29 of the
221 complaints filed about the Cadillac Lyriq
are about the braking system —
13% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2024.
MALFUNCTION: In normal driving mode the stop lamp / brake lights do not shut off after releasing the braking controls. The stop lamps will shut off only after the accelerator pedal is used, or when the vehicle coasts below 10mph. SAFETY: 1) When descending mountain roads the stop lamps remain illuminated for extended periods of time. In some cases the stop lamps remain illuminated for hundreds or thousands of feet after the brake controls have been released. In these situations the vehicle is now coasting downhill and NOT decelerating. In these situations there is no indication / communication provided to the traffic behind me that I am now braking and no longer coasting since the stop lamps have remained on since the previous braking event. 2) In addition, I am unable to communicate to vehicles behind by flashing my stop lamps multiple times by multiple taps on the brake pedal. The first use of the brake controls cause the stop lamps illuminate and they will remain illuminated until I use the accelerator. CONFIRMED: I have communicated with my local Cadillac dealer and they have confirmed this takes place, and they call it a 'feature' of the vehicle. THIS IS NOT: One Pedal Driving. The stop lamps illuminate correctly in this setting. Adaptive Cruise Control. The stop lamps illuminate correctly in this setting. Automatic Collision Avoidance. The stop lamps illuminate correctly in this setting.
NHTSA complaint #11752352 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
In the past 18 months the vehicle has experienced phantom breaking while driving 3 times. Each time there were no vehicles within 30 or more feet from the vehicle. All 3 times occurred while driving the vehicle and going between 20-40 mph. The vehicle engaged in an emergency break and stopped the car in the road. All three times could have resulted in a major accident as it occurred on busy roadways. This last time it happened in the middle of an intersection with no vehicles around me or behind me. This is a major safety concern and put my family and I in a potentially dangerous situation that could have caused major injuries to myself, my family and others around us. The vehicle is currently with Cadillac being inspected. During conversations with Cadillac they said this is a known issue and suggested that I turn the mechanism off and bypass the safety feature to avoid it from happening again. This is not a systematic fix. This is a bypass. We purchased the car for the safety and security and how sophisticated the safety mechanisms are and we have now been told as a suggestion to simply bypass it. This is very concerning on a national level of That the vehicle is known for doing this. We no longer feel safe in this vehicle The dealer has not confirmed if they have gotten it to duplicate. The only updates we have is that they are still working on the diagnostic testing. There were no warnings prior to the phantom breaking taking place.
NHTSA complaint #11749877 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The issue involves the Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) and the transition between regenerative braking and friction braking in my Cadillac Lyriq (RWD). The ABS engages unexpectedly during normal braking conditions when using one-pedal driving. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The unexpected ABS activation creates inconsistent and unpredictable braking behavior, including a pulsing sensation and reduced braking confidence. This affects the driver’s ability to modulate braking smoothly and predict stopping distance, increasing the risk of a collision, especially in normal traffic conditions where consistent braking response is critical. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes. The issue has been reproduced during multiple visits to authorized Cadillac dealerships. However, I have been told that the vehicle is “operating as designed,” despite the abnormal braking behavior. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? The vehicle has been inspected by multiple authorized Cadillac dealerships and the issue has been escalated to General Motors. No resolution or fix has been provided to date. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? There are no warning lights or messages associated with this issue. The problem occurs intermittently during normal driving conditions, particularly when transitioning from regenerative braking (one-pedal driving) to applying the brake pedal. The issue began shortly after taking delivery of the vehicle and has persisted since.
NHTSA complaint #11732706 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2024 Cadillac Lyriq. The contact stated that while reversing, the rear-view safety sensor alert did not function as intended. In addition, the contact stated that the auto-braking safety sensor did not activate. The contact's vehicle crashed into a tree. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The contact stated that the case was denied. In addition, contact was denied to receive any documents providing the decision of the case. The failure mileage was approximately 18,125.
