Cadillac STS Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 423 consumer complaints across the 12 model years of the Cadillac STS (1999–2011) that have at least 5 complaints. 2006 has the most, with 139. Across all years, the part named most often is air bags (101 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
All STS model years
Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | TSBs | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 7 | 45,500 | 0 | 1,237 | — | Not enough data |
| 2009 | 15 | 70,000 | 0 | 1,081 | — | Stable |
| 2008 | 50 | 57,500 | 1 | 1,036 | Not compared (fewer than 3 comparable model years) | Falling |
| 2007 | 52 | 55,000 | 2 | 926 | Not compared (before 2008) | Rising |
| 2006 | 139 | 72,500 | 4 | 752 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2005 | 101 | 57,000 | 3 | 604 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2004 | 7 | 7,675 | 0 | 103 | — | Not enough data |
| 2003 | 8 | 17,626 | 0 | 89 | — | Not enough data |
| 2002 | 7 | 100,000 | 0 | 77 | — | Not enough data |
| 2001 | 12 | 32,714 | 0 | 68 | — | Not enough data |
| 2000 | 12 | 81,000 | 1 | 30 | — | Not enough data |
| 1999 | 13 | 98,587 | 0 | 11 | — | Not enough data |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Air bags101 25%
- Electrical system82 20%
- Engine51 12%
- Transmission and drivetrain43 11%
- Fuel system40 9.8%
- Brakes33 8.1%
- Engine cooling32 7.8%
- Electronic stability control27 6.6%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
2008: “Recall.I am an active duty sailor and missing several notices of the intial recall.....engine reduction of power in the middle of the interstate...premature timing chain wear reprogram engine control module...while driving the car completely lost power and would not go over 15mph....this happened on a busy I-10 interstate...is there away to reopen this recall.”
NHTSA complaint #11024670, filed 2017-09, 130,000 miles2005: “When I move the driver's seat the airbag symbol appears on the dashboard. If I move the seat back and forth , after a few tries, the airbag symbol disappears. I was not able to look under the seat, but I have seen a video where somebody had the exact same problem but found burnt wires under the seat. I am wondering if there is a fire hazard. This happened when the car is stationary.”
NHTSA complaint #11144607, filed 2018-11, 194,000 miles2006: “I'm currently transporting elder clients without any airbags in my vehicle for the past six weeks. There was a recall on the 2006 cts, but not the STS for the same issue. There are numerous complaints online about the same issue on the 2006 STS. My dealer refuses to honor my request to repair the passenger seat sensor (which controls the airbags) under recall. Thank-you!”
NHTSA complaint #10716199, filed 2015-05, 82,000 milesOther Cadillac models
3,265 complaintsCadillac Deville
2,708 complaintsCadillac CTS
2,219 complaintsCadillac Escalade
1,723 complaintsCadillac Seville
793 complaintsCadillac Escalade ESV
529 complaintsCadillac DTS
527 complaintsCadillac Catera
463 complaints
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. Methodology