2021 Cadillac XT5
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2021 Cadillac XT5 has 20 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.0x the segment average of 20. The most common issue is visibility problems (15% of all complaints), specifically: my new car has a serious lag issue. the car is not responsive to the gas pedal. you have to press the gas a lot to get moving. once moving a lot lag. if i press it fast. completely non responsive. my car is slower than any other car i have driven. although this is 310 hp. feeels like 150 hp. and i g. There are 2 recalls issued for this model year.
20
Total Complaints
2
Recalls Issued
5/5
Safety Stars
1.0x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems(top 5 of 8)
VISIBILITY
3 complaints- • My new car has a serious lag issue. The car is not responsive to the gas pedal. You have to press the gas a lot to get moving. Once moving a lot lag. If I press it fast. Completely non responsive. My car is slower than any other car I have driven. Although this is 310 HP. Feeels like 150 HP. And I g
- • The contact owns a 2021 Cadillac XT5. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, the sunroof glass exploded without impact. There were no reported injuries. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that an unknown object had fallen from the sky and impacted the glass. The
- • The contact owns a 2021 Cadillac XT5. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle in front of her kicked up a rock off the roadway and cracked the windshield. The vehicle was taken to Safelite, and the windshield was repaired. The dealer was not made aware of the failure. The manufactu
“My new car has a serious lag issue. The car is not responsive to the gas pedal. You have to press the gas a lot to get moving. Once moving a lot lag. If I press it fast. Completely non responsive. My car is slower than any other car I have driven. Although this is 310 HP. Feeels like 150 HP. And I g”
— NHTSA complaint filing
Recalls (2)
General Motors, LLC. (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Cadillac XT5, XT6, and GMC Acadia vehicles. The fuel supply lines may be improperly attached and seated.
Risk: Improperly attached and seated fuel supply lines may loosen or separate, causing a fuel leak and increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace fuel supply lines as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on July 1, 2021. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is N212335590.
Low theft risk
Low theft rates typically correlate with lower comprehensive-coverage insurance premiums.
Source: NICB Hot Wheels 2025 report + HLDI theft loss studies. Model-year ranking; not all years of this model have identical risk.
Fuel Cost Calculator for 2021 Cadillac XT5
Live EIA pricesBased on EPA fuel-economy ratings and EIA weekly retail prices (2026-07-20). Real-world cost varies with driving style, trim/engine, terrain, and traffic.
5-Year Gas Price History
EIA weekly retail data · 2021 → todaySource: US Energy Information Administration weekly retail gasoline prices.
Estimated Insurance Cost for 2021 Cadillac XT5
How this estimate is calculated
Coverage assumed: 100/300/100 liability + comprehensive/collision, $500 deductibles. Data sources: NAIC 2024 + HLDI loss studies.
Maintenance & Warranty
Cadillac New-Vehicle Warranty Coverage
These are the terms for a new Cadillac. If you're buying a used 2021 XT5, remaining coverage is usually pro-rated from the vehicle's original in-service date. Not all coverage transfers between owners — check with a Cadillac dealer for VIN-specific remaining warranty.
Estimated Repair Costs
Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.
🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Based on 20 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐VISIBILITY: My new car has a serious lag issue. The car is not responsive to the gas pedal. You have to press the gas a lot to get moving. Once moving a lot lag. If I press it fast. Completely non responsive. My car is slower than any other car I have driven. Although this is 310 HP. Feeels like 150 HP. And I g
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐STEERING: The power steering suddenly shut down while driving, making steering almost impossible. Luckly I was on a straight part of the road and close to my house. It would have been disastrous if it occurred at high speed. I understand there is a recall to replace software on some 2021 Cadillac vehicles b
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ENGINE: At a red light in traffic, it suddenly shut off the engine, emergency brakes went on, multiple warning lights were on (Low Bat, Low fuel {full of fuel}, lower passenger window, etc..), totally immobilized itself by not being able to start the car or push it with the brakes on! 81 year old female d
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐OTHER: The cameras just stopped working, when I went to put the car in reverse, blank screen comes on.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐RECALLS: Verify all 2 recalls have been completed — free at any Cadillac dealer
- ☐General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)
Cadillac XT5 — Year Comparison
How does 2021 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.
NHTSA Safety Rating
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 20
- Recalls
- 2
- Fire reports
- 0
- Crash reports
- 0
- Injury reports
- 0
- Segment avg
- 20
Check a Specific VIN
See recalls for YOUR 2021 Cadillac XT5