Cadillac STS Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CADILLAC STS. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD DECELERATE INDEPENDENTLY AND THE STABILITY SYSTEM WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT COASTED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WAITED A FEW MINUTES BEFORE RESUMING DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

VEHICLE DETECTS FAULT AND DISPLAYS MESSAGE TO SERVICE STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM. SPECIFIC PROBLEM NOT YET DIAGNOSED. WITHIN A FEW MOMENTS, THE DISPLAY STATES THAT ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED. THIS CAUSES A VERY UNSAFE CONDITION AS THE VEHICLE SLOWS TO 10-15 MPH. PRESSING GAS PEDAL CAUSES TRANSMISSION TO DOWNSHIFT TO LOWER GEAR SLOWING VEHICLE FURTHER. CANNOT SAFELY MANEUVER IN TRAFFIC, BRAKES REQUIRE MUCH HIGHER PEDAL PRESSURE DUE TO LOW VACUUM BOOST AFTER ENGINE POWER REDUCED. INSUFFICIENT WARNING THAT THIS IS HAPPENING. PROBLEM IS NOT WITH ENGINE OR POWERTRAIN, BUT ENGINE POWER IS CUT (ENGINE RUNS VERY ROUGH AS A RESULT) IN RESPONSE TO DETECTED STABILITY SYSTEM ERROR. ENGINE RUNS FINE IF TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. NO OVERHEATING, OIL LEVEL IS FINE, GASOLINE IS GOOD, NO EXTERNAL PROBLEMS. AFTER RESTARTING CAR DRIVES FINE INITIALLY, EVENT RECURS WITHIN 1 MILE. VERY DIFFICULT TO TRY TO JUSTIFY THIS KIND OF INTENTIONAL VEHICLE CONTROL BEHAVIOR. EXTREMELY POOR DESIGN THAT CAUSES AN UNSAFE CONDITION WHEN A STABILITY SYSTEM ERROR IS DETECTED.

I PURCHASED A 2009 STS IN AUGUST OF 2014. I AM HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE WHEEL BEARING HUBS GOING BAD. I HAVE REPLACED BOTH FRONT. THE FRONT LEFT SIDE HAS BEEN CHANGED TWICE IN A 13 MONTH PERIOD. UNFORTUNATELY THE PART ONLY HAS A 1 YEAR WARRANTY. I'VE ALSO HAD THE RIGHT REAR CHANGED IN MAY OF 2015 AND NOW IT'S JUNE 2016 AND HAS GONE BAD. I HAVE NO EXTENDED WARRANTY,I'M JUST CURIOUS WHY THIS PARTICULAR PART WENT BAD IN THE TIME FRAME THAT IT DID? I CALLED THE SALESMAN AT THE DEALER ABOUT THE FIRST INCIDENT TO SEE IF HE COULD DO SOMETHING TO HELP WITH THE REPAIR SINCE IT WAS ABOUT 6 MONTHS AFTER I PURCHASED THE CAR. I ACTUALLY BOUGHT IT AT THOMSON AND MCCONNELL CADILLAC IN CINCINNATI, OHIO, OF COURSE HE TOLD ME THAT HE WISHED THERE WAS SOMETHING HE COULD DO. I WON'T GO THERE AGAIN. I HAVE ABOUT OR CLOSE TO 90,000 MILES ON IT AT THIS TIME. I HAVE NEVER HAD TO HAVE THIS TYPE OF REPAIR ON ANY VEHICLE IN MY LIFE. MY PREVIOUS VEHICLE WAS A 2006 ESCALADE PLATINUM AND THE ONLY MAJOR THING THAT HAD TO BE REPLACED WAS A WATER PUMP. I WISHED I HAD KEPT IT BECAUSE IT WAS FAITHFUL AND PAID FOR. NOW I HAVE A 6 YEAR LOAN ON A CAR THAT KEEPS REPEATING THE SAME MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS ALONG WITH SOME OTHER THINGS. WITH THE AGE OF THE CAR AT THIS POINT I DO EXPECT TO HAVE TO REPLACE SOME PARTS, BUT THE SAME PART THAT SEEMS LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE A YEARLY THING IS RIDICULOUS. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN CADILLAC MOTORS CORP... THIS IS MY THIRD CADDY. I ALSO HAVE A 1999 CATERA, BUT I WON'T EVEN GET INTO THE PROBLEMS THAT I'VE HAD WITH THAT ONE. THE APPEARANCE OF THESE CARS LOOK VERY STYLISH INSIDE AND OUT, BUT THE PROBLEMS THAT GO ALONG WITH IT IS NOT WORTH IT IN MY OPINION. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER CADILLAC EVER, EVEN IF I WAS TO HIT THE POWERBALL AND WAS ABLE TO BUY A NEW ONE OFF OF THE FLOOR WITH A WARRANTY. THIS IS MY VENT ON HOW I FEEL. SORRY CADILLAC MOTORS AND THOMSON AND MCCONNELL

