Is the Tesla Model Y more reliable than the Cadillac Lyriq?

No. The Lyriq leads by a large margin. Both draw complaints at a similar rate per vehicle sold, but the Model Y has far more recalls and crash-linked reports across steering, brakes, speed control and electrical systems. The Lyriq's record is short, covering only three model years.

Which has more recalls, the Model Y or the Lyriq?

The Model Y has more. Federal recall records show 83 recalls across its six model years, against 16 across the Lyriq's three. The Model Y has been on sale longer, so some of the gap comes from time on the road, but it is still a big difference.

What is the most common Cadillac Lyriq problem?

Electrical trouble leads, mainly telematics module failures. When the module dies, OnStar crash notification, GPS and connectivity stop working. Headlights that droop after 5 to 10 minutes of driving are the next most reported issue, and dealer replacements did not always cure it.

Does the Tesla Model Y have a phantom braking problem?

Owner complaints say yes. The car brakes hard on open highway with cruise control or Autopilot on, often dropping 5 to 10 mph, with nothing ahead. It appears under both forward collision avoidance and service brakes, and some owners say software updates made it worse.

Which Model Y years should I avoid?

Avoid 2020 and 2021, which rank weakest. The 2024 and 2025 years rank strongest, but they are newer and have had less time to collect complaints. Whatever the year, ask about suspension work, since owners report front link and control arm wear that often repeats.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Cadillac Lyriq vs Tesla Model Y: Reliability Compared

More Reliable

Cadillac Lyriq

Good

Tesla Model Y

Mixed

Reliability favors the Cadillac Lyriq over the Tesla Model Y by a large margin. Recalls run 83 for the Tesla against 16 for the Cadillac. The Model Y also has crash-linked owner complaints in every main problem area, while the Lyriq's issues lean toward electronics and lighting.

How Do the Cadillac Lyriq and Tesla Model Y Generations Compare?

Age separates these two. The Model Y was sold in the US from the 2020 model year through 2025, with a refresh for 2025. The earliest cars are now several years old and carry the weakest standing. Used shoppers will mostly see 2020 to 2024 cars, and the 2024 and 2025 years look best partly because they have had less time to collect complaints. The Lyriq launched for 2023 and was refreshed for 2024 and again for 2025. Its whole record covers only three model years, so every Lyriq on the used market is still early in its life, and problems that appear with age have had little time to show.

Verdict

The Cadillac Lyriq is more reliable than the Tesla Model Y, scoring 68/100 vs 55/100.

The more reliable choice is the Cadillac Lyriq, and the gap is large. Owner complaints per vehicle sold are close for the two, so the difference is in what goes wrong. The Model Y has 83 recalls across six model years and crash-linked complaints in all five of its main problem areas, including sudden acceleration while parking. The Lyriq has 16 recalls across three model years, and most of its complaints are about telematics, headlights and screens. It is still a young model with a short record, so treat its good standing as early evidence.

Key Differences

1Cadillac Lyriq has 67 fewer total recalls
2Cadillac Lyriq scores 13 points higher in reliability
3Cadillac Lyriq has 1.4 fewer complaints per 10k sold

Category Scoreboard

3Cadillac Lyriq

—

0Tesla Model Y

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateSafety Rating

Cadillac Lyriq vs Tesla Model Y: Which Is More Reliable?

Cadillac Lyriq vs Tesla Model Y at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Cadillac Lyriq	Tesla Model Y
Reliability Score	68/100	55/100
Years Tracked	3	6
Total Recalls	16	83
Complaints per 10k Sold	22.9	24.3
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2025 NHTSA	2025 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	3	0

What Are the Common Problems With the Cadillac Lyriq and Tesla Model Y?

Driver-assist and hardware faults dominate the Model Y complaints. Phantom braking on highways shows up under both forward collision avoidance and service brakes. Owners also report sudden acceleration while parking, worn front suspension links, lost power steering assist, and failed drive inverters that shut the car down while driving. Every one of its main areas has crash-linked reports. The Lyriq's top problems are failing telematics modules, low-beam headlights that droop after a few minutes, and screens that drop to night mode in daylight. Its serious cases are narrower: two low-speed brake failures that ended in crashes, and braking in reverse that triggered on its own.

