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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 →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

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

What owners actually said

416 reports
94,700 miles · Jun 6, 2017
Air BagsSeat BeltsCrashInjury

TWO CARS AHEAD OF ME WAS GOING STRAIGHT AND ALL OF A SUDDEN TURNED INTO A STRIP MALL WITHOUT INDICATOR, THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME SLAMMED ON THEIR BRAKES AND SO DID I , BUT I STILL ENDED UP REAR ENDING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. I THINK MY SPEED WAS AROUND 30 AT THE TIME OF IMPACT. I HIT MY CHIN TO THE STEERING WHEEL. GOT MULTIPLE CUTS …

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TWO CARS AHEAD OF ME WAS GOING STRAIGHT AND ALL OF A SUDDEN TURNED INTO A STRIP MALL WITHOUT INDICATOR, THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME SLAMMED ON THEIR BRAKES AND SO DID I , BUT I STILL ENDED UP REAR ENDING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. I THINK MY SPEED WAS AROUND 30 AT THE TIME OF IMPACT. I HIT MY CHIN TO THE STEERING WHEEL. GOT MULTIPLE CUTS INSIDE OF MY MOUTH. AND COUPLE OF THEM ON MY FACE WHICH REQUIRED STITCHES. MY AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND NEITHER THE SEATBELT PREVENTED IT, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS ODD. CHECKED WITH CADILLAC IF HEY WERE AWARE OF ANY PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. THEY DENIED THE EXISTENCE OF SUCH AN ISSUE. SO I WANT TO GET THE VEHICLE INVESTIGATED , SO THAT NOBODY ELSE SHOULD GET HURT THE WAY I DID; ALSO I HAVE ANOTHER CADILLAC AND NEED TO KNOW. WILL REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANKS

NHTSA ODI #10993443

50,000 miles · May 31, 2017
Electrical SystemUnknown Or Other

VEHICLE IS PARKED (STATIONARY) AND WHEN IT RAINS WATER DOES NOT CLEAR THROUGH SUNROOF DRAIN HOSE, RESULTING IN WATER LEAKING ONTO FLOORBOARDS ON FRONT PASSENGER SIDE, INTO TRUNK AREA AND LIFTGAGE, AND BACKUP CAMERA AND LIFTGATE ELECTRICAL SHORTS-OUT. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE VEHICLE WAS NEW AND EACH TIME IT REQUIRES REPAIR,…

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VEHICLE IS PARKED (STATIONARY) AND WHEN IT RAINS WATER DOES NOT CLEAR THROUGH SUNROOF DRAIN HOSE, RESULTING IN WATER LEAKING ONTO FLOORBOARDS ON FRONT PASSENGER SIDE, INTO TRUNK AREA AND LIFTGAGE, AND BACKUP CAMERA AND LIFTGATE ELECTRICAL SHORTS-OUT. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE VEHICLE WAS NEW AND EACH TIME IT REQUIRES REPAIR, DEALER CLAIMS THE SUNROOF WAS LEFT OPEN DURING A RAINSTORM.

NHTSA ODI #10992418

80,000 miles · May 23, 2017
Exterior Lighting

AFTER DRIVING MY CAR WITHOUT ANY ISSUES FOR 3 YEARS, THE LOW BEAMS BECAME INCREASINGLY DIM. I HAD REPLACED THEM NUMEROUS TIMES, TAKEN IT TO NUMEROUS CADILLAC GARAGES/ DEALERS, REPLACED THE BATTERY ETC, WITH NO SOLUTION. I RESEARCHED THAT THE 2010 MODEL SRXS WERE RECALLED DUE TO HEADLIGHTS. I AM STILL CURRENTLY HAVING ISSUES WITH…

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AFTER DRIVING MY CAR WITHOUT ANY ISSUES FOR 3 YEARS, THE LOW BEAMS BECAME INCREASINGLY DIM. I HAD REPLACED THEM NUMEROUS TIMES, TAKEN IT TO NUMEROUS CADILLAC GARAGES/ DEALERS, REPLACED THE BATTERY ETC, WITH NO SOLUTION. I RESEARCHED THAT THE 2010 MODEL SRXS WERE RECALLED DUE TO HEADLIGHTS. I AM STILL CURRENTLY HAVING ISSUES WITH CADILLAC TELLING ME "THIS IS NORMAL FOR AN SRX"

NHTSA ODI #10991196

89,000 miles · May 9, 2017
Exterior Lighting

BOTH FRONT HEAD LIGHTS HAVE WATER AND CONDENSATION BEHIND THE LENS WHICH CAUSES THE LIGHT BULB TO BURN OUT. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS IF YOU ARE DRIVING IN RAIN OR SNOW. IT'S A BIG SAFETY ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI #10984548

