The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched an investigation into General Motors over alleged issues with the rearview camera in certain Cadillac XT5, XT6 and GMC Acadia crossover models.
The federal safety watchdog said this week that it had received 11 complaints regarding faulty rearview cameras in affected GM crossover models and is also aware of one reported crash tied to the problem. Owners of affected vehicles say the infotainment screen will appear black when it should be showing the image from the rear-facing camera, or may show a red triangle and a circle with a line through it. The investigation covers approximately 190,151 vehicles.
NHTSA’s website shows a handful of complaints related to the backup cameras in affected vehicle models. One complaint received from a Cadillac XT6 owner on June 24th, 2022 alleges the rearview camera is “intermittently non-functional when placed in reverse gear,” and shows a “red triangle and red camera icon,” on the screen, along with “a circle and slash through it.”
“There have been multiple complaints about this serious problem on the Cadillac Owners Forum,” the Cadillac XT6 owner said in their complaint. “I make deliveries to senior citizens’ homes (Meals on Wheels) with this car and need my backup camera to work. I no longer feel safe driving this car. I have contacted my dealership (Lafontaine Cadillac in Highland, Mich.) and they will not accommodate a service appointment and supply a loaner car until July 22, 2022.”
A photo of the black screen issue from a GM TSB document
A GM service bulletin for this issue published in May of last year indicates the problem may be related to a wiring connection and suggests technicians replace an associated coaxial cable in affected vehicles. The earliest TSB for this issue was first published in December of 2020, indicating GM has known about the issue for roughly a year and a half. An official safety recall for this problem has not yet been issued by GM.
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Comments
Oh my….my backup camera doesn’t work and I cannot drive my car. I wouldn’t want to have to use my mirrors or turn my head to back up. Yes an annoyance, but certainly not a problem that I wouldn’t feel safe driving the car.
I think the delivery person is driving in reverse. What they really need is a reading lesson to recognize the difference between letters “R” and “D”.
“R” means Race, doesn’t it???
I had this issue for a year in my XT6 when I bought it. As I had 2 young children in car seats, it wasn’t as easy as you sarcastically make it out to be. If I pay $65k for a car, I expect the damn rearview camera to be working off the dealer lot. It literally started having issues within 2 weeks and the runaround (until I forced them to fix it the way I instructed them to – with my lemon lawyer in tow) was unacceptable. But sure, comment like you know something. 11 complaints is just people that gave a damn to complain, I didn’t even with this frustration. This issue is all over user groups on FB, etc. I bet there are thousands of cars with this issue. It has to do with a specific harness issue and they avoided a recall because they were short on the replacement wiring harness and it took a lot of time to replace.
I have a 2023 XT6 and when it is in the night mode ,it is very hard to see the display in reverse. The dealer saw the issue and tried to fix it but couldn’t. So now the dealer and Cadillac say “it is working as designed” even though there is an issue. Cadillac support rep even had the nerve to tell me it is working as designed and If I feel there is an issue just use the rearview mirror
Agree!
“I make deliveries to senior citizens’ homes (Meals on Wheels) with this car and need my backup camera to work. I no longer feel safe driving this car.
Holy Crap! Don’t people get taught how to drive anymore??? I learned how to drive on an old truck with manual steering, manual brakes, & manual transmission with only one mirror on the driver’s door, and a rearview mirror… Oh, almost forgot, a seat spring poking up into my ass.
You learn QUICKLY how to back up, remember manual steering. You learn quickly how to shoulder check, use the mirrors, judge distances, etc.
Now cars are being held up from delivery because they are missing a “chip” to automatically back up or parallel park your new, still undelivered, car.
Thank God, for the rest of us, that the car is yet not delivered, It would give these new car owners a chance to really learn how to drive a vehicle.
Years and specific models please Have a 2017 XT 5. AWD. No issues with my camera still far.
I make deliveries to senior citizens’ homes (Meals on Wheels) with this car and need my backup camera to work. I no longer feel safe driving this car.
What a bunch of crap. Wonder what the safety level was a few years ago when there were no rear cameras?
I have a Buick SUV with same problem, cost me $1200 bucks to fix.
Tom, what was the fix?
My husband has a 2020 Silverado. Has done the very same thing repeatedly. It’s not about not being able to back a vehicle up….it’s about the money you worked hard to earn to buy a vehicle with a convenient feature. Considering how much we spend on vehicles now, all the damn features better work properly, and if they don’t….time to reconsider buying this manufacturers products, can get a lot for a trade right now. Something to consider. Maybe I’ll buy a Toyota.
When you pay the amount being charged for these vehicles you expect things to work or be fixed promptly. Although backup cameras are relatively new, they are a safety feature. Many folks have problems seeing things in the area directly behind the bumper of a large car that is high off the ground. Rear view mirrors do not show you this area. The camera largely resolves this issue so when it stops working it is not only annoying, it can be dangerous if you don’t look directly behind before getting in the car and backing up. A few days ago we watched a woman across the street from us almost back over a small child on a tricycle because she couldn’t see him. A working camera would have helped avoid this altogether..
Just noticed this on a certified 2021 Cadillac XT6 I bought a week ago. I hope there is a solution. This is a huge safety issue. When off the cross traffic doesn’t work and person / child pedestrian. I noticed it not picking up sensors as well. Please advise if not a solution. This was one of the main reasons to purchase this car. I’ll have to talk to some execs I worked with at GM if not some kind of fix.
Its not just caddies and buicks, my C8 vette has the same issue and i reported it to the NTSB as well.
Have a 2023 xt5. When park in garage and start car camera clear.As soon as drive out of garage camera goes dark. I was told to wait 30 sec for it to clear up.
Tried that up to 1 min still dark.What I do is put it into drive camera clears up then back into reverse and it stays clear.Phoned cadillac canada was told oh oh first time heard of this??
Went to dealer said same thing!! Asked do you have any xt in stock tried it on new car in stock quess what?? Same thing happened.
One day cadillac will wake up and fix problem.It’s not that cadillac does not know about problem it’s just have not had time to figure out how to fix it.
Told wife if it happens and you run over somone just get out and say oh oh so sorry camera doesn’t work can you phone cadillac and ask them what the problem is then jump in car and drive way.
Just slam into drive and back to reverse and all will be fine.
Or wait till change car and the problem becomes their problem.
2024 xt6 took 20 minutes to back out my 10-foot driveway automatic brakes kept locking up every foot camera saw something that wasn’t there
Cadillac’s answer TURN IT OFF IN OPTIONS my question why is my $75,000 not able to give me one of the safety devices that sold me on the car
JUST turn it off ridicules