Reliability & cost of ownership
Cadillac DTS Reliability & Common Problems
How reliable is the Cadillac DTS? Compare every model year side by side — NHTSA recalls, owner complaints, and crash-test stars where on file — then open the year you're shopping for its AI reliability outlook where NHTSA has enough data.
Cadillac DTS problems by model year
17 recall entries across 6 model years and 527 owner complaints across 8 model years on file, sourced from the federal NHTSA database. We couldn't confirm the NHTSA recall list for the remaining 2 model years — check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | NCAP stars | Full report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 DTS | 2 | 16 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2010 DTS | 3 | 22 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2009 DTS | 2 | 35 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2008 DTS | 3 | 86 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2007 DTS | 3 | 97 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2006 DTS | 4 | 255 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2005 DTS | Not confirmed | 9 | No overall rating on file | Recalls & complaints → |
| 2004 DTS | Not confirmed | 7 | No overall rating on file | Recalls & complaints → |
Most-complained-about components
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA against the Cadillac DTS, grouped by the component each complaint names — the fastest read on where this model gives trouble.
- electrical system177 complaints
- exterior lighting102 complaints
- engine80 complaints
- steering56 complaints
- air bags34 complaints
- seats27 complaints
- service brakes23 complaints
- unknown or other22 complaints