CUE (Cadillac User Experience)

Brand Names

Cadillac's branded infotainment interface. First-generation CUE (2013–2016) used HMI hardware; later CUE branding sits on CSM hardware.

Cadillac User Experience (CUE) is the branded infotainment interface used across the Cadillac lineup. CUE has spanned two distinct hardware generations:

First-generation CUE (2013–2016) uses HMI hardware. The original 2013 Cadillac CUE rollout (ATS, XTS, SRX) used HMI 1.1 with capacitive touch — both for the main 8-inch screen and for the lower climate/audio “haptic” controls below it. Subsequent 2014–2016 CUE vehicles used HMI 2.0 and HMI 2.5.

Second-generation CUE (mid-2017.5 onward) uses CSM hardware. The “CUE” branding continued on Cadillac CSM-equipped vehicles (CT6, XT5, the .5 refresh ATS/CTS) starting in mid-2017.5, but the underlying module is a CSM, not an HMI.

First-generation CUE became known for capacitive-touch failures, the “Ghost Touch” symptom, and “Waiting for Update Media” boot loops. Most of these issues are addressed by replacing the HMI module with a WAMS VIN-programmed replacement, sometimes paired with a new touchscreen assembly.

Identifying which CUE you have:

  • Lower capacitive haptic controls + RPO IO4/IO5/IO6 = HMI-based CUE 1.0
  • Standard physical buttons + App Shop on home screen + RPO IOS/IOU/IOT = CSM-based CUE

Vehicle Applicability

First-generation HMI-based CUE: 2013–2016 Cadillac ATS, CTS, XTS, SRX, ELR. CSM-based CUE: 2017.5+ Cadillac ATS, CTS, CT6, XT5, and later Cadillac models.

Also known as: CUE, Cadillac User Experience, Cadillac CUE 1.0

Related Terms

  • HMI — The primary infotainment computer in most 2013–2020 GM vehicles with MyLink, IntelliLink, or first-generation CUE.
  • CSM — GM's unified next-generation infotainment computer that replaced the HMI starting on select GM platforms in mid-2017.5.
  • MyLink — Chevrolet's branded infotainment interface, used on HMI-based vehicles from 2013 onward.
  • IntelliLink — GMC's and Buick's branded infotainment interface, used on HMI-based vehicles from 2013 onward.
  • IO4 — The GM RPO code for the base 4.2-inch color display infotainment configuration found on entry-level trims of 2014–2016 GM trucks and SUVs.
  • IO5 — The GM RPO code for the non-navigation HMI 2.0/2.5 infotainment configuration found on most 2014–2019 GM vehicles.
  • IO6 — The GM RPO code for the HMI infotainment configuration with embedded factory navigation, found on premium-trim 2014–2019 GM vehicles.
  • Ghost Touch — A symptom where the touchscreen registers phantom inputs without the user touching it. Almost always a failed screen assembly, not a failed HMI.
  • Waiting for Update Media — The on-screen message displayed when a GM HMI module's flash memory has corrupted to the point that the infotainment OS can no longer boot. A definitive HMI failure indicator.

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