Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Brakes reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
40
Latest Mar 3, 2025
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
9%
of 446 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
2
What this page shows
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2011 Cadillac Srx submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 40 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Owner reports naming brake
The 25 most recent of 40, in the owner's own words
I’m sending in this complaint which is a common problem with the Cadillac SRX. The ABS breaks go soft when activated. I have no breaks , the breaks go to the floor. This is so dangerous. Now I have to turn the car off and pump the breaks. This sometimes take a whole day to get the breaks back. Why isn’t this a recall??
NHTSA ID
11645906
Incident
Mar 2, 2025
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Feb 26, 2025
Just randomly if I have to brake the brakes go all the way to the floor. Sometimes have to pump the brakes to stop. Last couple of days when there’s rough road it feels like the brakes are on when accelerating and car begins to shake.
NHTSA ID
11645152
Incident
Jan 29, 2025
Brakes
Filed Jan 31, 2025
Put new brake pads on car still having same problem brakes work fine most of the time. Then every now and then brake pads goes to floor (squeezy)then next day back working fine this is going to cause a accident.
NHTSA ID
11639886
Incident
Jan 31, 2025
Brakes
Filed Jan 14, 2025
This is the 3rd time this happens in the life of our Cadillac SRX great vehicle it’s been in the family for years although the brake pedal goes out or not responsive in an event of going over a high speed bump or some what deep pothole on the roadway at a speed about 35mph very dangerous when the first time it happened we lost brake power this is a know fact about this vehicle. The vehicle is not being moved as of right now because of this issue still exists. Others have similar issues with this vehicle and to my friends at GM this is NOT cool can you help 🤝
NHTSA ID
11635889
Incident
Jan 7, 2025
BrakesExterior lighting
Filed Dec 11, 2024
After braking hard, skidding or going over a hard bump, brakes go to the floor and do not recover. This has ongoing since I purchased the car in 2012.
NHTSA ID
11630207
Incident
Dec 2, 2024
Brakes
Filed Jul 7, 2024
Breaks went to the floor and had to pump them to stop the car. After that they worked normally. This has happened twice now.
NHTSA ID
11599819
Incident
Jun 10, 2024
Brakes
Filed Jun 17, 2024
The contact owns a 2011 Cadillac SRX. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, and attempting to stop at a stop sign, the brake pedal went all the way to the floorboard. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired at the local dealer; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 64,000.
NHTSA ID
11594865
Incident
May 15, 2023
Mileage
64,000 mi
BrakesExterior lighting
Filed Jun 15, 2024
My 2011 SRX has lost brake power 4 times in the past 2 years. I reported to GM as other owners had this complaint. I hit the brakes at low speed when going into a parking lot incline and lose my brake power. The brakes go to the floor and eventually the car stops. Thankfully no other car was near me as the car is hard to stop. I also slammed on my brakes around 25-30 mph as another car was coming head on in my lane. Once the collision was avoided I tried to stop at a red light. Again the brakes went to the floor without stopping the vehicle immediately. My auto mechanic test drove it everywhere to see if he could reproduce the issue, but could not . I contacted GM and they told me to take it to a dealership which I did. They could not find anything but bled the brake lines hoping this was the issue. It was not. I went over an inclined manhole on a side street going about 5-10 miles and afterwards the brakes were very soft. I read in the SRX cadillac forum that others that had the same issue said to try and pump the brakes. I did this and the brake power re- engaged. This is a scary safety issue as I am always wondering if my brakes will stop the car. I only have 80000 miles on this car and keep routine maintenance. I also have an issue with the condensation of the headlights that dims the lighting on the headlights. I had received a letter ( Court Settlement Claim) stating if I had an issue to bring it to a dealership and they would look at it. If it did have this issue the headlight company would pay for some repair. I didn’t go since my headlight issue didn’t start until later . When I contacted the dealership I was told that offer expired along with GM confirming this. It is extremely frustrating and scary to know other owners have the same complaints and GM doesn’t do any safety recalls. These 2 issues are a big safety issue and I pray it never causes an accident.
NHTSA ID
11594514
Incident
May 28, 2024
Brakes
Filed Jun 1, 2024
Brakes just randomly go out and pedal becomes spongy. Then, the brakes start working again. The brakes become almost intermittent. I have seen that this is a common problem with this vehicle. My family was almost seriously injured due to not having brakes to stop the car, especially at 70 mph. I have had it at the dealer and have changed everything possible to correct the problem. Brake system has been inspected by GM certified mechanic. No warning was ever evident when problem occurred
NHTSA ID
11591899
Incident
May 15, 2024
BrakesSteering
Filed Jan 11, 2024
The contact owns a 2011 Cadillac SRX. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle the power steering had malfunctioned making the steering wheel difficult to turn in either direction and the ABS warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the ABS module was faulty and needed to be replaced. The contact was later informed that the part had been discontinued and no repair was available. The VIN was not available. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 111,000.