Cadillac Lyriq vs Tesla Model Y common problem areas comparison
Component	Cadillac Lyriq	Tesla Model Y
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	6.1Average	2.4Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	1.9Low	6.3Average
SERVICE BRAKES	3Low	1.9Low
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	4.2Average	—None
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.5Very Low	3.1Average
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	1.6Low	1.7Low
STEERING	0.5Very Low	2.4Low
BACK OVER PREVENTION	1.8Low	0.3Very Low
POWER TRAIN	1.1Low	0.3Very Low
SUSPENSION	—None	0.8Very Low
AIR BAGS	—None	0.6Very Low
STRUCTURE	0.3Very Low	0.2Very Low
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	0.3Very Low	—None
LANE DEPARTURE	—None	0.3Very Low
VISIBILITY/WIPER	—None	0.1Very Low
WHEELS	—None	—None

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

How Does Cadillac Lyriq vs Tesla Model Y Reliability Compare by Year?

Cadillac Lyriq vs Tesla Model Y year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Cadillac Lyriq	Tesla Model Y	Edge
2025	73/1003R / 13C	70/1002R / 69C	Cadillac Lyriq
2024	64/1006R / 106C	63/1005R / 254C	Cadillac Lyriq
2023	67/1007R / 24C	53/10015R / 997C	Cadillac Lyriq

Best years to cross-shop: The 2023 Cadillac Lyriq scored 67/100 and the 2024 Tesla Model Y scored 63/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Cadillac Lyriq vs the Tesla Model Y?

Pick the Lyriq if you want the lower-risk used car. Its record is cleaner on recalls and on crash-linked complaints. Check the headlights on a night test drive, since droop appears within minutes and dealer fixes did not always hold. Ask whether the telematics module has ever been replaced, because dealers described the part as back-ordered. Test the brakes at parking speeds. The 2023 model year appears on both its strongest and weakest lists, and 2025 has had the least time to collect complaints, so do not read its quiet record as proof. Pick the Model Y only if you accept more risk and want what it offers. Budget for suspension work, since owners who gave a mileage put the onset at roughly 37,876 to 39,000 miles, and repairs often repeat. Skip the 2020 and 2021 model years, which rank weakest. The 2024 and 2025 years look best, but they are newer and have had less time to build complaints. Have the car's screen, charging and Autopilot features tested before you buy, and ask about any phantom braking history.

Cadillac Lyriq vs Tesla Model Y: Common Questions

Is the Tesla Model Y more reliable than the Cadillac Lyriq?: No. The Lyriq leads by a large margin. Both draw complaints at a similar rate per vehicle sold, but the Model Y has far more recalls and crash-linked reports across steering, brakes, speed control and electrical systems. The Lyriq's record is short, covering only three model years.
Which has more recalls, the Model Y or the Lyriq?: The Model Y has more. Federal recall records show 83 recalls across its six model years, against 16 across the Lyriq's three. The Model Y has been on sale longer, so some of the gap comes from time on the road, but it is still a big difference.
What is the most common Cadillac Lyriq problem?: Electrical trouble leads, mainly telematics module failures. When the module dies, OnStar crash notification, GPS and connectivity stop working. Headlights that droop after 5 to 10 minutes of driving are the next most reported issue, and dealer replacements did not always cure it.
Does the Tesla Model Y have a phantom braking problem?: Owner complaints say yes. The car brakes hard on open highway with cruise control or Autopilot on, often dropping 5 to 10 mph, with nothing ahead. It appears under both forward collision avoidance and service brakes, and some owners say software updates made it worse.
Which Model Y years should I avoid?: Avoid 2020 and 2021, which rank weakest. The 2024 and 2025 years rank strongest, but they are newer and have had less time to collect complaints. Whatever the year, ask about suspension work, since owners report front link and control arm wear that often repeats.

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How we score the Cadillac Lyriq and Tesla Model Y

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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