Skip to content
Cadillac XLRModel year report

2004 Cadillac XLR Problems

Complaints
34filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
42,000miles, 29 complaints with mileage
Recalls
4campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
18 mpgcombined, 4.6L 8-cyl RWD · 15 city / 23 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2004 Cadillac XLR (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 34 consumer complaints for the 2004 Cadillac XLR. The part named most often is body and structure, with 11 complaints (32% of the total), followed by fuel system (8) and brakes (4). 29 of the complaints include a mileage, and 59% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 42,000 miles. Of all complaints, 2 involved a crash, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns and 462 technical service bulletins for this model year. Body and structure complaints overlap with 1 NHTSA investigation and 22 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Fuel system complaints overlap with 24 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Engine (1), Steering (1), Tires (1).

Example complaints

Body and structure: “When driving I noticed a severe whistling sound coming from just above the rear view mirror. Upon inspecting, I noticed that the roof panel had a 8' section that had separated. When googled, I saw several people had reported that their XLR's had a roof panel separate while driving. I immediately took it to a body shop and they re-glued the panel by injecting glue into the separation. I have no idea if this is a recommended solutionn by GM.”

NHTSA complaint #11176647, filed 2019-02, 36,788 miles

Fuel system: “I purchased a 2004 XLR in 2019 from an agent in fl. I immediately or with-in 200 miles I began to receive messages on my dash! First it was traction control that applied the brakes and caused the car to vet violently to the left as soon as I hit 65 miles an hour. Then the check gas cap followed by check engine lights came on. My Cadillac dealer was at a loss to solve the problem with traction control until they contacted the corvette engineers in bowling green, which took a week! They replaced the gas cap and that problem went away only temporally! …”

NHTSA complaint #11309062, filed 2020-02, 53,200 miles

Brakes: “I have a 2004 Cadillac XLR that has the exact same problem as the 2005-2009 corvettes have. The service stabilitrak message and traction control light comes on and the cars brakes light do not work when this comes on. Your case numbers for this are pe08056 and ea09-002 my car pulled to the right suddenly when this message came on. Also another related problem to this in both corvettes and XLR's is after this happens and you turn the engine off and start the car again it gives a message to press the brake pedal because the car has push button start. …”

NHTSA complaint #10342498, filed 2010-07, 26,000 miles

Exterior lighting: “I bought this used vehicle on the date shown above at the incident date . I don't know when the actual problem began on this car, but it was probably years earlier. The safety problem is that the lenses of both right and left driving/parking/directional lamps have apparently been heat affected...the plastic lenses have begun to melt. The lamps are part of the headlight cluster. The outer overall lens of the clusters are fine...it's just the internal lenses over the driving/parking/directional lamps that have the problem. …”

NHTSA complaint #10510369, filed 2013-05, 76,474 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

59% of the 29 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 24,089 and 76,474 miles.

10%0–1017%10–2531%25–5014%50–7514%75–10014%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (29 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 42,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’07’10’145’17’19’21’23’26
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2004 Cadillac XLR version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
XLR RWD4.6L 8-cyl5-speed automatic152318$4,550

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2004 Cadillac XLR → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

NHTSA investigations

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 462 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 462 bulletins →

Other model years of the Cadillac XLR

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2006944,6000—18—Not enough data
20053169,0002—18Not compared (before 2008)Rising
20043442,0004—18Not compared (before 2008)Falling

All Cadillac XLR model years

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2004 Cadillac XLR have?

NHTSA recorded 34 consumer complaints for the 2004 Cadillac XLR as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2004 Cadillac XLR is reported most often?

Body and structure is named most often, in 11 complaints (32% of the total), followed by fuel system with 8.

Has the 2004 Cadillac XLR been recalled?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2004 Cadillac XLR get?

The EPA rates the 2004 Cadillac XLR (XLR, 4.6L 8-cyl) at 18 mpg combined, 15 city and 23 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,550 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2004 Cadillac XLR reported?

Among the 29 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 42,000 miles and the middle half falls between 24,089 and 76,474 miles; 59% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.