Owners have filed 13 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the transmission, engine, and backup camera. The 9 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.
2023Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.
0/9 checked
2023 Cadillac XT5: inspection sheet
Before you go, or before you touch the car0/4
Engine off, key in hand0/2
At least 20 minutes, with some highway0/3
These checks are specific to this model year. For tires, body panels, fluids, and the other basics every used car needs, use the general inspection guide.
These years share the 2023's design and most of its parts, so their problems are the ones to look for on this car too.
Worth adding to your 2023 checks
Worth adding to your 2023 checks
Worth adding to your 2023 checks
EPA figures for each version of the 2023 Cadillac XT5. Use them to confirm you are looking at the version that was advertised, and as a yardstick on the test drive.
| Version | Drive | EPA rating |
|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl | AWD, FWD | 23–24 mpg |
| 3.6L 6-cyl | AWD, FWD | 21 mpg |
NHTSA complaints for the 2023 Cadillac XT5, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.
Shudder and vibration are the most common reports. Drivers feel jerking at certain speeds or a vibrating floorboard, and one shop traced a shudder between gears 3 and 4 to the torque converter. A transmission fluid change did not cure the problem in another case. More serious reports describe a sudden loss of drive at highway speed. The engine revs climb, but the car does not accelerate, and a front axle pulls out of the transmission within the first few hundred miles. Another car lost all power in traffic, with no lights or flashers, and stayed stuck in park until towed.
The whole car shakes and vibrates while driving. Reports describe shaking at any speed along with a loud engine noise, a burnt rubber smell, and a jerky ride. On downhills, revs can stick between 3,000 and 4,000. A transmission software update and repeat dealer visits have not solved it, and dealers sometimes cannot reproduce the problem. A separate vibration shows up when the engine switches from 6 to 4 cylinders, and a dealer has confirmed it. An engine oil leak repair also appears in the history.
The backup camera screen goes dark or fully black, sometimes in full daylight, and then recovers on its own. The failures come and go, and even when the camera works, the image can be too dim to read. Both reports came at very low mileage, within the first 300 miles. Dealers either said the system works as designed or found no cause, and neither car was repaired. A dark screen while reversing makes it easier to back into people or objects.
Excerpts from complaints XT5 owners filed with NHTSA, as written. Listen for the same symptoms on your test drive.
Driving vehicle when it lost all power and stopped. On a main road . No lights, no start. No emergency flashers ! Vehicle had to be towed to dealer ! Vehicle was stuck on main road in traffic. And could not be moved because since it had no power at all was stuck in park!
Filed with NHTSA, November 2024
Engine & Transmission. Do not know if my safety is at risk. Yes, the problem has been duplicated and confirmed by My Cadillac dealer. Vehicle vibrates when engine switches from 6 cylinders to 4 cylinders. The vehicle has been inspected by the dealer. ODI # 11610835
Filed with NHTSA, September 2024
Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.
The 2023 ranks fifth for owner complaints among 7 XT5 years, well under the average of the others. Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so compare like with like.
Redesigns and mid-cycle updates change what can go wrong.
The 2023 is the seventh model year of the XT5's first generation (2017–2023).
It includes the 2020 update.
What changed for 2020
Recall repairs are free at any Cadillac dealer, but the seller may never have had them done. Check each campaign number against the VIN.
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Cadillac XT5 and 2024-2025 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. The instrument panel may not illuminate when the hazard warning lights, high beams, or turn signals are activated. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 101, "Controls and Displays" and 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Assoc. Equipment.".
Risk: Without the illuminated reminder, the driver could fail to turn off the lights when no longer needed. Hazard warning lights, high beams, or turn signals that remain activated unintentionally can confuse other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the instrument panel software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 13, 2024. Owners may contact Cadillac's customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N242447940.
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2023 Cadillac XT6, GMC Acadia, Chevrolet Blazer, Traverse, and 2022-2023 Cadillac XT5 vehicles. The transmission may have been built with an incorrect sun gear, which can result in the driver-side half-shaft disengaging from the transmission.
Risk: A half-shaft disengaging from the transmission can result in a loss of drive power or vehicle rollaway when the vehicle is placed in park. Either of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the sun gears, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 27, 2023. The remedy is expected to become available August 31, 2023. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GMC's number for this recall is N222389310.
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2023 Cadillac XT5 and GMC Acadia vehicles. The right-front half-shaft assemblies may be improperly connected to the transmission, causing them to separate.
Risk: Separation between the half-shaft and transmission can result in a loss of drive power or vehicle rollaway when the vehicle is placed in park. Either of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the right-front half-shaft assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 17, 2023. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N222393410.
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2023 Cadillac XT5, XT6, and GMC Acadia vehicles. The certification label located on the driver's side B-pillar contains tire size information that may be illegible. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims.".
Risk: Illegible tire size information may result in the wrong tires being installed, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the vehicle certification label, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 12, 2022. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N222381690.
Cars shoppers compare with the Cadillac XT5, with their own 2023 checklists.
2023 owner complaints, side by side
