Reliable Auto DB

2014 Cadillac ELR reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 17 complaints with NHTSA about the 2014 Cadillac ELR over 13 years — 2 per year. That is the most complaints per year among the 4 ELR years on this site. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Seats and Electronic stability control (ESC).

2014 Cadillac ELR
Photo by MercurySable99, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

17

Per year

2

Recalls

2

Years on the road

13

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (6 of 17), then Fuel and propulsion system (2) and Powertrain (2). Those filings include 1 that reports a crash and 1 that reports an injury.

Next to 2015

The 2015 ELR has 0 complaints, 0 per year. The 2014 has more complaints per year than the 2015.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2014 Cadillac ELR. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (2)

Recall Seats 2014-07-23 · NHTSA campaign 14V446000
Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Buick Encore and Cadillac ATS; 2014 Cadillac CTS, ELR, Chevrolet Caprice and SS vehicles; and 2014-2015 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra Trucks. Due to an incomplete weld on the seat hook bracket assembly, the front seats in the affected vehicles may not stay secured in place during a high load condition such as a crash.
Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the seat hook bracket assembly weld and replace the lower seat track, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on August 15, 2014. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), and 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14340.
Recall Electronic stability control (ESC) 2014-03-27 · NHTSA campaign 14V144000
Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014 Cadillac ELR vehicles not equipped with adaptive cruise control and manufactured September 26, 2013, through February 14, 2014, and equipped without adaptive cruise control. In these vehicles, the electronic stability control (ESC) system software may inhibit certain ESC diagnostics, preventing the system from alerting the driver that the ESC system is partially or fully disabled. As such, these vehicles fail to conform with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems."
Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will recalibrate the Electronic Brake Control Module (EBCM), free of charge. The recall began on May 20, 2014. Owners may contact Cadillac at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 14087.

Complaints by component (17 total)

Electrical system
6
Fuel and propulsion system
2
Powertrain
2
Service brakes
2
Air bags
1
Forward collision avoidance
1
Steering
1
Visibility and wipers
1
Wheels
1
Show 1 more Show less
Crash-flagged

1

Fire-flagged

0

Injury reports

1

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

2201422015320162201842020120222202412026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "Component Affected: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM/ AIR BAGS: FRONT: PASSENGER SIDE Description of Safety Defect: The Passenger Presence System (PPS) Module / Occupant Sensor Module failed on my 2014 Cadillac ELR, triggering…"
    Unknown or other · filed 2026-06-30
  • "The vehicle lost all power while driving; this has occurred four times between August 2024 and November 2024. Without warning, the vehicle loses power, including brakes, steering, lights, warning flashers, doors, etc.,…"
    Electrical system, Unknown or other, Forward collision avoidance · filed 2024-12-05
  • "Loss of power and control: Twice over the past two months, the vehicle has died and lost all power and control functions while in motion. The first episode was while my spouse was driving during the day at about 30 MPH.…"
    Electrical system, Unknown or other, Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2024-10-28
  • "Shift to park error message unable to turn off or exit vehicle. This is a hybrid vehicle"
    Unknown or other · filed 2022-05-06
  • "SHIFTING THE VEHICLE INTO PARK AND ATTEMPTING TO TURN IT OFF BY HITTING THE POWER BUTTON, YIELDS A WARNING ON THE DIC SAYING "ACTION REQUIRED: SHIFT TO PARK", DESPITE THE SHIFT SELECTOR ALREADY BEING IN PARK. THIS…"
    Powertrain, Electrical system, Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2020-11-02

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2014 Cadillac ELR 2 DR FWD Not rated Not rated Not rated Not rated

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
ELR 1.4L, 4-cyl Automatic (variable gear ratios) Front-wheel drive 31 35 33 MPG / 340 mi range $2400

Specs and fitment

First generation, 2014–2017
Body styles Coupe
Oil 0W-30 or 5W-30 (range-extender engine) , 3.7 qt capacity
Tire size 245/40R20

Known issues for this generation

Recall 14V-144 covers certain 2014 ELR vehicles without adaptive cruise control built September 26, 2013 through February 14, 2014: ESC software may inhibit diagnostics so the driver is not alerted if ESC is partially or fully disabled; dealers recalibrate the EBCM. Recall 14V-446 covers certain 2014 ELR (and other GM models) where an incomplete weld on the seat hook bracket assembly can affect front-seat retention.

Compare

See every Cadillac ELR model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2014 Cadillac ELR reliable?

Owners have filed 17 complaints with NHTSA about the 2014 Cadillac ELR over 13 years — 2 per year. That is the most complaints per year among the 4 ELR years on this site. NHTSA has 2 recalls on file, including Seats and Electronic stability control (ESC).

What are common problems with a 2014 Cadillac ELR?

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (6 of 17), then Fuel and propulsion system (2) and Powertrain (2). Those filings include 1 that reports a crash and 1 that reports an injury.

Is the 2014 Cadillac ELR more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2015 ELR has 0 complaints, 0 per year. The 2014 has more complaints per year than the 2015.

Has the 2014 Cadillac ELR been recalled?

The 2014 Cadillac ELR has 2 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2014 Cadillac ELR?

Owners have filed 17 complaints about the 2014 Cadillac ELR with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2014 Cadillac ELR get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2014 Cadillac ELR is 33 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What engine oil does a US Cadillac ELR use?

0W-30 or 5W-30 (range-extender engine) With filter, about 3.7 qt is commonly listed for this generation—confirm in the owner manual.

What tire sizes fit a US Cadillac ELR?

Published US specs commonly list front 245/40R20 and rear 245/40R20; confirm on the door jamb placard for your trim.

What NHTSA recalls affect the US Cadillac ELR?

Recall 14V-144 covers certain 2014 ELR vehicles without adaptive cruise control built September 26, 2013 through February 14, 2014: ESC software may inhibit diagnostics so the driver is not alerted if ESC is partially or fully disabled; dealers recalibrate the EBCM. Recall 14V-446 covers certain 2014 ELR (and other GM models) where an incomplete weld on the seat hook bracket assembly can affect front-seat retention.