2013 Cadillac SRX reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2013 Cadillac SRX holds 393 complaints after 14 years, a rate of 15 per year. That is the most complaints per year among the 5 SRX years on this site. NHTSA has 5 recalls on file, including Rear, Transmission control module, and Lug nuts.

2012 Cadillac SRX — Photo by Navigator84, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0

Complaints

393

Per year

Recalls

Years on the road

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Exterior lighting (217 of 393), then Electrical system (52) and Powertrain (31). Those filings include 15 that report a crash, 5 that report a fire, and 10 that report an injury.

Next to 2012 and 2014

The 2012 SRX has 416 complaints, 11 per year, and the 2014 has 390 complaints, 6 per year. The 2013 has more complaints per year than the 2012. The 2013 has more complaints per year than the 2014.

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 2013 Cadillac SRX. How we count. Data as of 2026-10-16.

Recalls (5)

Recall suspension, rear 2021-06-24 · NHTSA campaign 21V473000

Summary General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2016 Cadillac SRX and 2011-2012 Saab 9-4X vehicles. The rear suspension toe link adjuster may not have been tightened properly, which could result in a loose toe link.

Remedy Owners are advised to not drive their vehicle if they experience certain Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) warnings or other issues, such as unusual steering behavior, while driving. Please see the Part 573 report for the full list of warnings. Dealers will replace the adjustable toe link with a non-adjustable one, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed August 6, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on October 25, 2021. Cadillac and Saab customers may direct questions to Cadillac customer service at 1-800-333-4223. GM's number for this recall is N212340980.

Recall suspension, rear 2014-09-19 · NHTSA campaign 14V571000

Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2010-2015 Cadillac SRX vehicles manufactured April 14, 2009, to September 1, 2014, and 2011-2012 Saab 9-4X vehicles manufactured February 1, 2011, to September 13, 2011. On the affected vehicles, the jam nut in the rear suspension toe adjuster link may not be torqued to the proper specification. A loose toe adjuster link can cause the vehicle to sway or wander at highway speeds. A loose toe adjuster link may lead to thread damage and eventual failure. Failure of the toe adjuster link will cause an abrupt change in the vehicle's alignment.

Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the torque of the left and right rear toe link adjuster lock nuts, and replace the parts if there is evidence of damage or a loose link, free of charge. The The recall began November 11, 2014. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or Saab customer service at 1-800-955-9007. GM's number for this recall is 14457.

Recall powertrain, automatic transmission, transmission control module 2014-04-25 · NHTSA campaign 14V212000

Summary General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Cadillac SRX vehicles manufactured May 29, 2012, through June 26, 2013, and equipped with 3.6L engines. In the affected vehicles, in certain driving situations, there may be a three to four second lag in acceleration due to the transmission control module (TCM) programming.

Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the transmission control module, free of charge. The recall began on June 3, 2014. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. General Motors' number for this recall is 14132.

Recall wheels, lug nuts 2013-05-16 · NHTSA campaign 13V202000

Summary General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Cadillac SRX vehicles, manufactured January 31, 2012, through March 18, 2013, and equipped with 18 inch wheels. On the affected vehicles, the wheel lug nuts may loosen.

Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will remove and reinstall the wheel nuts by performing a tire rotation, free of charge. The recall began on June 3, 2013. Owners may contact GM at 1-800-521-7300. GM's recall campaign number is 13116.

Recall powertrain, automatic transmission 2013-03-15 · NHTSA campaign 13V097000

Summary General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Buick LaCrosse vehicles, manufactured between April 25, 2012, through March 6, 2013, and model year 2013 Cadillac SRX vehicles, manufactured between May 29, 2012, through February 18, 2013 for failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 102, "Transmission Shift Lever Sequence, Starter Interlock, and Transmission Braking Effect." A software problem may cause the transmission to inadvertently shift to Sport mode removing any transmission-related engine braking effect.

Remedy GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the transmission control module free of charge. The recall began on April 3, 2013. Cadillac owners may call 1-866-982-2339. Buick owners may call 1-866-694-6546.