NHTSA ID
11564815
Incident
Mar 1, 2023
Mileage
111,000 mi
BrakesElectrical
Filed Aug 6, 2023
The brake light, the ABS light and the stability control light came in my vehicle and GM says that the EBCM needs to be replaced this should be a recall because a lot of cars are having this issue and they don’t have the parts available, is been more than a year I’m driving like that.
NHTSA ID
11536720
Incident
Aug 5, 2023
Brakes
Filed Aug 6, 2023
Since I bought the car the brake pedal is really hard to push so that I can brake the car. I took it to the dealer and they told me if the car is braking I should not be worried but I know that’s not the way the brakes should work.
NHTSA ID
11536719
Incident
May 16, 2022
BrakesSuspension
Filed May 2, 2023
The contact owns a 2011 Cadillac SRX. The contact stated that the brake warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the local dealer for routine maintenance and was informed about NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V473000 (Suspension). The dealer informed the contact there was an excessive amount of rust and that the recall repair could not be performed. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 107,342.
NHTSA ID
11520094
Incident
Apr 19, 2023
Mileage
107,342 mi
Brakes
Filed Sep 26, 2022
I was traveling on major roadway 95 south on the eastern part of MD .I had just exited off the highway as i was exiting and braking my brakes went totally out. This could have been a deadly accident for me and others .I had my car towed to the a cadillac dealership for repairs . The dealership replaced the brake modulator.I later discovered that GM has know about this problem with this particular modle and years 2011 and beyond and has had many complaints about failing brake modulator.There was no warnings of any kind .I did file a complaint with GM but i have not gotting no response . I
NHTSA ID
11486561
Incident
Apr 21, 2021
BrakesSuspension
Filed Sep 21, 2022
The contact owns a 2011 Cadillac SRX. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would drift out of the intended lane with the stabilitrak warning light illuminated. The contact also stated that the brake pedal would depress to the floorboard with the ABS warning light illuminated. The contact then received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V473000 (Suspension) which she linked to the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and remained at the dealer for a week. After retrieving the vehicle, the contact became aware that the vehicle was not repaired. The contact then called the dealer and was informed that her vehicle was never included in the recall. The contact disputed the dealers claim and was provided an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
NHTSA ID
11485641
Incident
May 1, 2021
Mileage
130,000 mi
BrakesExterior lighting
Filed Jun 7, 2022
Rear brake lights remains on while moving and when the car is parked.
NHTSA ID
11467938
Incident
Jun 1, 2022
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Apr 14, 2022
Master brake cylinder/ABS Hydraulic unit failed. I noticed that while driving my vehicle at 35mph coming to a stop I had to press or pump my brakes to come to a complete stop. One one instance I had to brake abruptly and the brakes failed (pressed to the floor) so I swerved onto the shoulder to not cause a rear end collision. There was no warning or anything, I took the car to the dealer and was told that it would cost me $1700 to repair and that the problem is wear and tear. After doing my research I'm now discovering that it is a known problem. Please do your research because THIS IS A SCARY situation.
NHTSA ID
11460804
Incident
Mar 8, 2022
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Mar 11, 2022
On multiple occasions, when I have had to panic brake, either due to snowy weather conditions or when I had to brake hard while on the highway, the brake pedal loses pressure and I am barely able to stop for some time, thereafter. Later, the pressure returns to normal. I have taken the vehicle to the repair shop on multiple occasions, and the techs have been unable to reproduce the problem. This is a serious problem, and could lead to serious injury or death. Please issue a recall immediately and force the manufacturer to fix this. Thank you.
NHTSA ID
11456383
Incident
Nov 6, 2021
Brakes
Filed Jan 27, 2022
My brake pedal has gone to the floor at random times while driving. When it happens, approx. the last 10% of pedal travel has limited braking power. After this occurs, the pedal will return back to normal, after a day or so. This situation occurs after the ABS system is activated during a hard stop, sliding on ice or snow, or when the ABS is triggered. I have seen reports on internet that indicate that this issue can be caused by the ABS control module (part no. 20842710) having internal valve/seal leak failure. The theory is, once the ABS is activated and diverts fluid to the wheels that have traction (still spinning), the ABS valves.chambers stick open. Problem is the part - module is currently unavailable throughout North America.
