Cadillac Xts Years to Avoid
Based on CarWhere's analysis of 216 NHTSA complaints, the Cadillac Xts years to avoid are 2013 and 2014 — the worst logged up to 2.8× the model's median severity-weighted complaint rate, driven by electrical failures. Updated August 2026.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall campaigns · Data as of August 2026 · How we rate model years
No year rated caution
Year-by-year verdict
| Model year | Complaints | Severe | Recalls | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 103 | 24 | 5 | AVOID |
| 2014 | 49 | 16 | 4 | AVOID |
| 2015 | 13 | 4 | 3 | N/A |
| 2016 | 22 | 6 | 0 | BEST |
| 2017 | 24 | 6 | 0 | BEST |
| 2018 | 0 | 0 | 1 | N/A |
| 2019 | 5 | 2 | 2 | N/A |
| 2020 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2021 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A |
"Severe" = complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury, or a safety-critical component. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume; verdicts compare each year against the rest of the Cadillac Xts. Full methodology.
Common Cadillac Xts problems
Across the federal record, the most-reported problem areas on the Cadillac Xts are electrical, suspension, brakes. The confirmed and owner-reported issues below include owner mileage and repair-cost ranges where available.
CUE touchscreen cracking and unresponsiveness
· Cadillac Xts 2013–2017Corroborated by 32 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 78 electrical complaints across 2013–2017, typically 5,000–92,000 miles. Owner-reported repair cost $800–$2,000.
Rear air suspension failure or collapse
· Cadillac Xts 2013–2017Corroborated by 18 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 39 suspension complaints across 2013–2017, typically 25,000–200,000 miles. Owner-reported repair cost $1,000–$1,700.
Brake booster failure causing loss of braking
· Cadillac Xts 2013–2014Corroborated by 2 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 15 brakes complaints across 2013–2014, typically 118,000–166,000 miles.
Why these years stand out
2013 Cadillac Xts: 103 owner complaints on federal record, 24 of them severe, plus 5 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Cadillac Xts.
2014 Cadillac Xts: 49 owner complaints on federal record, 16 of them severe, plus 4 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Cadillac Xts.
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FAQ
What years of the Cadillac Xts should you avoid?
Based on federal NHTSA complaint and recall data, the Cadillac Xts years to avoid are 2013 and 2014 — they carry the model's highest severity-weighted complaint rates, led by electrical issues. See the year-by-year table for the full picture. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the best years for the Cadillac Xts?
The 2016 and 2017 Cadillac Xts show the cleanest federal records among years with enough time on the road to judge — the lowest severity-weighted complaint rates for the model.
How is the Cadillac Xts verdict calculated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries, and safety-critical components count more), converted to a rate per year on the road, and compared against the rest of the Cadillac Xts's own history, then adjusted for recalls. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
How do I check a specific Cadillac Xts before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for that exact VIN plus a market price check from verified buyers.
Is the Cadillac Xts reliable?
The Cadillac Xts's reliability depends heavily on the model year. Across 216 NHTSA owner complaints, 2013 and 2014 rate "avoid", while 2016 and 2017 show the cleanest federal records — see the year-by-year verdicts above. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the most common problems with the Cadillac Xts?
The most-reported problem area for the Cadillac Xts is electrical, followed by suspension and brakes. Confirmed failures include cue touchscreen cracking and unresponsiveness, rear air suspension failure or collapse, brake booster failure causing loss of braking. See the common-problems section above for owner-reported mileage and repair costs where available.
Sources & data notes
All figures are drawn from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Office of Defects Investigation — owner-filed complaints and recall campaigns — covering the Cadillac Xts across every model year on record. Retrieved August 2026. Counts are raw federal filings and are not adjusted for the number of vehicles sold or registered; a verdict compares each model year against the rest of the Cadillac Xts, not against other vehicles. Full scoring at the methodology page.
Verify the flagged years in NHTSA's public database:
Verdicts are computed from federal NHTSA complaint and recall records, refreshed monthly. Read the full methodology.