NHTSA vehicle safety data

2002 Cadillac SLS Recalls & Complaints

We couldn't confirm the NHTSA recall list for the 2002 Cadillac SLS right now, so this page doesn't state a recall count — check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls for current campaigns. 10 owner complaints are on file.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2002 Cadillac SLS.

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2002 Cadillac SLS owner complaints

Owners have filed 10 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Cadillac SLS, describing incidents dated November 27, 2002 to January 24, 2014.

Most-cited components

Engine 4 complaints
Electrical System 2 complaints
Structure 2 complaints
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) 1 complaint
Service Brakes 1 complaint
Unknown or Other 1 complaint

Newest complaints

ODI #10641036 · Filed October 3, 2014
WHEN SLOWING AT ABOUT 20 MPH TO 3 MPH THE VEHICLE JUST DIES. NO POWER STEERING OR BRAKES, ALL ELECTRICAL IN THE VEHICLE STOPS WORKING. THE VEHICLE WILL START AGAIN ONCE STOPPED, PLACED IN PARK OFTEN HAVING TO REMOVE THE KEY AND PUTTING IT BACK. AFTER OVER THREE MONTHS AND OVER 1500 MILES, WORKING…
ODI #10575153 · Filed March 27, 2014
TL* 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…
ODI #10574184 · Filed March 22, 2014
ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS THIS YEAR, MOST RECENTLY TODAY (3/22/14), THE ENGINE ON MY 2003 (?) CADILLAC SLS ABRUPTLY CUT OFF, SIMILAR TO THE MUCH-PUBLICIZED RECENT FAILURES ON GM'S 2003-11 COMPACT CARS. MY CAR IS NO COMPACT, BUT I'M WONDERING IF IT USES THE SAME IGNITION COMPONENTS. IN ANY EVENT…

Read all 10 complaints

We couldn't confirm the NHTSA recall list for the 2002 Cadillac SLS right now — this is not a confirmed "no recalls". Check the VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls for the official status.

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 2002 Cadillac SLS. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

10 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2002 Cadillac SLS.

Electrical System

ODI #10641036

Incident: December 19, 2012 · Filed: October 3, 2014

WHEN SLOWING AT ABOUT 20 MPH TO 3 MPH THE VEHICLE JUST DIES. NO POWER STEERING OR BRAKES, ALL ELECTRICAL IN THE VEHICLE STOPS WORKING. THE VEHICLE WILL START AGAIN ONCE STOPPED, PLACED IN PARK OFTEN HAVING TO REMOVE THE KEY AND PUTTING IT BACK. AFTER OVER THREE MONTHS AND OVER 1500 MILES, WORKING WITH THE DE LA FUENTE CADILLAC DEALERSHIP, HAVING A RED BUTTON ATTACHED TO THE VEHICLE THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO PUSH WHEN THIS HAPPENED THEY FINALLY REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH AND LOCK CYLINDER PART NUMBERS 12369550 AND 25725312 AT A COST OF $615.73 TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. AFTER THE CAR STOPPED ON ME THE FIRST TIME I KEPT TO SURFACE STREETS AND DROVE AT SLOW SPEEDS. THIS PROBLEM COULD HAVE BEEN DEVIATING HAD IT HAPPENED WHILE ON THE FREE WAY. *TR

Electrical System

ODI #10575153

Incident: April 27, 2012 · Filed: March 27, 2014

TL* 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.

Engine

ODI #10574184

Incident: January 24, 2014 · Filed: March 22, 2014

ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS THIS YEAR, MOST RECENTLY TODAY (3/22/14), THE ENGINE ON MY 2003 (?) CADILLAC SLS ABRUPTLY CUT OFF, SIMILAR TO THE MUCH-PUBLICIZED RECENT FAILURES ON GM'S 2003-11 COMPACT CARS. MY CAR IS NO COMPACT, BUT I'M WONDERING IF IT USES THE SAME IGNITION COMPONENTS. IN ANY EVENT, WE WERE LUCKY TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. AFTER THE FIRST INCIDENT, I REFERRED THE CAR TO MY TRUSTED MECHANIC, AND HE COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. ONE FURTHER NOTE: WHEN THE ENGINE CUT OFF TODAY, ONLY *ONE* KEY WAS IN THE IGNITION, SO IT WAS *NOT* A MATTER OF THE SWITCH BEING "WEIGHED DOWN" BY AN OVERLOADED KEY CHAIN. I WILL TAKE THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC ON MONDAY AND SUGGEST THAT A NEW IGNITION SWITCH BE INSTALLED. BUT ALL THIS SHOULD SERVE AS A "HEADS UP" WARNING TO GM OWNERS WHO DRIVE NON-COMPACT GM CARS. *TR

Engine and Engine Cooling

ODI #10252119

Incident: December 9, 2008 · Filed: December 17, 2008

A "LOW COOLANT" LIGHT APPEARED ON MY 2002 CADILLAC SLS (4.6L NORTHSTAR VIN-Y). WHILE PARKED STEAM/SMOKE (SMALL AMOUNT) BEGAN RISING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND A SMALL PUDDLE OF COOLANT WAS FOUND BELOW VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AND A CRACK IN THE ENGINE BLOCK WAS DISCOVERED. MECHANIC STATED THIS WAS VERY ODD. VEHICLE HAS 103K MILES. WATER PUMP GASKET WAS REPLACED AT 65K MILES, HEAD GASKETS, THERMOSTAT & RADIATOR WERE REPLACED AT 78K MILES AND WATER PUMP CLAMP/HOSE REPLACED AT 83K MILES. ALL THESE REPAIRS WERE MADE BY THE DEALERSHIP WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY. NO OTHER REPAIRS (TO MY KNOWLEDGE) WERE MADE TO THE ENGINE/COOLING SYSTEM. *TR

Engine and Engine Cooling

ODI #10234414

Incident: June 15, 2008 · Filed: July 15, 2008

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. *TR

Engine and Engine Cooling; Structure

ODI #10234219

Incident: June 15, 2008 · Filed: July 14, 2008

DEFECTIVE NORTHSTAR ENGINES, HEAD BOLTS PULLING OUT OF BLOCK. *TR

Electronic Stability Control

ODI #10149362

Incident: February 3, 2006 · Filed: February 3, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE HYDROPLANES INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING NORMAL HIGHWAY SPEEDS OF 55 MPH OR MORE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE CONTACT FEELS THE HYDROPLANING IS RELATED TO THE VEHICLE'S STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM, ALTHOUGH THIS HAS NEVER BEEN CONFIRMED BY THE DEALER. UPDATED 3/3/2006 - *NM

Unknown or Other

ODI #10050224

Filed: November 28, 2003

INQUIRY REGARDING ENTITLEMENT OF $1,000.00 DISCOUNT.*MR *PH

Structure

ODI #10020334

Incident: May 21, 2003 · Filed: June 26, 2003

THE CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED AT TIMES WHEN THE DOORS WERE OPENED WITHOUT HIS KNOWLEDGE, AND THERE WAS NO ALARM SOUND TO NOTIFY HIM. *NLM *TT *JB

Service Brakes, Air

ODI #770379

Incident: November 27, 2002 · Filed: December 3, 2002

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

Check your 2002 Cadillac SLS VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Cadillac SLS at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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