STARTED CAR TO PULL OUT OF GARAGE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK TO DEALER WHO SAID AIRBAGS ARE DISABLED AND NEW MODULE NEEDS CHANGING AT COST OF $900.00.

SINCE MAY 2015, GOING DOWN THE ROAD THE AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON, THEN AGAIN IN JUNE 2015 GOING DOWN THE ROAD THE LIGHT COMES ON AGAIN AND STAYS ON. ONCE AGAIN , IN JULY LIGHTS COMES BACK ON AND STAYS ON HAS NOT GONE OUT AS OF 21 JULY 2015.. WE BROUGHT THE CAR IN 2014 WITH ONLY 19,000 MILES, THE CAR NOW ONLY HAS 32,500 ODD MILES ON IT. WE NEED TO KNOW IF IT HAS A RECALL , DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING IT AS OF NOW... WE DO SEE THAT THERE ARE RECALLS FOR THE YEARS OFF 2000-2008...

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY ALL OF A SUDDEN THE STEERING GOT EXTREMELY STIFF AND I LOST MY POWER STEERING. ON THE (DIC) DRIVERS INFORMATION CENTER THE MESSAGE DISPLAYED " SERVICE STEERING SYS" WHEN I STOPPED THE CAR AND LET IT COOL DOWN, NORMAL STEERING RETURNED. THIS PROBLEM KEEPS RETURNING EVERY DAY OR TWO. AT SLOW SPEED ITS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN, AS WHEN PARKING. I LOOKED ON LINE AND FOUND OUT THIS ISN'T AN UNCOMMON PROBLEM IN BOTH THE 2009 CTS & STS CADILLAC'S. NOW I HAVE TO TAKE THE CART TO THE DEALER TO HAVE IT REPAIRED AND MY QUESTION IS WILL THE REPAIR BE COVERED AS THE CAR HAS ONLY 36,000 MILES ON IT AS A FACTORY RELATED PROBLEM AS I'M OUT OF THE 5 YEAR WARRANTY. I HAVE HAD CADILLAC'S SINCE 1970 AND NEVER HAD A STEERING PROBLEM WITH ANY OF THEM MOST HAD WELL OVER 200,000 ON THEM WITH NEVER ANY STEERING PROBLEMS. THIS I HAVE TO ADD I HAVE NEVER HAD SO MANY MINOR PROBLEMS WITH ANY CAR I'VE OWNED AS WITH THIS CADILLAC ESPECIALLY WITH SO FEW MILES ON IT AND NOW THAT THE 5 YEAR WARRANTY IS OFF THESE REPAIRS ARE AT MY EXPENSE DON'T THINK I WILL EVER BUY ANOTHER CADILLAC OR ANY GM CAR AGAIN IF THESE REPAIRS ARE NOT DONE AT THE FACTOR'S EXPENCE. *JS

