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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.

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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

Exterior Lighting complaints

233 reports
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Mileage unknown · Jan 4, 2021
Exterior Lighting

THE LOW BEAMS ARE LIKE HAVING NO LIGHTS AT ALL ON, MAKING NIGHT TIME DRIVING NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE. SIMILAR TO USING A FLASHLIGHT TO DRIVE WITH. I HAVE TO DRIVE WITH MY HIGH BEAM LIGHTS ON AND BLIND OTHERS JUST SO I CAN SEE. IT'S VERY DANGEROUS.

NHTSA ODI #11386394

Mileage unknown · Dec 31, 2020
Exterior Lighting

IN DECEMBER 2020, I PURCHASED A USED 2012 CADILLAC SRX. ONCE I DROVE THE VEHICLE AT NIGHT, I NOTICED THE HEADLIGHTS ARE VERY DIM. DUE TO THE LOW LIGHTING LEVEL, THE BRIGHT LIGHTS ARE BEST USED. THE HEADLIGHTS ARE DIM WHILE THE VEKICLE IS PARKED OR DRIVEN

NHTSA ODI #11385777

60,000 miles · Dec 17, 2020
Exterior Lighting

THE NORMAL HEADLAMPS ON THE VEHICLE ARE EQUIVALENT TO A NIGHT LIGHT BULB. YOU CANNOT SEE WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT WITH THE NORMAL HEADLIGHTS ON. APPARENTLY THERE WAS A LAW SUIT FOR THIS, BUT THERE WAS ONLY A CERTAIN TIME PERIOD TO HAVE THE ISSUE FIXED AND IT WAS A REIMBURSEMENT SITUATION WITH A HEFTY OUT OF POCKET EXPENSE. I PURC…

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THE NORMAL HEADLAMPS ON THE VEHICLE ARE EQUIVALENT TO A NIGHT LIGHT BULB. YOU CANNOT SEE WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT WITH THE NORMAL HEADLIGHTS ON. APPARENTLY THERE WAS A LAW SUIT FOR THIS, BUT THERE WAS ONLY A CERTAIN TIME PERIOD TO HAVE THE ISSUE FIXED AND IT WAS A REIMBURSEMENT SITUATION WITH A HEFTY OUT OF POCKET EXPENSE. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AFTER THE FACT, NOT KNOWING OF THIS PROBLEM. I WAS ADVISED BY A GM REPRESENTATIVE TO DRIVE WITH MY HIGH BEAMS ON TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM? IT WORKS, BUT OTHER DRIVERS ARE NOT HAPPY AS THEY FLASH THEIR LIGHTS AT US. WE HAVE NO OTHER SOLUTION, CANT SEE AND DONT HAVE THE $1600 WE WERE TOLD IT COSTS TO FIX THE ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI #11383899

Mileage unknown · Dec 16, 2020
Exterior Lighting

THIS CADILLAC HAS A RECALL ON THE FRONT LIGHTS BECOMING VERY DIM DUE TO MOISTURE BUILD UP WITHIN THE LIGHTS. THEY BECOME DIM WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND GOING FROM HIGH BEAM TO LOW BEAM.

NHTSA ODI #11383689

Mileage unknown · Dec 4, 2020
Exterior Lighting

MY DIM HEADLIGHTS ON MY 2012 CADILLAC SRX ARE DIMMER THAN A FLASHLIGHT. I HAVE REPLACED THE BULBS BUT IT DOESN'T HELP. I HAVE RAN OFF THE ROAD SEVERAL TIMES AND WAS ABLE TO RECOVER. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN TRAUMATIC. I DON'T HAVE $1600 LAYING AROUND FOR THE SAME HEADLIGHTS REPLACEMENT. PLEASE HELP BEFORE I LOSE MY LIFE OR CAUSE T…

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MY DIM HEADLIGHTS ON MY 2012 CADILLAC SRX ARE DIMMER THAN A FLASHLIGHT. I HAVE REPLACED THE BULBS BUT IT DOESN'T HELP. I HAVE RAN OFF THE ROAD SEVERAL TIMES AND WAS ABLE TO RECOVER. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN TRAUMATIC. I DON'T HAVE $1600 LAYING AROUND FOR THE SAME HEADLIGHTS REPLACEMENT. PLEASE HELP BEFORE I LOSE MY LIFE OR CAUSE THE DEATH OF SOME INNOCENT PERSON. THANK YOU.

NHTSA ODI #11377919

95,000 miles · Dec 3, 2020
Exterior Lighting

HEADLIGHTS ARE SO DIM, I AM EITHER FORCED TO DRIVE WITH MY HIGH BEAMS ON CONSTANTLY OR NOT DRIVE AT NIGHT. WE LIVE IN THE COUNTRY, SO ROADS ARE DARK, BUT MY DIM LIGHTS ARE SO HORRIBLE I CAN'T SEE 2 FEET IN FRONT OF THE CAR. WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL NEAR MISSES WITH CARS BECAUSE I AM UNABLE TO SEE THE LANES ON THE ROAD. THIS IS HORRIB…

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HEADLIGHTS ARE SO DIM, I AM EITHER FORCED TO DRIVE WITH MY HIGH BEAMS ON CONSTANTLY OR NOT DRIVE AT NIGHT. WE LIVE IN THE COUNTRY, SO ROADS ARE DARK, BUT MY DIM LIGHTS ARE SO HORRIBLE I CAN'T SEE 2 FEET IN FRONT OF THE CAR. WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL NEAR MISSES WITH CARS BECAUSE I AM UNABLE TO SEE THE LANES ON THE ROAD. THIS IS HORRIBLE! SHE BOUGHT A LUXURY CAR AND WOULD BE BETTER OFF HANGING OUT OF THE WINDOW WITH A FLASHLIGHT TO SEE THAN USING MY DIM LIGHTS!

