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Cadillac DTSModel year report

2011 Cadillac DTS Problems

Complaints
16filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
67,720miles, 9 complaints with mileage
Recalls
2campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—no overall rating published
EPA fuel economy
18 mpgcombined, 4.6L 8-cyl FWD · 15 city / 23 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2011 Cadillac DTS (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

NHTSA recorded 16 consumer complaints for the 2011 Cadillac DTS. The part named most often is electrical system, with 6 complaints (38% of the total), followed by engine (5) and air bags (3). 9 of the complaints include a mileage, and 22% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 67,720 miles. Of all complaints, 4 involved a crash, 6 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns and 1,154 technical service bulletins for this model year. Electrical system complaints overlap with 2 recall campaigns covering the cables and 245 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Engine complaints overlap with 69 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Example complaints

Electrical system: “Car power shut off while driving on the highway to church and almost got in an accident. Pulled to the side and smelled smoke. Lifted the back seat and opened the fuse box and looked. Lifted the fuel pump fuse and it was burnt. Me and my family got stuck on the side of the highway instead of church and spending time on a holiday.”

NHTSA complaint #11732561, filed 2026-04

Engine: “Hit a truck pulling a lowboy trailer stopped at a stop light.. Due to a concussion, I do not remember the details of the crash. However I do know that the air bag did not deploy and I hit the steering wheel hard enough with my face and chest to bend the steering wheel. I received a severe concussion, five broken ribs and facial lacerations due to hitting the steering wheel. Due to my injuries I was in intensive care and the hospital for nine days and spent 20 days in a rehabilitation facility. I am home now, still in pain and moving around with the help of a walker. …”

NHTSA complaint #10475508, filed 2012-09, 8,400 miles

Air bags: “I was driving sw on design and did not see a stop sign at the intersection of dragon, in dallas, texas. As a result, my 2011 Cadillac DTS collided into (t-boned) a 1995 or 1996 nissan maxima. I was traveling 25-30 miles per hour at impact and never saw the collision coming. Prior to the accident, my vehicle had not been in any collisions. The collision caused significant damage to both vehicles the front of my vehicle and the driver's side of the nissan). Both airbags deployed in the nissan, but my DTS airbags did not deploy. …”

NHTSA complaint #10681946, filed 2015-02, 30,000 miles

Fuel system: “Check engine light keeps coming on after a check and reset. The car has a lost of power and runs real slow than its like the problem never existed. This is the code I keep getting. P0420 code bad catalytic converter”

NHTSA complaint #11165569, filed 2019-01, 126,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

22% of the 9 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 50,000 and 76,000 miles.

11%0–100%10–2511%25–5044%50–7511%75–10022%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (9 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 67,720 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

201220147201520162018201920212026
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2011 Cadillac DTS. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
DTS · sedan FWDnot rated———4 · 11.1% risk

Driver aids listed by NHTSA for the 2011 model year: forward collision warning optional, lane departure warning optional, automatic emergency braking not available.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2011 Cadillac DTS version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
DTS FWD4.6L 8-cyl4-speed automatic152318$3,700

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2011 Cadillac DTS → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 1,154 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 1,154 bulletins →

Other model years of the Cadillac DTS

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20111667,7202—18—Falling
20102260,2773—18—Rising
20093554,0002—18Not compared (fewer than 3 comparable model years)Stable
20088685,3763—18Not compared (fewer than 3 comparable model years)Falling
20079757,5003—18Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200625565,9624—18Not compared (before 2008)Falling
2005954,8710———Not enough data
2004773,6120———Not enough data

All Cadillac DTS model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2011 Cadillac DTS have?

NHTSA recorded 16 consumer complaints for the 2011 Cadillac DTS as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2011 Cadillac DTS is reported most often?

Electrical system is named most often, in 6 complaints (38% of the total), followed by engine with 5.

Has the 2011 Cadillac DTS been recalled?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2011 Cadillac DTS get?

The EPA rates the 2011 Cadillac DTS (DTS, 4.6L 8-cyl) at 18 mpg combined, 15 city and 23 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,700 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2011 Cadillac DTS reported?

Among the 9 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 67,720 miles and the middle half falls between 50,000 and 76,000 miles; 22% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.