2021 Cadillac XT6 Problems

I noticed a water sloshing sound behind the dash when first starting out for about a month. I didn’t get any warning lights or notice anything leaking under the car but when I checked under the hood the coolant reservoir was empty. I made appointment at GM dealership and they found I had a leak along the side seam of my radiator. The car only has 61k miles! I found online that GM has noted a structural design issue in my XT6. The radiators were engineered with tight thermal break tabs. If they stay locked in place they trap immense physical stress during engine heat cycles and force leaks along the seams. This appears to be what happened. If it had occurred while we were on a trip and totally failed while on a highway, I can imagine the result could have been catastrophic. I have contacted GM.

DTC P0128 engine coolant thermostat to open at a lower temperature than intended. The Check Engine Light appeared, a Steering warning appeared on my information screen, and the engine cooling fan continued to run excessively after turning off. I understand there is a Special Coverage N252508350 for this exact issue, however, GM is refusing to cover the cost of repairs.

The contact owns a 2021 Cadillac XT6. The contact stated that while reversing, the rear-view camera intermittently displayed a blank image. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure and informed the contact that the contact had to pay for the rear-view camera software update. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V709000 (Back Over Prevention). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 33,000.

RECALL FOR CABLE FOR VISION SYSTEM REPAIRED 5/28/2025. ON 6/29/25 SAME ISSUES OCCURED. TOOK TO DEALER 7/18/25. DEALER CONFIRMED CABLE REPLACED. ATTEMPTED TO REPROGRAM VIDEO PROCESSING CENTER SEVERAL TIMES ( I WAS AT DEALER 7 HOURS). DEALER INDICATED THAT THE VIDEO PROCESSING CONTROL MODULE IS NOT ACCEPTING RE-PROGRAMMING. INDCATED THAT PART MUST BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $973.00. SYMBOLS APPEARED ON DASHBOARD SCREEN : TRIANGLE WITH EXCAMATION POINT, AND BOX WITH "X" THRU A CAMERA. CAR IS DIFFICULT TO SEE OUT OF WHEN BACKING DUE TO PILLAR PLACEMENT IN REAR. RELY ON CAMERA(S) ON 4 SIDES OF CAR TO SEE WHAT IS GOING ON. I SEE THAT SEVERAL OTHER GM MODELS HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM.

On September 15,2026, my vehicle experienced a catastrophic los of power steering assist accompanied by severe heavy steering. Please review General Motors TSB 20-NA-215 & TSB 17-NA-158 both addressing this issue. My 2021 vehicle has a build date of September 19, 2020 which falls "directly" in the time frame covered by these bulletins. Essentially, General Motors KNEW of the problem! The only warning I got was a two second message flashing across the instrument panel stating "Power assist reduced, drive with caution" ... followed by "Service Power steering" Then severe loss of steering!! Again, General Motors KNEW of this problem! Ultimately, the Power steering Gear assembly was replaced at a cost of approximately $3800. I was almost KILLED in heavy traffic because of this failure !!!

Cadillac XT6 – VIN: [XXX] echanical Failures, Ignored Transmission Recall(s), and Dealer Negligence I write this letter to formally place General Motors Company on notice of a pattern of serious mechanical failures, ignored safety recalls, and dealership indifference involving my Cadillac XT6, referenced above. This vehicle has been presented to Sam Leman Cadillac of Champaign on multiple occasions for mechanical issues, including—but not limited to—cooling system failures, thermostat defects, persistent check-engine warnings, and abnormal vehicle operation. Service records confirm repeated interventions, temporary fixes, and diagnostic acknowledgments without meaningful long-term resolution. More alarming, however, is the dealership’s failure to appropriately address and disclose known transmission recalls and other safety recalls applicable to this vehicle. Despite GM’s documented awareness of widespread transmission issues affecting similarly situated vehicles, the dealership elected to either minimize, ignore, or defer corrective action—placing convenience and cost avoidance above consumer safety. This conduct raises serious concerns, including: •Failure to act on known manufacturer defects •Failure to honor GM’s recall and safety obligations •Repeated return of a vehicle to service despite unresolved defects •A pattern of repairs that suggests systemic failure, not isolated incidents •Improper shifting of financial responsibility to the consumer for manufacturer-caused defects Consumers do not purchase Cadillac vehicles with the expectation of serving as unpaid beta testers for unresolved engineering flaws. Nor should they be forced to navigate a maze of denials and deflections when defects arise that GM already knows exist. This is not a maintenance issue—it is a manufacturer and dealer accountability issue. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Your site shows no recalls. I got a recall for a repair I had to have done a few months ago. I just got the recall notice from GM, but when I called to inquire about a reimbursement, they state the recall was released in 10/2025. Even though your site says there was no recall at the time.