NHTSA ODI #11377717

85,000 miles · Dec 2, 2020
Exterior Lighting

THE HEADLIGHTS HAD BECOME VERY DIM DUE APPARENTLY TO A FAULTY SEAL ENABLING MOISTURE TO GET IN. IT MADE IT VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE AT NIGHT, PARTICULARLY WHEN IT IS RAINING. CADILLAC SENT A LETTER ADMITTING THE ISSUE AND OFFERING REIMBURSEMENT, BUT REQUIRES CUSTOMERS TO REPLACE THE HEADLIGHTS ON THEIR OWN THEN SUBMIT TO CADILLAC…

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THE HEADLIGHTS HAD BECOME VERY DIM DUE APPARENTLY TO A FAULTY SEAL ENABLING MOISTURE TO GET IN. IT MADE IT VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE AT NIGHT, PARTICULARLY WHEN IT IS RAINING. CADILLAC SENT A LETTER ADMITTING THE ISSUE AND OFFERING REIMBURSEMENT, BUT REQUIRES CUSTOMERS TO REPLACE THE HEADLIGHTS ON THEIR OWN THEN SUBMIT TO CADILLAC FOR REIMBURSEMENT. THE FIX AND REIMBURSEMENT PROCESS TOOK ALMOST 9 MONTHS, BUT I WAS IN FACT REIMBURSED. THE ADDED PROBLEM AS I UNDERSTAND IT IS THE REPLACEMENT LIGHTS ARE THE SAME AS THE ORIGINAL LIGHTS, AND ARE EXPECTED TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN IN THE FUTURE. I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE HANDLED AS A RECALL DUE TO SAFETY AND DIFFERENT MORE RELIABLE HEADLAMPS USED.

NHTSA ODI #11377564

120,000 miles · Dec 2, 2020
Exterior Lighting

WHEN I PURCHASE THIS VEHICLE USED I NOTICED I COULD NOT SEE AT NIGHT BECAUSE THE HEADLIGHTS WERE TOO DIM. I HAD THEM REPLACED AT A COST OF $1300. SEVERAL YEARS LATER I RECEIVED A LETTER SAYING I WOULD REIMBURSED BECAUSE OF YOUR LAWSUIT ABOUT THESE HEADLIGHTS. I FILED AND DID RECEIVE REIMBURSEMENT. HOWEVER, SEVERAL YEARS LATER O…

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WHEN I PURCHASE THIS VEHICLE USED I NOTICED I COULD NOT SEE AT NIGHT BECAUSE THE HEADLIGHTS WERE TOO DIM. I HAD THEM REPLACED AT A COST OF $1300. SEVERAL YEARS LATER I RECEIVED A LETTER SAYING I WOULD REIMBURSED BECAUSE OF YOUR LAWSUIT ABOUT THESE HEADLIGHTS. I FILED AND DID RECEIVE REIMBURSEMENT. HOWEVER, SEVERAL YEARS LATER ONE OF THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED AGAIN. A GOOGLE SEARCH REVEALED THAT THIS IS HAPPENING TOO MANY OF THESE VEHICLES AND PEOPLE ARE NOT GETTING REIMBURSED. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL.

NHTSA ODI #11377426

58,000 miles · Nov 25, 2020
Exterior LightingService Brakes

THE HEADLIGHTS ARE TOO DIM. I CAN'T SEE AT NIGHT AND ESPECIALLY IF IT IS RAINING. I HAVE AVOIDED GOING OFF THE ROAD MORE THAN ONCE. I HIT A FOX ON A BUSY ROAD BECAUSE I NEVER SAW IT DURING A RAINY NIGHT. MY BRAKES HAVE PRESSED TO THE FLOOR MANY TIMES. I BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T SEE IT. IT IS IN…

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THE HEADLIGHTS ARE TOO DIM. I CAN'T SEE AT NIGHT AND ESPECIALLY IF IT IS RAINING. I HAVE AVOIDED GOING OFF THE ROAD MORE THAN ONCE. I HIT A FOX ON A BUSY ROAD BECAUSE I NEVER SAW IT DURING A RAINY NIGHT. MY BRAKES HAVE PRESSED TO THE FLOOR MANY TIMES. I BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T SEE IT. IT IS INTERMITTENT. YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU WILL HAVE NO BRAKES. IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN IF I MAKE A SHARP TURN, HARD STOP OR GO OVER A ROUGH SURFACE. THIS IS LIFE & DEATH.AND SCARY. SOMEONE WILL GET HURT OR DIE.I PURCHASED THE CAR IN 2019 AND IT HAPPENS TO THIS DAY,NOVEMBER 2020.

NHTSA ODI #11376401

Mileage unknown · Nov 24, 2020
Exterior Lighting

VEHICLE HEAD LAMP (LOW BEAN LIGHTING) IS TOO DIM TO SEE WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. THIS HAPPENED OVER TIME, WATER IS LEAKING INTO THE HEAD LAMP CAPSULES.

NHTSA ODI #11376202

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.