Total Complaints
10 filings
CADILLAC STS · model year
2002 CADILLAC STS
10 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2002CADILLACSTS carries 10 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2002 STS is engine and engine cooling with 1 filings, followed by fuel system, gasoline (1) and service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 10 investigation files overlapping the 2002 STS, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
10
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 1 |
| SUSPENSION | 1 |
| STEERING | 1 |
| WHEELS | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20161214SERVICE BRAKES
104,000 MILES - TOTAL BRAKE LINE FAILURE WHEN DRIVING ON STREET AT 35 MPH. MANAGED TO PULL OVER THEN GOT CAR TO GOODYEAR. BRAKE FLUID DRAINED OUT COMPLETELY BECAUSE OF BRAKE LINE TAPPING AGAINST TRANSMISSION CASING OVER TIME. CASING WAS DENTED IN SEVERAL PLACES. WAS 5 MINUTES AWAY FROM GETTING ON FREEWAY AT 70 MPH. COULD HAVE BEEN DEADLY. SEE THIS SAME DESIGN FLAW OF THE LINE PLACEMENT HAS BEEN REPORTED BY OTHERS. GOD IS GOOD AND WAS WATCHING OVER ME FOR SURE. *TR
Mileage: 104,000
20140917ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
WHILE DRIVING EVERY SHUTS DOWN HAVE TO PULL OVER TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL OR PARK TO RESTART CAR. *TR
Mileage: 100,000
20140226ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I HAVE READ ABOUT THE GM RECALL. I HAD A 2002 CADILLAC. THE CAR DIED TWO DAYS IN A ROW WHILE I WAS DRIVING. COMPLETE ELECTRICAL SHUTDOWN. I CALLED GM. THEY SAID TAKE TO THE DEALER IMMEDIATELY. THE DEALER "REPAIRED THE IGNITION". THEY TOLD ME THEY HAD SEEN THE PROBLEM BEFORE. THEY SAID THERE WAS A FLAW IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. MINE HAPPEN AT LOW SPEED BUT THEY SAID IT COULD HAVE HAPPEN ANYTIME. I NO LONGER HAVE THE CAR. *TR
20120916SUSPENSION
CAR STARTS TO SHAKES IN FRONTEND OF CAR AT 50 TO 70 MPH. SYSTEM STABILITY NOTIFICATION COMES ON. HAVE HAD IT CHECKED AND MECHANICS CAN NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. NEW TIRES AND CALIBRATION DOES NOT HELP. *TR
Mileage: 140,000
20120916STEERING
CAR STARTS TO SHAKES IN FRONTEND OF CAR AT 50 TO 70 MPH. SYSTEM STABILITY NOTIFICATION COMES ON. HAVE HAD IT CHECKED AND MECHANICS CAN NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. NEW TIRES AND CALIBRATION DOES NOT HELP. *TR
Mileage: 140,000
20120916WHEELS
CAR STARTS TO SHAKES IN FRONTEND OF CAR AT 50 TO 70 MPH. SYSTEM STABILITY NOTIFICATION COMES ON. HAVE HAD IT CHECKED AND MECHANICS CAN NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. NEW TIRES AND CALIBRATION DOES NOT HELP. *TR
Mileage: 140,000
20100204SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
I HAVE A 2002 CAD. STS WITH 81,000 MILES. ABOUT 2WEEKS AGO THE WARNING LIGHT STATING CHECK BRAKE FLUID. I CHECKED IT AND ADDED SOME. IT DID IT AGAIN A WEEK LATER BUT THE BRAKES ALMOST FAILED. I TOOK IT TO A GMC DEALER WHO TOLD ME THE BRAKE LINE BROKE BECAUSE IT WAS RUBBING ON THE TRANSMISSION. HE TOLD ME HE HAD NEVER SEEN THIS HAPPEN BEFORE. I ALSO HAVE A FRIEND WHO WORKED AS SERVICE MANAGER FOR A GMC DEALER AND HE STATED HE HAD NEVER SEEN THAT HAPPEN. HE GAVE ME A PHONE AT GMC TO CALL. THE # 800-458-8006 THEY GAVE ME A SERVICE #. I RECEIVED A CALL BACK FROM 866-790-5700 X21073. AFTER 2 DAYS THE MAN TOLD ME THEY COULD NOT HELP ME CAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS 8 YEARS OLD AND HAD 81,000 MILES. THEY WERE NOT CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY ISSUE. *TR
Mileage: 81,000
20090714SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CADILLAC STS. THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT BRAKING PROPERLY WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC FOUND HOLES IN THE BRAKE LINE THAT WERE THREE INCHES APART, WHICH RUBBED AGAINST THE HOUSING FOR THE TRANSMISSION. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY STATED THAT SHE MUST TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER TO CONFIRM THAT THE FAILURE EXISTED. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER, BUT THE CONTACT DOES NOT KNOW IF SHE WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. SHE BELIEVES THAT IT IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT THAT SHOULD BE RECALLED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 66,700.
Mileage: 66,700
20090414ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
NORTHSTAR ENGINE BLOCK IS LEAKING OIL. POTENTIAL ENGINE FIRE VIA ENGINE OIL DRIP TO EXHAUST SYSTEM. *TR
20090414FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
NORTHSTAR ENGINE BLOCK IS LEAKING OIL. POTENTIAL ENGINE FIRE VIA ENGINE OIL DRIP TO EXHAUST SYSTEM. *TR
Compare 2002CADILLACSTS to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
PE24011Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Electronic Brake Module Component Failure
PE22006Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Rear-View Camera Failure
PE19001Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Roof Skin Separation While Driving
EQ11001EQClosed
IEE Passenger Sensing System Mats
EA07017Engineering AnalysisClosed
REAR DRIVETRAIN COMPONENT FAILURE
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2002 CADILLAC STS have?▼
The 2002 CADILLAC STS has 10 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2002 CADILLAC STS?▼
The most-complained component for the 2002 CADILLAC STS is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS.
Is the 2002 CADILLAC STS safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.