THE CAR SIMPLY MADE A GRINDING SOUND AND I LOST ALL CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I COULD NOT STEER, BRAKE OR ACCELERATE. THE GEARS WERE CORRODED AND AS A RESULT THE GEAR SHIFT HAD NO CONTROL OVER THE CAR. THE CAR HAS 47,000 AND IS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD AND I WAS TOLD THAT GM DID NOT PUT A SEALANT ON THE UNDERCARRIAGE AND AS A RESULT WATER AND ICE AND ALL OTHER WEATHER AFFECTED THE GEARS AND LITERALLY RUSTED OUT. I AM ALSO TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT WHEN THEY REBUILD THE TRANSMISSION, THEY WILL NOW PUT THAT SEALANT WHERE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN. TO ME THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE. THEY KNOW THIS IS A PROBLEM AND ARE NOW GOING TO BE SURE A SEALANT IS PART OF THE FIX. I AM FORTUNATE THAT I WAS JUST GETTING BACK ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY WHEN THIS OCCURRED. IF I HAD BEEN DOING 75 MILES AN HOUR IN HEAVY TRAFFIC I TRULY BELIEVE I WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. THE CAR JUST STOPPED IN ITS TRACKS AND I HAD NO CONTROL. FINALLY, I GOT THE CAR TO STOP GOING BACKWARDS WHEN I PLACED ON THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. I HAVE ALSO BEEN TOLD THAT I AM THE THIRD LOW MILEAGE CAR THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED WITH THIS DEFECT. ANYONE LIVING IN WET AND SNOWY CLIMATES IS AT SERIOUS RISK. AN INVESTIGATION OF THE AWD GM VEHICLES IS WARRANTED. MEANWHILE, I HAVE A 5 YEAR 100,000 MILE WARRANTY THAT EXPIRED IN MARCH AND SO GM DOES NOT BELIEVE THEY SHOULD FIX THIS PROBLEM ON THEIR NICKEL. I BELIEVE THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME SERIOUS ACCIDENTS SOON AND WANT THEM TO RECALL THE CARS TO HAVE THE SEALANT PLACED ON THEIR VEHICLES AND TO CHECK FOR CORROSION. *TR

2009 CADILLAC STS LOST ALL OR MOST BRAKE FLUID. THIS CAR HAS SLIGHTLY OVER 22000 MILES. MULTIPLE WARNINGS ON PANEL. DEALER FOUND THAT THE LEFT REARF BRAKE CALIPER WAS LEAKING FLUID UNDER PRESSURE AT THE POINT WHERE THE BRAKE HOSE CONNECTS. CALIPER AND HOSE WERE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. MY CONCERN NOW IS THAT IF THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM IT MAY CAUSE ACCIDENTS WHEN ALL BRAKES FAIL WITH NO FLUID LEFT IN THE MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR. THAT IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND, HOPEFULLY, IT IS A PROBLEM THAT IS NOT WIDESPREAD. *TR

FUEL LEAKING ONTO EXHAUST SYSTEM HAD TO TOW TO DEALER DUE TO FREIGHTING EXPERIENCE OF POSSIBLE FIRE AND INJURY TO MYSELF AND OTHERS. DEALER STATED COST WOULD BE A MIN. 1000 DOLLARS WOULD HAVE TO REMOVE FUEL TANK TO ACCESS PROBLEM AND STATED A TWO DAY WAIT ON PARTS TO REPAIR ..CAR HAS 16000 MI ON IT. WHAT A TRIAMINIC EXPERIENCE.

PASSENGER SIDE HEADLAMP FAILED AFTER CONDENSATION BUILD UP IN THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY. I HAVE THE HID HEADLAMPS AND CHANGED THE BULBS CHECKED ALL THE FUSES AND RELAYS BUT IT STILL WILL NOT WORK CONSISTENTLY. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE CHANGED AND IT WAS NOT COVERED AS BECAUSE THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY AT 53000 MILES. THE COST IS $1695 THEY SAID THE LIGHT FAILED BECAUSE THE SEAL IS BAD AND THIS ALLOWED CONDENSATION TO BUILD UP. I CHECKED AROUND AND NOTICED THAT THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM FOR CADILLAC SRX 2010 MODEL YEAR AND NEW OWNERS. SINCE THE PROBLEM IS SO WIDE SPREAD IT SEEMS MORE LIKE AN ENGINEERING DEFECT THAT SHOULD BE COVERED EITHER BY A RECALL OR AN EXTENSION IN THE WARRANTY. SEEMS UNFAIR TO MAKE THE CONSUMER HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS.

