2016 Cadillac Srx Exterior lighting Problems

low beam head lights are very dim, to dim to see while driving. Apparently this is a problem that Cadillac and/or GM knows about but isn't doing anything to resolve. Heat from the bulbs basically melt the chrome off of the reflector plate so light does not shine out on the road. This could be a very big hazzard while driving, deer, children etc can not be seen with the lights as they are. To replace are ridiculosly expensive to the customer but doesnt seem like it would be for the dealer!! Complete neglect on the manufacturs end.

NHTSA ID

11742396

Incident

Jan 1, 2026

The contact owns a 2016 Cadillac SRX. The contact stated that while driving at night at various speeds, the low beam headlights were very dim, causing the contact to drive using the high beam headlights to properly see the roadway. The contact replaced the halogen headlight bulbs with LED bulbs; however, the low beam headlights were still dim while driving at night. The contact became aware that the reflective surface on the headlights was burned out. The contact stated that the halogen bulbs appeared to be degrading, and there were bubbles on the bulbs. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 124,000.

NHTSA ID

11729496

Incident

Mar 3, 2026

Mileage

124,000 mi

The contact owns a 2016 Cadillac SRX. The contact stated that the headlights failed to properly illuminate the roadway while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the contact was informed that the fog covering the headlights could not be removed and that the vehicle was not covered under recall. The dealer informed the contact that the headlight assemblies needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.

NHTSA ID

11723489

Incident

Mar 11, 2021

Mileage

94,000 mi

I purchased the car June 2025 ,The headlights go so dim that you can not see at night, I contacted Cadillac and they are only willing to give me $200. towards the $2000. repair it would cost even though the headlights used on the 2016 Cadillac SRX is the same ones that were recalled on the 2015. They said they have no more programs to help me fix this issues.

NHTSA ID

11696787

Incident

Jul 13, 2025

My lights are very dim as if they aren’t on.

NHTSA ID

11689760

Incident

Aug 11, 2022

Subject: Complaint Regarding Unsafe Headlight Design – 2016 Cadillac SRX To whom it may concern, We own a 2016 Cadillac SRX and are extremely concerned about the safety of the vehicle’s headlights. The low beams are so dim that we are unable to drive safely at night. When we resort to using the high beams, oncoming drivers frequently flash their lights at us, indicating that we are blinding them. Bottom line, car is unusable at night !!! A few years ago, I brought this issue to the attention of our local Cadillac service department. Unfortunately, I was told there was nothing they could do, despite acknowledging that the headlight design is a known problem. They quoted us over $1,600 for a repair, without offering any goodwill assistance or cost reduction — even though this is clearly a design flaw, not a wear-and-tear issue. This does not seem fair, especially considering our vehicle has only 71,749 miles on it — in todays standards, essentially like new for a luxury vehicle. We are disappointed that Cadillac has not taken responsibility for a safety issue that affects many drivers. We ask that Cadillac stand behind its product and work with us to resolve this issue in a reasonable and customer-friendly way. Sincerely, [XXX] [XXX] /// [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11676475

Incident

Jul 27, 2025

we have a 2016 SRX AWD Cadillac and we can not drive at night, the head light is way to dim, and when placing on high beam - blind oncoming cars "AI info: If you can’t see well at night and your 2016 Cadillac SRX has factory HID headlights, there's a chance that faded lenses, worn bulbs, or a defective ballast is the issue—and GM/Cadillac may or may not cover it"

NHTSA ID

11667066

Incident

Jun 1, 2023

See attached document for complaint.

NHTSA ID

11653679

Incident

Feb 28, 2025

The headlights on my 2016 SRX Cadillac have extremely dim headlights. I can barely see in front of me at night. The drivers side light is especially dim. The only way I can see is if I drive with my highbeams on. When I’m driving with my regular lights on and a car is coming at me I feel blinded. I’m scared to drive at night. I fear that I’m going to hit something or someone. This has been going on for a while now and at first I thought I was imagining things, and perhaps it was my eyesight, but it’s absolutely not. I’ve read online countless accounts of other people with 2010-2016 Cadillac srx that have the exact same problem as me. I just took it into the mechanic to have him look at the headlights.

