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CADILLAC · vehicle model

CADILLAC STS

609 NHTSA complaints and 7 safety recalls across model years 1998–2011.

Complaints
609
Recalls
7
Model years
14

The CADILLACSTS appears in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database with 609 consumer safety complaints and 7 recall campaigns across 14 model years (1998–2011). That averages roughly 44 complaints per model year. Report counts can differ between model years for many reasons; this dataset does not establish the cause of a difference.

Complaint volume on a nameplate alone is not a reliability verdict: a long-running bestseller can accumulate more filings than a low-volume niche model because more vehicles are on the road. The table below shows report counts and published NHTSA crash-test ratings side by side for each model year. The filing-year histogram shows the timing of submitted reports, not a causal trend.

NHTSA has 10 investigation files tied to this model, with 1 currently open. Investigation records, complaint reports, and recall campaigns each provide different context. Use the official NHTSA VIN lookup and the underlying notices to research a specific vehicle; PlainCars does not infer a vehicle-risk or pricing conclusion from these records.

Complaints by Year

YearComplaints
20119
20106
200923
200877
200767
2006197
2005145
20049
200315
200210
200117
200015
199916
19983

Complaint Filing Trend

NHTSA complaint volume by year filed (not model year).

Filings moved from 97 in 2017-2021 to 15 in 2022-2026, a fall of 84.5%. That is the 10th percentile of change across the 772 nameplates with enough filings in both windows to compare, where 0 is the steepest fall and 100 the steepest rise.

Filing volume, not a reliability verdict: counts also move with how many vehicles are on the road, how old they are, and whether a recall drew attention. Computed from this portal's NHTSA filing-year records over the same two windows the trend rankings use.

1
’00
2
’01
1
’02
8
’03
4
’04
17
’05
25
’06
29
’07
34
’08
35
’09
41
’10
24
’11
35
’12
23
’13
90
’14
76
’15
52
’16
27
’17
18
’18
43
’19
7
’20
2
’21
5
’22
5
’23
3
’25
2
’26

Year filed (bar labels show the complaint count).

View all trending models →

Compare CADILLACSTS to Similar Vehicles

CADILLACSTS vs DODGESPIRIT → CADILLACSTS vs JEEPPATRIOT 4X4 → CADILLACSTS vs FORDF-550 SD → CADILLACSTS vs FORDF-450 SD →

NHTSA Investigations 1 Open

PE24011Preliminary EvaluationOpen2024-04-11

Electronic Brake Module Component Failure

PE22006Preliminary EvaluationClosed2022-07-22

Rear-View Camera Failure

PE19001Preliminary EvaluationClosed2019-02-01

Roof Skin Separation While Driving

EQ11001EQClosed2011-02-07

IEE Passenger Sensing System Mats

EA07017Engineering AnalysisClosed2007-12-07

REAR DRIVETRAIN COMPONENT FAILURE

PE07037Preliminary EvaluationClosed2007-07-17

FAILURE OF THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL

EA06001Engineering AnalysisClosed2006-01-20

SUNROOF GLASS FAILURE

PE04060Preliminary EvaluationClosed2004-08-17

FAILING SEAT BELT BUCKLES

RQ99013Recall QueryClosed1999-06-10

CADILLAC COOLANT COOLED ALTERNATOR FIRES

SQ97017SQClosed1997-07-02

INADVERTENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT

Frequently Asked Questions

How reliable is the CADILLAC STS?▼
The CADILLAC STS has received 609 NHTSA complaints spanning model years 1998 to 2011, with 7 recalls. That averages about 44 complaints per model year.
What years of CADILLAC STS are available?▼
PlainCars has complaint and recall data for the CADILLAC STS from 1998 to 2011 (14 model years). Select any year to see component-level complaint breakdowns and safety ratings.
Does the CADILLAC STS have safety ratings?▼
NHTSA safety ratings (NCAP 5-star program) are available for many CADILLAC STS model years from 2011 onward. Select a specific year to see front crash, side crash, and rollover ratings where available.
What are the most common CADILLAC STS complaints?▼
NHTSA complaints for the CADILLAC STS are categorized by component, common areas include engine, transmission, electrical system, airbags, and brakes. Select a model year for a detailed component-by-component breakdown.
How do I check if my CADILLAC STS has been recalled?▼
Visit the year-specific page on PlainCars to see all recalls for your model year, or enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov for official recall status and available remedies.
Data sources

Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.

Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. CADILLAC STS totals are aggregated from the linked NHTSA model-year rows; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.