NHTSA complaint #11722944 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was traveling on the freeway at approximately 70 mph, at about 5:15 pm. I was not using cruise control. There was no one in front of me for maybe a quarter mile. Suddenly and without warning, the car slammed on the brakes. A yellow alert came up on the dash telling me the Forward Collision system had been activated. The red warning lights at the front of the dashboard (the heads-up display) also flashed. The road was dry, I was on an entirely straight section of road, and there were no shadows. Besides scaring me half to death, if someone had been immediately behind me, they could easily have slammed into me. The car has not been inspected by the dealer, etc. I believe OnStar should have a record of it happening, but I have not contacted them.
NHTSA complaint #11718653 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On November 26, 2025, while traveling in stop-and-go freeway traffic, I experienced a severe braking failure that led to a rear-end collision. Despite applying maximum force to the brake pedal, the vehicle did not decelerate as expected. Objective technical evidence from the Bosch CDR report (Case #1105768) confirms a critical system failure: Extreme Driver Input: At -0.5 seconds before impact, Driver Applied Brake Pedal Pressure reached 10,935 kPa, representing a near-maximum emergency braking effort. Inadequate Response: Despite this peak pressure, the Vehicle Indicated Speed decreased only from 24 MPH to 22 MPH in the final 0.5-second interval. Data Discrepancy: The vehicle decelerated by 12 MPH (from 36 to 24 MPH) between -1.0s and -0.5s under lower pressure (7,695 kPa). However, when brake pressure was increased to its peak at -0.5s, deceleration effectively stalled. Electronic Anomaly: The Traction Control System (TCS) was reported as "Active" throughout the braking event, indicating potential improper electronic intervention. This vehicle has a history of significant electrical failures, including a total power loss on 10/15/2024 that required a high-voltage battery replacement. The failure of the braking system to respond to maximum driver input poses a catastrophic safety risk. I am requesting an investigation into the 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ's brake-by-wire and electronic stability control integration.
NHTSA complaint #11715908 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was in a public parking lot and slowly approached a parking space in front of a store. When I applied the brakes to stop in the space, the car did not respond, it continued to drive forward, up the curb, crashed through the store front, and eventually came to rest mid-way in the store, amidst the furniture and store structure.
NHTSA complaint #11715882 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
**2026 - Cadillac Lyriq One-Pedal Driving and Brake Defect** On November 4, 2026, at approximately 9:30 AM, I was driving my 2026 Cadillac Lyriq using the one-pedal driving feature while going below 20 miles per hour. Suddenly, the vehicle accelerated unexpectedly. I lifted my foot off the accelerator, but the car did not slow down despite the one-pedal driving being enabled. Within a few seconds, various warning lights appeared on the dashboard, including messages such as "One-Pedal Driving Unavailable," "Brake Assist Off," "Auto-Hold Unavailable," and "Steering Assist is Reduced - Drive with Care." Additionally, warnings for "Service Headlamps," as well as red or yellow indicators for "Parking Setting," "ABS," and "Ready," were activated. I made several attempts to apply the brakes, but they did not respond. I even tried to engage the parking brake, which also failed. Fortunately, I was lucky enough not to hit anyone or run over any curbs during this incident. The 2026 Lyriq that I purchased has fewer than 500 miles on it and has been at the dealer service center for over two weeks. This is a significant safety concern, and I believe Cadillac should take immediate action to address this issue.
NHTSA complaint #11699018 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
At least 10 times over the past three months the vehicle’s feature of one pedal driving disengages without a reason or code. When the this happens the vehicle accelerates rapidly. This has happened on local streets and on the highway and often results in a near miss collision. I am concerned this will result in a serious injury or death.
