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2008 Cadillac Xlr

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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

Limited mileage data: 3 of 3 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

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.

  • Electrical System. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electronic Stability Control (esc). Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

What owners actually said

3 reports
43,000 miles · Mar 29, 2017
Fuel/propulsion SystemPower Train

WHEN CAR IS STATIONARY IN OUR GARAGE, THE GASOLINE VAPORS ARE WAY TOO STRONG! LITERALLY CAN KNOCK YOU OVER AS YOU OPEN THE DOOR BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND CLOSED-UP GARAGE. DOESN'T SEEM TO MATTER IF IT'S RECENTLY BEEN FILLED WITH GASOLINE OR IF IT'S DEPLETED SOME. *TOOK OUR CAR TO THE LOCAL CADILLAC DEALER FOR THE WORST RAW GAS SME…

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WHEN CAR IS STATIONARY IN OUR GARAGE, THE GASOLINE VAPORS ARE WAY TOO STRONG! LITERALLY CAN KNOCK YOU OVER AS YOU OPEN THE DOOR BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND CLOSED-UP GARAGE. DOESN'T SEEM TO MATTER IF IT'S RECENTLY BEEN FILLED WITH GASOLINE OR IF IT'S DEPLETED SOME. *TOOK OUR CAR TO THE LOCAL CADILLAC DEALER FOR THE WORST RAW GAS SMELL EVER WITHIN OUR GARAGE, WHERE WE PARK THIS 'NEW BLACK BEAUTY'. THEY'VE DONE ALL SORTS OF TESTS, BUT HAVE FOUND NO LEAKS, ETC. :-( THIS SEEMS LIKE A REALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION WHEN OUR ATTACHED GARAGE FILLS UP WITH GASOLINE VAPORS!!! (HAVE ONLY OWNED THIS CAR FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 WEEKS!) **HOWEVER, THEY DID FIND A FRAYED AND BROKEN SHIFT CABLE! NONE AVAILABLE, AS ALL ARE BACK-ORDERED! TRYING TO LOCATE ONE SOMEWHERE IN THE COUNTRY! ANYWAY, AFTER REVIEWING ALL OF THE MANY COMPLAINTS AND PROBLEMS LISTED ON VARIOUS WEBSITES AND THE OTHER XLR FORUMS, AND DETERMINING THAT WE ARE DEFINITELY NOT ALONE IN THIS REALLY EXPENSIVE SHIFT CABLE FIX, WE BELIEVE THERE'S A DEFINITE MANUFACTURING PROBLEM/DEFECT WITH THIS FAULTY PART!! HOW DO WE ALL GET GM TO PAY FOR THESE EXPENSIVE FAULTY PARTS?? SOME FOLKS HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THEIR SHIFT CABLES MORE THAN ONCE, SO THAT SHOULD TELL GM THAT THEY DESIGNED A FAULTY PIECE... WE ARE INFORMING THE GOVERNMENT WATCHDOG! THANKS AND WE'LL AWAIT ANY RESPONSE ABOUT THE GASOLINE SMELL, AND THE FAULTY SHIFT CABLES. ($500+ ALONE)

NHTSA ODI #10969271

41,000 miles · Jan 28, 2015
Exterior Lighting

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CADILLAC XLR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A PORTION OF THE BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD NO LONGER ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR. THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE PART WAS NO LONGER BEING MANUFACTURED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE PART WA…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CADILLAC XLR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A PORTION OF THE BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD NO LONGER ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR. THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE PART WAS NO LONGER BEING MANUFACTURED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE PART WAS NO LONGER BEING MANUFACTURED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,000.

NHTSA ODI #10679528

19,786 miles · Feb 9, 2010
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Latches/locks/linkagesCrash

TRAVELING 65MPH ON A FREEWAY, MY CADILLAC XLR SUDDENLY WAS UNCONTROLLABLE; IT THEN STARTED TO SPIN; WAS HIT B A SEMI AND CONTINUED TO SPIN. I HAVE HAD ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR FROM DAY ONE. THE MORNING BEFORE THE ACCIDENT THE READ OUT SAID WAIT FOR STABILITRAK. I KNOW THERE WAS A MALFUNCTION THAT CAUSED THE CAR TO BECOM…

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TRAVELING 65MPH ON A FREEWAY, MY CADILLAC XLR SUDDENLY WAS UNCONTROLLABLE; IT THEN STARTED TO SPIN; WAS HIT B A SEMI AND CONTINUED TO SPIN. I HAVE HAD ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR FROM DAY ONE. THE MORNING BEFORE THE ACCIDENT THE READ OUT SAID WAIT FOR STABILITRAK. I KNOW THERE WAS A MALFUNCTION THAT CAUSED THE CAR TO BECOME UNSTABLE. I HAVE SEEN MENTION OF THIS FOR THE XLR ON THE INTERNET. WHEN I GOT TO A GARAGE AND GOT OUT, THE CAR LOCKED ME OUT WITH THE KEY IN THE CAR SO I AM SURE OF AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10307807

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.