2017 Cadillac XT5 Complaint Log

I had to replace the thermostat which is a well known, documented defect/issue for this vehicle/Cadillac. I would like reimbursement from Cadillac.

While driving down the freeway at approx. 65 miles per hour, I heard a very loud sound like an explosion, or a huge balloon exploding, and then heard crackling of glass. It was very scary and dangerous. I had to slow down immediately, and was able to get off the freeway. I pulled into a gas station, and tried to figure out where it came from. I realized that my sunroof was either hit with something or just simply exploded. There was a hole in the center, and the glass was cracked throughout the front sunroof. I could hear the glass pieces moving around on the sunroof shade that was thankfully closed. I bought duct tape and covered the hole and all of the cracks so I could drive it home. I took side streets and drove slowly home.

I purchased this used car in the end of July 2025. Within the last month the service transmission light came on. Within a 24-hour period, the message changed to, "service transmission unable to shift Soon". Also alarm bells go off when I first start the car and sometimes during driving. The car feels like it drives correctly and smoothly with no shifting issues. Sometimes when that second message and check engine light icon being comes on, there seems to be a third message that is trying to pop up behind it but it does not. It seems like there is a glitch in the system. This was very concerning and scary for me. My research shows me that this has been a chronic problem for my make and model and year of car. I've also heard it can be even time to check and or change the transmission fluid. That needs to be a different message all together without causing alarm that the transmission itself is not functioning properly. I have not driven this for 10 days because many repair shops in dealerships are telling me not to risk it and of course want me to bring this in for a diagnosis. It is costly and hard to discern and trust who to go to for the correct information. The dealership should be responsible for a recall and replacing this sensor or modular so people do not have a cause for alarm if it is something as simple as needing to change the transmission fluid. There is also no dipstick on this vehicle so no local fluid fill station can check this. Many people have complained and are at a loss. I see there is a bulletin on this subject but no recall. Please take action and turn this situation into a recall once and for all to help. The little folks like me stay more safe and better informed about the health and longevity of our vehicles. Thank you for your time in reading this.

Catalytic Converter on my 2017 XT5 had weld crack Oct 2025. Causing loud noise and exhaust to enter cabin of vehicle. This was the second convertor to do this. In 2023 I had to have the other catalytic convertor on this same vehicle changed out by the Sewell Cadillac dealership for the same problem. That time I only had 50,000 miles on the car so the dealership did it for free (after I found that they had to cover up to 80,000 and they acted like they didn't know that and had quoted me $2000). This time in 2025 I had 80,805 miles so I had to pay $1010 to have it replaced by an outside repair shop. The technician says since we had to have them both replaced and the car is only 8 years old, it is probably a design flaw. He told me to report it. I see another complaint for the same thing and I see they did a recall on some from California vehicles for something with the catalytic convertor and a recall on some in 2022 and 2023 vehicles for an issue with the catalytic convertor. I expected better from GM and Cadillac. I wonder how many other Cadillac XT5 owners have had this problem but haven't known to report it. You should contact the Cadillac dealerships and see how many they have changed out.

9/17/25 I purchased 2017 Cadillac Xt5 platinum from a dealership. It came with a dash mat which was concealing cosmetic damage to vinyl around air bag on passenger side, and was unglued throughout entire dashboard. I didn't have a vehicle inspection before buying car, nothing reported on Carfax. And I asked dealership why they used Velcro and dashmat to conceal damage. No response.

An issue is pipe cracking at the left catalytic converter mounting flange weld, causing exhaust noise, odor, and potential emission system failure. It just cost $2013.00 to have fixed.

There is an open service bulletin on my car - 17128 Potential Loss of HVAC Control. This loss of control affects the defrost on the vehicle making it very dangerous to drive when it is raining out as it severally reduces visibility.

Steering reduced assist drive with care on the dash board . It states drive with caution not sure if this is dangerous or even driveable I am 8 months pregnant and now I don’t have a car I am scared to drive it. Thermostat stopped working & fan is running and won’t stop

I have a 2017 Cadillac xt5 which the transmission is kicking and has a shattering issue car was just over the warranty and was told I have to pay for a replacement car had 70k miles and was told from a mechanic that there was a recall on these cars when I checked my vin the car is not under recall but is presenting the same issue as the ones under recall.. I took it to amoco replace fluid and car still has issue. Iam trying to see my options on how to go about it..

