE THERE'S A DEFINITE MANUFACTURING PROBLEM/DEFECT WITH THIS FAULTY PART!! HOW DO WE ALL GET GM TO PAY FOR THESE EXPENSIVE FAULTY PARTS?? SOME FOLKS HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THEIR SHIFT CABLES MORE THAN…”
Fuel/propulsion system
1 report
Exterior lighting
1 report
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CADILLAC XLR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A PORTION OF THE BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD NO LONGER ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR. THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE PART WAS NO LONGER BEING MANUFACTURED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE PART WAS NO LONGER BEING MANUFACTURED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,000.”
Electrical system
1 report1 crash
“TRAVELING 65MPH ON A FREEWAY, MY CADILLAC XLR SUDDENLY WAS UNCONTROLLABLE; IT THEN STARTED TO SPIN; WAS HIT B A SEMI AND CONTINUED TO SPIN. I HAVE HAD ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR FROM DAY ONE. THE MORNING BEFORE THE ACCIDENT THE READ OUT SAID WAIT FOR STABILITRAK. I KNOW THERE WAS A MALFUNCTION THAT CAUSED THE CAR TO BECOME UNSTABLE. I HAVE SEEN MENTION OF THIS FOR THE XLR ON THE INTERNET. WHEN I GOT TO A GARAGE AND GOT OUT, THE CAR LOCKED ME OUT WITH THE KEY IN THE CAR SO I AM SURE OF AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE. *TR”
Latches/locks/linkages
1 report1 crash
Electronic stability control (esc)
1 report1 crash
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.