NHTSA ID

11647717

Incident

Mar 11, 2025

The headlights, when put in "dim/low beam" are almost non working. One can see the lights are working, but it is almost like driving blind. The dealership people know about the problem and stated that the heat on the lens cover, inside the headlight assembly causes that cover to warp, deform and will not permit adequate light to shine out. They then told me the assembly parts and labor would be over $3000. This issue is dangerous because on an unlighted street with no accompanying traffic to provide lighting, it is almost like having no headlights at all. The dealership and Cadillac know about the issue but refuse to do anything about the problem that is due to their own faulty manufacturing.

NHTSA ID

11638625

Incident

Jan 8, 2024

Low beam headlights are very dim, failing to illuminate the roadway, even with the brightest halogen bulbs available. creates a safety hazard as driver cannot sufficiently see the road ahead, especially when meeting an oncoming vehicle. In my vehicle it is worse on the driver's side, but both are extremely dim. Vehicle is unsafe to drive at night, creating hazardous situation for this vehicle as well as oncoming traffic. I purchased this vehicle used, as is, with no knowledge of headlight issues on this make/model vehicle.

NHTSA ID

11625480

Incident

Oct 29, 2024

Purchased a 2016 Cadillac SRX a few years ago as a used car. Noticed that the headlights were extremely dim. Brought it to a Cadillac dealership and asked them to investigate it. They mentioned that they had thought there was a recall at some point regarding the lights for these cars, but it may have expired. I checked with General Motors, and they did not find a recall for these headlights for the specific vehicle make/model. The dealership told me that I could have the lights replaced, but it would cost around $200 per light. Driving this vehicle at night poses a risk and a safety hazard for me as the driver, as I cannot see the road as well as I should be able to. I often have to drive with my bright lights on to see properly. This is a real concern of mine and wanted to ask if there is anything that your organization can do to assist me with the issue. Thank you.

NHTSA ID

11614031

Incident

Sep 21, 2021

I recently had to drive at night. The low beams are so dim you cannot drive. I have to drive with the high beams. The low beams are on, but not bright enough to drive. What is the fix for this. Thanks

NHTSA ID

11603152

Incident

Jul 1, 2024

RE: 2016 Cadilliac SRX Low Beam Headlights The low beam headlights on the vehicle are extremely dim. It makes it challenging turning onto a street or intersection which does not have its own lighting or another car in the opposite lane. Due to the low visibility, I am forced to excursive judgement to ensure you are in the correct lane. My passengers have even noticed it and had other people drive the car at night with me and they said the same. I purchased the with 36,497 miles. I did speak to Cadillac prior, they knew about the issue, told me I to take it to one of the auto parties, I would have to pay for the new assembly and then send it to them to be reimbursed. At the time the estimate was around 2,200. Due to this issue try not to drive at night, especially on streets with no lights. Have you all received a lot of complaints about this head light issue? Has a recall been issued?

NHTSA ID

11595991

Incident

Jun 23, 2024

The contact owns a 2016 Cadillac SRX. The contact stated that the low-beam headlights did not provide proper illumination while driving. The contact stated that the low-beam headlights illuminated the roadway very dim, and the high-beam headlights worked as intended. As a result, the visibility of the roadway was impaired, and the high-beam headlights were needed to drive safely. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the headlight relay could be replaced; however, it might only be a temporary fix. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 102,000. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA ID

11595124

Incident

Jan 15, 2022

Mileage

102,000 mi

The headlights on my 2016 Cadillac SRX are no-longer lighting up the road. It is not the bulb, they still work but they only light up a fraction of what they did in the past. The bights light up the road great but I can't drive with them on all the time. As I searched on the internet I see this is a common issue with the reflection material failing. It has been a know issue and a recall was never issued. I can not understand why a recall isn't issued due to the safety issues related to driving at night. Is this being considered for recall - if seems unfair to force me to pay to repair something that is know to be an issue and related to safety.

