The 2004 Cadillac Xlr has 4 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 74,766 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 45 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the structure. Last updated July 5, 2026.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE DAYLIGHT RUNNING LIGHTS (DRL), TURN SIGNAL, AND PARKING LAMPS USE THE SAME BULB. THE BULB MAY BECOME DAMAGED FROM VIBRATION WITHIN A LOOSE FITTING SOCKET OR AIR ENTERING THE BULB DUE TO AN INADEQUATE SEAL. BOTH OF THESE CONDITIONS WILL CAUSE THE BULB TO BURN OUT PREMATURELY.
Consequence
IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR, THE DRIVER WOULD NOTICE THAT THE ARROW IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WOULD FLASH FASTER THAN NORMAL WHEN THE TURN SIGNAL IS ACTIVATED. THE LOSS OF THE DRL AND TURN SIGNALS COULD FAIL TO WARN OTHERS OF THE DRIVER'S PRESENCE OR INTENTIONS AND COULD LEAD TO A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SOCKET AND BULB IN BOTH LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 31, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339.
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 124, 'ACCELERATOR CONTROL SYSTEMS.' IF ONE OF THE TWO ACCELERATOR PEDAL RETURN SPRINGS FAILS AND THE TEMPERATURE IS -22 DEGREES F TO -40 DEGREES F, THE ENGINE MAY NOT RETURN TO IDLE WITHIN THREE SECONDS, AS…
Consequence
IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR, GREATER BRAKE PEDAL FORCE AND A LONGER DISTANCE MAY BE REQUIRED TO STOP THE VEHICLE.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ASSEMBLY. THIS RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 8, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339 OR PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC04V5250002004-11-035,225 affected
Defect
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED WITH ONE OR BOTH REAR BRAKE HYDRAULIC LINES THAT CAN COME IN CONTACT WITH OR BE AFFECTED BY HEAT FROM THE LEFT ENGINE EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND THE LEFT EXHAUST PIPE. THE BRAKE FLUID COULD REACH ELEVATED TEMPERATURES AND BOIL.
Consequence
IF THE BRAKE FLUID BOILS IN A REAR BRAKE LINE, THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE REAR BRAKE SYSTEM WOULD BE REDUCED WHICH COULD RESULT IN A BRAKE LINE LEAK AND LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID. IF ENOUGH FLUID LEAKS FROM THE REAR BRAKE SYSTEM SO THAT BRAKE PEDAL APPLICATION CAN NO LONGER BUILD PRESSURE TO THE REAR BRAKES. THE OPERATOR…
Remedy
DEALERS WILL (1) INSPECT THE LEFT ENGINE EXHAUST MANIFOLD CLIP FOR PROPER ALIGNMENT AND PLACEMENT ON THE BODY-MOUNTED STUD. IF INCORRECT, THEY WILL REPOSITION THE CLIP ON THE BRAKE LINES AND REINSTALL THE CLIP ON THE STUD; (2) THE DEALER WILL VERIFY THAT BOTH REAR BRAKE LINES HAVE THE PROPER CLEARANCE TO THE LEFT…
STEERING04V2730002004-06-0941,928 affected
Defect
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES INVOLVED IN THIS CAMPAIGN, THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL STUD NUT/WASHER ASSEMBLIES WITH WASHERS WERE MADE OF THE WRONG MATERIAL. THE WASHERS MAY FRACTURE AND BECOME LOOSE OR FALL AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE, REDUCING CLAMP LOAD. SEPARATION OF THE CONTROL ARM BALL STUD AND STEERING KNUCKLE, DUE…
Consequence
IF THE CONTROL ARM SEPARATES FROM THE KNUCKLE, THE AFFECTED CORNER OF THE VEHICLE WILL DROP AND THE CONTROL ARM WOULD BE FORCED DOWNWARD, CONTACTING THE WHEEL. THE AFFECTED WHEEL COULD TILT OUTWARD AND CREATE A DRAGGING ACTION THAT WOULD TEND TO SLOW THE VEHICLE AND CREATE A TENDENCY FOR THE VEHICLE TO TURN IN THE…
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE BALL STUD JOINTS AND MEASURE THE TORQUE OF THE NUT FOR ALL FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS IN ALL MODELS AFFECTED AS WELL AS THE REAR LOWER CONTROL ARMS ON THE XLR AND CORVETTE. IF THE TORQUE IS NOT AT SPECIFICATION, THE DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BALL STUD, THE KNUCKLE, AND THE NUT. IF THE TORQUE…
Complaints by component
STRUCTURE:BODY
8
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
3
1crashes
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
3
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
3
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
3
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
3
POWER TRAIN
2
SERVICE BRAKES
2
1crashes
STRUCTURE
2
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
2
Total complaints45
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“The contact owns a 2004 cadillac xlr. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 mph, there was an abnormal sound like a shotgun being fired overhead. The contact pulled over and observed that the retractable fiberglass roof panel had detached from the frame of the vehicle. The contact…”
“The roof panel that was only attached with adhesive has detached from the frame of the car. This has also caused the retractable convertible top to stop working. I have read about the roof of many of these cars flying off while driving down the road. It is only a matter of time before this poor…”
“The roof panel that was only attached with adhesive has detached from the frame of the car. This has also caused the retractable convertible top to stop working. I have read about the roof of many of these cars flying off while driving down the road. It is only a matter of time before this poor…”
“The roof panel that was only attached with adhesive has detached from the frame of the car. This has also caused the retractable convertible top to stop working. I have read about the roof of many of these cars flying off while driving down the road. It is only a matter of time before this poor…”
“The contact owns a 2004 cadillac xlr. The contact stated while driving 65-70 mph in the rain, the contact heard wind coming from the area where the front roof panel was connected to the windshield. The roof panel then detached and separated from the vehicle. The contact pulled into a service…”
“The contact owns a 2004 cadillac xlr. The contact stated while driving 65-70 mph in the rain, the contact heard wind coming from the area where the front roof panel was connected to the windshield. The roof panel then detached and separated from the vehicle. The contact pulled into a service…”
“The top roof panel separated while driving on the highway, and almost struck another vehicle causing it to swerve to miss it. The vehicle then proceeded to follow me as he though I was to blame. Once I got off the highway he got out of his car an violently started screaming at me for almost…”
“The contact owns a 2004 cadillac xlr. The contact stated that fuel had begun to leak from the fuel pump without warning. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the failure and informed him that while the motor was running, the fuel would leak from the rear driver's…”
Defect investigations
InvestigationPE19001 Opened 2019-02-01 · closed 2019-12-12
Roof Skin Separation While Driving
On August 23rd, 2018 - the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a media inquiry pertaining to a motorist experiencing separation of the roof skin from their Cadillac XLR while driving.Based on the data in-hand at that time and a subsequent (December) consumer complaint, ODI opened PE19-001 on February 1,…
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2004 Cadillac Xlr as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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