While driving my vehicle, alert popped up on my dash stating "Steering Assist is Reduced Drive with Care" futhermore after that my Check Engine Light Turned on and my Engine Heater Stayed cold and would not warm up. Vehicle has been inspected by the Cadillac Dealer and they stated it is all due to the Sensor. However Sensor is on backorder and has taken them 3 week to get the part. They stated it is safe to drive even though all those alerts came up, since he said it appears to be stuck open, however they stated if it gets stuck in a closed state then the engine could overhead which would require having the vehicle towed in. They offer a "limited" warranty on this however since I just was past the warranty period they state you have to pay the full price. Warranty is for 85,000 miles and I am barely above it at 87675.

The straps of the car seat loosen on their own, without holding down the button to loosen the harness. It’s unsafe to continue to use this seat as the straps will not stay tightened in the event of a car accident. The seat is available for inspection if needed. No the seat has not been inspected by any third party.

The tire air pressure gage on the dash is steadily illuminated but there is nothing wrong w the air in the tire.

I keep getting Steering assistance is reduced Drive with care” message. I got it scanned a couple of times through mechanic shop, code comes up with a thermostat cooling issue. I have paid 2 shops to run a cooling pressure test and all come up negative. How can a steering issue error lead to a cooling issue. Took it to the dealership, probably wiped the error, stopped for a month before came back. Love the vehicle but this is pissing me off.

My 2017 XT5 has a joy stick issue that at times has trouble going into gear. Service transmission warning comes on then unable to shift soon and then check engine light. Cadillac replace the modular for the shifter in August 2024 now months later mid November they say the shifter has to be replaced approximately November 4 to November 18. The service Transmission warning comes on. And then unable to shift soon and check the engine light comes on. Short drives the check engine light goes off itself, unable to shift and check engine light was 1175.00 $ for the modular August 13 and now they say the shift has replaced cost of, approximately $700. So now they’re doing double labor to replace the shifter. My replacing the shifter it will send signals not to have the check engine light come on. Has this ever been a problem reported in the past. Sincerely, [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

“Steering assistance is reduced Drive with care” message while driving. Engine light appeared

The straps on the seat loosen on their own when pulled, without pressing on the button to loosen them. This would be dangerous in the event of an accident because the straps could loosen and the child would not be secure. The car seat has always been installed in the car seat base (from the manufacturer). The car seat is available for inspection if needed. The car seat has not been inspected by a third party. I reached out to the company, Nuna, to let them know if the issue and they refused to inspect or replace the seat and the only solution they suggested was that I purchase a new seat.

i was involved in a front end collision with a car that pulled out in front of me without looking. I ended up T-boning the car at approx. 20-25 MPH. Both myself and my wife were wearing our seat belts. Mine held but the passenger one held only the lap belt part. The shoulder part of the SB allowed her face to go crashing into the dashboard. She ended up with abdominal injuries and head trauma. I took it to the dealer and they say the seat belt will need to be replaced as it is defective. (You think). I can pull on the shoulder strap rapidly and it will not 'catch'.

In 2021, I took my car into a GM facility to be repaired bc the A/C kept going in and out. Car was under warranty, however, GM mechanic just did a “bandaid” fix and replaced the thermostat, when there was a service bulletin put out in 2017 for this very issue. 3 years later, my car is having the exact same problem, and since car isn’t under warranty, GM will not fix it, even though I have proof they didn’t fix it correctly the first time. The service bulletin is titled, “17128: Service Update - Potential Loss of HVAC Control- (March 30, 2017) This issue started in October 2021 the first time, was temporarily fixed. It started again in October 2024 and is ongoing.

