2012 CADILLAC SRX Recalls, Complaints & Safety

The headlights don’t 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 wanting the sunroof drain issue fixed as this has messed with all of my electronical functions in my vehicle, when it rains or snows the electrical information stops working as it has gotten wet due to the drain shrinkage not being fixed, I cannot drive my vehicle safely when this happens, i have to wait until it dries to drive my vehicle again. Please help me with getting the recall reinstated so i can properly get this issue fixed that the previous owners did not know about and i can keep my vehicle safely driving on the roads.

My car was parked and in the park gear it was left running I went to get in the car to turn it off to stay awhile where I was at I got one leg in the car and reached over to push the button to turn it off and it lurched backwards and rolled over me and almost cut my leg off it kept rolling another good 200 ft or more before it stopped and it was still in the park position I read where there's a recall on the transmission on this car but I was injured very badly in this incident I do not know what happened because the car was in park and should not have rolled when I turned it off but it did and rolled over me and knock me down and cut my legs severely

1 injured

Headlight assembly gets over heated and makes the low beam lights very dim, not safe or legal to drive at night. I've seen many many complaints for this. Not Safe!

The contact owns a 2012 Cadillac SRX. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to shift into gear properly, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission control module had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 116,530.

The contact owns a 2012 Cadillac SRX. The contact stated that while driving at night, the contact became aware that the low-beam headlights had moisture inside the headlight housings. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where the vehicle was repaired under an unknown recall; however, the failure progressed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

Braking after hitting a pothole was a nightmare! No warning lights came on to prepare me for anything. Brake pedal went to the floor and would not work properly. Finally after getting my vehicle to stop I pulled over pumped my brakes and seemed to work after 5 tries. Toe link recall was “fixed” well not the case. After 2 recalls on the toe link I had a nice bill the cost me $1.450.00 after having to pay for this part. Still haven’t been reimbursed. Also headlights are very dim and can’t see at night!! I’ve asked multiple mechanic shops and no one has an answer for me. So have to use my high beams or else I can’t see anything at night . Very unsafe and no one can help me resolve this issue.

I had Baker Cadillac Dealership to perform the toe-link recall as well as a Multi-Point Vehicle Inspection on May 28, 2025. This is for a 2012 Cadillac SRX-3.6 Luxury Collection [VIN: [XXX]] that I was going to purchase for my [XXX] daughter pending the inspection results. Because Cadillac technicians performed the inspection and nothing major was flagged, I purchased the car for my daughter. That evening, I was driving the car to fill up with gas, and the brakes completely cut out! I talked to a friend who knows more about cars than I do, told me the brakes cutting out was likely a result of the recall repair needing to reset to the proper values. I didn't think too much of it after that until 5 days ago when I was on [XXX] driving at 70 mph, the brakes completely cut out again. The road was wet and they cut out as I was exiting off an interstate overpass onto a ramp which circles back toward the direction I was coming from that ultimately feeds onto the road underneath the exit. I fishtailed side to side the entire length of that ramp that has no barriers at a lethal speed which could’ve killed me! If my daughter would've been driving, the outcome would’ve likely been fatal! I contacted the dealership who performed the recall installation and the Multi Point Inspection and told them everything that happened. I wanted answers as to why this wasn't caught during inspection, what exactly caused that to happen twice in less than 10 days, and what needs to be fixed to prevent this from ever happening again. I paid Firestone to perform a comprehensive test on ABS and they could not replicate the issue, so they couldn't do anything to fix it as everything appeared to be fine. No system lights came on or anything. I have since learned that this is far from an isolated issue; in fact, this is quite a scary pattern with the 2012 SRX 3.6. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Braking after hitting a pothole was a nightmare! No warning lights came on to prepare me for anything. Brake pedal went to the floor and would not work properly. Finally after getting my vehicle to stop I pulled over pumped my brakes and seemed to work after 5 tries. Toe link recall was “fixed” well not the case. After 2 recalls on the toe link I had a nice bill the cost me $1.450.00 after having to pay for this part. Still haven’t been reimbursed. Also headlights are very dim and can’t see at night!! I’ve asked multiple mechanic shops and no one has an answer for me. So have to use my high beams or else I can’t see anything at night . Very unsafe and no one can help me resolve this issue.

