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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

Engine complaints

15 reports
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17,792 miles · Sep 10, 2014
EngineVehicle Speed Control

I WAS ATTEMPTING TO GAIN SPEED WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY VEHICLE LOST ACCELERATION AND THE ENGINE RPMS INCREASED AS IF MY VEHICLE WAS ACCELERATING. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND MY TRANSFER CASE MODULE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10632072

21,000 miles · Jul 1, 2014
EnginePower Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CADILLAC SRX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ONCE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED THE VEHICLE HESITATED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 21,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 8/11/14*CN

NHTSA ODI #10607507

3,000 miles · Jun 29, 2014
Engine

LOSS OF POWER. TWO MONTHS AFTER WE HAD PURCHASED THIS NEW SRX, MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING SOUTH ON INTERSTATE 77 IN NORTH CAROLINA AT 65 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY THE CAR HAD NO POWER. I WAS IN THE LEFT OF TWO LANES AND WAS ABLE TO STEER AND BRAKE INTO THE MEDIAN WHICH WAS DIVIDED BY A CONCRETE BARRIER FROM THE NORTH BOUND TRAFFIC. I…

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LOSS OF POWER. TWO MONTHS AFTER WE HAD PURCHASED THIS NEW SRX, MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING SOUTH ON INTERSTATE 77 IN NORTH CAROLINA AT 65 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY THE CAR HAD NO POWER. I WAS IN THE LEFT OF TWO LANES AND WAS ABLE TO STEER AND BRAKE INTO THE MEDIAN WHICH WAS DIVIDED BY A CONCRETE BARRIER FROM THE NORTH BOUND TRAFFIC. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK, THEN PUSHED HARDER AND HARDER ON THE ACCELERATOR, BUT THERE WAS NO SOUND, NO POWER. GM OFFERED TO TOW US TO THE NEAREST DEALER, BUT NO ONE WAS OPEN BECAUSE IT WAS SUNDAY. SO WE DECIDED TO TRY TO RESTART THE CAR. I PUSHED THE BRAKE AND IGNITION AND IT STARTED. I SLOWLY MOVED ONTO THE HIGHWAY AND ACCELERATED. THE CAR WORKED. AFTER ARRIVING AT MY DESTINATION, I TOOK IT TO A CADILLAC DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO FIND ANY CODES STORED AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THEN EARLY IN 2014, THE SAME THING HAPPENED, THIS TIME AS I CAME TO A STOP--NO POWER, CAR RESTARTED, NO CODES, COULD NOT DUPLICATE. BOTH DEALERS SAID THAT GM HAD NOT SENT THEM BULLETINS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10606809

8,600 miles · Dec 20, 2013
Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CADILLAC SRX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE TRAVELING 65 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHO DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE ENGINE MOTOR. THE ENGINE AND MOTOR WERE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CADILLAC SRX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE TRAVELING 65 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHO DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE ENGINE MOTOR. THE ENGINE AND MOTOR WERE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 8,600. UPDATED 2/4/14*CN UPDATED 02/06/14

NHTSA ODI #10556770

12,000 miles · Dec 13, 2013
Engine

THE SRX 3.6 LITER DETONATES CONTINUOUSLY WHEN 87 OR 89 OCTANE IS USED AND THE OUTSIDE AIR TEMP. IS 70 DEGREES OR ABOVE. THE CURRENT PROGRAM IN THE 2012, 2013 AND CURRENT SRX CROSSOVERS CAN NOT RETARD THE TIMING ENOUGH WHEN THE KNOCK SENSORS SENSE THE PINGING. GM HAS REPLACED ENGINES TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE BUT HAS FOUND THAT IT …

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THE SRX 3.6 LITER DETONATES CONTINUOUSLY WHEN 87 OR 89 OCTANE IS USED AND THE OUTSIDE AIR TEMP. IS 70 DEGREES OR ABOVE. THE CURRENT PROGRAM IN THE 2012, 2013 AND CURRENT SRX CROSSOVERS CAN NOT RETARD THE TIMING ENOUGH WHEN THE KNOCK SENSORS SENSE THE PINGING. GM HAS REPLACED ENGINES TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE BUT HAS FOUND THAT IT IS A SOFTWARE ISSUE AND IS WORKING ON WRITING A NEW PROGRAM FOR ALL SRX CROSSOVERS, THEY CLAIM A SOFTWARE UPDATE IN A YEAR. DRIVING A CONTINUOUSLY DETONATING ENGINE WILL PERMANENTLY DAMAGE THE ENGINE AND CAN CAUSE AN UNSAFE VEHICLE TO THE CONSUMER. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10556008

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.