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Model file · CadillacUpdated · 6 sources

Selling a dead or junk Cadillac ELR

The ELR was GM's third plug-in passenger car after the EV1, following the Chevrolet Volt and Spark EV, according to Wikipedia. It's a Cadillac coupe built next to the Volt at Detroit-Hamtramck. NHTSA's file holds only 21 owner complaints about it, and 17 are on the 2014.

A dark graphite Cadillac ELR coupe, front three-quarter view, parked on a mowed grass field
Photo: MercurySable99 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Model years (EPA)
2014-2016
Complaints to NHTSA
21
Year with the most complaints
2014 (17)
Recall campaigns
2
Powertrain
Plug-in hybrid, 1398 cc gas engine
Battery
16.5 kWh (2014) to 17.1 kWh (2016)
Built in
Detroit-Hamtramck, Mich.

An ELR with a battery or electrical problem is a niche repair on an older car. If it isn't worth it to you, sell the whole car as it sits. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, with free pickup anywhere in the US.

How the ELR works

Wikipedia lists a 1398 cc gas engine with a Voltec 4ET50 electric transaxle and front-wheel drive. The lithium-ion battery is 16.5 kWh on the 2014 and 17.1 kWh on the 2016. EPA range with gas and battery together is 340 miles. The EPA lists two versions, the ELR and the ELR Sport, for 2014 through 2016.

Problems in the file, year by year

2014. 17 complaints. Electrical system and "unknown or other" lead with 5 each, then service brakes with 2. It has the car's only crash and injury reports. Both recalls fall here:

  • 14V144: on 2014 ELRs without adaptive cruise built September 26, 2013, through February 14, 2014, dealers recalibrate the electronic brake control module. 656 vehicles, all ELRs per the notice.
  • 14V446: a seat hook bracket weld, fixed by inspecting it and replacing the lower seat track if needed. Its 124,007 vehicles span the Encore, ATS, CTS, Caprice, SS, Silverado and Sierra too, so only a small share are ELRs.

2015. No complaints and no recalls on file.

2016. 4 complaints, all filed under air bags.

Complaints and recalls by model year

From the NHTSA complaint file, October 10, 2026.

Model yearComplaintsCategoriesRecall campaigns
201417Electrical (5), unknown/other (5), brakes (2)2
20150-0
20164Air bags (4)0

Repair it or sell it?

Put the VIN into NHTSA's lookup and confirm both 2014 campaigns were done. If the car won't charge or runs only on gas, get a written diagnosis before deciding. Hybrid battery failed covers how to weigh a pack. Warning lights and dead modules are in electrical problems.

Selling an ELR whole

Send the VIN and mileage, and say if it's the Sport version. Ask for an offer online or call (877) 421-6008. Tell us if the dash comes alive and where the coupe sits. Leave the battery and charge cord with the car. Have the ELR title and your ID on hand at pickup. For the plates, read after you sell.

Questions people ask

How many complaints does the Cadillac ELR have?
21 as of October 10, 2026: 17 on the 2014 and 4 on the 2016. NHTSA's file shows none for the 2015.
Is the ELR the same car as the Chevrolet Volt?
They're related. Wikipedia lists the Volt as a related car, and both were built at GM's Detroit-Hamtramck plant on the Delta II and Voltec layout.
Will you buy an ELR that won't charge or start?
Yes. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, and pickup is free anywhere in the US.

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from one of these. Checked October 11, 2026.

  1. EPA fuel economy data: Cadillac ELR, ELR Sport, 2014-2016 fueleconomy.gov
  2. NHTSA complaints flat file (FLAT_CMPL.zip), downloaded October 10, 2026 nhtsa.gov
  3. NHTSA: Check for recalls by VIN nhtsa.gov
  4. NHTSA recall 14V144: brake control module calibration nhtsa.gov
  5. NHTSA recall 14V446: seat hook bracket weld nhtsa.gov
  6. Wikipedia: Cadillac ELR en.wikipedia.org