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A man in the second row and a woman at the wheel inside a Cadillac Escalade IQ with tan leather seats and seatback screens
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2027 Cadillac Lyriq gets its digital key; Escalade IQ adds seat profiles

Over-the-air update notes filed with NHTSA show a phone key for the 2027 Lyriq, memory-seat profiles and a battery-drain fix for the Escalade IQ, and driver-assistance fixes for the XT4.

Dashbird NewsroomUpdated 4 min read

General Motors has filed a new batch of over-the-air update notes for Cadillacs with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the headline item is one 2027 Lyriq owners have been waiting for: the digital key is being switched on. The notes, received by NHTSA on October 2, 2026, also bring driver profiles for the memory seats and a start-reliability fix to the electric Escalade IQ and IQL, plus fixes for the XT4, CT4 and CT5.

Digital key for the 2027 Lyriq

Cadillac has sold several 2027 models, among them the Escalade and Vistiq, with the hardware for a phone key in place but the feature waiting on software. For the 2027 Lyriq, the wait is ending. GM's notes say the digital key appears in the myCadillac app a few minutes after the update finishes, and a smartphone or smartwatch can then lock, unlock and drive the car without the fob.

It needs an active OnStar account but no paid plan. Owners who do not see the key within 24 hours of the update are told to contact OnStar. The 2026 Lyriq received the same feature through an update that GM filed last December.

Escalade IQ and IQL

Update 663.10 for the 2025 and 2026 Escalade IQ and the 2026 IQL lets owners link the memory seat buttons to a driver profile, for up to two profiles. It also promises quicker response from the driver display and rear camera, fewer blank screens and audio dropouts, and more reliable alerts and chimes. GM warns that the Turn Signal Activated View setting, which shows a camera view when the turn signal is on, may need to be switched back on afterward.

The same notes repeat three camera features GM first listed for the Escalade IQ in May: Surround Vision Recorder, which records and saves video from the vehicle's cameras; Security Recording, which starts recording if the alarm goes off while the SUV is parked; and Cabin Glance, a live view of the seats on the center screen for checking on children or pets. Owners who skipped earlier updates get them with this one.

Update 663.30 goes to the vehicle integration control module, with fixes aimed at reliable starting and at stopping battery drain, plus better charging performance and clearer charging messages. For 2025 models, update 663.40 changes the traction inverter software to improve propulsion and acceleration reliability. A separate 663.20 update is required before the vehicle can receive future updates.

XT4, CT4 and CT5

  • 2024-2025 XT4: better availability and performance of driver-assistance features, and more accurate driver display messages and alerts.
  • 2026 CT4: fixes for loss of audio and better Bluetooth and Apple CarPlay connections.
  • 2025-2026 CT4 and CT5: a required change to the update system itself, needed to receive future updates.

The myCadillac app

The phone app has changed too. GM Authority reports that version 8.17.0, rolled out from September, moved the vehicle selector to the top of the home screen for owners with several GM vehicles, made light and dark mode easier to switch, and lets owners rearrange the remote controls on the home screen. The App Store now lists version 8.20.0, released October 15 with minor fixes. GM plans to replace myCadillac with a single OnStar app starting in 2027.

Owner brief

What it means for owners

  • Accept the prompt. Updates arrive as an on-screen message. For the required update-system changes, GM notes that the radio may stay on for up to 5 minutes after you leave the vehicle, which is normal.
  • 2027 Lyriq owners: keep your OnStar account active. No paid plan is needed for the digital key, and you should still carry a fob as a backup.
  • Escalade IQ owners: after 663.10, check your camera settings and turn Turn Signal Activated View back on if you use it. If a no-start or battery-drain problem continues after 663.30, tell the dealer which updates the vehicle has.
  • XT4 owners with driver-assistance messages: install the update before booking a service visit; it may resolve the alert.

Dashbird tip

Updated over the air and still seeing a warning light? Plug in Dashbird to read the stored trouble codes in plain English before you call the dealer.

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