My 2012 Cadillac SRX gets water into the back of the car when it rains. There is a module in the back which when it gets wet shuts off all the electrical components in the car. The rain enters the car and gets trapped in the wheel well and all through the other components in the rear of the car. I have had this happen before and repairs cost up to 1000.00. General Motors needs to be accountable and a recall needs to be issued.

The contact owns a 2012 Cadillac SRX. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop as intended. No warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the brake pedal was depressed to the floorboard to stop the vehicle. The contact turned off the vehicle. The vehicle was restarted, and the system was reset. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed brake master cylinder. The contact was informed that the brake master cylinder needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000. The VIN was unavailable.

Recently the liftgate has closed unexpectedly several times while items were being unloaded/loaded from the rear of the vehicle. This caused the user to be struck by the liftgate. Someone smaller or weaker, such as a child could potentially be trapped and injured since the blockage detect function apparently fails at the same time. It has also opened on it's own while the operator was away from the vehicle and out of range of the key fob. Apparently, this is a common issue with the panoramic roof in many Cadillac models leaking water into the rear storage area of the vehicle. The control module becomes immersed in water and begins to perform unreliably, eventually failing complete as it becomes more wet. No warning tones or lamps are activated

2 injured

Low Beam Headlamps are very dim-hard to drive at night because of low visibility

A deer hit the driver side of my car. The air bag had a smell but did not deflate. The seatbelts kinda detached from the driver’s seat and both front seatbelts are locked very tight. This happened 1/3/25. About three months ago while driving, the driver seat went into the lowest level position. When I put it back where I could drive it, it did it again. I had to keep putting it in place till I got home. It hasn’t done that again yet. Please send me any recalls so I can get them fixed. Thank you

Crash

A deer hit the driver side of my car. The air bag had a smell but did not deflate. The seatbelts kinda detached from the driver’s seat and both front seatbelts are locked very tight. This happened 1/3/25. About three months ago while driving, the driver seat went into the lowest level position. When I put it back where I could drive it, it did it again. I had to keep putting it in place till I got home. It hasn’t done that again yet. Please send me any recalls so I can get them fixed. Thank you

Crash

A deer hit the driver side of my car. The air bag had a smell but did not deflate. The seatbelts kinda detached from the driver’s seat and both front seatbelts are locked very tight. This happened 1/3/25. About three months ago while driving, the driver seat went into the lowest level position. When I put it back where I could drive it, it did it again. I had to keep putting it in place till I got home. It hasn’t done that again yet. Please send me any recalls so I can get them fixed. Thank you

Crash

The contact owns a 2012 Cadillac SRX. The contact stated that the rubber tubing around the sunroof was allowing water to leak into the vehicle. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where the vehicle was inspected but not diagnosed. The contact was informed that the rubber tubing had shrunk and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage 110,000.

The headlights are very dim It is like driving your vehicle with a flashlight as the lighting. When you turn on bright lights you can see good but your then endangering drivers going the opposite directions It is very dangerous. If you reserch this issue on the internet it is a well lnown problem. How can people drive their cars like this. I did inquire with GM and they said they did at one time reimburse owners to get headlights replaced but that offer expired Well there are people out there driving these Dangerous cars that were not notified of this. I would invite anyone to drive one of these cars and see how bad it is. It is very urgent that someone look at this problem I have seen where there have been recalls over 10 years old . I am trying to get across how DANGEROUS this cars lights are. Please someone look into this Sincerely Sue Lanford Lance Lanford I dont know if NHTSA can or would get the media to film the lighing on these vehicles.

To whom it may concern, I am writing this as a complaint on the rear toe link separation recall that was performed on our 2012 Cadillac SRX. We installed new tires on our SRX in August 2022 (Michelin Defender 235/55 R20) with a mileage of 108,452 just due to this being our sons car and wanted him to be safe on the road. In December of 2022 we had the recall performed at Lakeside Chevrolet in Rockwall Texas and the mileage was 110,893. Since the recall, we have been through 2 sets of tires on the back of this vehicle in less than 2 years with the outer edge of the tires being worn down to the cords. The car has 119,051 on it now. I am very angry as we tried to have the alignment performed and were told that these links that were installed can not be adjusted and will cost me another $650 to replace and another $130 for the alignment. The vehicle did not have any issues until we had the recall performed. We are now out $1404 for tires and $130 for an alignment that can’t be performed unless the links are replaced with adjustable units. My total to get this taken care of is over $2200 which was created by your recall parts. I would like to have someone reply to this email to let me know what can be done to take care of this situation.