Car started and ran at idle for 5 minutes. 10 minutes later when attempting to restart, the engine churned for several seconds then ran for about 2 seconds and cut out. "Press to Start" button remained showing green and would not respond to being pressed. The car was stationary in my garage; this would have been extremely dangerous if it happened on the highway. It seems to be a complete failure of the fuel system on a 2021 model with under 27,000 miles

DTC P0128 engine coolant thermostat to open at a lower temperature than intended. The Check Engine Light appeared, a Steering warning appeared on my information screen, and the engine cooling fan continued to run excessively after turning off. I understand there is a Special Coverage N252508350 for this exact issue, however, GM is refusing to cover the cost of repairs.

On September 15,2026, my vehicle experienced a catastrophic los of power steering assist accompanied by severe heavy steering. Please review General Motors TSB 20-NA-215 & TSB 17-NA-158 both addressing this issue. My 2021 vehicle has a build date of September 19, 2020 which falls "directly" in the time frame covered by these bulletins. Essentially, General Motors KNEW of the problem! The only warning I got was a two second message flashing across the instrument panel stating "Power assist reduced, drive with caution" ... followed by "Service Power steering" Then severe loss of steering!! Again, General Motors KNEW of this problem! Ultimately, the Power steering Gear assembly was replaced at a cost of approximately $3800. I was almost KILLED in heavy traffic because of this failure !!!

Front brake vibration, alarming grinding/rubbing/screeching sound each and every time service brakes are applied. Dealer claims this is a known GM problem with no fix available. I have purchased two Cadillacs Xt6 and Xt5 May 2021. Both vehicles have the same problem. Wife will not drive the new Cadillac. Service bulletin published sbout this same problem, December 2020. Still no resolution, June 2021.

Cadillac XT6 – VIN: [XXX] echanical Failures, Ignored Transmission Recall(s), and Dealer Negligence I write this letter to formally place General Motors Company on notice of a pattern of serious mechanical failures, ignored safety recalls, and dealership indifference involving my Cadillac XT6, referenced above. This vehicle has been presented to Sam Leman Cadillac of Champaign on multiple occasions for mechanical issues, including—but not limited to—cooling system failures, thermostat defects, persistent check-engine warnings, and abnormal vehicle operation. Service records confirm repeated interventions, temporary fixes, and diagnostic acknowledgments without meaningful long-term resolution. More alarming, however, is the dealership’s failure to appropriately address and disclose known transmission recalls and other safety recalls applicable to this vehicle. Despite GM’s documented awareness of widespread transmission issues affecting similarly situated vehicles, the dealership elected to either minimize, ignore, or defer corrective action—placing convenience and cost avoidance above consumer safety. This conduct raises serious concerns, including: •Failure to act on known manufacturer defects •Failure to honor GM’s recall and safety obligations •Repeated return of a vehicle to service despite unresolved defects •A pattern of repairs that suggests systemic failure, not isolated incidents •Improper shifting of financial responsibility to the consumer for manufacturer-caused defects Consumers do not purchase Cadillac vehicles with the expectation of serving as unpaid beta testers for unresolved engineering flaws. Nor should they be forced to navigate a maze of denials and deflections when defects arise that GM already knows exist. This is not a maintenance issue—it is a manufacturer and dealer accountability issue. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)