70,000 miles · May 9, 2017
Exterior Lighting

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CADILLAC SRX. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AT NIGHT, IT BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE WITH THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR A STATE SAFETY INSPECTION. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WERE FUNCTIONING NORMALLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ADVISE…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CADILLAC SRX. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AT NIGHT, IT BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE WITH THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR A STATE SAFETY INSPECTION. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WERE FUNCTIONING NORMALLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL DEALER. THE DEALER DID NOT INSPECT THE VEHICLE, BUT STATED THAT THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO REPAIR THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT SYSTEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000. ..UPDATED 06/14/17 *BF *AS

NHTSA ODI #10984468

Mileage unknown · Apr 30, 2017
Unknown Or OtherInjury

I WAS LOADING ITEMS IN THE BACK WITH THE LIFT GATE OPEN WHEN IT SUDDENLY BEGAN TO CLOSE AND HIT ME BUT CONTINUED TO CLOSE, RETRACTING ONLY AFTER ABOUT 5 SECONDS AND A PHYSICAL BATTLE BETWEEN ME AND THE GATE. I RECEIVED A BRUISE ON MY ARM FROM THE BATTLE AND SAW MY LIFE FLASH BEFORE MY EYES. THE CAR WAS OFF AND STATIONARY IN MY Y…

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I WAS LOADING ITEMS IN THE BACK WITH THE LIFT GATE OPEN WHEN IT SUDDENLY BEGAN TO CLOSE AND HIT ME BUT CONTINUED TO CLOSE, RETRACTING ONLY AFTER ABOUT 5 SECONDS AND A PHYSICAL BATTLE BETWEEN ME AND THE GATE. I RECEIVED A BRUISE ON MY ARM FROM THE BATTLE AND SAW MY LIFE FLASH BEFORE MY EYES. THE CAR WAS OFF AND STATIONARY IN MY YARD. IT WAS THE MOST FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE!

NHTSA ODI #10981517

66,989 miles · Apr 29, 2017
Exterior Lighting

MOISTURE BUILDUP IN FRONT HEADLIGHTS CAUSED BULBS TO SHORT OUT AND NOW NOT WORKING ON LOW BEAM. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND FROM WHAT I HAVE SEEN HAPPEN QUITE OFTEN ON THIS PART OF THE CADILLAC SRX. WENT TO DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT REPLACED AND SINCE OUT OF WARRANTY IT WAS GOING TO BE ~ $2K. RIDICULOUS!

NHTSA ODI #10981401

Mileage unknown · Apr 12, 2017
Exterior Lighting

VEHICLE HAS EXTREMELY POOR LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS DESPITE REPLACING WITH NEW BULBS. THE CAR IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT TIME.

NHTSA ODI #10972080

40,000 miles · Apr 7, 2017
Exterior LightingVehicle Speed Control

2012 CADILLAC SRX HID HEADLIGHTS HAVE SEEMED TO BURN OUT WITH NO FIRTHER ISSUES. ON HIGH BEAM THE LIGHTS ARE FINE BUT ON REGULAR BEAM AT NIGHT I CANNOT SEE AHEAD OF ME RECENTLY AND IT IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND CADILLAC SOMESNT SEEM TO BELIEVE THIS IS A DEFECT ISSUE BUT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS. HOWEVER IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING AFT…

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2012 CADILLAC SRX HID HEADLIGHTS HAVE SEEMED TO BURN OUT WITH NO FIRTHER ISSUES. ON HIGH BEAM THE LIGHTS ARE FINE BUT ON REGULAR BEAM AT NIGHT I CANNOT SEE AHEAD OF ME RECENTLY AND IT IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND CADILLAC SOMESNT SEEM TO BELIEVE THIS IS A DEFECT ISSUE BUT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS. HOWEVER IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING AFTER SPEAKING WITH OTHER CERTIFIED MECHANICS THAT HID'S DO NOT JUST BURN OUT SO THERE HAS TO BE OTHER ISSUES THAT MAY NEED TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE MAKER. ALSO AT INTERIMS AFTER I TRY TO ACCELERATE, THE VEHICLE WILL STALL WHICH CAUSES ME TO HAVE TO REMOVE MY FOOT FROM THE GAS AND TRY AGAIN. AFTER BRINGING THIS TO THE DEALERS ATTENTION I WAS TOLD IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE COMPUTER TRYING TO KEEP UP AND THIS IS WHAT MAY CREATE THIS ISSUE WHICH IS DEFINITELY POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING AND DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED

NHTSA ODI #10971154

127,000 miles · Mar 27, 2017
Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CADILLAC SRX. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS NO OIL IN THE VEHICLE AFTER HAVING REPLACED THE OIL SEVEN WEEKS PRIOR. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 127,000.

NHTSA ODI #10968690

Official recalls

3

21V473000 · 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

1

PE20019 · 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.