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Total NHTSA Complaints
13
Owner filings recorded
#1 Reported Problem
Engine & Cooling
2 reports (15.4%)
Crash Incident Reports
1
Filings citing a crash
Fire & Injury Reports
0
0 fire • 0 injury filings
Defect Investigation Analysis

Executive Problem Findings

AutoUtility currently tracks 13 official NHTSA owner defect complaints for the 2021 Cadillac XT5. Engine & Cooling issues are the most frequently reported category, appearing in 2 complaints (15.4% of submitted records). Among these NHTSA complaint records, 1 filing cites a crash.

Methodology Notice: Consumer complaints are unverified voluntary submissions to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Filings are not normalized for sales volume or vehicle mileage and do not constitute an audited component failure rate.
Incident & Severity Profile
  • • Total Owner Reports: 13 complaints submitted under federal penalty.
  • • Primary Subsystem: Engine & Cooling accounts for 15.4% of submissions (2 reports).
  • • Secondary Systems: Driver Assistance & Safety Tech (1), Electrical System (1).
  • • Crash Incidents: 1 filings cite an impact or collision.
  • • Thermal Incidents: 0 filings cite smoke or fire.
  • • Reported Casualties: 0 injury filings • 0 fatality filings.
Category Distribution

Reported Defect Categories for 2021 Cadillac XT5

Factual proportion of owner complaints categorized by automotive subsystem in NHTSA records

Engine & Cooling
2
15.4%
Driver Assistance & Safety Tech
1
7.7%
Electrical System
1
7.7%
Brakes & Traction Control
1
7.7%
#1 15.4% SHARE

Engine & Cooling

2 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.

✓ 0 Incidents
#2 7.7% SHARE

Driver Assistance & Safety Tech

1 owner complaint submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.

✓ 0 Incidents
⚠️ 1 Associated Recall Campaign
#3 7.7% SHARE

Electrical System

1 owner complaint submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.

✓ 0 Incidents
#4 7.7% SHARE

Brakes & Traction Control

1 owner complaint submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.

✓ 0 Incidents
Federal Oversight

Official NHTSA Defect Investigations (1)

Formal engineering analyses and preliminary evaluations opened by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

ODI Action #PE22006 CLOSED Preliminary Evaluation (PE)
Opened: 2022-07-22 • Closed: 2022-11-21
Subject / Subsystem
Rear-View Camera Failure
Affected Component
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Recall Linkage
On July 22, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Preliminary Evaluation (PE22-006) to assess alleged failures of the rear-view camera (RVC) in Model Year (MY) 2020-2021 Cadillac XT5, XT6, and GMC Acadia vehicles. The complaints report that the screen for the RVC is black, sometimes with a red triangle and a circle with a line through it. To date, ODI has received a total of 18 complaints and several EWR Field Reports with allegations of the RVC image failing to display when the vehicle is in reverse. The reports have been received over the past 28 months with most occurring with low vehicle mileage.During the investigation, ODI learned incorrect crimping specifications were utilized in the production of the coaxial cable connector. Improper crimping leads to loss of connection between the RVC and dashboard screen that results in failure of the RVC image to display. Failure or malfunction of the RVC image to display results in reduced visibility of the area behind the vehicle. This limited view may lead to an increased risk of incidents resulting in injury and/or property damage while the vehicle is in reverse.The improperly crimped connectors were only present on subject vehicles equipped with the optional RVC surround vision feature (UV2). Vehicles not equipped with the optional RVC surround vision feature were not affected by this failure. On September 28, 2022, General Motors (GM) filed a defect information report (NHTSA number 22V-709) recalling certain MY2020-2021 Cadillac XT5, XT6, and GMC Acadia vehicles equipped with the optional RVC surround vision feature (UV2). GM will replace the coaxial cables with properly crimped connectors.In view of the recall action being taken by GM, ODI is closing this preliminary evaluation. NHTSA reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. The ODI complaints cited above can be viewed at www.nhtsa.gov. The ODI identification numbers for the complaints cited above can be found below: 11343838, 11390254, 11406709, 11415261, 11415501, 11425365, 11429267, 11431846, 11446363, 11463278, 11463901, 11471702, 11475437, 11476809, 11477176, 11481806, 11484360, and 11484360.
Consumer Filings

Recent NHTSA Owner Reports for 2021 Cadillac XT5

Representative defect filings submitted by owners to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

Other / Miscellaneous ODI #11748010
Filed: 07/02/2026
Defect Report

"I took my SUV to Heritage Cadillac in Lombard, IL for a revving sound while accelerating, specifically from 0-35mph and then acceleration on the highway at higher speeds. It sounded like I was revving the engine even when I wasn't accelerating and stay at a constant speed. There were not any..."