Our XT5 began getting 'Steering Assist Reduced' message about a year ago. It comes and goes , coming more often now. The problem is the thermostat and is a very common issue with numerous complaints here and on Cadillac forums (below). The problem is, when this issue occurs the AC stops working, and when that happens you have no windshield defrost, and that is a safety problem. Cadillac has TSB's describing this issue but refuses to cover it goodwill as we are slightly out of warranty. The repair is extensive, requiring 4.5 of time. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

This model Cadillac XT5 has early failures of engine cooling systems thermostats. The thermostat sticks open causing lower engine temperatures and higher emissions. The first sign you have an issue is a reduced power steering assist message on the instrument display. The engine control module stores a p0128 code as current. Continue driving the vehicle the ECM will shut off AC compressor engagement, so no AC. The next thing that happens is you lose temperature gauge. So you are now driving vehicle with reduced power steering assist, no AC and no way of knowing if the engine is overheating. This is a known issue with the refer to GM bulletin # 17-NA-158 posted May 2017. There has been a such a demand for this thermostat, that parts back orders are common. The volume of failures should be addressed as a recall including refunds to owners who have had to pay for this repair. The fact that a colder running engine typically runs richer based on ECM programming, causes higher emissions. GM hasn’t been helping people with this repair for out of warranty vehicles. Our 2017 XT5 failed at 38,000 miles. Cadillac only offered to pay 30% of the repair leaving a balance of $585.00! This was all because GM’s failed part.

First it was adaptive shifting three days after having it, then it was the thermostat, now it’s needing a new right rear hub assembly but my main concern is the shuttering when I am accelerating. The ride is not smooth. there is a chatter happening when I drive it. It makes me very nervous. I have went to one mechanic to diagnose so far and he said to have the transmission flushed first but it may need the torque converter replaced.

My car has been in and out of the dealership since [XXX] All the lights come on ( check engine, ABS ,the message reads park assistance off all the lights The car goes crazy and stops running. This happened 3 times on the highway almost got rear ended. It is very scary I can not take this chance anymore. The dealership keeps changing one module after another and keeps telling me it is fixed. However it is not The car is in the dealership ship as of 10 days ago again. I will not pick it and drive it. Either me or someone else gets killed. I also opened a case with GM. However they just keep doing nothing. This matter needs to be addressed asap There is a serious problem, before someone gets killed. My name is [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] Can someone please get involved or I will go on TV or the newspaper if I have to. Thank you [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

ECM- engine system. Diagnostic code P26C8. Chassis Control Module Requested Malfunction Indicator Lamp Illumination. The DTC is an informational DTC. The DTC indicates an emission related DTC set in the Chassis Control Module. My service transmission message came on and would not let me go into reverse or drive. The next day the check engine light was on. This vehicle is only 34,650 miles and is a 2017. I bought it on Saturday and this happened on Wednesday!

At approximately [XXX] on [XXX] ,2024 I was at the intersection of [XXX] when my vehicle stopped running completely. All lights on the dash went out and the doors were locked which prevented me from exiting the vehicle. No systems would operate at all. All I could do was sit there. Fortunately, I had a cell phone with me. I called my local Cadillac Dealer for advice, they had very little. finally a lady there told me she would call a tow company they recommended, which she did and the tow company, Shawnee Auto Body did respond about 20-30 minutes later. In the meantime, a gentleman from a local tree company arrived on the scene and helped me, by placing an orange traffic cone behind the vehicle to keep oncoming vehicles from rearending me. after a few minutes the doors did finally allow me to exit the vehicle, which I was unable to do earlier due to the doors still being locked. Upon exiting the vehicle we raised the hood and discovered the negative battery cable was loose causing all power to vehicle systems to be lost. was the cause of the problem. The replacement Intrstate Brand Battery that i have in the vehicle negative post is smaller than the automobile cable that comes on the car and apparently when the man installed the replacement battery he failed to notify me he was unable to tighten the cable as it should have been which allowed it to become loose and vibrate off the post over a period of time. This is a major problem that needs immediate attention. What if the vehicle would have been on fire or something? I would have been trapped in the vehicle and unable to escape due to the doors remaining locked when power was lost. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Message Displayed on 2017 Cadillac XT-5 "Steering Assist is Reduced - Drive With Care". No check engine light, and no apparent loss of steering. Noted that Temperature Gauge and Air Conditioning ceased to work. Suspiciously, a 2019 Cadillac XT-5 that I also own, the identical displayed message came on, with identical same mechanical issue, and just learned that an acquaintance with a newer Chevy Blazer just experienced the identical issue also. All vehicles are equipped with OnStar. Coincidence, OR any possibility that GM or OnStar computers have been hacked into, as OnStar has ability to control various functions of vehicles. To correct the issue (possibly only temporary) was to remove the negative battery cable for a short time, and reattach.