While driving the pedal will go all the way to the floor and suddenly your break line will be full of air.The car's hard to stop. This is the second time it's happened. Really scary, almost in an accident.

My side air bags deployed for no apparent reason.

My Headlights are so dim, I have to drive with high beams. It is raining in my, short circuited the trunk, will not open and my bearings have to be replaced. Sounds like a truck. Ughhhh, IMy first and last american made car.

Car completely quit running while driving. Almost hit a car with no control of my vehicle.Took it to mechanic, they said engine was locked up, they say this is very common with any srx from 2008 to 2014. Got another opinion. Said the same thing. Many blogs on this. Now this cost me around $8000 to get fixed. If so many has the same problem. Why is this not fixed or recalled.

I rec'd a litter dated 12/15/23 from Sentury Tire regarding a recall on these tires. I called them on 1/16/24 and was told to submit an online form and tire pics which I did. I was to hear back within 24-48 hours and did not. I called them again on 1/22/24 and after several mins, was told to submit another online form and tire pics which I did. I rec'd an email from them on 1/24/24 indicating they rec'd my form but need me to submit tire pics again. By 1/29/24 I still had not heard from Sentury Tire and called them again. My name and phone number was taken and I was told it would be escalated. Also on 1/29/24 I sent follow up emails on 2/1/24 and 2/5/24 requesting to be contacted. I rec'd an email response on 2/6/24 indicating one tire is part of the recall (1TB6JP15C1723) and one is not (1TB6JP15C1923). The other two tires only have 1TB6JP15C stamped on them-the last 4 digits are not on the last 2 tires. The 2/6/24 email to me also stated "I will have a representative contact you to assist you further and get your tire replaced." I have not been contacted since then and have sent follow up emails on 2/7/24 and 2/12/24. I have not received any email or phone contact at all.

There was a recall in this vehicle in 2022 it states the recall has been serviced for toe link, hub bearing, front strut and sway bar link. Well I put my car in the shop and had to replace same parts that had a recall that was serviced already! $1,886.00 it cost me to have these services done again. Well the issue is back and it’s affecting the steering of my vehicle. I need to know what the next step is to have this resolved so I can make sure my vehicle is safe to drive

The contact owns a 2012 Cadillac SRX. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed at night, she became aware that the headlamps were extremely dim, affecting nighttime visibility. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that condensation had become trapped in the headlamp housing, resulting in damages to the headlight housing. The contact was informed that the headlamp housings needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but did not assist. The failure mileage was unknown.

I was driving down a highway and all of the sudden the back end of my car started swerving back and forth. I almost lost control, but managed to get it slowed down without causing an accident. I knew something major was wrong and the dealer I bought the car from was about 5 miles away. I managed to get it there safely, but could only do 10-15mph or the swerving was too much and I would have lost control. No warning lights came on and my steering wheel was even crooked. I had no issues prior to this. I always take my car to the dealer for oil changes/tire rotations and they have never found anything wrong. When the tech inspected my car, he determined the toe link broke. They checked for a recall and it said it was fixed in August of 2021. I bought the car in February 2022. I knew nothing about the recall or this issue. The tech said it was repaired with the same 3 piece style setup that the recall was for to begin with. Also, that they fix the recall with one whole piece now. The dealer wouldn't warranty it again since the computer documented it had already been done. I called Cadillac to see if I could get reimbursed, since the same style faulty parts were installed. I was told they couldn't do anything since it was closed and to submit it here.

Left front signal light and right rear signal, other vehicle's cannot see where I am turning, yes where i have my oil changed did their inspection, no problem with the bulbs. yes a mechanic, when turn on the signal to turn right the information center said that the back rear signal had failed and when turning left the information center said the front left signal failed.

