2010-2015 Cadillac SRX Owners Still Battling With Headlight Problems
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Last April, a class-action lawsuit was filed in Detroit against General Motors alleging the 2010-2015 Cadillac SRX crossover came equipped with faulty headlights. That same month, GM settled in a separate class action filed over the same issue, agreeing to reimburse certain SRX owners who had paid out of pocket for headlight repairs.
Nearly a year later, GM Authority and its sister site, Cadillac Society, continue to receive messages and emails from Cadillac SRX owners complaining of the vehicle’s faulty lights. The comment section on our original story regarding the Detroit lawsuit is also a constant stream of owner complaints.
The SRX’s headlights have weather seals that may erode prematurely, which may allow moisture to enter the headlight casing and cause the bulb to flicker, dim or burn out entirely. The replacement headlights also use the same design, leading owners to experience the same issue even after paying thousands of dollars for repairs.
This was the experience of one GM Authority commenter Cristina, who says she purchased her 2014 model-year Cadillac SRX from Dimmit Cadillac in Clearwater, Florida.
“I am very disappointed with GM and the dealerships that don’t care for the customers,” she said in a December 2019 comment. “I ended up spending $2,000 to change both headlights. The dealership said they were using a new part, only to find out they put the same part, which is going to cause the same problem. I am disgusted. It is my understanding the lawsuit reached a settlement to send these letters out and the customers would have to fix on their own and submit for reimbursement. It is also my understanding there were over 60,000 vehicles involved, but very few received the letter. We need to get proactive to force GM to issue a formal recall.”
Other owners have left similar complaints with Cadillac Society. Some say they cannot drive their vehicles at night due to the reduced headlight performance, but Cadillac’s warranty would still not pay for a fix. Another customer said that driving the vehicle has become so dangerous, they have instructed their family to sue Cadillac for wrongful death if the vehicle’s poor lighting results in a fatal accident.
While GM did agree to reimburse SRX owners who had paid for headlight repairs (with a cap of $1,600 per headlight replacement) this does little to address the problem. Without a formal fix or recall, 2010-2015 SRX owners will have to continue to grapple with flickering and/or dim headlights.
Subscribe to GM Authority for more Cadillac SRX news and Cadillac news as this story develops in the coming weeks and months.
This report was written in collaboration with our sister publication, Cadillac Society.
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Can’t see to drive, headlights, they will not pay for repair, this is a defect in the car! No happy customer, will never purchase another . called GM, they offered 15% discount and free oil change for a problem they know about, this should be a re-call .
Please File a complaint at NHTSA.gov we need to force a recall on GM!
Got the letter in March 2020 during the pandemic. Have to let GM do the work or they won’t reimburse. I’m not signing off on a letter once fixed that they bear no responsibility after the initial. I refuse to pay upfront which doesn’t matter much as it’s November 2020 and the parts are still on Backorder. I want to know what is causing this issue. Why it’s not a recall. I want in writing that the issue will not happen again. I wrote to the Attorney General as it’s a safety hazard for Riads and Highway’s. Now front blinker is out. I hope you all do the same.
The number on the letter is to an attorneys office, whom just tells you the same rigamaroe! This is insane and they need to be held responsible!
Dear General Motors, maker of 2016 Cadillac SRX. As noted in several accounts and with purchasers of your vehicle there seems to be an on-going problem with your defective headlights. Please note this is my husband’s car, and I myself am afraid to drive in it after dark or have him drive in the dusk hours. It truly does not provide light at all as the illumination to light the street in front is minimal. Another note you will be sued for gross negligence if there is any type of incident/accident that results from your lack of addressing the matter at hand with faulty headlights and NO RECALL or reimbursement to date for the replacement.
SHARING….
Maybe there’s hope … I got the letter in April, took the car into a dealership in May, had the work done (~$1450) in July due to backordered headlights, filed the paperwork in early August, called and actually got thru twice, was told each time they had everything they needed and it just took awhile to process the checks, they called me last week and said they mailed a check … and I finally got it yesterday 11/30. I deposited it right away, if I don’t update again it cleared 😉 … Good luck to all those still fighting with them. I will never buy another Cadillac, and doubtful any GM car for that matter … They could not have handled this any worse … hopefully I’ll get rid of this car before it happens again.
Several articles state that the new headlights eventually cause the same issues. Apparently the replacement headlights were not tweaked to fix the problem. Good luck though!
Yes I’ve read that but mines a 2012 … so hoping they last until I get rid of it, which shouldn’t be to much longer.
Has everyone reported their issue to NHTSA.gov? I wonder how effective that would be? I’m at wits end and honestly do not have the extra money to front the cost of replacing their defective headlights!
I just reported my complaint to the NHTSA. It didn’t take but a few minutes.
Don’t give up!!! Had my lights replaced in March and promptly submitted the claim. Finally received reimbursement this week, almost 9 months. It took many calls and lots of promises and its been a headache, was actually surprised when the check finally came.
Everyone, please take a few minutes to file a complaint at https://www.nhtsa.gov/
You will need the VIN from the affected vehicle. Maybe we can force a recall on this issue because this is absolutely unacceptable for GM to not take responsibility and do what’s right!
