Front camera warnings on CT5, Lyriq and XT4: GM limits camera swaps

A "front camera unavailable" message on a recent Cadillac CT5, Lyriq or XT4 does not always mean the camera has failed, and General Motors is now making dealers prove it before they replace one. Preliminary bulletin PIT6503E, filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on September 2, 2026, puts the windshield-mounted front view camera on a parts restriction because of high replacement rates, and sets out a diagnostic routine that has to be completed first.

Which Cadillacs it covers

• 2025-2026 CT5
• 2024-2025 Lyriq
• 2024-2025 XT4

The bulletin applies to vehicles without Super Cruise that use the B174W front view camera module for features such as Forward Collision Alert, Automatic Emergency Braking and Lane Keep Assist. It also lists many Buick, Chevrolet and GMC models from 2024 to 2026.

What owners see

GM lists a cluster of complaints. The driver may get a message saying the front camera is unavailable or blocked, a Forward Collision or Automatic Braking warning, an amber automatic braking light, or lane keeping alerts. The driver-assistance features may work only some of the time or stop working. Scans often turn up communication codes such as U1615, U1616 and U3000, along with B1A05, a missing calibration in the camera itself.

Why GM wants fewer camera swaps

According to the bulletin, engineering and field reviews found that many replaced cameras were not the real problem. The causes GM lists include:

• a weak 12-volt system, including a low battery and codes such as P0562
• network faults on the CAN bus or the Ethernet link to the serial data gateway module
• windshields that are not GM glass, are installed incorrectly or carry tint or other changes
• a camera or bracket not seated properly on the glass
• software or calibration issues that need reprogramming and the camera's windshield learn procedure

In some cases, GM says, the camera had already been replaced during the same visit without the full diagnosis and the complaint remained.

The dealer's checklist

Technicians now work through three steps in order and record each answer on the repair order. They confirm the scan tool can reach the camera over a wired connection, check whether other modules report lost communication with it and repeat the check after a 12-volt disconnect, then look for the missing calibration code and follow GM's procedure for it. Only if a service procedure explicitly calls for a new camera can the dealer ask GM's Product Quality Center to approve one. A replacement must be followed by reprogramming and the windshield learn.

GM created the bulletin in April 2026 and revised it five times through late August, adding models and tightening the approval steps.

Owner brief

What it means for owners

• Rule out the simple causes. Clean the windshield in front of the camera, behind the rearview mirror. Ice, dirt or a sticker in that area can block it.
• Think about the battery. If the warnings come with slow starts or other electrical glitches, a battery test is a cheap first step, since GM names low voltage as a cause.
• Mention any glass work. Tell the dealer if the windshield has been replaced or tinted, and by whom. GM points to non-GM glass and poor installation as common culprits.
• Expect diagnosis first. A visit may end with a software update, a network repair or a recalibration rather than a new camera, and a replacement needs GM's sign-off, which can add time.
• Drive as if the systems are off. While the warnings are showing, automatic braking and lane keeping may not respond. Leave extra following distance.
• Warranty: these models are within or near Cadillac's four-year, 50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper coverage. Owners of early 2024 Lyriqs and XT4s should check their in-service date.

Dashbird tip

If front camera warnings arrive along with hard starts, plug in Dashbird to look for a stored low-voltage code such as P0562 before the dealer visit, so you can point the technician toward the battery.