NHTSA complaint #11688578 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was driving on Saturday September 3 at 5 pm over the Chain Bridge entering Washington DC. Traffic was heavy and the auto brake went on when I was about 15 feet from the car in front of me. I was using one-pedal driving and when I pushed on the gas slowly we started slowly moving forward. I was traveling around 3 or 4 miles an hour and the car would not slow down when I took my foot over the pedal. One pedal driving apparently stopped working. I then applied the brakes gently and the brakes did not work. I then pushed the brakes hard and still no brakes worked. I tried pumping the brakes and nothing worked. The car gently ran into the car in front of me causing no damage to the car in front and he kept on his way. My front grill was cracked and bumper was slightly damaged. The signal on the dashboard said parking brake engaged which it was not. While the auto safety brake engaged minutes earlier when it was not needed it did not work when the car was drifting uncontrollably into the car in front of me.
NHTSA complaint #11685196 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving in one-pedal driving mode at the high setting, an error message appeared and one-pedal driving suddenly shut off and switched to a more standard drive mode where engine braking is disengaged. This happened while drive was engaged and stopped at a red light. The car briefly lurched forward and the car engaged an emergency brake to prevent the car from rolling into the vehicle in front of me. This incident was unpredictable and resulted in an unexpected change to the drive mode I had selected which could have lead to a collision.
NHTSA complaint #11680525 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was driving at a steady 65mph on a highway when the car suddenly surged and the message "1 pedal driving deactivated. Use brakes to stop." I stopped the car with the brakes and restarted it and reactivated 1 pedal driving. Note I was NOT using regenerative braking at the time. The car surged a few miles an hour, and in a heavy traffic scenario could have easily caused a crash.
NHTSA complaint #11672285 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Since a recent software update, vehicle will unexpectedly give multiple error codes, and disengage “one-pedal driving” mode. This happened recently when coming to a stop at a traffic light behind another vehicle. When coming to a gradual one-pedal stop, the one pedal driving mode unexpectedly disengaged, causing me to almost hit the vehicle in front of me. This error has occurred 5-6 times in the past 3 months.
NHTSA complaint #11669107 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2025 Cadillac Lyriq. The contact stated that while driving 5 MPH during dry weather conditions in traffic, the brake pedal was depressed but traveled down to the floorboard, and the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stood on the brake pedal; however, the vehicle failed to respond and crashed into the vehicle in front that had stopped due to traffic. In addition, the contact stated that the brake pedal jerked while it was depressed. No warning lights were illuminated, and the Crash Imminent Braking system failed. The driver-side and passenger-side air bags did not deploy. The contact suffered injuries to the back that did/did not require medical attention. No police report was filed. The contact drove the vehicle to the residence. The insurance company was not notified. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 10,000.
NHTSA complaint #11668170 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving the car on 2 separate occasions, the breaks failed and the car would not stop completely. Twice I have taken the car to the dealer to be repaired and the car is currently at the dealer.
NHTSA complaint #11654519 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
- Software failure resulted in loss of steering control, speed control, and brakes became unavailable. I was on highway car was at 65 mph and then I got a bunch of error messages mentioned below- 1) Steering assist not available 2) AWD is disabled 3) Headlamps not available 4)Service brake assist And then I was not able to brake the car, and steering became highly unresponsive. I took my foot of gas and let the car roll for 1 mile before stopping safely on shoulder, from where I called Cadillac for support (they towed the car back), since error didn't resolve after stopping or rebooting the car. I took screenshot of these errors after stopping and attached them in this email. - Yes it put safety of me, my passenger, and other vehicles at risk, loss speed and steering control you have cause me to hit any other car. - Yes problem is reported to manufacturer, car is in service. - Vehicle is with Service, since no one got hurt, we didn't involve police. - No prior message or warnings we recieved, all errors come as soon as the issues appear.
NHTSA complaint #11650230 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
When it rains, just a steady rain, not a downpour, the vehicle slams on the brakes trying to back up. It literally took 3-4 minutes to back out of the driveway. I was also in a parking lot trying to back out and the same issue which created a significant safety hazard with other vehicles. Research online indicates this is not an isolated issue.
