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2018 Cadillac XTS

Gas

Large Cars
3 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

92 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns 1

Complaints2 crash reported 7

Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 22 mpg

2019 2018 2017 2016

The 2018 Cadillac XTS is sold in the U.S. as a gas large sedan with 3 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the XTS, is EPA-rated at 22 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of A. Owners have filed 7 complaints, most often about the service brakes. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Cadillac XTS — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — Cadillac XTS · Photo: Tino Rossini from Toronto, Canada · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
XTS	Gas	FWD	3.6L 6-cyl	19	28	22	$3,050
XTS AWD	Gas	AWD	3.6L 6-cyl	17	26	20	$3,350
XTS AWD	Gas	AWD	3.6L 6-cyl turbo	16	23	18	$4,550

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 39437, 39438, 39436.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
XTS	5–7 / 10	Federal Tier 3 Bin 30 / California LEV-III ULEV70 / California LEV-III SULEV30	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—
XTS AWD	5 / 10	California LEV-III ULEV70 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 70	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—
XTS AWD	3 / 10	California LEV-III ULEV125 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 125	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body style	Sedan/Saloon
Doors	4
GVWR class	Class 1: 6,000 lb or less (2,722 kg or less)

Engine Basics

Cylinders	6
Displacement	3.6 L

Fuel Economy

Fuel	Gasoline

Seating

Seat rows	2
Seating capacity	5 seats

Transmission

Drivetrain	FWD/Front-Wheel Drive
Transmission	Automatic
Transmission speeds	6

Driver assistance

Standard: Anti-lock brakes, Backup camera, Electronic stability control, Parking assist

Optional: Automatic emergency braking, Blind-spot monitoring, Forward collision warning, Lane departure warning, Lane keeping assist

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes one configuration rather than every trim (seen: Luxury). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada

Length	202.0 in
Width (body, without mirrors)	72.8 in
Height	58.3 in
Wheelbase	111.8 in
Track, front	62.2 in
Track, rear	63.0 in
Curb weight	4,006–4,215 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear	59/41

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here 2 configurations: 4-door Sedan AWD, 4-door Sedan FWD. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

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Recalls (1)

Source: NHTSA recall database

▲high

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

18279

210,628 vehicles 96% reported repaired built Apr 18, 2018 – Jun 21, 2018

Problem General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Cruze, Volt and Bolt EV vehicles, GMC Terrain vehicles, Buick Lacrosse and Regal vehicles, Cadillac XTS and XTS Professional vehicles and 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insufficient coating causing gas pockets to form, potentially reducing rear brake performance. Risk A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash. Fix GM will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the vehicle's brake system, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18279.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF

NHTSA campaign 18V576000 reported Aug 30, 2018 General Motors LLC the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Whether any of this applies to one specific XTS

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2018 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Cadillac publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Cadillac’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2018 Cadillac XTS, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

7complaints filed

2 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 0 injuries · 0 deaths reported

4.8 per 10,000 built · Cadillac reported 14,624 XTS built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2018: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2020: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2025: 1

Most-cited components

Unspecified 3

Service Brakes 2

Electrical System 1

Fuel/Propulsion System 1

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

The contact owns a 2018 Cadillac XTS. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH and attempting to depress the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The contact stated that the brakes had been previously replaced; however, the failure persisted.

Service Brakes at 51,870 miles Jun 3, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11664617

In November of 2022 I noticed that after I would fill my 2018 Cadillac with fuel that it was extremely difficult to start. This same issue I had over the previous 4 years with my 2012 Buick Lacrosse twice and each time it was a GM #12690512 Vapor canister Purge Valve each time at over $300.00 to correct the problem.

Fuel/Propulsion System Dec 27, 2022 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11499049

Infotainment center malfunctioning. Climate control, backup camera and nearly every convenience and safety feature disabled. Cadillac has attempted to fix 5 times and now says that it can not be corrected. Cadillac also acknowledges that this is a known issue. Screen pixelates and/or goes black when the vehicle is in motion

Electrical System May 16, 2020 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11324798

The contact rented a 2018 Cadillac Xts from enterprise car rental. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 15 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed however, the vehicle independently accelerated and crashed into the rear of the vehicle ahead. There were no injuries sustained. A police report was filed.

Service Brakes Jun 19, 2019 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11221251

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Cadillac itself: 2 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 5 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 14 per 100,000 built. Every XTS model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
4 DR AWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆	12%
4 DR FWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆	12%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Extended coverage on file 1 filing by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year

Term not in NHTSA’s summary · GM warranty extension 22-NA-244This warranty administration service bulletin provides information about GM Accessories - Dealer-Installed, Repaired or Replaced During Warranty Coverage Period.

