Vehicle make

CADILLAC

20,232 NHTSA complaints and 180 safety recalls across 43 models, every figure pulled straight from federal records.

Complaints
20,232
Recalls
180
Models
43

How does CADILLAC compare?

CADILLACTOYOTAAll makes

Average NHTSA crash rating(higher is safer)Beats TOYOTA
CADILLAC4.7 ★
TOYOTA4.69 ★
All makes4.67 ★
Complaints per model(lower is better)Beats TOYOTA
CADILLAC471
TOYOTA1,382
All makes500
Recalls per model(lower is better)Behind TOYOTA
CADILLAC4.2
TOYOTA3.7
All makes3.4

CADILLAC models by complaint volume

Top nameplates, all model-years combined

complaints

What this shows Within CADILLAC's lineup, the SRX carries the most NHTSA complaints. High-volume nameplates accumulate more filings simply because more of them are on the road, drill into a model for its per-year and per-component breakdown.

Source NHTSA consumer complaint database As of 2026

CADILLAC is registered with NHTSA as a vehicle manufacturer and carries 20,232 consumer safety complaints across 43 nameplates in the Office of Defects Investigation public database. The brand has been the subject of 180 safety recalls and is currently tied to 10 active or historical federal investigations, of which 1 remain open and under review. Every one of those figures is pulled directly from NHTSA's published datasets, not from owner forums, manufacturer marketing, or third-party reliability surveys, so the numbers you see reflect the same data federal regulators use when they decide whether to escalate a preliminary evaluation into an engineering analysis or a formal defect order.

Model-level volume varies widely inside any automaker's portfolio: best-sellers accumulate complaints simply because more vehicles are on the road, while limited-run trims and discontinued nameplates often carry disproportionately high complaint rates per unit sold. Inside CADILLAC's lineup, the single highest complaint count sits with the SRX (4,128 filings, model years 2004–2019), followed by DEVILLE and CTS. Use the table below to compare nameplate-by-nameplate counts, then drill into a specific model to see which components dominate and which model years concentrate the crash, fire, and fatality reports.

Active NHTSA investigations involving CADILLAC are the most forward-looking signal on this page, they precede recalls and typically focus on a specific component family or model-year cohort. Recall status, by contrast, is backward-looking: it tells you what the manufacturer has already been compelled to remedy, not what they are being asked to remedy next. Together, complaints, investigations, and recalls form the three-layer early-warning system federal safety regulators have relied on since the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966.

Which CADILLAC models get the most complaints?

ModelComplaints
SRX4,128
DEVILLE3,658
CTS3,088
ESCALADE2,117
SEVILLE1,049
CATERA826
DTS725
ESCALADE ESV631
STS609
ATS542
XT5398
XTS304
FLEETWOOD265
ELDORADO234
LYRIQ233
ALLANTE232
XT4130
XT6130
ESCALADE EXT126
CADILLAC121
CT5113
XLR108
CT686
BROUGHAM69
CT445
CTS-V39
ESCALADE HYBRID34
SLS30
CIMARRON27
ELR26
ESCALADE NA24
CT6 PLUG-IN HYBRID16
OPTIQ13
LIMOUSINE11
ESCALADE EXT 150011
V-SERIES8
VISTIQ8
ATS-V6
SIXTY SPECIAL4
CADILLAC TRUCK3
ESCALADE IQ3
FLEETWOOD BROUGHAM1
K SERIES1

NHTSA Investigations 1 Open

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints has CADILLAC received?
CADILLAC has received 20,232 NHTSA complaints across 43 models and 180 safety recalls.
Is CADILLAC reliable?
CADILLAC has 20,232 total NHTSA complaints across all models. Compare complaint counts per model and model year to identify which CADILLAC vehicles have the fewest reported issues.
How do I check for CADILLAC recalls?
Browse CADILLAC models on PlainCars to see recall history by model and year, or visit NHTSA.gov and enter your VIN for official recall status. All recall data on PlainCars comes directly from NHTSA.
Where does CADILLAC complaint data come from?
All complaint and recall data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are filed by vehicle owners and NHTSA publishes them publicly.
What do CADILLAC complaints cover?
NHTSA complaints include consumer-reported issues with brakes, engines, airbags, steering, electrical systems, and other safety-related components. Each complaint may note crashes, fires, injuries, or deaths associated with the defect.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Top CADILLAC Models

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.