NHTSA complaint #11645810 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On [XXX], my wife was driving our 2024 Cadillac Lyriq RWD (VIN: [XXX] ) in stop-and-go traffic on [XXX] at 5-10 MPH. She was maintaining a safe distance when the truck ahead suddenly stopped. She pressed the brakes firmly, but the vehicle failed to stop, resulting in a collision. Despite full brake application, the car did not stop as expected. The Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) and Forward Collision Alert (FCA) systems did not activate. No alerts or braking assistance occurred, even though these safety features were enabled. Her passenger witnessed her screaming that the brakes were not stopping the car. The crash caused front bumper damage, and a police report was filed. Investigation & GM’s Response GM inspected the vehicle but refuses to provide testing details. The Crash Data Report does not show any recorded braking event or safety activation, despite my wife pressing the brakes. GM has not explained: Why the brakes failed to stop the vehicle. Why AEB and FCA did not activate. Why no braking data was recorded despite the collision. Safety Concerns My wife is now afraid to drive the vehicle and refuses to continue driving it after repairs. I may be forced to break my lease or sell the car due to this serious safety concern. This raises major safety risks for other Cadillac Lyriq owners, especially with known braking-related recalls on 2023 and 2024 models. Request for Investigation I urge NHTSA to: Investigate braking system failures in the 2024 Cadillac Lyriq. Review AEB and FCA non-activation during low-speed collisions. Determine whether GM is withholding data or failing to acknowledge a defect. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11642052 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving northbound on [XXX], south of Oklahoma City, at normal highway speed, at night, in the rain (on [XXX]), this EV lost all power to the wheels and the regenerative braking ceased to function. It appears that all flow of electrons from the batteries to the drive motors, and from the regenerative brakes to the batteries stopped. I still had dashboard lights, steering, and conventional brakes. I was able to safely coast to a stop on the highway shoulder. I set the parking brakes, put the “transmission” into “park”, and turned off the power button. I then restarted the car, and all was normal again. I continued my drive from Austin, TX, to Evergreen, CO with no additional incidents, arriving on [XXX]. This is reminiscent of the “blue screen of death” in old Microsoft desktop computers — fixed the problem by cycling the ON / OFF switch. Unfortunately, doing this when driving at 75 mph is less than ideal, and is a real potential safety problem. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11623497 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving through Wisconsin on [XXX] with Super Cruise activated in 70MPH traffic the car provided me with driver's side collision warning failure notice and then a forward collision warning failure notice, but the car continued to be operating normally. A short time later a brakes overheating warning came on while the car still seemed to be operating normally and maintaining speed. I immediately disengaged the cruise control to check out the situation and the car instantly locked on the brakes, and we could see smoke and smell the burning brakes. I pulled to car to the side of the road, and we exited the car concerned there might be a fire coming from one of the 4 smoking wheels. The rotors were red hot. We remained a safe distance from the car until the brakes stopped smoking. After it appeared safe, I reentered the car and determined the brakes (parking brakes) were fully engaged and the car would not move. We contacted OnStar for assistance and waited. After a significant time (it seemed like quite a while) I suddenly heard the sound of the parking brakes electrically releasing. Shortly after that I started and tested the car again and it would move so we slowly drove it off the busy interstate to the next exit a short distance away and continued working with OnStar to obtain a tow to a Cadillac dealership. After working with OnStar for several hours and determining that there would most likely be no tow truck coming, we decided to test drive the car around the area now that the brakes had cooled off. We ended up renting a 'safety' car that my wife would drive, and I would try to drive the car back to Minnesota to our dealer. The car operated normally for the drive home, but we did not use any cruise control just in case. It was my belief that a system communication issue told the brakes to engage and that since the Super Cruise was engage the motors just added more power to over-come the drag on the brakes until they over heated. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION AC
NHTSA complaint #11622839 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.