NHTSA ID
11449172
Incident
Jan 2, 2022
BrakesSuspension
Filed Jan 25, 2022
Crash reported1 injury reported
The contact owned a 2011 Cadillac SRX. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 mph and approaching traffic ahead the driver depressed the brake pedal to stop and the vehicle suddenly lost control, spun out, and drove into the opposite lane before two other vehicles crashed into it. During the crash, the vehicle was destroyed. The front passenger sustained a left shoulder injury which required medical treatment. No further injury information was available. A police report was taken at the scene and the vehicle was towed away. The cause of the failure was not determined. The VIN search confirmed that the NHTSA recall campaign 21v473000(suspension) was present. The contact believed the incident was related to the unrepaired recall. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 140,000.
NHTSA ID
11448766
Incident
Nov 24, 2021
Mileage
140,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Jan 3, 2022
The contact owns a 2011 Cadillac SRX. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed but failed to operate as designed. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to a local dealer to be inspected. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.
NHTSA ID
11445955
Incident
Nov 29, 2021
Mileage
72,000 mi
BrakesSuspension
Filed Nov 29, 2021
The contact owns a 2011 Cadillac SRX. The contact stated that while driving the vehicle lost motive power while the accelerator pedal was being depressed. The contact stated that the ABS and Stabili Trak warning lights illuminated and the message to service Stabili Trak was displayed. The contact stated he noticed the failure for the first time 02/07/2019, and the vehicle was taken to the King O'Rourke Cadillac (756 Smithtown Bypass #101, Smithtown, NY 11787) where the vehicle was repaired. However, the contact did not know what was repaired. The contact stated that upon retrieving the vehicle he noticed that the warning lights were still illuminated. The dealer informed him that it could be a voltage issue and the battery was replaced. However, the failure reoccurred 01/07/2020. The vehicle was then taken to Bical Cadillac (2859 Flatbush Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11234) where an unknown diagnosis and repairs were completed on the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure was resolved for a while but reoccurred on 11/15/2021. The contact stated that he received notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V473000 (Suspension) and the vehicle was taken back to Bical Cadillac to be serviced for the recall. The contact stated that immediately after departing the dealer the same warning lights and service messages illuminated. The contact stated he called the dealer and was advised that if he brought the vehicle back to the dealer, he would be responsible for payment. The contact stated he contacted the manufacturer for the pervious failures and was sent a gift card towards his next repair as well as a complaint was filed with the manufacturer. The failure mileage was 11,400.
NHTSA ID
11441959
Incident
Feb 7, 2019
Mileage
11,400 mi
BrakesPowertrain (other)
Filed Sep 2, 2021
It’s doing everything they said it would when I need to stop driving it due to recall
NHTSA ID
11431454
Incident
Aug 25, 2021
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Aug 15, 2021
THIS HAS HAPPENED 5 TIMES WITHIN 1YEAR WHEN i PUT ON THE BREAKS IT GOES TO THE FLOOR. HAVE SUV INSPECTED AND THEY BLEED THE BRAKES. LAST TIME BRAKES GO TO THE FLOOR AFTER I SHUT DOWN SUV BREAKS RESET THEM SELF AND ARE TIGHT AGAIN.
NHTSA ID
11429154
Incident
Aug 13, 2021
Brakes
Filed Mar 2, 2021
FAILING BRAKE PEDAL . BRAKE PEDAL MAY NOT RAISE OR SEEN STRUCK DOWN, HARD TO PRESS. TOOK TO REPAIR SHOP REPLACE BRAKE PEDAL COST $1176. THAT CORRECTED PROBLEM. CALL CADILLAC TO EXPLAINED PROBLEM THEY EXPLAINED MY CADILLAC WASN'T COVER. BUT AFTER REVIEWING THE ONES SHOW UP WITH TSB NUMBER 2008,2009,2010,2012,2013,2014,2015 SRX MODEL HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH BRAKE PEDAL. I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 65MPH ON HIGHWAY WHEN MY CADILLAC DROP DOWN 40 SPEED DUE BRAKE PEDAL PROBLEM ALMOST CAUSING ACCIDENT. LUCKY I WAS ABLE PULL ON SIDE OF ROAD
NHTSA ID
11398777
Incident
Feb 19, 2021
Mileage
107,536 mi
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.
Other components reported on this vehicle
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own