Cadillac Reliability Overview
Based on 20,901 real complaints filed with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Cadillac reliability varies significantly by model. Compare models below and review the specific model-year page before buying.
Is Cadillac reliable? Quick answer
Based on 20,901 real NHTSA complaints across 27 Cadillac models
Cadillac reliability varies significantly by model and year. Some Cadillac models have consistently low complaint rates; others show recurring electrical faults patterns across multiple generations. The brand-level reliability score is less useful than picking the specific model + year you're considering.
- Cadillac Lyriq· 248 complaints
- Cadillac Escalade· 2,186 complaints
- Cadillac Xt5· 416 complaints
- Cadillac Seville· severity 94921
- Cadillac Deville· severity 76511
91 reported fatalities in Cadillac complaints. Scroll down for the full model-by-model breakdown, or use the links above to jump to a specific model's year-by-year page.
Best Cadillac Models to Buy
Lowest complaint severity among Cadillac models with enough data for a confident comparison (200+ complaints).
Worst Cadillac Models to Avoid
All 27 Cadillac models — sorted by severity (highest first)
Cadillac Seville
(1981–2004) high severityCadillac Deville
(1981–2005) high severityCadillac Fleetwood
(1981–1998) high severityCadillac Eldorado
(1981–2002) high severityCadillac Brougham
(1985–1996) high severityCadillac Escalade Ext
(2002–2013) high severityCadillac Sts
(1998–2011) high severityCadillac Allante
(1987–1995)Cadillac Escalade Esv
(2003–2026)Cadillac Dts
(2004–2011)Cadillac Srx
(2004–2019)Cadillac Cts
(2003–2019)Cadillac Xlr
(2004–2009)Cadillac Ats
(2013–2019)Cadillac Elr
(2014–2016)Cadillac Xts
(2013–2019)Cadillac Cts-v
(2004–2015)Cadillac Ct6
(2016–2020)Cadillac Ats-v
(2016–2017)Cadillac Xt5
(2017–2026)Cadillac Escalade
(1999–2026)Cadillac Lyriq
(2023–2026) high severityCadillac Ct5
(2020–2026) high severityCadillac Xt4
(2019–2025)Cadillac Ct4
(2020–2025)Cadillac Xt6
(2020–2025)Cadillac Optiq
(2025–2025)Pick your model above, then check the VIN.
NHTSA data tells you which models & years to avoid. The VIN tells you if this specific car has hidden accidents, title issues, or odometer rollbacks. Full report just $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Most Common Cadillac Problems
Components most reported across all Cadillac models in NHTSA complaints.
| Component | Complaints | Crash % |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical Faults | 1,967 | 4.1% |
| Headlight/Taillight Failures | 1,741 | 1.7% |
| Engine Problems | 1,479 | 2.6% |
| Airbags | 1,225 | 24.8% |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 1,055 | 3.6% |
| Steering Defects | 757 | 9.1% |
| Brakes | 746 | 13.4% |
| Unintended Acceleration | 575 | 20.7% |
| Suspension Failures | 572 | 6.3% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 420 | 13.8% |
Cadillac Reliability — Frequently Asked Questions
How many NHTSA complaints does Cadillac have?
Cadillac has 20,901 NHTSA consumer complaints across 27 distinct models in the VinItel database (1995–present). 7.5% of those complaints involved a crash, and 91 involved a fatality. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation via VinItel.
Which Cadillac model has the most NHTSA complaints?
By total complaint volume, the top Cadillac models are: Cadillac Srx (4,147 complaints), Cadillac Deville (3,645 complaints), Cadillac Cts (3,090 complaints). Note that higher-volume models naturally accumulate more complaints, so per-model severity depends on sales volume and crash rate. See the full sortable ranking at vinitel.com/stats/nhtsa-complaints/cadillac.
What are the most common Cadillac problems?
Across all Cadillac models in the NHTSA database, the most-reported issue categories are: Electrical Faults (1,967 complaints, 4.1% crash rate); Headlight/Taillight Failures (1,741 complaints, 1.7% crash rate); Engine Problems (1,479 complaints, 2.6% crash rate). Crash percentages indicate how often that component failure resulted in an accident — higher percentages are safety-critical.
Which Cadillac model years should I avoid?
Cadillac models with the highest severity scores include Cadillac Seville and Cadillac Deville. Specific model years to avoid depend on the model — click any Cadillac model to see its year-by-year breakdown with complaint counts, crash rates, and recalls. Our AVOID label is applied when a year's normalized complaint rate exceeds 1.5× the model's median.
Which Cadillac model is the most reliable?
Among Cadillac models with at least 200 NHTSA complaints (enough data for a confident comparison), the lowest severity scores are: Cadillac Lyriq (248 complaints), Cadillac Escalade (2,186 complaints), Cadillac Xt5 (416 complaints). Lower complaint volume plus lower crash/fire/injury rates indicates fewer reported safety issues per vehicle on the road.
Is Cadillac a reliable car brand?
NHTSA complaint data shows reliability varies significantly by model and year within every major brand — including Cadillac. A brand-level reliability verdict is misleading because it averages a bad year of one model with a great year of another. VinItel's approach: pick your target Cadillac model + year and view that specific page for actionable reliability data. See vinitel.com/stats/nhtsa-complaints/cadillac to browse all 27 Cadillac models.
Should I buy a used Cadillac?
Buying used requires two checks: (1) research the specific model + year for known problems using the NHTSA data on this page, and (2) run a VIN report on the exact car to check for hidden accidents, title issues, and odometer rollbacks. VinItel offers both — reliability research is free, individual VIN reports are $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99). Common Cadillac issues to ask about during inspection include electrical faults.
Looking for accident history? See Cadillac accident & safety statistics from our 16M+ vehicle history database.
Buying a Cadillac?
Check the specific VIN for hidden accidents, title issues, and full vehicle history — just $4.99.
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