The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every GM warranty extension (33) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 917

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-09-26

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 912 service bulletins, 3 service campaigns, 1 warranty extension

Most often about: Equipment, Engine, Electrical System, Unknown Or Other, Power Train.

PIT5698F Service bulletin
2026-09-26 · Unknown Or Other
This PI provides Diagnostics tips on how the LIN bus works and how to diagnosis it.
PIP4902W Service bulletin
2026-09-04 · Unknown Or Other
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
PIT5099J Service bulletin
2026-07-21 · Unknown Or Other
PI to help diagnose A/C concern
PIT3271Q Service bulletin
2026-04-01 · Unknown Or Other
This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size change is available.
PIP6104 Service bulletin
2026-03-09 · Unknown Or Other
This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a Technical Assistance Case in CX Connect.
PIP4902V Service bulletin
2026-03-09 · Unknown Or Other
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
PIP4902U Service bulletin
2026-01-08 · Unknown Or Other
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
PIT5214G Service bulletin
2025-11-20 · Unknown Or Other
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have had multiple repair attempts that are being performed on customer’s vehicles that exhibit vibration conditions without utilizing the support of General Motors Technical Assistance Center. If valid vibration frequency or Road Force Variation data has been collected and a repair attempt does no

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

Code	What it means	Most often filed under	Where it appears
P0300 P0300 on Cadillac →	Misfire detected, but not isolated to one cylinder.	Engine · Ignition coils →	13 bulletins
B3055 B3055 on Cadillac →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	9 bulletins
B3060 B3060 on Cadillac →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	9 bulletins
B3935 B3935 on Cadillac →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Electrical System · Battery →	9 bulletins
P0308 P0308 on Cadillac →	Cylinder 8 is misfiring.	Engine · Ignition coils →	7 bulletins
P050D P050D on Cadillac →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	7 bulletins
P0442 P0442 on Cadillac →	A small leak in the evaporative emissions system.	Electrical System · Gas cap →	3 bulletins
P0455 P0455 on Cadillac →	A large leak in the evaporative emissions system — often a fuel cap left off.	Electrical System · Gas cap →	3 bulletins
P2097 P2097 on Cadillac →	After the catalyst, the mixture on bank 1 is reading rich.	Fuel/Propulsion System · Fuel pump →	3 bulletins
P2099 P2099 on Cadillac →	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Fuel/Propulsion System · Fuel pump →	3 bulletins

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

New York inspections 4.1%

failed emissions

388 initial inspections of 377 vehicles.

Measure	The 2018 XTS	Every 2018 vehicle	Behind it
Failed the emissions check	4.1%	3.0%	387
Failed the safety inspection	2.8%	1.9%	388
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit	0.52%	0.22%	388
Miles driven a year	10,387	10,002	odometer at inspection
Average odometer	86,604	82,833	odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2018 vehicle” is every 2018 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

XTS by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2019 B 2 6 22 mpg 2018 this page A 1 7 22 mpg 2017 A 0 24 22 mpg 2016 A 0 22 21 mpg

Common questions about the 2018 XTS

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2018 Cadillac XTS have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 1 recall campaign for the 2018 Cadillac XTS. The most serious on file is 18V576000, covering Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2018 Cadillac XTS?

NHTSA gave the 2018 Cadillac XTS 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 5-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it A (92/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2018 Cadillac XTS?

Across the 3 EPA-rated configurations of the 2018 Cadillac XTS, the best EPA combined figure is 22 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2018 Cadillac XTS?

Transport Canada measured it at 202.0 in long, 72.8 in wide (body, without mirrors), 58.3 in tall, on a 111.8 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 4,006–4,215 lb depending on configuration. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2018 Cadillac XTS?

Owners have filed 7 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Cadillac XTS, most often about unspecified, service brakes, electrical system. Of those, 2 involved a crash. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2018 Cadillac XTS?

The EPA smog rating for the 2018 Cadillac XTS runs 3 to 7 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III SULEV30, California LEV-III ULEV125, California LEV-III ULEV70, Federal Tier 3 Bin 125, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30, Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2018 Cadillac XTS?

The manufacturer has filed 917 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2018 Cadillac XTS, most often covering equipment, engine, electrical system. The most recent is dated 2026-09-26. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2018 Cadillac XTS do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2018 Cadillac XTS failed the emissions check on 4.1% of first inspections — higher than the 3.0% for every 2018 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 2.8% (every 2018 vehicle: 1.9%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	3 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	3 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	1	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	7	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	2 tested	NHTSA NCAP	Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins	917	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	none	NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation	No defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reports	none	NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01	No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA	11 fields	NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns	What the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions	7 fields	Transport Canada, Canadian Vehicle Specifications	Length, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipment	none	Manufacturer press kit	We have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

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