The contact owns a 2012 Cadillac SRX. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the headlights were extremely dim. The contact stated while driving in the dark for four hours, the headlights remained dim, and did not provide adequate illumination farther than six feet in front of the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 112,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Cadillac SRX. The contact stated while driving 15 MPH and depressing the brake pedal to come into a complete stop, the contact drove over a bump in the roadway and the brakes made an abnormal grinding sound and the brake pedal went to the floorboard. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that there was a stopping distance delay, which caused the vehicle to stop after the stop sign. The contact stated that she pumped the brake pedal and was able to continue driving. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving 5 MPH from a complete stop, the vehicle in front of her stopped abruptly. The contact stated that the vehicle hit a bump while she quickly depressed the brake pedal, and the failure recurred, causing the vehicle to rear-end the other vehicle. The contact stated that it was a fender-bender. There were no injuries sustained. The contact stated that the failure had recurred while driving 45 MPH; however, the roadway was not bumpy. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was purchased, and the dealer performed a brake inspection; however, the cause of the failure could not be determined. Additionally, the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the brake pads and rotors were replaced, and the brake calipers were inspected; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Cadillac SRX. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, a message displayed on the instrument panel “service rear axle”. Additionally, the contact stated that she received notification of the NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V473000 (Suspension) however, the vehicle was taking to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the rear differential clutch failed and needed to be replaced. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in a recall. The vehicle had not yet been repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 123,000.

The paint on this car is defective. It peels off of the car without any action or agitation by the owner or outside forces. This causes multiple parts of the car rust to under the painted areas, including the roof and hood. This is a common problem with this model and color as several owners have posted about the problem online.

In Nov 2021 we had the recommended recall repairs done at a Cadillac dealership which replaced the rear toe links with a non-adjustable bar. 2 months later we installed new tires at Big O Tires but they were unable to perform a rear alignment due to the stationary toe bar. We went back to the Cadillac dealership days later but were assured the alignment was fine. Just over one year later (approx 15K miles driven) we have significant wear on our inner tires. Last week we had Big O run an ExpressAlign report and the rear tires have severe negative values. The value even with the toe bar should be +0.020. I contacted Hunter Machine Alignment and they confirmed our concerns. They said Cadillac solve this problem immediately. At this time Cadillac is only agreeing to inspecting the installation of the recall repair however this does not resolve the safety concerns with this vehicle. Why would a stationary bar be installed if the customer would not be able to get their wheels properly aligned? This recall repair seem to have increased the safety and reliability of this vehicle further. From CR Reports https://www.consumerreports.org/car-recalls-defects/general-motors-recalls-suvs-for-rear-suspension-problem-a8620817999/ According to GM, certain SRX and 9-4X SUVs were recalled in 2014 (NHTSA No. 14V571) because part of the rear suspension called a toe link hadn’t been properly tightened during the assembly process. After that initial recall, the company received further reports that some toe links were still loose, and it revised the procedures outlined in the initial recall. In 2020 GM continued to receive field reports about suspension-related issues. These included traction control, electronic stability control (called Stabilitrak by GM), or "service rear axle" warnings, malfunctioning taillights, swaying or wandering at highway speeds, uneven rear tire wear, or loud clunking noises over bumps. NHTSA’s campaign number is 21V473. The initial recall number was 14V571.

The housing for the drive lights have failed. Replacing the bulbs does not resolve the problem. Cadillac wants to replace the entire unit because the plastic reflector has failed. Lots of Cadillac owners reporting this problem on the internet. Cadillac used an inexpensive plastic part that creates high risk when it fails. This is happening not just to the SRX, but to many GM models. Please see the video... https://youtu.be/i7GKpCgAee0?t=742

Vehicle low beam headlights are extremely dim, so dim that to see property at night, the high beam lights must be used constantly. This blinds oncoming traffic and risks a head on collision. General Motors will not replace the headlight assembly. The low beam headlight assembly interior housing is coated with a shiny reflective plastic material. Over time, the heat from the halogen bulb degrades this plastic coating, burning it off. See this YT video here at the 12:13 mark to have a very good understanding. The man disassembles the housing and shows exactly what the problem is. https://youtu.be/i7GKpCgAee0?t=733

Headlights are very dim and do not provide sufficient lighting at night. This is a known problem with this model and GM has been aware since 2010 that this is an issue. The exterior housing unit fails and allows moisture into the headlight unit and can cause dim lights and shorts. Car is unable to be driven at night without high beams on and this causes distress and blindness to other drivers. The vehicle is available for inspection. This problem has been confirmed by GM in years 2010-2016 and there is a class action suit resulting in recall in California

the alternator keep going out! also power steering pump keep having leaks.