AI Damage2006 Cadillac XLR: common problems
Owners of the 2006 Cadillac XLR filed 9 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 9
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 33% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 22% of all complaints
- 3 Equipment 11% of all complaints
- 4 Fuel/propulsion system 11% of all complaints
- 5 Latches, locks, linkages 11% of all complaints
- 6 Steering 11% of all complaints
- 7 Structure 11% of all complaints
- 8 Tires 11% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 3 complaints (33% of all).
- Electrical system: 2 complaints (22% of all).
- Equipment: 1 complaints (11% of all).
- Fuel/propulsion system: 1 complaints (11% of all).
- Latches, locks, linkages: 1 complaints (11% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 4.4 L · petrol · turbo · 8 cyl
- 4.6 L · petrol · 8 cyl
- automatic, 5-speed
- automatic, 6-speed
Drive: RWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 9 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Driving at steady 45 mph then the rear of the car surged sharply to the left.I gained control but the the service stabletrak warning and the traction control off light came one
Driving at 45mph then the car surged to the left. I got control then in service stable traction warning and traction control off light appeared
2006 cadillac xlr roadster. Consumer writes in regards to defective electric door release buttons.
As a result I was trapped in my car for two hours because of a dead battery. There are no safety features that allowed me to open the door. I was in my driveway and luckily after screaming at a guest of my neighbors, my neighbor came over and jump my battery and I was able to open the door.
I replaced my front hubs on 12/29/2015 and less then 4 months later they needed replacing again. Is their a manufacturer defect in the hubs and what would be the cause of the failure..
Check engine light coming on (dating back to 2009; was told then by cadillac service advisor that my gas cap was loose). Problem has gotten worse over time to the point where I can no longer park the car in my garage or ride in the vehicle without windows rolled down.
While backing out of a parking spot I placed car in reverse and it backed up as it should. When I placed gear in forward and stepped on accelerator the car still went rearward almost striking another vehicle. At that point vehicle only had reverse and needed to be towed for shift cable replacement.
Fax request assistance with gmac, company refuses to buy back defective vehicle . The vehicle is equipped with run flat tire therefore it is not equipped with a spare. The vehicle also isn't equipped with a jack or a place to store a spare.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 11,366 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 31% most complained about).
On average one model year of the XLR has 13 complaints (6 years in the data). This year has 9, below average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Latches, locks, linkages. Door, hood and tailgate latches, especially near the impact.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2006 Cadillac XLR?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, electrical system, equipment. Total complaints: 9. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: unintended acceleration (22%), warning lights, check engine (22%), windows, sunroof (22%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2006 Cadillac XLR?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2006 Cadillac XLR from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2006 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.