2016 Cadillac SRX problems (you won’t want one after reading this)

Rich in luxury and safety features, the Cadillac SRX is a midsize luxury SUV that really impressed me the first time I drove one. Nonetheless, as tempting as it may be, the 2016 SRX had a long list of problems that are worth investigating if you’re thinking about buying one. Once you understand those issues, it’ll make better sense as to why GM discontinued it shortly thereafter.

What kinds of problems exactly? Well, the touchscreen display (and the entire electrical system) was notoriously buggy and prone to malfunctioning. Not only that, the SRX’s fuel economy has been a royal pain for many owners since it didn’t exactly live up to what GM said it was capable of.

The most common 2016 Cadillac SRX problems are listed below. My apologies if what I’m about to tell you kills any enthusiasm you may have for putting one of these things in your driveway.

Does the 2016 Cadillac SRX have a lot of problems?

Yes. Yes, it does. Based on all the research I’ve done, here are the most commonly reported problems concerning the 2016 Cadillac SRX:

The infotainment screen delaminates (and malfunctions)

The infotainment system utilizes a capacitive touchscreen made up of many layers placed together in addition to a glass substrate, sensing electronics, and a protective film. These layers notoriously separate or delaminate, which results in a touchscreen full of air bubbles on the surface, spider cracks all over the place, and even dead spots.

• Not only does the infotainment screen tend to become delaminated, many owners have reported cracks appearing out of nowhere. As expected, this makes it extremely difficult or simply impossible to use.
• The problem is likely the result of poor interlayer bonding in the screen during manufacturing.
• There have been many lawsuits concerning this problem. Frustratingly enough, this hasn’t resulted in any solutions to this problem (yet).
• Even if it doesn’t entirely malfunction, haze and spider cracks make the screen challenging to read.

The fact that you can only access the radio, HVAC, and other integral controls through the touch screen display compounds the frustration of this problem. 

Front turn signal and DRL failure

The daytime running light bulbs, as well as the front turn signals, tend to fail prematurely. What’s more, these light bulbs can be hard to find and challenging to replace. Good luck doing it on your own if you don’t have the right tools.

The interior is incredibly uncomfortable

Many owners have complained and reported that the headrest is in an inconvenient position. I can agree with this, as it’s one of the biggest complains I had when I drove one of these. I never in a million years would have thought that it would be one of the biggest complaints of my 2016 Cadillac SRX review.

Furthermore, there have been reports from owners stating that there is not enough leg space. Of course, this all depends on how tall you are. For what’s it’s worth, I’m 5′-11″, and I didn’t have any issues.

Also, the front seat is said to be harder than one would expect for a luxury vehicle of this caliber. This is something that I didn’t have a problem with either.

I can’t fault Cadillac for making an uncomfortable mid-sized SUV though. It seems to be a common complaint in this type of vehicle.

Malfunctioning sunroof

Owners of the SRX have frequently reported a grinding noise that occurs when operating the sunroof. Such noise is a known sign for the failure of the sunroof motor. A deteriorating motor can make a grinding noise, eventually leading to the sunroof being completely inoperable.

The most common reason for this failure is dust becoming lodged between the rubber seal and the metal panel. Extreme weather (like heavy rain and cold / hot temperatures) is another reason.

The 2016 SRX that I drove had sunroof issues. I drove through a heavy rainstorm at highway speeds for approximately 10 minutes, and I heard a lot of water sloshing around in the track for days afterwards.

It should also be noted that leaky sunroofs are a common issue in vehicles that have them. 

Bad fuel economy

The 2016 SRX gets 17 mpg in the city, 24 mpg on the highway, and 19 combined for front-drive models. With all-drive, the numbers decrease to 16-23-18 mpg respectively. These are lower numbers than what GM had advertised, and as you can imagine, it left a lot of owners feeling miffed.

Steering wheel position sensor failure

There have been reports among some SRX owners saying that the steering wheel position sensors fail (repeatedly). The steering wheel and its position sensor are a very important part of the vehicle’s StabiliTrak Electronic Stability Assist system. When it fails, it cam make the vehicle difficult to control.

If the loss of control isn’t annoying (and dangerous) enough, you’ll see a full array of warning lights on the dashboard telling you that there’s a problem. Basically, it’s the kind of problem that’s impossible to ignore.

How reliable is the 2016 Cadillac SRX?

Look. The 2016 SRX is not one of GM’s finest creations. Yes, it looks nice. I actually think it drives really nice too. But like it is with many General Motors cars from this time period, faulty electronics are something that you’ll constantly be fighting.

• The reliability rating sits at about 3.5 out of 5, making the SRX 7th on the list of 14 other midsize luxury SUVs. So it’s not totally a piece of garbage.
• It costs around $700 a year (on average) for maintenance and repairs.
• While the frequency of service repairs is average, they tend to be more costly than other makes and models.
• There are far worse SUVs from General Motors in terms of overall reliability. My summary of Buick Encore problems is decent proof of that.

How many miles will a 2016 Cadillac SRX last?

The 2016 Cadillac SRX has an expected life expectancy of 150,000 miles. Of course, this is only an estimate, and what you’ll get out of yours depends on things like how well it’s maintained (as well as the environment it’s driven in).

For maximum longevity, stay on top of the recommended maintenance procedures!  

• Change the oil at 10,000 or every 12 months.
• Get the power steering, coolant, and transmission fluids checked every 5,000 miles or every six months.
• Have components such as the serpentine belts, air and cabin filters, and the timing chain inspected every 6-12 months.

Why was the Cadillac SRX discontinued?

There was not a specific reason released by General Motors as to why they discontinued making the Cadillac SRX after the 2016 model year. I’m hardly privy to insider information, but I’m willing to bet one of the main reasons was because it was a total piece of junk. That’s just my opinion anyway.

The less-sexy answer: low sales figures and the overall lack of customer satisfaction are the likely culprits for the sudden end t0 production. It’s long list of problems certainly didn’t help it, nor did the completion.

Recalls

As shocking as it may sound, there has only been one recall for the 2016 Cadillac SRX. 

Anyway, the SRX recall was due to faulty suspension components (the rear suspension toe link can potentially loosen and separate):

• A loose or disengaged toe link could eventually separate and increase the chances of a crash due to loss of control. That’s not good.
• This problem was caused by corrosive elements such as road salt, which can loosen the threading inside of the toe link, causing damage. If the jam nut is not torqued correctly, it can also make the part looser than it should be.

Check here to see if your specific SRX was impacted by this recall.