Cadillac Lyriq 12V Batteries Are Getting Drained By OTA Update Issue

The Cadillac Lyriq is the luxury marque’s first battery electric vehicles. As such, growing pains are expected. In fact, reports of an issue affecting Lyriq’s 12-volt battery has cropped up over the past few days, as owners have complained on social media that the battery is being drained. Cadillac Society has reached out to Cadillac to find out more about the situation to get you more info.

The problem is believed to be caused by a failed software update that leaves the onboard computers “hanging,” ultimately draining the 12-volt battery. In other words, when the software update fails, the Lyriq’s systems are kept online, depleting the 12-volt battery’s reserves completely. At this time, it’s not clear whether or not a particular Lyriq’s build date could factor into whether or not it presents with this issue. 

When the 12-volt battery is drained, owners are not able to access the vehicle with the key fob, or pop the hood. However, the Lyriq can still be accessed manually by using the physical key, which is tucked inside the key fob. Owners should use this physical key to unlock the liftgate using the keyhole located just above the license plate.

“Our engineering team is working to learn more about and diagnose the issue to minimize any further potential impact to Lyriq customers,” a Cadillac spokesperson told Cadillac Society in a statement. “As part of regular vehicle care, Cadillac recommends Lyriq customers keep their vehicles charged to a minimum of 20 percent High Voltage state-of-charge (SOC) and plug their vehicles in to their home charging unit overnight to help maintain 12V battery health.” 

Meanwhile, in an attempt to remedy the situation, some Cadillac Lyriq owners have suggested limiting over-the-air (OTA) updates while the luxury EV crossover is plugged in, which can be changed in the vehicle’s settings. One owner stated that his Lyriq, whose 12-volt battery was completely drained, was revived by disconnecting the 12-volt battery for 10 minutes before plugging it back in. 

We’ll bring you more details on the Cadillac Lyriq as soon as we get them. Until then, be sure to subscribe to Cadillac Society for Cadillac Lyriq news and to-the-minute Cadillac news coverage. We also invite you to join the latest discussions in our Cadillac forums and Cadillac Lyriq forum.