Open safety recalls, the components owners report failing most often, crash-test results and running costs for the 2017 Cadillac XT5, assembled from NHTSA and EPA records.
Everything on this page applies to the model as a whole. Run its VIN to decode that exact car, its engine, trim, assembly plant and factory equipment, alongside these records.
Open a VIN recordRecalls and complaints are filed against a specific model year, so figures differ from one year to the next even within a single generation. See every Cadillac XT5 year.
20.7 mpg average · 17–26 range · EPA says 22
Over 5 years this costs $3,000 more in fuel than an average new vehicle.
NHTSA frontal crash test
Rated configuration: 2017 Cadillac XT5 SUV FWD
The parts named most often across 124 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this make, model and year.
1 crash
Complaints are self-reported and skew toward problems people find alarming, so read this as where to look rather than as a defect rate.
The problem I am having with my car is a safety issue and their is not a safety recall on my model 2017 but their is one on model 2018 with same issue as mine, the issue I have is every time I fill my gas tank full or halft tank and when I live the gas station hit the road when I stop at a red light or stop sigh the car start shaking and turn off, I have to put the car on park and turn back on and start driving, car shakes while driving and at next red light it turns off again i wait until lights turns green and turn it back on. I replace many parts and nothing seeings to work I believe this comes from manufacturing issues. I am the second owner and I bought it with 21k miles used. But 2018 model have this issue and is on recall but dealer won’t do nothing because don’t have a recall.
I bought this vehicle with 74k miles the car when cold starts well but when you start to drive and at 24 miles an hour it kicks then shutting till 30 mph then once warm the kick goes away but you feel a little kick when down shifting I contact GM about it was told no recall the previous owner said he took it when it had about 50k miles and they said the same thing so I took the vehicle to ammaco transmission shop they serviced it and the car still had the issue they told me it could be an issue with software.. I called once more to Cadillac and was told no recalls.. so I just feel like I have to give up and just drive it till it stops… I spoke to a retired mechanic and was told to leave you a message about the car.. he told me dealers will tell me to pay for a software or replace it I called and asked to see if they can please check the software and was told I have to pay $250 an hour and it might take 2 hours to check. I was told about a good will check.. I just don’t have the funds to replace this transmission and wanted to see if there is anything that you possibly can help me with
The thermostat quit working. I've researched this issue and have seen this is a very common issue usually occurring when the vehicle has somewhere between 45000 to 55000 miles.
I purchased the car on XXX. The car has been returned to the service department within the first 3 days. Sold to me without getting fully inspected. Service department did put new brakes and rotors on and I was told (no paperwork given to me) an oil change was done. On XXX in traffic on a dangerous highway, the car cut off. The car was not able to be jumped with AAA, was towed to [XXX]/GMC Service department. I was told by the Asst Svc Manager, on XXX the Tech told him My car was the starter. The part would have to be ordered and would not be ready to the following week. On July 7th I received a call from the SVC Mgr that the engine blew. I had to pull teeth to get the Mgr to pay for the engine of $8500 and yet he wants me to pay $1500.00. With having a car less than 21 days regardless if I went over the 3k miles and as -is, there was a 90 day warranty when everything should be covered. He has now rescinded because I reported this to BBB, Atty Gen office, NHTSA. This car was never inspected. I requested the On-star reports, Inspection reports for the last year and the Tech's findings and nothing has been provided except one. I requested several times the service report and the General Manager/owner is so upset, he submitted nothing.I have felt intimidation throughout this entire process. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
My passenger side, dashboard bowls up in the heat and doesn’t seat properly. My fear for safety is that if I’m in an accident that airbag will not come out due to the dash bubbling because of the defect.. It seems to be an only problem with the platinum editions of the Cadillac XT5’s. There’s no warning lamps and it has not been inspected.
I had P0128 Code with a warning message " Steering assist is reduced, drive with care". My local mechanic told I need a new thermostat. I have replaced my thermostat and it cost me 700 dollars out of pocket.
2017 cadillac XT5 Platinum. Seatbelt CHIME does not activate if the seatbelt is off while driving. Dealer says it is working as it is supposed to in this model year.!!!! Please note that at the dealer we test drove for 3/4 of a mile, and the CHIME went off only after driving 4 blocks and making a right hand turn. It went off again seconds later and 1/2 mile later as we entered the parking lot, as we hit a bump into the parking lot, the chime went off again. My point is that the CHIME should go off at the beginning of the drive to remind the driver that the belt is off, not at the end of a 3/4 mile drive. Their answer is that they tested the seatbelt and no codes were detected. Since the CHIME did go off sometime during the drive, then there is no problem!!!! They CLAIM they tested another 2017 XT5 and it was the same!!! It worked for 8 years, but in the last 2 months, it started to fail with on the driver side. The passenger side later also started to fail, sometimes it will activate if no seatbelt was used, other times it did not. Today June 11, 2026 I tested the car and no chime was active. I also tested the rear seat and buckled & unbuckled while driving - NO CHIME. I tried bouncing up and down on rear seat, and the CHIME went off! So the CHIME works but the car is not sensing when the seatbelt is unbuckled. I have grand children that ride in the rear using a car seat, if one of the seatbelts was unbuckled while driving, the CHIME would warm me that they took the belt off. We drove the car for 5 miles home and bucked and unbuckled the and passenger and the driver side belts at different times, and the CHIME did not go off. The light in the front panel does flash when the seatbelt is unbuckled!. Prior to the belt CHIME giving us problems, the same week the seatbelt on driver side tighten so hard while driving, that my wife got scared & even was afraid it would break her clavicle! We could not reproduce, but reported to dealer.
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.
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..
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.
Showing 12 of 124 complaints.
NHTSA lists 1 recall for this make, model and year. Recalls apply to the model, so some may already be fixed on this specific car. A dealer can confirm from the VIN.
Issue: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2017 Cadillac XT5 vehicles manufactured April 16, 2016, to May 9, 2016, and 2017 GMC Acadia vehicles manufactured April 19, 2016, to April 22, 2016. The front brake calipers may have a torn or misaligned caliper piston seal which may allow brake fluid to leak.
Risk: If there is a brake fluid leak, braking performance may be reduced, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front brake calipers, replacing the brake caliper assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on December 12, 2016. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), or 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 16096.
Campaign 16V802000