Reliability & cost of ownership
Cadillac STS Reliability & Common Problems
How reliable is the Cadillac STS? 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 STS problems by model year
11 recall entries across 9 model years and 430 owner complaints across 14 model years on file, sourced from the federal NHTSA database. We couldn't confirm the NHTSA recall list for the remaining 5 model years — check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | NCAP stars | Full report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 STS | Not confirmed | 7 | No overall rating on file | Recalls & complaints → |
| 2010 STS | Not confirmed | 4 | No overall rating on file | Recalls & complaints → |
| 2009 STS | Not confirmed | 15 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2008 STS | 1 | 50 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2007 STS | 2 | 52 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2006 STS | 4 | 139 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2005 STS | 3 | 101 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2004 STS | 0 | 7 | No overall rating on file | Recalls & complaints → |
| 2003 STS | 0 | 8 | No overall rating on file | Recalls & complaints → |
| 2002 STS | 0 | 7 | No overall rating on file | Recalls & complaints → |
| 2001 STS | 0 | 12 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 2000 STS | 1 | 12 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 1999 STS | Not confirmed | 13 | No overall rating on file | AI reliability outlook → |
| 1998 STS | Not confirmed | 3 | No overall rating on file | Recalls & complaints → |
Most-complained-about components
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA against the Cadillac STS, grouped by the component each complaint names — the fastest read on where this model gives trouble.
- air bags102 complaints
- electrical system83 complaints
- engine51 complaints
- power train43 complaints
- fuel/propulsion system33 complaints
- engine and engine cooling32 complaints
- electronic stability control (esc)26 complaints
- steering25 complaints