Illustration2012 CADILLAC SRX HAS DIM FRONT HEADLIGHTS. VERY DANGEROUS. HAVE TO DRIVE WITH BRIGHT LIGHTS ON, ALSO VERY DANGEROUS. NEED RESOLUTION OF SOME SORT FROM CADILLAC.
2012 Cadillac Srx
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Srx years
Owner complaints for the 2012 Cadillac Srx are substantially higher than the model-year median of 192.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Srx years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
380–25K
3125–50K
6850–75K
7275–100K
57100–150K
4150K+
270 reports with mileage · 146 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Exterior Lighting. Review the 233 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes. Review the 42 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 41 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
32 crash reports4 fire reports23 injury reports
Exterior Lighting complaints
233 reportsI AM THE SECOND OWNER OF A 2012 CADILLAC SRX, PURCHASED I. EARLY NO EMBER 2018. THE HEADLIGHTS ARE DANGEROUSLY DIM. THE CAUSE HAS BEEN TRACED TO FAULTY SEALANT AROUND THE FACTORY HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY WHICH ALLOWS MOISTURE INTO THE CHAMBER, RUINING THE BULBS. I AM FORCED TO USE HIGH BEAMS WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT, BLINDING ONCOMING…
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I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF A 2012 CADILLAC SRX, PURCHASED I. EARLY NO EMBER 2018. THE HEADLIGHTS ARE DANGEROUSLY DIM. THE CAUSE HAS BEEN TRACED TO FAULTY SEALANT AROUND THE FACTORY HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY WHICH ALLOWS MOISTURE INTO THE CHAMBER, RUINING THE BULBS. I AM FORCED TO USE HIGH BEAMS WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT, BLINDING ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND THUS CREATING A DANGER TO THE PUBLIC. THIS HAZARD AFFECTS 2010-2015 MODELS. THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS POSTED ON THE INTERNET DESCRIBING THE PROBLEM, AND HOW FM AND CADILLAC DENY THE FAULT AND OFFER CUSTOMERS NO WORKABLE SOLUTIONS. LIVES ARE AT STAKE HERE. PLEASE INVESTIGATE PROMPTLY TO CONFIRM THE EXISTENCE OF THIS HAZARD, AND FORCE FM TO ADDRESS IT PROPERLY. THANK YOU.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CADILLAC SRX. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS DID NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE LIGHTING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO VALENTI CADILLAC (99 LIEBERT RD, HARTFORD, CT 06120, (860)-967-3194) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE FAILU…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CADILLAC SRX. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS DID NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE LIGHTING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO VALENTI CADILLAC (99 LIEBERT RD, HARTFORD, CT 06120, (860)-967-3194) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA TO FILE A COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76,000.
HEADLIGHTS ON REGULAR SETTING ARE HORRIBLE AND ALMOST NO VISIBILITY IS PROVIDED. MUST BE USED ON HIGH BEAM TO HAVE SAFE DRIVING VISIBILITY, BUT THIS IS RISKY TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND MY SAFETY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CADILLAC SRX. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS WERE VERY DIM, WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT TO SEE THE ROAD AHEAD. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE HEADLIGHT BULBS WERE CHANGED, BUT WERE STILL INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO WHARTON CADILLAC (1225 7TH ST, PARKERSBURG, WV 26102 (304) …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CADILLAC SRX. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS WERE VERY DIM, WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT TO SEE THE ROAD AHEAD. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE HEADLIGHT BULBS WERE CHANGED, BUT WERE STILL INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO WHARTON CADILLAC (1225 7TH ST, PARKERSBURG, WV 26102 (304) 485-7511) WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ONLY THING THAT COULD BE DONE WAS TO CHANGE THE BULB TO A BRIGHTER BULB. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,000.
DRIVING AT NIGHT IS VERY DIFFICULT WITHOUT TURNING ON BRIGHT LIGHTS. I HAVE NOTICED THIS PROBLEM FOR YEARS BUT SEEMS TO BE GETTING WORSE. THE LEFT HEADLIGHT MAY BE DIMMER THAN THE RIGHT.
DIM HEAD LIGHTS ... UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITIONS AT NIGHT HAVE TO USE BRIGHT LIGHTS OFTEN WHICH IS BAD FOR OTHER DRIVERS
HEADLIGHTS GET VERY DIM, TO THE POINT THAT THEY APPEAR TO BE TURNED OFF. THEY DO NOT EVEN ILLUMINATE THE LINES ON THE ROAD. THIS HAPPENS WHENEVER THERE IS ANY MIST OR RAIN, OR HUMIDITY. VERY DANGEROUS AS I CANNOT EVEN TELL WHERE THE LANES OF THE ROAD ARE WITHOUT FLASHING ON MY HIGH BEAMS, WHICH ONCOMING TRAFFIC DOES NOT APPRECIA…
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HEADLIGHTS GET VERY DIM, TO THE POINT THAT THEY APPEAR TO BE TURNED OFF. THEY DO NOT EVEN ILLUMINATE THE LINES ON THE ROAD. THIS HAPPENS WHENEVER THERE IS ANY MIST OR RAIN, OR HUMIDITY. VERY DANGEROUS AS I CANNOT EVEN TELL WHERE THE LANES OF THE ROAD ARE WITHOUT FLASHING ON MY HIGH BEAMS, WHICH ONCOMING TRAFFIC DOES NOT APPRECIATE.
