Reliability & cost of ownership
Cadillac Xlr Reliability & Common Problems
How reliable is the Cadillac Xlr? Compare every model year side by side — NHTSA recalls, owner complaints, and crash-test stars — then open the year you're shopping for a full reliability and repair-cost forecast.
Cadillac Xlr problems by model year
12 recall entries and 80 owner complaints on file across 6 model years, sourced from the federal NHTSA database.
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | NCAP stars | Full report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 Xlr | 1 | 1 | No NCAP test | Full reliability report → |
| 2008 Xlr | 1 | 3 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2007 Xlr | 1 | 2 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2006 Xlr | 1 | 9 | No NCAP test | Full reliability report → |
| 2005 Xlr | 3 | 31 | No NCAP test | Reliability forecast → |
| 2004 Xlr | 5 | 34 | No NCAP test | Full reliability report → |
Most-complained-about components
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA against the Cadillac Xlr, grouped by the component each complaint names — the fastest read on where this model gives trouble.
- structure26 complaints
- electrical system8 complaints
- fuel system8 complaints
- gasoline8 complaints
- exterior lighting8 complaints
- fuel/propulsion system7 complaints
- power train7 complaints
- service brakes6 complaints