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2013 Cadillac SRX problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

NO ELEVATED SIGNAL
30%
51 of 172 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2013 Cadillac SRX. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 30% of relevant complaints.

Better than 71% of the 1,789 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 221 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 13%).

NHTSA data checked October 3, 2026
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Does the 2013 Cadillac SRX have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 51 of 172 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2013 Cadillac SRX concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (30%). For comparison, the 2012 scores 17% and the 2014 scores 23%. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
51
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
393
this model year
Fires reported
5
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
5
15 crashes · 21 injuries

Complaints by component

EXTERIOR LIGHTING217 · 55%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM52 · 13%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER37 · 9%
POWER TRAIN31 · 8%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL25 · 6%
ENGINE17 · 4%

The years either side

2010
43%
103 of 474
2011
26%
62 of 446
2012
17%
28 of 416
2013
30%
51 of 393
2014
23%
27 of 390
2015
19%
26 of 442
2016
14%
9 of 168
2017
no data
2018
no data
2019
too few complaints
2020
no data
2021
no data
2022
no data
2023
no data

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

What owners reported

POWER TRAIN07/30/2014CRASH1 INJURED
2013 CADILLAC SRX. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ACCELERATION PROBLEMS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED HE WAS INVOLVED IN HEAD-ON COLLISION, TWO DAYS PRIOR TO RECEIVING THE RECALL NOTICE, REGARDING A 3-4 SECOND LAG IN ACCELERATION. THE CONSUMER WAS INJURED AND THE VEHICLE HAD SIGNIFICANT FRONTAL DAMAGE. THE CONSUMER STATE…
ENGINE06/09/2025
I am having transmission problems. My transmission accelerates late.
POWER TRAIN03/08/2025CRASH
Two incidents of the same failure, although a few years apart. Vehicle placed in "Park" (foot on the brake, which is necessary in order to shift into P); when brake pedal released, vehicle suddenly revs and lurches forward. First time, in garage, and so minor damage except to items in garage; second time 3/7/2025, to…

Three of 51 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Recall campaigns on the 2013 Cadillac SRX (5)

SUSPENSION:REAR
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2010-2015 Cadillac SRX vehicles manufactured April 14, 2009, to September 1, 2014, and 2011-2012 Saab 9-4X vehicle…
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Cadillac SRX vehicles manufactured May 29, 2012, through June 26, 2013, and equipped with 3.6L engines. In t…
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Buick LaCrosse vehicles, manufactured between April 25, 2012, through March 6, 2013, and model year 2013 Cadillac…

This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.

Before you buy a 2013 Cadillac SRX

Questions people ask about the 2013 Cadillac SRX

Does the 2013 Cadillac SRX have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 51 of 172 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2013 Cadillac SRX concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (30%). It describes the model year, not any one car, so an inspection still matters.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2013 Cadillac SRX?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns on the 2013 Cadillac SRX. Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.

Which Cadillac SRX years are better?

Among the Cadillac SRX years we track, the 2016 (14%), the 2012 (17%) and the 2015 (19%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2013 (30%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car.

Should I buy a 2013 Cadillac SRX?

That depends on the car in front of you, not just the model year. The 2013 Cadillac SRX shows no elevated engine or transmission pattern in owner complaints, which is a good starting point. It is still one car with its own history, so get an independent pre-purchase inspection and a vehicle history report before you commit.

Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.