DRIVING HOME ON THE INTERSTATE AT THE POSTED 70 MPH SPEED MY ELECTRONIC STABILITY LIGHT GOES OFF AND THE CARS ENGAGED SUDDENLY BEGINS TO RAPIDLY POWER DOWN. A FEW MOMENTS LATER I WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN 40 MPH AS THE TRANSITION REVIVED TO 2X NORMAL LEVELS. I WAS FORCED TO PULL OFF THE INTERSTATE AND TURN OFF THE CAR FOR A FEW MINUTES, RESTART THE CAR AND DRIVE WHILE THE TRANSITION LIGHT REMAINED LIGHT UP. OVER THE PAST COUPLE WEEKS THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY LIGHT/ENGINE POWERING DOWN SITUATION HAS BECOME MORE FREQUENT AND ALMOST A DAILY SITUATION I EXPECT--NOT A COMFORTING FEELING WHEN ON THE INTERSTATE. I TOOK THE CAR THE A LOCAL MECHANIC TODAY AND FOR ONCE THE TRANSMITION LIGHT WAS NOT ON AND THE TRACTION STABILITY SITUATION WAS NOT A PROBLEM--GO FIGURE. ANYWAY, THE MECHANIC TESTED THE CAR AND SAID THE ISSUE APPEARED TO BE MOISTURE GETTING INTO THE ACCELERATOR SENSOR AND CAUSING THE ISSUE. HE WAS NOT 100% SURE AND RECOMMENDED I KEEP DRIVING THE CAR AND BRING IN ONCE THE ISSUE POPS UP AGAIN--SURE IT WILL. DIFFICULT TO PROVE WITHOUT BEING AN EXPERT MECHANIC BUT I BELIEVE THERE IS AN ENGINEERING DEFECT WITH THE CAR CREATING THIS ISSUE AND THE PART SHOULD BE RECALLED AND REPLACED WITH A NEWLY ENGINEERED MOISTURE SEALED PART. ALL ACCELERATION ISSUES LIKE THIS ARE VERY SERIOUS AS GM SHOULD ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY TO FIX. I REPLACED THE SAME SENSOR APPROXIMATELY 2 YEARS AGO AND PROBLEM PERSISTENT OVER THAT SAME PERIOD OF TIME. NOT WHAT YOU EXPECT WHEN YOU INVEST IN THE CADILLAC BRAND. *JS

LED TAILLIGHTS ARE DISTRACTING, ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH LOW REFRESH RATES. THE HUMAN RETINA TAKES 1MS TO TAKE A SNAPSHOT OF THE WORLD, SO LIGHTS WITH A REFRESH RATE BELOW 1000HZ SHOULD BE BANNED FROM THE ROADS. CADILLACS IN PARTICULAR ARE BAD, WITH REFRESH RATES APPARENTLY AROUND 60HZ OR SO. I CAN USUALLY SPOT CADDIES FROM A DISTANCE ON THE FREEWAY AT NIGHT DUE TO HOW MUCH THEIR TAILLIGHTS FLICKER. IT IS EXTREMELY ANNOYING, BEING THE EQUIVALENT TO FLASHING A LIGHT ON AND OFF RAPIDLY, AND DISTRACTS ME AWAY FROM THE REST OF THE ROAD. ONE SUCH TIME NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT AS MY ATTENTION KEPT GETTING DISTRACTED BY AN LED TAILLIGHT AND I NEARLY MISSED AN EMERGENCY BRAKE IN THE LANE AHEAD OF ME. PLEASE BAN ALL LED TAILLIGHTS, OR LED TAILLIGHTS WITH A REFRESH RATE BELOW 1000HZ. *TR

The steering wheel became uncontrollable while idle and can't turn the steering wheel without picking up speed. While stopped you can't turn the steering wheel, it's like trying to turn it while the engine is off.