Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 4 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2016 Cadillac Elr, most frequently naming the airbags and interior & seats categories. 1,047 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
When owners filed reports about this model year
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 2024 | 1 | 1 |
| Sep 2025 | 1 | 2 |
| Dec 2025 | 1 | 3 |
| Mar 2026 | 1 | 4 |
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
No recalls in our database for this model year
That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
The passenger occupancy sensor has failed on my 2016 ELR after 14k miles. The part is no longer available (23504893). I've inquired with General Motors and they said they could not help me. This seems to be a 1year only part used only on the Cadillac ELR. I believe this is an integral part of the Air Bag safety system in my vehicle and that the passenger seat is no longer safe for passengers.
Initial repair of the vehicle was initiated on 9/12/25 due to a dashboard warning message indicating an air bag system fault. The Cadillac dealership was unable to complete the repair during the initial service visit. The vehicle was returned to the dealership in October 2025 and has remained there since that time. The dealership has confirmed that the Air Bag Front Passenger Sensor Kit (Part #23504893) failed following repair of the driver side air bag module. As a result of this failure, the passenger side air bag sensor does not function as designed. This condition creates a significant safety risk, as any passenger seated in the front passenger seat would be at increased risk of serious injury or death in the event of a collision. The issue has been inspected and confirmed by the authorized Cadillac dealership. I have been advised that this part is no longer manufactured by Cadillac and is unavailable for replacement, rending the vehicle unsafe to operate. I am the original and sole owner of the vehicle; whish has fewer than 50,000 miles. Based on the vehicle's age, mileage, and maintenance history, I reasonably expected many additional years of safe operation. Due to the confirmed air bag system failure and lack of available replacement parts, the vehicle cannot be safely driven and represents a major safety defect.
Vehicle is producing a "Service Airbag" warning message and red airbag light on the instrument cluster at each start. The problem code 'U0170' is found which correlates to 'Lost Communication With Passenger Presence Module'. The dealer advised that the part is discontinued and no longer available. The needed Part Number is: 23504892 which is a single year, single model only part. I checked with numerous aftermarket sources as well as salvage yards for an alternative to the GM part, but no luck. It appears the part does not exist in the marketplace. The dealership, and Cadillac Customer Service, were unable to provide a path forward. I am left no alternative but to operate the vehicle without the passenger side airbag and any other airbags that may be tied to the inability of the car to detect the presence of a passenger in the seat, as well as an annoying error and light every time I start the car.
An 'amber' airbag malfunction light has illuminated on the instrument panel. The airbag light has since turned 'red'. It is 'red' to this date. The manufacturers guide advises to take the vehicle to the dealer. The authorized Cadillac dealer in our town troubleshot the problem to code 'U0170', 'Lost Communication With Passenger Presence Module'. The dealer advised that the part is no longer available. The needed Part Number is: 23504893. I checked with numerous aftermarket sources for an alternative to the GM part, but no luck. It appears the part does not exist in the marketplace. The dealership, and Cadillac Customer Service, were unable to provide a path forward. To assure my families' safety, it appears I have no alternative but to scrap this otherwise very fine eight year old Cadillac. I have documentation from my local Cadillac Dealership, as well as my communication with Cadillac Customer Service, and can provide it if needed.
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
PI to help diagnose A/C concern
This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size change is available.
This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a Technical Assistance Case in CX Connect.
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have had multiple repair attempts that are being performed on customer’s vehicles that exhibit vibration conditions without utilizing the support of General Motors Technical Assistance Center. If valid vibration frequency or Road Force Variation data has been collected and a repair attempt does not correct the customer complaint, contact General Motors Technical Assistance Center for further support. For any vehicles that remains unrepaired after being at the dealer for three days or more and a related bulletin or PI is not found, contact General Motors Technical Assistance Center for further support.
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.