2012 CADILLAC SRX WITH ONLY 63332 MILES. BOTH HEADLIGHTS STARTED SWEATING MOISTURE INSIDE LENS. THIS STARTED AFTER I HAD TO START PARKING THE SRX OUTSIDE OVERNIGHT ABOUT 8 MONTHS AGO. THEN RIGHT HEADLIGHT WENT OUT. DEALER CHARGED $1561 PLUS INSTALLATION TO REPLACE. NOW I HAVE TO TRY AND DRY OUT THE MOISTURE EACH DAY ON THE L…
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2012 CADILLAC SRX WITH ONLY 63332 MILES. BOTH HEADLIGHTS STARTED SWEATING MOISTURE INSIDE LENS. THIS STARTED AFTER I HAD TO START PARKING THE SRX OUTSIDE OVERNIGHT ABOUT 8 MONTHS AGO. THEN RIGHT HEADLIGHT WENT OUT. DEALER CHARGED $1561 PLUS INSTALLATION TO REPLACE. NOW I HAVE TO TRY AND DRY OUT THE MOISTURE EACH DAY ON THE LEFT LIGHT EVEN IF THE SRX IS NOT DRIVEN. VERY DISAPPOINTED IN MY FIRST CADILLAC. SHOULD BE MY LAST.
LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS DO NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE LIGHT TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. IN ORDER TO SEE THE ROAD MUST DRIVE WITH HEADLIGHTS ON HIGH BEAM. WHILE I WAS DRIVING RAN OFF OF ROAD WHILE PASSING AN ONCOMING CAR IN OTHER LANE BECAUSE I COULD NOT SEE ROAD. ALSO COULD NOT SEE TURN LANE FOR MAKING A LEFT TURN. TRAFFIC BEHIND ME WAS BACKED UP…
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LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS DO NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE LIGHT TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. IN ORDER TO SEE THE ROAD MUST DRIVE WITH HEADLIGHTS ON HIGH BEAM. WHILE I WAS DRIVING RAN OFF OF ROAD WHILE PASSING AN ONCOMING CAR IN OTHER LANE BECAUSE I COULD NOT SEE ROAD. ALSO COULD NOT SEE TURN LANE FOR MAKING A LEFT TURN. TRAFFIC BEHIND ME WAS BACKED UP AND THEY BLEW THEIR HORN BECAUSE I WAS NOT IN THE TURN LANE. I COULD NOT SEE THE LINES FOR LEFT TURN LANE BECAUSE OF ON COMING TRAFFIC I COULD NOT USE MY HIGH BEAMS!!!! THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR A YEAR OR MORE BUT TONIGHT IT WAS VERY FRIGHTENING!!!
Official recalls
321V473000 · Suspension:rear
Jun 24, 2021
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2016 Cadillac SRX and 2011-2012 Saab 9-4X vehicles. The rear suspension toe link adjuster may not have been tightened properly, which could result in a loose toe link.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A loose toe link can separate and cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Owners are advised to not drive their vehicle if they experience certain Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) warnings or other issues, such as unusual steering behavior, while driving. Please see the Part 573 report for the full list of warnings. Dealers will replace the adjustable toe link with a non-adjustable one, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed August 6, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on October 25, 2021. Cadillac and Saab customers may direct questions to Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223. GM's number for this recall is N212340980.
14V571000 · Suspension:rear
Sep 19, 2014
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2010-2015 Cadillac SRX vehicles manufactured April 14, 2009, to September 1, 2014, and 2011-2012 Saab 9-4X vehicles manufactured February 1, 2011, to September 13, 2011. On the affected vehicles, the jam nut in the rear suspension toe adjuster link may not be torqued to the proper specification. A loose toe adjuster link can cause the vehicle to sway or wander at highway speeds. A loose toe adjuster link may lead to thread damage and eventual failure. Failure of the toe adjuster link will cause an abrupt change in the vehicle's alignment.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Failure of the toe adjuster link could cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the torque of the left and right rear toe link adjuster lock nuts, and replace the parts if there is evidence of damage or a loose link, free of charge. The The recall began November 11, 2014. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or Saab customer service at 1-800-955-9007. GM's number for this recall is 14457.
