Cadillac Optiq Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data

On November 24, 2025, I discovered that multiple connected and safety-related systems on my 2025 Cadillac Optiq had stopped functioning. We believe a GM over-the-air software update was installed the weekend prior, and the dealer has inferred that the update may have caused the failure. We brought the car into the dealership on November 26th. The car was "fixeed" and we picked it up on December 2nd. Before we were able to leave the lot, the telematic system broke again. The dealership inspected the vehicle and confirmed that the telematics module had failed. We left the vehicle at the dealership,. There were no warning lights, error messages, or other indications before the failure occurred. After the failure, several critical safety and driver-assistance systems became inoperable or severely impaired. These include, but are not limited to: OnStar emergency services Automatic crash notification Steering assistance Cruise and speed control Lane-change and driver-assist systems GPS and navigation functions Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and vehicle internet connectivity Although the vehicle is technically drivable, the loss of these systems poses a significant safety risk to occupants and others on the road. The vehicle cannot contact emergency services in a collision, cannot send diagnostic data, and lacks essential driver-assistance and navigation capabilities. The dealer has confirmed the problem, but the replacement telematics module is currently backordered with no clear timeline, and they stated the delay could last weeks or longer. Because the failure appears to have been caused by a GM-issued OTA update, and because essential safety systems are offline, I am concerned about both the defect itself and the extended inability to repair it due to unavailable parts. UNKNOWN whether GM has conducted a broader inspection or analysis of this update or component, but the failure has been reproduced and confirmed by the dealer’s service department.

Horrible glare from the dashboard on the windshield. Makes it difficult to see when driving during the day.

My GPS, OnStar and all other cruise control features have stopped functioning. The telematics module has failed within the onstar system. It is preventative by me from getting from place to place safely due to the gps not tracking correctly. The part has been on back order for over a month for me already. And I have no timeline to get a new one.

Hi, For example, Audio would cut completely throughout the vehicle not allowing me to access any sources such as the On star board system in the event of a crash, music sources etc. In addition, when this happens all my safety features turn off on the car along with the screen going blank etc. This continued to happen on multiple occasions including with my kids and family in car on a 1 hour trip to Miami. I immediately one morning after experiencing the issue multiple times on my way to work texted my sales advisor. I made an appointment and dropped it off the same day. The service advisor, sat in the car with me and confirmed the issue at hand without me saying anything. After, I was told it would take about two weeks to fix my car because of the lack of EV specialist available. I contacted EV concierge the following day and all of a sudden I got a call back from the dealer saying they ran updates and that my issue was resolved. Here I am a couple weeks later having the same issue. This time now it happens on EVERY drive. To the point I had to call On star on my way home just to have someone on the line with me incase something happened. The safety features turn off. Audio cuts off and on and at this rate I can't trust the car safety wise for my kids/family and individual safety any longer. It's unacceptable that we can't trust this vehicle to keep us safe and sound. Buyback is being requested. Thank Y

I one pedal drive and concurrently regenerative breaking is on since November of 2018. Having reversed out of the garage and then closing the garage door and before I reversed on to the street the OptiQ roughly lurched forward while stationary. While slowly entering the home garage to park, the OptiQ performed a forward lurching over a wooden barrier touching the wall (5/31/25). The front grill has indentations. Cavender Cadillac advisor has not returned my call.

The Optiq daytime display brightness cannot be adjusted. It is set to automatically adjust brightness to the light conditions but in some situations it is too dim and this is distracting. The adjustment knob only works during nighttime and according to GM this is by design. The automatic daytime setting has one level of brightness regardless of the driver visual comfort.

Vehicle: 2026 Cadillac Optiq AWD Purchased/Leased: Beverly Hills Cadillac, XXX (new lease) Current Mileage: 2,313 (XXX) The vehicle's Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system has repeatedly activated without any actual hazard present, bringing the vehicle to a complete, unexpected stop while driving. This has occurred a handful of times with 3 notable occasions: XXX – On the [XXX], the vehicle applied full automatic braking and came to a complete stop with no vehicle or obstacle ahead of it. XXX – On a winding road, the vehicle again automatically applied the brakes and came to a complete stop with no hazard present. XXX – While approaching a stoplight under normal driving conditions, the AEB system engaged and stopped the vehicle unexpectedly. Each incident occurred without warning and without any legitimate collision-avoidance scenario (no pedestrian, vehicle, or obstacle in the vehicle's path). Sudden, unwarranted full stops — particularly on a freeway — create a serious rear-end collision risk to my vehicle and to other drivers. Dealer Response: I reported this issue to my local dealer. They confirmed there is currently no fix or software update available for this defect, as the defect seems to be a hardware issue across the model line. Their only recommended workaround is to manually disable all ADAS features that include automatic braking through the infotainment settings menu. However, these settings reset to their default "on" state every time the vehicle is restarted, meaning the defect cannot be permanently mitigated and reoccurs on every drive cycle. Safety Concern: This is a repeated, unpredictable, and un-fixable false-positive AEB activation that: Poses a collision risk to following traffic, especially at freeway speeds Cannot be permanently disabled by the owner Has no manufacturer-provided remedy at this time despite the dealer being made aware INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

On Friday August 7th, I was driving my 2026 Cadillac OPTIQ Luxury AWD at approximately 25 mph near Byron road in Tracy. While crossing a railroad track under normal driving conditions, both passenger-side tires—the right-front and right-rear—suddenly lost air and sustained sidewall ruptures. I did not strike a pothole, curb, debris, or any other visible object, and no foreign object or tread puncture was found. Both tires were Continental CrossContact RX, size 245/50 R20 105H XL, tubeless and were the original factory-installed tires. The vehicle had approximately 12,850 miles, and the tires had approximately 12,850 miles. Before the incident, there was no tire-pressure warning or indication of a problem, and the tires were maintained at the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended pressure. The near-simultaneous failure of two tires on the same side required an immediate stop and created a serious risk of loss of vehicle control. Photographs show a substantial split in the tire sidewall. There were NO INJURIES and NO OTHER DAMAGE. Both failed tires have been retained and are available for inspection. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate whether these failures indicate a safety defect involving this tire model or its application on the vehicle.

