2012 Cadillac SRX Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other SRX years
- Far more complaints than other years 4th of 14 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 416 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Cadillac SRX. That ranks 4th out of 14 SRX model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is exterior lighting (233 complaints, 56%), typically at around 76,000 miles. Complaints mention 32 crashes, 4 fires, 32 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 416owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 32complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2012 Cadillac SRX problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exterior Lighting problems | 233 | 56% | 76,000 | “low beam” (36%) | $2,050 |
| Service Brakes | 42 | 10% | 76,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 41 | 10% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 32 | 8% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 27 | 6% | 69,321 | — | — |
| Structure | 19 | 5% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 18 | 4% | 58,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 15 | 4% | 42,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 15 | 4% | 31,850 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 14 | 3% | 24,821 | — | — |
| Power Train | 11 | 3% | 46,463 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 11 | 3% | 61,500 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 8 | 2% | 90,500 | — | — |
| Wheels | 7 | 2% | 90,571 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 4 | 1% | 74,350 | — | — |
| Seats | 4 | 1% | 74,600 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 3 | 1% | 15,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 3 | 1% | 105,000 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 2 | 0% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 0% | 42,039 | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 0% | 84,000 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 0% | 35,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 0% | 118,300 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2012 Cadillac SRX recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Suspension:rearDo not drive
Problem: 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.
Risk: A loose toe link can separate and cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
Suspension:rear
Problem: 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.
Risk: Failure of the toe adjuster link could cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
Seats:front assembly:power adjust
Problem: 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.
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Rear Toe Link Adjuster Separation (PE20019) — opened Nov 6, 2020, closed Dec 23, 2021, led to recall 21V473000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
A deer rammed my passager side . airbag light was always on saying passenger airbag off . but when it explodes it injured my passenger . all the airbags didn't activate my car shut down after the incident but a few moments after it regenerated there were all types of debris after the extreme…
2012 Cadillac SRX was traveling approximately 30mph and t-boned another vehicle at an intersection. Both vehicles were totaled. The airbags in the Cadillac did not deploy and the seatbelt did not lock, causing the driver to be thrust forward into the steering wheel and windshield. Significant head…
The contact owns a 2012 Cadillac SRX. The contact stated that the vehicle was having a failure with the drains for the sunroof. The contact stated that water was draining directly into the driver's and passengerâs side footwells. The contact stated that there was water saturating the carpet…
The headlights donât work very well when they are dimmed. To the point that one has to use high beams all the time.
there was a sunroof recall on my year of vehicle, with this being a used vehicle the previous owners did not know about the sunroof recall and this is why they sold the vehicle not knowing the issues it caused, so I purchased this vehicle wanting it to be my forever vehicle and still do, i am…
Other Cadillac SRX years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 SRX | 1 | 0 |
| 2016 SRX | 168 | 2 |
| 2015 SRX | 442 | 4 |
| 2014 SRX | 390 | 2 |
| 2013 SRX | 393 | 5 |
| 2012 | 416 | 3 |
| 2011 SRX | 447 | 7 |
| 2010 SRX | 474 | 6 |
| 2009 SRX | 27 | 0 |
| 2008 SRX | 47 | 0 |
| 2007 SRX | 52 | 1 |
| 2006 SRX | 68 | 3 |
| 2005 SRX | 122 | 3 |
| 2004 SRX | 216 | 7 |
See all Cadillac SRX problems by year, every Cadillac model, or the Cadillac VIN decoder.
Similar Cadillac models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Cadillac SRX?
Owners most often report exterior lighting, service brakes, suspension problems. The top one, exterior lighting, accounts for 233 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2012 Cadillac SRX?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2012 Cadillac SRX a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other SRX model years, the 2012 has far more complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.