The thermostat is malfunctioning. Vehicle has less than 50,000 miles. Driving vehicle and dash warning" STEERING ASSIST IS REDUCED DRIVE WITH CARE", also the temperature gauge was showing COLD and this was after driving for over 30 minutes. Contacted local dealer and was informed this is a KNOWN problem with the thermostat sticking open. If this had been in the summer the A/C would not have worked. I was informed I could bring in the vehicle to have the codes cleared and the parts would have to be ordered. Due to backlog of parts, it was unknown when the parts would be available. In searching internet there are a significant number of owners who have experienced the same issue. In consulting the mechanic, I use, I was informed this is an issue with the motor in my vehicle. The same motor is in other GMC products, and he has 3 vehicles in his shop with the same issue waiting parts.

My car is it lifts up and down it goes up and down and it looks like it changes in model like it gets wider or something but underneath my feet when I'm driving there's something that feels like it's coming out towards my feet like an air and it blows and it burns it's even shocked me a few times and when I push the gas pedal and makes my foot hurt like this stinging really bad and underneath the steering wheel it looks like something either got pulled out or something's trying to get in I'm really scared and I need someone to look at my car my dad he makes up excuses and stuff it kind of feels like it's not the car that I purchased like it's been switched

Message Powersteering Assist is reduced. This could cause steering problems and a potential collision. Cause is due to failure of thermostat design and insta llation. Believe an investigation is possibly warranted. GM issued a service bulletin making dealers aware of the faulty design in May 2017. But consumers were not advised of the danger.

The power assist steering goes out and you have to manually try to steer the car the part that has to be replaced is the power assist steering module which is located in the steering assembly I have found this to be a problem with Cadillac XT5 models from 2017 through 2019 also in a Chevrolet SUV MODEL of the same years an internal memo was sent out but not notified owners

Vehicle completely shut off while crossing over a four lane highway to enter a shopping center. Safety could have been highly at risk to both passenger, on coming traffic side, and driver. Luckily the cars coming were far enough back that they were able to stop. I took my vehicle to the dealership where I bought the car brand new in 2018. They test drove the vehicle while hooked to a computer but could not find a problem. They tightened all connections to battery and other components and did updates to the computer on the vehicle. There was no warnings whatsoever that the vehicle was about to completely shut off. Previous to this incident I had been driving on 95S from Warrenton Vs to Clayton NC. I don't even like to think of what would have happened on 95 if my vehicle would have completely shut down. I am sure I probably would not be writing this report. Looking on the web this has happened to others with this same year and model of Cadillac.

When you put the car in gear it jumps. now leaking transmission fluid, and transmission needs to be replaced. This has been ongoing and I explained this numerous times in the past 4 years.

When you put the car in park, reverse, drive it jumps forward or back.

Thermostat gets stuck, gives a steering wheel assist alert. Ac not working and motor sounds like it is in overdrive. Engine temp stays cold.

THE 2017 CADILLAC XT5 HAS A DEFECTIVE THERMOSTAT, WHICH SENDS A FALSE SIGNAL THAT THE ENGINE IS OVERHEATING. THEREFORE, YOU GET A "STEERING ASSIST IS REDUCED DRIVE WITH CARE", WHICH YOUR STEERING TO BE HARD AND NOT AS EFFECTIVE AS IT SHOULD BE. GMC IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT FAILED TO REMEDY IT, BUT ISSUED A BULLETIN #17-NA-158 IN MAY OF 2017. THIS PROBLEM IS SO WIDESPREAD THAT THE PART TO FIX THE PROBLEM IS ON "BACK ORDER" EVERYWHERE.

While driving my Cadillac XT5 on the busy highway during the early afternoon, without warning the sunroof glass made a loud pop sound immediately followed by shattered glass. Glass fell all over the driver’s head and body impairing my vision and causing me to make sudden stop on the shoulder of the highway. There is problem with the sunroof breaking and shattering glass while driving. Insurance claim filed and private auto glass dealer made repairs in excess of $1300. Shards of glass still remain in the sunroof screen closure until taken to auto detailed for removal at an additional cost to me, the registered owner. I dive in fear that this may occur again without warning which could pose extreme danger or accident.

