Component Affected: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM/ AIR BAGS: FRONT: PASSENGER SIDE Description of Safety Defect: The Passenger Presence System (PPS) Module / Occupant Sensor Module failed on my 2014 Cadillac ELR, triggering diagnostic code U0170 ("Lost Communication with Passenger Presence Module") And illuminating the "Service Airbag" warning light on the dashboard. Due to this electronic failure, the vehicles supplemental restraint system (STS) has completely disabled the front passenger-side airbag. In the event of a collision, the passenger airbag will not deploy, creating an immediate and severe safety hazard for any occupant in that seat. This error message appeared while in the dealerships possession for an unrelated issue. The dealership service technician confirmed the faulty module and stated they are not able to complete the repair due to discontinued parts. see attached. General motors (GM) has officially discontinued the vehicle-specific replacement parts (Part #23504892 & #23504893) required to fix this defect. Dealerships are turning owners away because the parts are entirely unavailable nationwide, and standard components from higher-volume GM models are incompatible with the low-production ELR seat configuration. This leaves owners with a permanently disabled safety system and no manufacturer-supported path to repair a critical restraint component. Because this is a widespread, identical failure among 2014 ELR vehicles that results in total airbag deactivation, a federal safety investigation and recall are required to force the manufacturer to produce a batch of functional safety components.
The worst 2014 Cadillac Elr problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Electrical6
- Brakes2
- Fuel system2
- Transmission2
- Airbags1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Electrical6
- Brakes2
- Fuel system2
- Transmission2
- Airbags1
- Driver assistance1
- Steering1
- Visibility1
- Wheels1
Recalls 2
Seats
- What is wrong
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Buick Encore and Cadillac ATS; 2014 Cadillac CTS, ELR, Chevrolet Caprice and SS vehicles; and 2014-2015 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra Trucks. Due to an incomplete weld on the seat hook bracket assembly, the front seats in the affected vehicles may not stay secured in place during a high load condition such as a crash.
- Risk
- A seat that does not stay secured increases the risk of occupant injury in a vehicle crash.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the seat hook bracket assembly weld and replace the lower seat track, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on August 15, 2014. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1‑800‑521‑7300 (Buick), 1‑800‑458‑8006 (Cadillac), 1‑800‑222‑1020 (Chevrolet), and 1‑800‑462‑8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14340.
Recall number 14V446000 · Recall details
Electronic stability control (ESC)
- What is wrong
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014 Cadillac ELR vehicles not equipped with adaptive cruise control and manufactured September 26, 2013, through February 14, 2014, and equipped without adaptive cruise control. In these vehicles, the electronic stability control (ESC) system software may inhibit certain ESC diagnostics, preventing the system from alerting the driver that the ESC system is partially or fully disabled. As such, these vehicles fail to conform with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems."
- Risk
- If the driver is not alerted to an ESC malfunction they may continue driving with a disabled ESC system which may result in loss of directional control, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will recalibrate the Electronic Brake Control Module (EBCM), free of charge. The recall began on May 20, 2014. Owners may contact Cadillac at 1‑800‑458‑8006. GM's number for this recall is 14087.
Recall number 14V144000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2014 Cadillac Elr 1,634
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Unknown or other
- This PI provides Diagnostics tips on how the LIN bus works and how to diagnosis it.
- Unknown or other
- Unknown or other
- Unknown or other
- Unknown or other
- New Vehicle Monitoring Programs Section in IVH
- This Warranty Administration service bulletin provides Lithium-Ion battery Exchange Process and...
- Unknown or other
- This PI communicates a procedure to clean oil leaking from the rain sensor.
What 2014 Cadillac Elr owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
The vehicle lost all power while driving; this has occurred four times between August 2024 and November 2024. Without warning, the vehicle loses power, including brakes, steering, lights, warning flashers, doors, etc., all power goes away. This has occurred three times during the day and once at night, creating a hazard for myself and other drivers. The vehicle has been towed to the dealership three times, where it restarts. There are no codes to be found and GM is uncertain of what to do.
Loss of power and control: Twice over the past two months, the vehicle has died and lost all power and control functions while in motion. The first episode was while my spouse was driving during the day at about 30 MPH. She reports the vehicle made a loud "pop," and then all power to the vehicle, including steering and braking, was lost. After a few minutes, the car restarted and was towed to the dealership. They found no codes and could not replicate the incident, and GM could not provide them with any suggestions. After a month, the car was returned to us. Two weeks ago, I was driving at night, and except for the "popping" noise, the same thing happened while driving on a dark roadway. The vehicle just died, and I managed to wrestle it to the side of the road with no power steering, no brakes, no hazard lights, nor could I get the doors to open with the electric door release. Again, after being towed, the dealership reported that the car started the next morning, and they found no codes and could not replicate the issue. While the dealership still has the vehicle, we are concerned that driving at highway speeds could be much more dangerous or deadly. In addition, the vehicle dying on a dark road and having no electrical power poses a risk to other drivers if the vehicle cannot be moved off the roadway.
Shift to park error message unable to turn off or exit vehicle. This is a hybrid vehicle
Shifting the vehicle into park and attempting to turn it off by hitting the power button, yields a warning on the dic saying "action required: shift to park", despite the shift selector already being in park. This prevents the vehicle from being turned off. Requires multiple attempts of turning the vehicle on and off, and moving of the shift selector to get the car to recognize the vehicle is actually in park.
Service s r s light stays on no accident it just came on one day no one was sitting in the passages
All four original wheels and one gm replacement wheel have all cracked randomly over the course of my ownership of the car. Gm hasn't offered any help and dealership personnel just shrug and say yeah those wheels had problems.
Cadillac cue system screen has developed dead spots without warning. Unable to find work around to turn on parts of ventilation system, stereo, navigation, and charging systems.
The touchscreen is failing. Parts of the screen no longer respond to touch. This affects the radio, GPS, defroster, heat, air conditioning, car system configuration, etc.
When using the brakes; small bumps can trigger the ABS system to intervene unnecessarily, causing the car to lose significant ground when braking, this can be catastrophic even at low speeds. This is an issue I have experienced first hand in both the cadillac elr, and the sister car the chevy volt. This happens at all speeds, mostly on roads with potholes where the wheel will momentarily lose contact with the road. This can be resolved in the way audi/vw has, that increases the brake pressure once the ABS system is triggered to make up for lost distance, thus reducing the chances of an accident.
Compare the 2014 Cadillac Elr
Other model years
20142016
Questions about the 2014 Cadillac Elr
Is the 2014 Cadillac Elr reliable?
Owners have filed 17 complaints about the 2014 Cadillac Elr, close to a typical Elr model year.
What is the 2014 Cadillac Elr year score?
The 2014 Cadillac Elr scores 74 out of 100 (average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Cadillac Elr: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2014 Cadillac Elr?
Electrical system, with 6 complaints. Next is brakes (2).
How many recalls does the 2014 Cadillac Elr have?
2 recalls, covering seats and electronic stability control (esc).
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