NHTSA ID

11574029

Incident

Feb 26, 2024

Subject: Urgent Safety Complaint - 2016 Cadillac SRX Headlight Performance National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) Vehicle Identification Number (VIN): [XXX] Dear National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, I am writing to submit a formal safety complaint regarding a critical issue with the headlights of my 2016 Cadillac SRX. My name is [XXX] , and I believe there may be a safety-related defect in the vehicle's design or manufacturing. Despite replacing the bulbs and personally funding a comprehensive cleaning and resurfacing of the headlight covers, the performance of the headlights has significantly deteriorated. Through extensive research, I have found that numerous owners share similar concerns, indicating a potential widespread issue that may be linked to a manufacturing defect. This matter is of great concern, especially considering the safety implications associated with diminished visibility during nighttime driving. The reflective surfaces within the headlight housing appear to be degrading, affecting not only my vehicle but potentially posing a safety risk to other owners of the 2016 Cadillac SRX. As a responsible consumer and a parent of a 15-month-old child, my top priority is the safety of my family. Nighttime driving has become increasingly worrisome due to the compromised visibility, prompting me to bring this matter to the attention of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for further investigation. I kindly request the NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation to thoroughly review this safety complaint and take appropriate actions to ensure the safety of all affected consumers. I have included my contact information and relevant vehicle details for your reference. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. I trust that the NHTSA will undertake the necessary steps to investigate and address this potential safety issue promptly. Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (F

NHTSA ID

11564806

Incident

Jul 1, 2023

Head lights are very dim. When I took a vacation through Arizona and parts of Southern California where street lights were not present it was very hard and unsafe to see where I was going due to lights being so dim. Estimate to replace was so out of my budget. Don’t know what to do. Please help

NHTSA ID

11524319

Incident

Apr 5, 2003

The headlights in low beam mode no longer are bright enough to safely see or be properly seen at night. This problem is documented by many owners of this same vehicle and similar cadillac vehicles, and many videos are available on Youtube documenting this as a fact as a frequent problem by all owners. It is being ignored and needs to be addressed. There is apparently even a class action lawsuit for the 2016 SRX. A video exists that shows the problem is the inside reflective material is being burned out due to heat of the bulbs making the surface no longer reflective. Drivers end up keeping high beams on at all times which blinds other drivers and this can lead to many vehicle accidents with property damage, injury and deaths. There needs to be a recall and replacement of the entire housing and then use low heat LED bulbs or a new type reflective surface inside that will not degrade as is commonly happening. The vehicle was in this condition when I first purchased it used. I was unaware for a long time due to not driving it at night. I have now had to drive several times at night and found it to be very unsafe to use because of the headlight problems. I researched and easily found hundreds of the same complaint. How about actually do something about this and not just ignore it before someone you personally care about gets hurt because of an accident. I will be contacting the dealership but doubt they will do anything. No one wants to accept responsibilty because of the costs, but the cost of ignoring it can be very high.

NHTSA ID

11521814

Incident

May 13, 2023

Regular headlights are too dim to be seen at night and it’s verry dangerous to drive at night even after replaceing the a brighter light also happends on Cadillac ats from 2018

NHTSA ID

11521096

Incident

May 4, 2021

The contact owns a 2016 Cadillac SRX. The contact stated while driving at night she was unable to see the roadway due to the headlights not providing adequate illumination. The contact stated the TPMS warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that she used the high-beam headlights to continue driving. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer and was informed that no failure was found with the headlights. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID

11517786

Incident

Mar 22, 2023

The contact owns a 2016 Cadillac SRX. The contact stated that the headlights were dim while driving at night. The contact stated that the failure obstructed her vision while driving at night. The contact had taken the vehicle to the dealer where the failure was acknowledged; however, the vehicle was not under recall or warranty. The contact was provided an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was provided a case number. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage approximately 50,000.

NHTSA ID

11513066

Incident

Nov 1, 2022

Mileage

50,000 mi

Normal headlight illumination is insufficient and dangerous to see safely ahead. I must always use bright lights to see

NHTSA ID

11511908

Incident

Mar 15, 2023

Headlamp are so dim due to condensation that it’s so dangerous to drive at night

NHTSA ID

11510517

Incident

Mar 6, 2023

This issue involves our headlights or lack of lights. Driving the car at night on a dark expressway revealed a frightening issue. Our dim lights were so weak we couldn’t see 10 feet in front of us. We had to use our brights the entire way and took the car to be checked a few days later. We then found out Cadillac had settled a lawsuit regarding faulty lights with SRX models through 2015. They knew the 2016 models had the same lights but chose to play Russian Roulette with it’s “valued 2016 customers” . The only option we had was to spend $2,000+/- for lights (again the same lights were used) if we want to drive at night. These lights should have been recalled but Cadillac let us swing in the wind and makes us pay for their FAULTY lights. Not even an offer to split the cost for lights that will go bad again since they are the same flawed design. Definitely a safety issue and an accident waiting to happen.

NHTSA ID

11505550

Incident

Aug 14, 2022