2013 Cadillac XTS Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other XTS years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 7 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 5 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 103 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Cadillac XTS. That is the most of any XTS model year in the database (7 years). The most reported problem area is electrical system (41 complaints, 40%), typically at around 68,000 miles. Complaints mention 2 fires. There are 5 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 103owner complaints
- 5safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2013 Cadillac XTS 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 41 | 40% | 68,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 25 | 24% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 13 | 13% | 74,358 | — | — |
| Engine | 12 | 12% | 32,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 9 | 9% | 51,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 6 | 6% | 63,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 6 | 6% | 57,868 | — | — |
| Wheels | 6 | 6% | 32,338 | — | — |
| Seats | 4 | 4% | 46,463 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 3 | 3% | 24,518 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 3 | 3% | 91,290 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 3 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 3 | 3% | 137,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 3 | 3% | 57,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 3 | 3% | 27,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 2% | 59,001 | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 1% | 8,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 1% | 52,680 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | 53,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 1% | 52,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 1% | 9,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2013 Cadillac XTS recalls (5)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Parking brake
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Cadillac XTS vehicles manufactured February 14, 2012, to August 22, 2014, and 2014-2015 Chevrolet Impala vehicles manufactured November 5, 2012, to September 2, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the electronic parking brake piston actuation arm may not fully retract causing the brake pads to stay partially engaged.
Risk: Brake pads that remain partially engaged with the rotors may cause excessive brake heat that may result in a fire.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the electronic parking brake software, free of charge. The recall began on October 28, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 14471.
Air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Cadillac XTS vehicles manufactured April 11, 2013, to June 27, 2013, and 2014 Chevrolet Impala vehicles manufactured May 13, 2013, to November 5, 2013. The affected vehicles may have left the factory with the sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) set to "manufacturing mode."
Risk: In manufacturing mode, the vehicle's air bags will not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of occupant injury.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers are to reprogram the SDM to the correct mode, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in September 2014. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 14532.
Service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuum:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Cadillac XTS vehicles manufactured February 14, 2012, through March 7, 2014. In the affected vehicles, a cavity plug on the brake booster pump connector may dislodge allowing corrosion of the brake booster pump relay connector.
Risk: The corrosion of the brake booster pump relay connector may cause a resistive short and melt the connector, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will apply sealant to the connector cavity plugs, re-route the vacuum pump vent hose and replace the front body wiring harnesses as needed, free of charge. The recall began on April 7, 2014. Owners may contact Cadillac at 1-866-982-2339. GM's number for this recall is 14062.
Exterior lighting:brake lights; electrical system
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Cadillac ATS and model year 2013 Cadillac XTS; model year 2014 Chevrolet Impala; and 2013 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles. Originally, in May 2013, GM recalled 1,627 model year 2013 Cadillac ATS and model year 2013 Cadillac XTS; and model year 2014 Chevrolet Impala vehicles. In October 2013, GM informed the agency that it was adding model year 2013 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles to this campaign , representing an additional 8,050 units. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 9,677. On the affected vehicles, the brake lamps may intermittently flash without the brakes being applied and the cruise control may disengage. Thus, these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108, "Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
Risk: If the brake lamps flash when the vehicle is not slowing, a following driver may not adjust vehicle speed when the vehicle is in fact braking, and the brake lamps are illuminating as intended, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the body control module. The recall began on June 13, 2013. Owner's may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438 or Cadillac at 1-866-982-2339. GM's recall number is 13158.
Seats:mid/rear assembly
Problem: General Motors is recalling certain model year 2013 Cadillac XTS vehicles manufactured from October 12, 2011, through August 30, 2012, for failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 202, "Head Restraints." The rear seat head restraints may not lock in the upright position after being folded forward. If the head restriant is at its lowest position and it falls forward, it will not meet the height required by the standard.
Risk: In the event of a vehicle crash, the lowered head restraint may increase the occupant's risk of neck injury.
Fix: General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will replace the head restraints, free of charge. The recall began on December 4, 2012. Owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-458-8006.
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.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2013 Cadillac XTS. The contact stated that several codes will intermittently illuminate on the vehicle, such as code 813, which refers to a transmission communication failure; a malfunction with the Instrument or Cluster (IPC); and code 62, which refers to the Body Control…
The contact owns a 2013 Cadillac XTS. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the rear suspension was bouncing, and the vehicle became difficult to maneuver. The message to "Check Leveling System" was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact researched and became aware…
Automatic Headlamp Leveling System malfunction causing safety issues with nighttime driving.
My VIN is not associated with the recall, identified as NHTSA ID 12V525. It affected 12,626 2013 Cadillac XTS vehicles manufactured between October 12, 2011, and August 30, 2012. However, the rear seat headrests in this 2013 Cadillac XTS will not stay in the upright position. SAFETY CONCERN: This…
As Iâm driving with cruise set my brake lamps intermittently flashing without breaking and the cruise control potentially disengage. A software glitch in the body controls module. Plus, my passenger light says the dim light it out when itâs not. Iâv had a mechanic replace the light multiple…
Other Cadillac XTS years
See all Cadillac XTS problems by year, every Cadillac model, or the Cadillac VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Cadillac XTS?
Owners most often report electrical system, suspension, unknown or other problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 41 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2013 Cadillac XTS?
Yes, 5 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2013 Cadillac XTS a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other XTS model years, the 2013 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.