2013 Cadillac XTS: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
103 NHTSA owner complaints · 5 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Owner complaints: 103 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 7.92
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The contact owns a 2013 Cadillac XTS. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the rear suspension was bouncing, and the vehicle became difficult to maneuver. The message to "Check Leveling System" was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact researched and became aware of a recall; however, the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was taken to the residence and the vehicle was self-diagn…
As I’m driving with cruise set my brake lamps intermittently flashing without breaking and the cruise control potentially disengage. A software glitch in the body controls module. Plus, my passenger light says the dim light it out when it’s not. I’v had a mechanic replace the light multiple times and he says it something in the wiring.
I have replaced my low beam 4 times and it’s still showing the light is out and it is. My cruise control disengaged when I’m driving above 65 with the cruise set and there’s no cars in front of me.
Recalls: 5 campaigns (4 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 14V541000 | Parking Brake | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Cadillac XTS vehicles manufactured February 14, 2012, to August 22, 2014, and 2014-2015 Chevrolet Impala vehicles manufactured November 5, 2012, to September 2, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the electronic parking brake piston actuation arm may not fully retract causing the brake pads to… |
| 14V116000 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Power Assist:Vacuum:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Cadillac XTS vehicles manufactured February 14, 2012, through March 7, 2014. In the affected vehicles, a cavity plug on the brake booster pump connector may dislodge allowing corrosion of the brake booster pump relay connector. |
| 13V220000 | Electrical System | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Cadillac ATS and model year 2013 Cadillac XTS; model year 2014 Chevrolet Impala; and 2013 Chevrolet Sonic vehicles. Originally, in May 2013, GM recalled 1,627 model year 2013 Cadillac ATS and model year 2013 Cadillac XTS; and model year 2014 Chevrolet Impala vehicles. |
| 14V518000 | Air Bags:Frontal:Sensor/Control Module-Inactive | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Cadillac XTS vehicles manufactured April 11, 2013, to June 27, 2013, and 2014 Chevrolet Impala vehicles manufactured May 13, 2013, to November 5, 2013. The affected vehicles may have left the factory with the sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) set to "manufacturing mode." |
| 12V525000 | Seats:Mid/Rear Assembly | General Motors is recalling certain model year 2013 Cadillac XTS vehicles manufactured from October 12, 2011, through August 30, 2012, for failing to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 202, "Head Restraints." The rear seat head restraints may not lock in the upright position after being folded forward. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a mid-size premium car of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 21 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,950
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Electrical System41 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Suspension25 complaints · typical job: Struts, springs and control-arm bushings, one axle (4.0 h labour + parts)$780–$1,580
- Unknown Or Other13 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Engine12 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Service Brakes9 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
- Exterior Lighting9 complaints · typical job: Headlamp assembly or lighting-module replacement (1.5 h labour + parts)$360–$1,380
Other Cadillac XTS years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2013 Cadillac XTS?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Electrical System (41 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2013 Cadillac XTS a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is AVOID with a reliability score of 39/100, computed from 103 NHTSA complaints and 5 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2013 Cadillac XTS's most common problem?
41 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2013 Cadillac XTS sit in the Electrical System group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement: about 3.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $540–$1,310 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2013 Cadillac XTS cost to run per year?
About $5,450 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $27,252 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2013 Cadillac XTS have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for the 2013 Cadillac XTS, 4 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 09/09/2014. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other luxury midsizes of about the same age.
What will a 2013 Cadillac XTS really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Moderate evidence — 103 complaints, 5 recalls on record
- 103 NHTSA complaints on record (7.9/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (2.4/yr)
- 5 recall campaigns, 4 touching safety-critical systems