While driving the vehicle started to accelerate in its own. There was nothing obstructing the pedal. I could press down on brake with some resistance, but as soon as brake was released the, the vehicle accelerated. The vehicle did not level out with speed but continued to accelerate over 80 mph. This lasted about 8/9 mins, being controlled by riding on the break. It did it again for about 2/3 mins about 15 mins after first occurance. I took the car straight to get it looked at and the mechanic said that they could not find anything wrong with car

The thermostat has malfunctioned twice in 2 years. Driving vehicle and dash warning" STEERING ASSIST IS REDUCED DRIVE WITH CARE", also the temperature gauge was showing COLD and this was after driving for over 30 minutes. Contacted local dealer and was informed this is a KNOWN problem with the thermostat sticking open. My brakes are sticking often and my car often jumps hard when i put it in reverse.

The contact owns a 2017 Cadillac XT5. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at approximately 50 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact stated that the power steering assist message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the power steering assist had failed. The contact was informed that the part was on backorder. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 78,146.

Check engine code p0128. driver assistance, air conditioning and steering affect.

The contact owns a 2017 Cadillac XT5. The contact stated while driving 60-65 MPH with her granddaughter seated in the rear seat, the vehicle shut off inadvertently in the middle of the road. The message battery low was displayed. The vehicle failed to restart after several attempts. The vehicle was towed from the middle of the road to the side of the road. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed that the electrical system had failed. An unknown repair was completed. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Cadillac XT5. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle overheated and stalled. The power steering assist was reduced with the drive with care message displayed. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who informed the contact about the thermostat failure, engine, and DTC: P0128. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage 43,806.

To recall department, I purchased the above car in Jan 2021 since that time I had to take this car in for repairs 3 times concerning steering brake problem and reducing speed and also the thermostat problem. In reviewing this the consumer reports I found out that this was one of the worst years of making the xt5 and a recall was done for 2017 but for the cars that was manufactory in 2016. if a car get on the dealers floor in 2017 most likely it was manufactured in 2016. so I want to know why my car hasn't been notify for a recall and I'm having to take this car to the shop on three or four occasions for the same problem. I would like to somebody to look into this situation and reimburse me for my out of pocket expensive. This should be a manufactory problem and GM should be doing the repairs for free. Please feel free to contact me for any additional questions or concerns. [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

The contact owns a 2017 Cadillac XT5. The contact stated that the rear passenger's side brake line was fractured. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the rear passenger's side brake line needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 66,000.

Since 6/2022 and again 7/2022, 10/25/22 1/31/23 Constantly stating service error codes for stabiltrak, antilock brakes, and brake assist not functioning and need service urgently. However when I take it to the dealership they find nothing wrong and further investigated at another Cadillac dealership they also state they found nothing. These errors continue to pop up intermittently and my Cadillac app reports them as needing service.

The vehicle's park brake system failed to actuate resulting in unsafe parking of vehicle on hills/slopes. The service park brake light activated on the dash. Vehicle was taken to dealership to investigate. They confirmed park brake system was not working. This vehicle has electronic actuators for the park brake function on each rear wheel. The dealership did not find any defective components but determined the vehicle software was the root cause. The software was reset and the system now performs as intended. I am very concerned that a software failure associated with a key parking brake safety system can occur with no known cause.

The contact owns a 2017 Cadillac XT5. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle failed to accelerate upon depression of the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure mostly occurred while in 4th gear or after a complete stop. The contact had taken the vehicle to the dealer but the dealer has been unable to duplicate the failure. The dealer advised the contact that they had never heard of such failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Cadillac XT5. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal clicking sound coming from underneath the vehicle while accelerating or decelerating. There were no warning lights illuminated. While having the tires replaced, the contact was informed that the rear toe links were loose. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer two years prior for a toe link replacement, but the failure occurred. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 15,000.

engine light comes on, brake assist service light comes on when transmission idles down at stop signs, stabilitrak service light comes on after transmission idles down after a stop. This has happened twice and I had to get it repaired.

The contact owns a 2017 Cadillac XT5. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle the gear shifter would not shift out of the park position. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the transmission control module was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 19,000

Body Issue- Left and Right Front Doors of Vehicle air popping and Grinding when opened. No Damage or Accidents have occurred to the Vehicle for this Function to have a Error.