I took my car to the dealer on March 5th. Waited over 6 months for the to get the parts. They didn’t do anything until I contacted a GM customer care rep. After a few conversations with Rocky. Who told me he would work on my issue. I told him that I was forced to operate my car in unsafe conditions due to their failure. I told him that my family was instructed to contact an attorney immediately if I was involved in an accident at a time when the lights should be on. I also requested transcripts or recordings of all our communications as was my legal right to have. He stated that their legal team would have to be consulted in order to provide the records. I told him to get them on the phone. He said he would follow up with me. He followed up a couple days later and believe it or not the parts were on the way to the dealer. I got the work done and just deposited my reimbursement check yesterday. I am so happy to end this ordeal. I don’t expect to ever purchase a GM product again. Good luck to all who are still dealing with this GM cluster.
I have tried to call so many numbers that are supposed to be GM customer care and they acted clueless to even the issues of the defective headlights. I have been getting the run around since March. I sent receipts from the work done on my 2010 SRX. months and months passed and the few of MANY times I called and got through they gave me different answers. One said it was approved and to wait a certain time for reimbursement check to come or to call back if check does not come. Check never came. Hard to get in touch with them. I later got a letter and it said I was not approved safter-all because they could verify VIN, which they had before, and they said some rhetoric that I gave to my mechanic who really didn’t understand either what they say the problem is with the receipt. I just seems like this GM reimbursement is a scam and worse is I can’t get anyone to help me. I will try the suggestions you guys gave in contacting Attorney General and NHTSA.gov. I want to go to the Media about this. i can’t afford a lawyer.
Go to [email protected] Administrator.com
Is any one interested in trying to get a class action lawsuit in Texas. I spoke to Rocky and the manager at the Cadilliac dealership yesterday they offered to pay for half the repair and I pay for the other half . I did not accept that deal I do not feel I should pay anything it is not my issue. He said that GM claims to be out of money and unable to do anything to help. I asked if they were waiting for someone to get killed and he said he understood that had already happened. The original lawsuit was out of Florida. I am
Looking to get one in Texas.
I’m curious. After spending all the money for new headlight assemblies at your Cadillac dealer, was the dim headlight issue solved?
I have 2015 srx
My head light is so dim that I can hardly see if it is on. I called dealer today and I was told that there was a reimbursement. However, it had ended some months ago. Now replacing the light will cost me about 2000 dollars.
What shall I do?
I have been fighting for 21 days and as far as I can get is they pay half and I am not going to
Do that I want to start a class action law suit
I have a 2015 Cadillac SRX. The headlight is so dimmed now that I can hardly see if it is on at night. I called Cadillac dealer but they said there was a reimbursement that ends several months ago. Unfortunately, I did not get any notice for this reimbursement. Now since I missed the reimbursement, I have to pay for the repairing myself. I was told the repairing cost is around $2000.
What shall I do in this situation?
I had to take mine to a mom and pop mechanic and it was ALOT cheaper. Put it this way for two headlights you could pay around $1000.
Well, Thanks for all of the info! I definitely will not be buying a new GM product EVER!
This is why it should be a recall and not a reimbursement especially since it’s not offered anymore?!! I mean people do buy these cars used and do not even know about the issue at this point! So these poor people wouldn’t even have the chance to get a reimbursement! GM is despicable!
Agree. I just purchased my 2015 this summer from Carmax. I called their corporate office and informed them that they were selling X 2010-2015 SRXs on their site and they had better ensure that they all had the headlamps replaced or they are selling a faulty vehicle. Showed them the lawsuit and demanded they pay to replace my lights. They did. I’m out of a few hundred but I’m not going to fuss about it.
I was (depends on how you look at it) fortunate enough to receive a letter for the replacement reimbursement. I was the first in west Michigan to get them replaced under this reimbursement program. I have sent emails, left voicemails, sent all the paperwork certified, and have yet to get reimbursed or hear anything from them.
my girl friend was driving last winter with no illumination at all from the low beam lights , found out the lens in the middle of the light was fogged out creating what was equivalent to cataracts in a human ( you can not see ) . she received the letter of reimbursement from GENERAL MOTORS , she had paid $1600.00 for another set of lights , no where on the letter from GENERAL MOTORS did it say it the repair had to be done at a dealership , in fact (she went to the dealership she bought it from in Mass, HERB CHAMBERS OF LYNNFEID , THE SERVICE WRITER SAID HE WOULD BRING OUT ANOTHER 2015 SRX AND SHE COULD COMPARE THE LIGHTS , TOLD HER SHE WAS LOOKING AT $4000,00 FOR TWO LIGHTS INSTALLED , she ended up having the lights installed else where , sent in the letter and was told it had to be done at a dealer or no payment ,
several items have failed and very little was covered by the dealership where it was purchased , she is looking to by a new vehicle in the spring . most likely a LEXUS or INFINITY , never again a GM PRODUCT
Does anyone know how we can escalate this issue? I have the same problem. I received a letter regarding the law suit. Notified my daughter, who is driving the vehicle, in NYC, so she could manage the repair. Due to Covid, being a health care professional in infectious disease, working in NYC during the pandemic it took her time to get to a repair shop. When she was able to look into this, she was told that this was a “scam.” She is not able to drive her vehicle at night because of absolutely no visibility. She is safer working front lines in the pandemic than driving her Cadillac SRX at night. I have been on the phone with Cadillac Customer Service too many times to keep track of with no success. I was given a $100 voucher that won’t even cover the cost of the diagnostics, that is required. I will never buy a Cadillac, or possibly a GM, again.