14V447000 · Seats:front Assembly:power Adjust
Jul 23, 2014
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Buick LaCrosse, Regal and Chevrolet Camaro, as well as certain 2010-2012 Cadillac SRX, Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles, equipped with power height adjustable driver and passenger seats. In the affected vehicles, the bolt that secures the driver's and passenger's power front seat height adjuster may fall out causing the seat to drop suddenly to the lowest vertical position.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the driver's seat unexpectedly drops, the distraction and altered seat position may affect the drivers' control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the height adjuster shoulder bolts, free of charge. The manufacturer distributed interim letters to owners on September 11, 2014. The recall began on December 26, 2014. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), or 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14271.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1PE20019 · Rear Toe Link Adjuster Separation
Opened Nov 6, 2020 · Closed Dec 23, 2021
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension; Suspension:rear
On November 06, 2020, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE20-019) to assess the remedy and scope of General Motors (GM) recall 14V-571. ODI had received a total of 9 complaints with allegations of rear toe links separating while the vehicle was in motion. There were 4 complainants indicating that the remedy for recall 14V-571 had been performed on their vehicle. The other 5 complaints were outside the original recall scope but exhibited the same failure mode as addressed by recall 14V-571 and reported uncontrolled swaying while driving.ODI's review focused on all 2010-2015 Cadillac SRX vehicles that experienced a rear toe link failure while the vehicle was in motion under various driving conditions. The failures were the same or similar to those addressed by the remedy associated with recall 14V-571. The remedy for recall 14V-571 was to inspect the rear toe link adjusters and replace them if necessary as well as tighten both jam nuts to a manufacturer specified torque. The remedy can be reversed when the vehicle gets a rear alignment adjustment and the jam nuts are not properly re-torqued to the manufacturer's specification. ODI's data review confirmed a high toe link failure rate in vehicles that either had and had not received the remedy associated with recall 14V-571. On June 24, 2021, GM filed a defect information report recalling all 2010-2016 Cadillac SRX and 2011-2012 Saab 9-4X vehicles to remedy the potential failure of the rear toe link adjuster while driving. The remedy replaces adjustable toe links with non-adjustable toe links. The recall (21V-473) includes vehicles that were remedied under 14V-571. In view of the recall action being taken by GM, ODI is closing this Preliminary Evaluation. NHTSA reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances.The ODI complaints cited above can be viewed at www.nhtsa.gov.The ODI identification numbers for the complaints cited above can be found in a separate document attached to this closing resume.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Suspension
On November 06, 2020, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE20-019) to assess the remedy and scope of General Motors (GM) recall 14V-571. ODI had received a total of 9 complaints with allegations of rear toe links separating while the vehicle was in motion. There were 4 complainants indicating that the remedy for recall 14V-571 had been performed on their vehicle. The other 5 complaints were outside the original recall scope but exhibited the same failure mode as addressed by recall 14V-571 and reported uncontrolled swaying while driving.ODI's review focused on all 2010-2015 Cadillac SRX vehicles that experienced a rear toe link failure while the vehicle was in motion under various driving conditions. The failures were the same or similar to those addressed by the remedy associated with recall 14V-571. The remedy for recall 14V-571 was to inspect the rear toe link adjusters and replace them if necessary as well as tighten both jam nuts to a manufacturer specified torque. The remedy can be reversed when the vehicle gets a rear alignment adjustment and the jam nuts are not properly re-torqued to the manufacturer's specification. ODI's data review confirmed a high toe link failure rate in vehicles that either had and had not received the remedy associated with recall 14V-571. On June 24, 2021, GM filed a defect information report recalling all 2010-2016 Cadillac SRX and 2011-2012 Saab 9-4X vehicles to remedy the potential failure of the rear toe link adjuster while driving. The remedy replaces adjustable toe links with non-adjustable toe links. The recall (21V-473) includes vehicles that were remedied under 14V-571. In view of the recall action being taken by GM, ODI is closing this Preliminary Evaluation. NHTSA reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances.The ODI complaints cited above can be viewed at www.nhtsa.gov.The ODI identification numbers for the complaints cited above can be found in a separate document attached to this closing resume.
Suspension:rear
On November 06, 2020, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE20-019) to assess the remedy and scope of General Motors (GM) recall 14V-571. ODI had received a total of 9 complaints with allegations of rear toe links separating while the vehicle was in motion. There were 4 complainants indicating that the remedy for recall 14V-571 had been performed on their vehicle. The other 5 complaints were outside the original recall scope but exhibited the same failure mode as addressed by recall 14V-571 and reported uncontrolled swaying while driving.ODI's review focused on all 2010-2015 Cadillac SRX vehicles that experienced a rear toe link failure while the vehicle was in motion under various driving conditions. The failures were the same or similar to those addressed by the remedy associated with recall 14V-571. The remedy for recall 14V-571 was to inspect the rear toe link adjusters and replace them if necessary as well as tighten both jam nuts to a manufacturer specified torque. The remedy can be reversed when the vehicle gets a rear alignment adjustment and the jam nuts are not properly re-torqued to the manufacturer's specification. ODI's data review confirmed a high toe link failure rate in vehicles that either had and had not received the remedy associated with recall 14V-571. On June 24, 2021, GM filed a defect information report recalling all 2010-2016 Cadillac SRX and 2011-2012 Saab 9-4X vehicles to remedy the potential failure of the rear toe link adjuster while driving. The remedy replaces adjustable toe links with non-adjustable toe links. The recall (21V-473) includes vehicles that were remedied under 14V-571. In view of the recall action being taken by GM, ODI is closing this Preliminary Evaluation. NHTSA reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances.The ODI complaints cited above can be viewed at www.nhtsa.gov.The ODI identification numbers for the complaints cited above can be found in a separate document attached to this closing resume.