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Cadillac SLSModel year report

2002 Cadillac SLS Problems

Complaints
10filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
87,000miles, 7 complaints with mileage
Recalls
0campaigns on record
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2002 Cadillac SLS (complaints, recalls, investigations). Report an error

NHTSA recorded 10 consumer complaints for the 2002 Cadillac SLS. The part named most often is engine cooling, with 3 complaints (30% of the total), followed by electrical system (2) and body and structure (2). 7 of the complaints include a mileage, and 29% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 87,000 miles. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 64 technical service bulletins for this model year. Engine cooling complaints overlap with 16 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Electrical system complaints overlap with 11 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

Engine cooling: “Head bolts pulled out of block on a 2002 Cadillac with a northstar engine. The first time it happened the car had 74,000 mile and was fixed under the vehicles extended warranty. The 2nd time it happened the car had 87,000 on it and the same head bolt that was fixed failed. The engine was not repairable and had to be replaced. This was a patch job that GM knew was not permanent and they now do not want to take care of their shoddy repair procedure.”

NHTSA complaint #10234414, filed 2008-07, 87,000 miles

Electrical system: “The contact owns a 2002 Cadillac SLS.the contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the battery warning light illuminated as the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that once he was able to restart the vehicle, the check engine light was still illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic however, the technician was unable to diagnose the problem. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 58,806 and the current mileage was 90,200.”

NHTSA complaint #10575153, filed 2014-03, 58,806 miles

Brakes: “Repairing dealer devoe Cadillac of naples fl, replaced retaining clip and foam spacer, but not the interfacing component on the brake pedal, which contains the groove into which the retainer clip fastens. Repair becomes questionable because of limited parts replacement. Dt”

NHTSA complaint #770379, filed 2002-12

Mileage when problems were reported

29% of the 7 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 58,806 and 87,000 miles.

14%0–100%10–2514%25–5014%50–7529%75–10029%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (7 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 87,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Fewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

2002200320062008320143
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.

Recalls and investigations

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2002 Cadillac SLS in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by 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. 64 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 64 bulletins →

Other model years of the Cadillac SLS

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20021087,0000———Not enough data
20001170,7001———Not enough data
1999566,4840———Not enough data

All Cadillac SLS model years

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2002 Cadillac SLS have?

NHTSA recorded 10 consumer complaints for the 2002 Cadillac SLS as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2002 Cadillac SLS is reported most often?

Engine cooling is named most often, in 3 complaints (30% of the total), followed by electrical system with 2.

Has the 2002 Cadillac SLS been recalled?

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

At what mileage are problems with the 2002 Cadillac SLS reported?

Among the 7 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 87,000 miles and the middle half falls between 58,806 and 87,000 miles; 29% 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.

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.