2011 Cadillac SRX Problems, Recalls & Reliability

575 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2011 Cadillac SRX, alongside 7 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 87/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 78,500 miles.

575Complaints
87/100Trouble index
7Recalls
78,500Typical trouble mileage

Below average

Where 2011 sits among all SRX years

Darker = quieter yearsBrighter amber = more trouble

What owners report

Electrical 240 complaints (42%) · typically ~78,500 miles
“My headlights are dim and have moisture in them. The vehicle is unsafe to drive at night i cannot see at all using my vehicle when it's dark.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 SRX
Suspension 62 complaints (11%) · typically ~107,342 miles
“The contact owns a 2011 Cadillac SRX. The contact had received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V473000 (Suspension) however, the part to do the recall repair was not available. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle would jerk. The dealer and manufacturer were not made aware…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 SRX
Other 43 complaints (7%) · typically ~88,500 miles
“There is water all over the floor of my 2011 cadillac srx luxury edition and its from the sunroof. The water got into my electrical and now my trunk won't open and the floors won't dry. The vehicle was parked.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 SRX
Brakes & stability 42 complaints (7%) · typically ~79,000 miles
“Breaks went to the floor and had to pump them to stop the car. After that they worked normally. This has happened twice now.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 SRX
Transmission & drivetrain 36 complaints (6%) · typically ~42,500 miles
“Unknown Transmission hesitation, causing vehicle to delay when pulling out in traffic. Vehicle also slips when driving at 2,000 rpm’s.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 SRX
Engine 28 complaints (5%) · typically ~85,283 miles
“Engine timing chain had stretched and jumped a notch on the sprocket, which caused the check engine light to come on, and that's the only reason I knew there was an issue. If I had kept driving it and it jumped another notch, it would have stalled, making the vehicle hard to control. I've read…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2011 SRX

Mileage when trouble shows up

Among the 351 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 78,500 miles. Half of those reports fall between 49,000 and 108,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.

Recalls (7)

SUSPENSION 21V473000 2021 Do not drive

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.

Fix: 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…

SUSPENSION 14V571000 2014

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…

Fix: 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…

SEATS 14V447000 2014

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Buick LaCrosse, Regal and Chevrolet Camaro, as well as certain 2010-2012 Cadillac SRX, Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles, equipped with power height adjustable driver and passenger…

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the height adjuster shoulder bolts, free of charge. The manufacturer distributed interim letters to owners on September 11, 2014. The recall began on…

POWER TRAIN 11V595000 2011

GENERAL MOTORS (GM) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010-2011 CADILLAC SRX VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 26, 2008, THROUGH JUNE 23, 2011, FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NUMBER 114, “THEFT PROTECTION.”…

Fix: GM WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL ENSURE THAT THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE IS PROPERLY ROUTED AND SEATED IN THE TRANSMISSION CABLE BRACKET. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE…

AIR BAGS 11V308000 2011

GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 CADILLAC SRX PASSENGER VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION." THE AIRBAGS ARE PROGRAMMED TO TURN OFF THE RIGHT SIDE…

Fix: GM DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE SENSING AND DIAGNOSTIC MODULE FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR ABOUT JUNE 17, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339 AND AT…

VISIBILITY 11V149000 2011

GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 BUICK LACROSSE AND CADILLAC SRX VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 103, "WINDSHIELD DEFROSTING AND DEFOGGING SYSTEMS". ON THESE VEHICLES, THE…

Fix: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE ECC MODULE FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 11, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080, CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339 OR AT THE OWNER CENTER AT…

SEAT BELTS 10V623000 2010

GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 CADILLAC SRX, CHEVROLET EQUINOX AND GMC TERRAIN VEHICLES. THE DRIVER AND /OR FRONT PASSENGER SAFETY BELT BUCKLE ANCHOR MAY FRACTURE AND SEPARATE NEAR THE SEAT ATTACHMENT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Fix: DEALERS WILL MODIFY THE PASSENGER AND/OR THE DRIVER SAFETY BELT BUCKLES AS NECESSARY. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 18,…

Federal defect investigations

Rear Toe Link Adjuster Separation PE20019 opened 2020, closed 2021

Led to recall campaign 21V473000.

Technical service bulletins

1,559 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2011 Cadillac SRX. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.

See the 2011 SRX TSB list →

Complaint history for this model year

When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.

2010peak 85 in 20192026

Questions buyers ask

Is the 2011 Cadillac SRX reliable?

The 2011 Cadillac SRX drew 575 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 87/100, scored against the model's worst year (2010).

What are the most common 2011 Cadillac SRX problems?

The top reported problems for the 2011 Cadillac SRX are electrical (240 complaints), suspension (62), and other (43).

At what mileage do 2011 Cadillac SRX problems show up?

Owners most often report 2011 Cadillac SRX problems around 78,500 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 49,000 and 108,000 miles.

Does the 2011 Cadillac SRX have recalls?

7 recall campaigns apply to the 2011 Cadillac SRX. At least one carries a do-not-drive or park-outside warning — check your VIN before driving.

← 2010 SRX All SRX years 2012 SRX →
Data updated 2026-08-20 from NHTSA's public records

Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.