Problems · NHTSA complaints
2018 Cadillac XT5 problems
Owners filed 67 complaints about the 2018 Cadillac XT5 with NHTSA between May 2018 and Oct 2026. The most-cited component is engine (15).
Complaints
67
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Engine15
- Electrical system14
- Power train12
- Steering12
- Service brakes7
- Vehicle speed control4
- Visibility/wiper3
- Structure3
- Seats2
- Suspension2
- Exterior lighting2
- Tires2
- Wheels1
- Visibility1
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
6
5
9
7
4
8
10
11
7
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 6 |
| 2019 | 5 |
| 2020 | 9 |
| 2021 | 7 |
| 2022 | 4 |
| 2023 | 8 |
| 2024 | 10 |
| 2025 | 11 |
| 2026 | 7 |
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
Engine
15 reports1 fire
“Check engine light sensor came on in mid-May which is the result of a faulty thermostat, also triggering a "Steering Assist is Reduced" message on the dashboard which I consider to be a safety issue. This is a known and common problem for this make, year and model and the cost to fix the problem is very expensive. This issue has been reported by many Cadillac owners on their forum. My mechanic confirmed the problem with the thermostat caused the steering assist is reduced message, along with the air conditioning malfunctioning.”
Electrical system
14 reports1 fire
“The contact owns a 2018 Cadillac XT5. The vehicle was recently purchased, and while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. In addition, the vehicle failed to accelerate above 5 MPH with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The dealer was notified and sent a mobile mechanic to the residence to diagnose the vehicle; however, no cause for the failure was found. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, and it was diagnosed that the emission starter module had failed. The dealer reprogrammed the emission starter module. The contact stated that a week after the repairs were performed, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle sputtered, and the failure persisted. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not inspected or diagnosed due to the cost. The contact stated that the failure persisted, and the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was no longer able to be started. The contact stated that the vehicle was repossessed but was recovered. The vehicle was towed to the residence and had not been driven since. The…”
Power train
12 reports1 crash
“The contact owns a 2018 Cadillac XT5. The contact stated that during a scheduled routine maintenance, the independent mechanic informed the contact that front driver's side CV axle was fractured and leaking grease and needed to be replaced. However, the part was on a national backorder. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 114,000.”
Steering
12 reports
“Thermostat failure causes steering assist to be reduced. This leaves more difficult steering especially in an emergency situation, thus a safety concern. The vehicle displays a warning: "Steering Assist Is Reduced, Drive with care". An internet search shows this is a well-known problem across all General Motor vehicles. This is also indicated by the technician notes on my repair invoice that a bulletin from the manufacturer has been issued. After restart the warning clears leaving the driver to believe all is well. After a number of miles it reappears.”
Service brakes
7 reports
“While driving at highway speeds, I needed to accelerate hard in order to pass another vehicle and while accelerating there was a downshift and increase in RPM. After passing, the RPM remained high even after I took foot off accelerator and it seemed the transmission did not shift back out of lower gear, keeping the car traveling at a high rate of speed, endangering myself and other traffic. Applying the brakes would not cause the engine to slow down and the engine kept working hard and traveling fast, causing strain on the brakes to slow down. I pulled over and initially shifted to neutral, but the engine was still revving high (4000 rpm observed). Then I placed the car in park which did not change the high RPM. Then I shut off engine and let it rest. Then I turned auto back on and all was normal. The problem has not yet been reported to dealer but will occur in coming days. There were no prior symptoms, problems, or warning lights on dash display prior to this occurring.”
Vehicle speed control
4 reports1 crash
“After exiting a car wash (automated)on Monday-7/3/23, I was attempting to stop my vehicle so I could dry the exterior with towels. I was on the car wash property and as I approached an area that was open, I attempted to stop the vehicle, the engine revved very high and the vehicle took off at a very high speed in fractions of a second. The vehicle then climbed over a flower embankment and hit the wall of the Car wash. The impact was so great that it put a large hole in the wall and ruptured a main water line creating a huge water leak. The fire department and police officer arrived at the scene to make a report. My initial thought was that my sandal may have got trapped but after returning home and rethinking the entire incident may times I believe this was “UNINTENTIONAL ACCELERATION “ The driver side airbag and knee airbag were deployed. Thankfully I was not hurt. Had this happened when I was on a road or a grocery store/ mall parking lot things could have been very serious. I have insurance through State Farm and have requested them numerous times to have a diagnostic check done to identify the reason for this to happen and they have declined my request.…”
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.