Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2005 Cadillac SRX owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
05 xrs total loss of control w/ serious accident by garrbosr mar 31, 2012 (4:27 pm) I was on the belt parkway yesterday on the edge of queens where the cross island and belt split, heading east into the tunnel overpass. A few miles back I became aware the car was strongly over compensating in the turns . I even checked tire pressure in all 4 tires, w/ reads of 36,35,35,32. New expensive tires with less than 5,000 mi reads were a bit I filled on a cold day when alerted me low pressure. Going to pull over at first chance let some air out im coming up on the overpass tunnel going east, baring to the rite, im in the rite lane of the left split, I slowed down to around 45, I was prepared , I entered both hands on the wheel, its was a little rutty there and a little pot hole. …
When stopping, then starting up (with the engine running, like at a stop sign) the 2005 Cadillac SRX will often fail to move when the accelerator is pressed and the +traction control+ indication lights up on the radio. This also happens sometimes when turning without stopping. It happens on level ground and when going up inclines. It makes a grinding sound (like when gears are raked in a manual transmission.) by letting off the accelerator, then re-applying it, the car will move, but the hesitation is very dangerous. If the driver does not let off of the accelerator during one of these episodes, the car will very slowly begin to move and eventually accelerate normally. This happens on wet or dry pavement, with no reason for loss of traction. +turning off+ the traction control feature by pressing the button on the console does not always prevent this from happening. …
I have had several incidents when my "vehicle stability control" has turned on by itself causing the entire car to violently jerk to the right side. I was coming off of a exit on 8/18/2011 at about 40mph once again the traction control came on for no reason causing the vehicle to jerk violently to the right, I lost control of the vehicle, jumped a curb, hit a light pole and rolled into the trees. Causing me to loose consciousness, miss 6 weeks from work and incur thousands of dollars in repair costs and medical expenses. The airbags did not deploy during the right side frontal crash. The seatbelt caused 3 herniated disks in my neck that I am still being treated for. In addition to that the transfer case chain snapped and I had to pay out of pocket for the repair.
Making a left hand turn onto my work parking lot, applied brakes to pull into my parking space and I heard a terrible grinding/shuddering noise and the brake pedal went to the floor. I didn't think I was going to be able to stop without hitting the concrete wall. The car finally stopped and then I saw the "service stability system" appear on the driver information center. Since I just purchased this vehicle used I looked this up and it appears this "should" have been considered as a recall GM needs to make before someone is seriously hurt or killed.
While driving our 2005 Cadillac SRX a service stability system error message appear on console display screen along with tc and ABS light coming on the dash. Vehicle's brake system begins to work on its own for no apparent reason (no ice, snow, rain or gravel). Vehicle needs to come to a compete stop, sometimes shut the vehicle completely down and restart to get the tc and ABS light to go out on the dash. This has happened 3 times in the last few weeks. Not safe to drive. Any assistance would be helpful?
Turning right or left occasionally ''' service stability system '' warning comes up...stabilizing engage causing vehicle to come to grinding stop.........this happens while vehicle is moving.....'''starting enabled'' ''remove key'' comes on ....cannot remove key immediately ...must jungle key several times then remove it... This happens before vehicle is started.... On city streets....
Service stability system code comes on rear wheels lock up after making loud grinding noise, first time I had it towed to dale earnhardt Cadillac dealership they found nothing wrong. It now does it when I turn rt or when driving straight.
At random times, while accelerating the traction engage message will appear and the car will not accelerate for 2--3 seconds. Very dangerous. The last time it happened was when I was trying to make a left turn in a busy intersection.
Stability control system engages during normal driving and dry, level, low-speed conditions such as pulling onto highway from a stop. This has occurred three times, in each instance starting from a dead stop to make a turn. When the system engages the driver has literally no control over the vehicle - brakes engage ABS without driver input, engine power is suddenly reduced, and vehicle is brought to an immediate crawl and then stop, until it disengages. Thus far I've been fortunate enough that this has not occurred where any oncoming traffic has posed a threat of collision, but the potential for a major accident is obvious. Researching this issue online indicates that it is not an uncommon experience with this vehicle, and reported dealer responses are not encouraging. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Cadillac SRX. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle suddenly decelerated to 40 MPH. The contact was able to accelerate to higher speeds but the vehicle hesitated in the process. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where they advised her that the stability control failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and they offered no assistance. The failure and current mileages were approximately 79,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Traction Control complaints in other SRX years
Frequently asked questions
How common are traction control problems on the 2005 Cadillac SRX?
NHTSA has 20 complaints about the stability & traction control of the 2005 Cadillac SRX, 16% of the model year's 122 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2005 Cadillac SRX traction control problems?
No. NHTSA lists no stability & traction control recall for the 2005 Cadillac SRX, though it has 3 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2005 Cadillac SRX traction control problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 102,000 miles, and 5% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 1 fire and 2 injuries to stability & traction control problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.