Engine & Cooling ODI #11743461
Filed: 06/11/2026
Defect Report

"The contact owns a 2021 Cadillac XT5. The contact stated that while an oil change was being completed, an oil leak was discovered. No warning light was illuminated. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the head gasket needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the..."

Driver Assistance & Safety Tech ODI #11722196
Filed: 03/05/2026
Defect Report

"The contact owns a 2021 Cadillac XT5. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, the infotainment screen was touched but went black and failed to respond. The vehicle was turned off and restarted at the next traffic light, and the infotainment screen was touched and remained black..."

Brakes & Traction Control ODI #11691365
Filed: 10/04/2025
Defect Report

"When braking — both at low speeds and when slowing from highway speeds (40+ mph) — vehicle feels like engine revs and is still pushing against the brakes. Requires very firm pedal pressure to hold car in place; if brake pressure is eased, vehicle surges forward until it finally settles after..."

Other / Miscellaneous ODI #11683501
Filed: 08/27/2025
Defect Report

"Car exhaust was making vibration sound brought into dealership and the muffler is broke on the inside. Cadillac repair said it’s not a common occurrence and was not covered under any warranty. Stated it could have broke on the inside due to vibrations. The muffler shouldn’t have just broke inside..."

Multi-Year Trend

Complaint History for Cadillac XT5

Reported defect complaint volume across sibling model years (2017–2026)

Model Year NHTSA Complaints Crash Reports Safety Recalls Detailed Report
2017 Cadillac XT5 121 6 1 View 2017 Problems →
2018 Cadillac XT5 66 2 0 View 2018 Problems →
2019 Cadillac XT5 32 3 0 View 2019 Problems →
2020 Cadillac XT5 22 0 5 View 2020 Problems →
2021 Cadillac XT5 Current Page 13 1 2 Current
2022 Cadillac XT5 9 2 3 View 2022 Problems →
2023 Cadillac XT5 15 0 4 View 2023 Problems →
2024 Cadillac XT5 10 1 3 View 2024 Problems →
2025 Cadillac XT5 4 1 1 View 2025 Problems →
2026 Cadillac XT5 0 0 0 View 2026 Problems →
Exhaustive System Audit

Detailed NHTSA Component Breakdown for 2021 Cadillac XT5

Complete distribution of consumer defect reports across all 11 granular NHTSA system and subsystem classifications

Vehicle Component / System Total Complaints Crash Reports Fire Reports Injury Entries Fatality Entries
Other / Uncategorized NHTSA category: UNKNOWN OR OTHER 3 0 0 0 0
Air Bags NHTSA category: AIR BAGS 1 0 0 0 0
Back Over Prevention / Camera NHTSA category: BACK OVER PREVENTION 1 0 0 0 0
Electrical System NHTSA category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,BACK OVER PREVENTION 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 1 1 0 0 0
Engine & Cooling NHTSA category: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 1 0 0 0 0
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,POWER TRAIN 1 0 0 0 0
Fuel & Propulsion System NHTSA category: FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
Search Intelligence

Quick Answers: Common Problems & Reliability Questions for the 2021 Cadillac XT5

Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2021 Cadillac XT5

What are the most common reported problems with the 2021 Cadillac XT5?

In official NHTSA consumer records, the most frequently cited issue area for the 2021 Cadillac XT5 is Engine & Cooling, appearing in 2 records (15.4% of submitted filings).

Secondary reported categories include Driver Assistance & Safety Tech (1) and Electrical System (1).

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Is the 2021 Cadillac XT5 a reliable vehicle?

AutoUtility does not issue subjective reliability scores or commercial ratings. In official United States government records, NHTSA tracks 13 consumer defect complaints and 2 safety recall campaigns for the 2021 Cadillac XT5.

Reviewing documented component complaint distributions, recall remedy notices, and active federal investigations provides an objective, evidence-based view of the vehicle's historical safety and defect record.

Source: NHTSA ODI & Safety Recalls Databases

Are there crash, fire, or injury reports associated with the 2021 Cadillac XT5?

Among consumer complaint records on file with NHTSA for the 2021 Cadillac XT5, 1 filing cites a crash, 0 cite smoke or fire, and 0 report one or more injuries.

Incident entries represent consumer descriptions at the time of submission to federal authorities and do not establish mechanical causation or legal liability.

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Consumer Logs

Has NHTSA formally investigated defects on the 2021 Cadillac XT5?

NHTSA ODI records list 1 formal defect investigation involving the 2021 Cadillac XT5 (all closed).

Federal defect investigations are formal engineering evaluations opened when safety defect trends emerge, and do not by themselves establish a confirmed defect or mandatory recall.

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Registry
Official US Government Data Provenance

The complaint records on this page are retrieved directly from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) public database under 49 CFR Part 576.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.