Multiple times over the last four months of leasing this 2026 Cadillac Optiq, the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system has malfunctioned and abruptly slammed on the brakes without warning, bringing the car to a sudden stop in the middle of our travel lane. All incidents occurred under similar optimal conditions: clear daylight, sunny skies, a clean windshield, and zero hazards or pedestrians in the road. Neither cruise control nor Super Cruise was engaged during any incident. The vehicle is updated with the latest software version. During a recent event, we were traveling at approximately 25 mph in a residential zone when the vehicle violently engaged the brakes. No warning lamps, dashboard alerts, or audible chimes appeared prior to the activation. This unprovoked, severe braking creates an immediate hazard for occupants and a severe risk of being rear-ended by trailing traffic. To mitigate this ongoing hazard, we manually disable the AEB feature in the vehicle software. However, the system automatically defaults AEB features back to "On" every drive cycle, forcing us to re-disable it every single time we start the vehicle. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by police, insurance, or the manufacturer, and we are awaiting an upcoming service appointment with our local Cadillac dealer. The vehicle and its software remain available for inspection upon request.

Vehicle: 2026 Cadillac Optiq AWD Purchased/Leased: Beverly Hills Cadillac, XXX (new lease) Current Mileage: 2,313 (XXX) The vehicle's Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system has repeatedly activated without any actual hazard present, bringing the vehicle to a complete, unexpected stop while driving. This has occurred a handful of times with 3 notable occasions: XXX – On the [XXX], the vehicle applied full automatic braking and came to a complete stop with no vehicle or obstacle ahead of it. XXX – On a winding road, the vehicle again automatically applied the brakes and came to a complete stop with no hazard present. XXX – While approaching a stoplight under normal driving conditions, the AEB system engaged and stopped the vehicle unexpectedly. Each incident occurred without warning and without any legitimate collision-avoidance scenario (no pedestrian, vehicle, or obstacle in the vehicle's path). Sudden, unwarranted full stops — particularly on a freeway — create a serious rear-end collision risk to my vehicle and to other drivers. Dealer Response: I reported this issue to my local dealer. They confirmed there is currently no fix or software update available for this defect, as the defect seems to be a hardware issue across the model line. Their only recommended workaround is to manually disable all ADAS features that include automatic braking through the infotainment settings menu. However, these settings reset to their default "on" state every time the vehicle is restarted, meaning the defect cannot be permanently mitigated and reoccurs on every drive cycle. Safety Concern: This is a repeated, unpredictable, and un-fixable false-positive AEB activation that: Poses a collision risk to following traffic, especially at freeway speeds Cannot be permanently disabled by the owner Has no manufacturer-provided remedy at this time despite the dealer being made aware INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

On Friday August 7th, I was driving my 2026 Cadillac OPTIQ Luxury AWD at approximately 25 mph near Byron road in Tracy. While crossing a railroad track under normal driving conditions, both passenger-side tires—the right-front and right-rear—suddenly lost air and sustained sidewall ruptures. I did not strike a pothole, curb, debris, or any other visible object, and no foreign object or tread puncture was found. Both tires were Continental CrossContact RX, size 245/50 R20 105H XL, tubeless and were the original factory-installed tires. The vehicle had approximately 12,850 miles, and the tires had approximately 12,850 miles. Before the incident, there was no tire-pressure warning or indication of a problem, and the tires were maintained at the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended pressure. The near-simultaneous failure of two tires on the same side required an immediate stop and created a serious risk of loss of vehicle control. Photographs show a substantial split in the tire sidewall. There were NO INJURIES and NO OTHER DAMAGE. Both failed tires have been retained and are available for inspection. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate whether these failures indicate a safety defect involving this tire model or its application on the vehicle.

Multiple times over the last four months of leasing this 2026 Cadillac Optiq, the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system has malfunctioned and abruptly slammed on the brakes without warning, bringing the car to a sudden stop in the middle of our travel lane. All incidents occurred under similar optimal conditions: clear daylight, sunny skies, a clean windshield, and zero hazards or pedestrians in the road. Neither cruise control nor Super Cruise was engaged during any incident. The vehicle is updated with the latest software version. During a recent event, we were traveling at approximately 25 mph in a residential zone when the vehicle violently engaged the brakes. No warning lamps, dashboard alerts, or audible chimes appeared prior to the activation. This unprovoked, severe braking creates an immediate hazard for occupants and a severe risk of being rear-ended by trailing traffic. To mitigate this ongoing hazard, we manually disable the AEB feature in the vehicle software. However, the system automatically defaults AEB features back to "On" every drive cycle, forcing us to re-disable it every single time we start the vehicle. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by police, insurance, or the manufacturer, and we are awaiting an upcoming service appointment with our local Cadillac dealer. The vehicle and its software remain available for inspection upon request.