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2013 Cadillac XTS
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2013 Cadillac XTS, covering parking brake, air bags and service brakes, hydraulic, and 58 consumer complaints received since 2012.
The component named most often is electrical system: 226.2 of every 1,000 component mentions for this year, above the 136.2 per 1,000 across all 2013 model-year vehicles and against 234 per 1,000 for the Cadillac XTS line as a whole.
That is more than the average of 14.3 complaints per model year across the 7 Cadillac XTS model years on this register; 0 complaints reported a crash and 1 a fire.
Complaints were received in the largest number in 2018 (13); the most recent in the file is dated 3 Apr 2019.
Complaints are consumer reports and have not been verified by NHTSA. Recall text is the manufacturer's Part 573 report as filed with NHTSA. Complaint file through 15 May 2019; recall file through 29 Sep 2026.
Recalls by model year:
Recall campaigns
Defect, as filed: 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.
Consequence: Brake pads that remain partially engaged with the rotors may cause excessive brake heat that may result in a fire.
Remedy: 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.
Filed by General Motors LLC (manufacturer campaign 14471).
Defect, as filed: 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."
Consequence: In manufacturing mode, the vehicle's air bags will not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of occupant injury.
Remedy: 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.
Filed by General Motors LLC (manufacturer campaign 14532).
- 14V116000SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGSReported 17 Mar 2014 · 63,903 units
Defect, as filed: 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.
Consequence: The corrosion of the brake booster pump relay connector may cause a resistive short and melt the connector, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: 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.
Filed by General Motors LLC (manufacturer campaign 14062).
Defect, as filed: 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."
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: 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.
Filed by General Motors LLC (manufacturer campaign 13158); components: exterior lighting:brake lights; electrical system.
Defect, as filed: 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.
Consequence: In the event of a vehicle crash, the lowered head restraint may increase the occupant's risk of neck injury.
Remedy: 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.
Filed by General Motors LLC (manufacturer campaign 12258).
Each entry links to the NHTSA record. NHTSA states that safety recall repairs are free of charge at an authorised dealer; check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Complaints by component
Component mentions per 1,000 for the 2013 Cadillac XTS (black) against all 2013 model-year vehicles in the file (yellow). A complaint can name more than one component.
| Per 1,000 component mentions | 2013 | XTS line | All 2013 vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 226.2 | 234 | 136.2 |
| Suspension | 154.8 | 113.5 | 19.3 |
| Engine | 95.2 | 70.9 | 140.3 |
| Exterior Lighting | 71.4 | 49.6 | 27.5 |
| Service Brakes | 71.4 | 56.7 | 52.4 |
| Wheels | 59.5 | 49.6 | 14.2 |
| Component | Mentions | Per 1,000 | Line | All 2013 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 19 | 226.2 | 234 | 136.2 |
| Suspension | 13 | 154.8 | 113.5 | 19.3 |
| Engine | 8 | 95.2 | 70.9 | 140.3 |
| Exterior Lighting | 6 | 71.4 | 49.6 | 27.5 |
| Service Brakes | 6 | 71.4 | 56.7 | 52.4 |
| Wheels | 5 | 59.5 | 49.6 | 14.2 |
| Unknown or Other | 5 | 59.5 | 99.3 | 71.6 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 35.7 | 28.4 | 38.7 |
| Seats | 3 | 35.7 | 21.3 | 11.9 |
| Steering | 3 | 35.7 | 49.6 | 75.2 |
| Tires | 3 | 35.7 | 21.3 | 10.6 |
| Electronic Stability Control (ESC) | 3 | 35.7 | 35.5 | 22.2 |
| Equipment | 1 | 11.9 | 7.1 | 3.9 |
| Air Bags | 1 | 11.9 | 28.4 | 89.5 |
| Equipment Adaptive/Mobility | 1 | 11.9 | 14.2 | 2.2 |
| Visibility | 1 | 11.9 | 7.1 | 10.5 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 11.9 | 21.3 | 2.4 |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 11.9 | 21.3 | 15.4 |
| Structure | 1 | 11.9 | 28.4 | 51 |
58 unique complaints, 84 component mentions; 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported by complainants. Complaint narratives are not republished.
Complaints by year received
Investigations
No NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation action in the current file names this model year.
Other Cadillac XTS model years
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints | Units in campaigns |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 5 | 58 | 292,053 |
| 2014 | 4 | 22 | 269,323 |
| 2015 | 3 | 7 | 210,718 |
| 2016 NHTSA | 0 | 6 | — |
| 2017 NHTSA | 0 | 6 | — |
| 2018 NHTSA | 1 | 1 | 210,628 |
| 2019 | 2 | 0 | 210,803 |
Model years with a single campaign and fewer than 25 complaints have no page here; the NHTSA link opens the agency's record for that year.
All Cadillac XTS model years · Cadillac: 36 model lines
Questions and answers
How many recalls does the 2013 Cadillac XTS have?
5 NHTSA recall campaigns name this model year; the most recent, 14V541000, was reported to NHTSA on 9 Sep 2014 and concerns parking brake. Across all model years the Cadillac XTS line has 10 campaigns.
Is there an open NHTSA investigation into the 2013 Cadillac XTS?
No NHTSA investigation in the current file names this model year.
What component do owners of the 2013 Cadillac XTS complain about most?
Electrical System: 19 of 84 component mentions (226.2 per 1,000). Next is suspension with 13. Complaints are consumer reports and have not been verified by NHTSA.
How do I get a recall repaired?
NHTSA states that safety recall repairs are performed free of charge by the manufacturer's authorised dealers. Each campaign's remedy text above is the manufacturer's statement as filed with NHTSA. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
Where does this data come from?
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation recall, complaint and investigation flat files, public domain, downloaded 29 Sep 2026. Complaint counts are unique complaint numbers per make, model and model year; component figures count each component a complaint names. The NHTSA record linked from each campaign is authoritative.
Provenance
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Office of Defects Investigation flat files (recalls, complaints, investigations), public domain, files dated 29 Sep 2026 (recalls) and 15 May 2019 (complaints). Complaints since 1 Jan 1995. Counts are unique complaint numbers per make, model and model year; per-1,000 rates divide a component's mentions by all mentions for the same group. Errors in processing are corrected at the next daily build; see corrections and the methodology.