Complaints by component (393 total)

Exterior lighting

217

Electrical system

Powertrain

Speed control

Engine

Suspension

Visibility and wipers

Service brakes

Seats

Structure

Fuel and propulsion system

Steering

Air bags

Visibility

Electronic stability control (ESC)

Wheels

Equipment

Forward collision avoidance

Seat belts

Lane departure

Tires

Adaptive and mobility equipment

Air brakes

Back-over prevention

Fuel system, gasoline

Hydraulic brakes

Latches, locks, and linkages

Show 19 more Show less

Crash-flagged

Fire-flagged

Injury reports

Death reports

Complaints filed per year

Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings

"Valentine day a car side swiped me on the 91 freeway my car went out of control but I was able to get control of the vehicle driver side got banged up from the back bumper all the way to the driver side front fender."
Suspension, Structure, Wheels · filed 2026-06-22
"The exterior lighting does not light up as warranted. It is impossible to see at night due to the lack of lighting from the headlights. The problem was confirmed with the dealership, however I was told to replace the…"
Exterior lighting · filed 2026-05-22
"I was driving and had to hard brake as to not hit a young driver who wasn't paying attention to his driving. The brake pedal went all the way to the floor. There were no warning lights on. I got the car checked out by…"
Service brakes · filed 2026-01-24
"The contact owns a 2013 Cadillac SRX. The contact stated that while driving at night, the headlights failed to properly illuminate the roadway, limiting the driver’s vision while driving. The contact stated that the…"
Exterior lighting · filed 2026-01-20
"My father gave me his 2013 Cadillac SRX and I have noticed the headlights have dimmed significantly over the past few months. I replaced the lamps, but the same issue still exists. I spoke with my local Cadillac…"
Exterior lighting · filed 2026-01-11

NHTSA crash ratings

Version	Overall	Front	Side	Rollover
2013 Cadillac SRX SUV AWD	5 stars	4 stars	5 stars	4 stars
2013 Cadillac SRX SUV FWD	5 stars	4 stars	5 stars	4 stars

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
SRX two-wheel drive	3.6L, 6-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	Front-wheel drive	17	24	19 MPG	$3400
SRX all-wheel drive	3.6L, 6-cyl	Automatic (6-speed)	All-wheel drive	16	23	18 MPG	$3600

Specs and fitment

Second generation, 2012–2016

Body styles SUV

Oil dexos1 SAE 5W-30 (0W-30 allowed below −29 °C / −20 °F) , 6 qt capacity

Tire size 235/65R18, 235/55R20 (trim dependent)

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA safety recall 14V-571 covers certain 2010-2015 Cadillac SRX vehicles (and 2011-2012 Saab 9-4X in the same campaign). The jam nut in the rear suspension toe adjuster link may not be torqued to specification. A loose toe adjuster link can cause sway or wander at highway speeds and may lead to thread damage and eventual failure, which can cause an abrupt alignment change and loss of control. Remedy: dealers inspect torque of the left and right rear toe link adjuster lock nuts and replace parts if damaged or loose, free of charge. NHTSA safety recall 21V-473 later covers certain 2010-2016 Cadillac SRX and 2011-2012 Saab 9-4X vehicles for a rear suspension toe link adjuster that may not have been tightened properly, which could result in a loose toe link that can separate and cause loss of vehicle control. Remedy: dealers replace the adjustable toe link with a non-adjustable link as described in the campaign. When NHTSA lists multiple nameplates in one campaign, the published unit count is shared.

Compare

Previous year 2012 Cadillac SRX Next year 2014 Cadillac SRX See every Cadillac SRX model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2013 Cadillac SRX reliable?

What are common problems with a 2013 Cadillac SRX?

Is the 2013 Cadillac SRX more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2012 SRX has 416 complaints, 11 per year, and the 2014 has 390 complaints, 6 per year. The 2013 has more complaints per year than the 2012. The 2013 has more complaints per year than the 2014.

Has the 2013 Cadillac SRX been recalled?

The 2013 Cadillac SRX has 5 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 2013 Cadillac SRX?

Owners have filed 393 complaints about the 2013 Cadillac SRX with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2013 Cadillac SRX get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2013 Cadillac SRX is 18.5 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What oil does a 2014 Cadillac SRX take?

The 2014 US owner's manual calls for dexos1 SAE 5W-30 (about 6.0 qt with filter); SAE 0W-30 may be used in extreme cold below −29 °C.

What generation is the 2015 Cadillac SRX?

Second generation (2012-2016) for the US years this site tracks.

What tire sizes does a Cadillac SRX use?

Common US sizes include 235/65R18 and 235/55R20 depending on trim.