CADILLAC STS · model year

2010 CADILLAC STS

6 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2010CADILLACSTS carries 6 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 2010 STS is exterior lighting with 1 filings, followed by electronic stability control (esc) (1) and vehicle speed control (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 2010 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.

6
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

6 filings

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

ComponentCount
EXTERIOR LIGHTING1
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)1
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL1
STRUCTURE:BODY1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM1

Recent Complaints

20160621FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

FUEL LEAKING ONTO EXHAUST SYSTEM HAD TO TOW TO DEALER DUE TO FREIGHTING EXPERIENCE OF POSSIBLE FIRE AND INJURY TO MYSELF AND OTHERS. DEALER STATED COST WOULD BE A MIN. 1000 DOLLARS WOULD HAVE TO REMOVE FUEL TANK TO ACCESS PROBLEM AND STATED A TWO DAY WAIT ON PARTS TO REPAIR ..CAR HAS 16000 MI ON IT. WHAT A TRIAMINIC EXPERIENCE.

Mileage: 16,000

20160201STRUCTURE:BODY

PASSENGER SIDE HEADLAMP FAILED AFTER CONDENSATION BUILD UP IN THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY. I HAVE THE HID HEADLAMPS AND CHANGED THE BULBS CHECKED ALL THE FUSES AND RELAYS BUT IT STILL WILL NOT WORK CONSISTENTLY. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE CHANGED AND IT WAS NOT COVERED AS BECAUSE THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY AT 53000 MILES. THE COST IS $1695 THEY SAID THE LIGHT FAILED BECAUSE THE SEAL IS BAD AND THIS ALLOWED CONDENSATION TO BUILD UP. I CHECKED AROUND AND NOTICED THAT THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM FOR CADILLAC SRX 2010 MODEL YEAR AND NEW OWNERS. SINCE THE PROBLEM IS SO WIDE SPREAD IT SEEMS MORE LIKE AN ENGINEERING DEFECT THAT SHOULD BE COVERED EITHER BY A RECALL OR AN EXTENSION IN THE WARRANTY. SEEMS UNFAIR TO MAKE THE CONSUMER HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS.

Mileage: 53,007

20160201ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

PASSENGER SIDE HEADLAMP FAILED AFTER CONDENSATION BUILD UP IN THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY. I HAVE THE HID HEADLAMPS AND CHANGED THE BULBS CHECKED ALL THE FUSES AND RELAYS BUT IT STILL WILL NOT WORK CONSISTENTLY. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE CHANGED AND IT WAS NOT COVERED AS BECAUSE THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY AT 53000 MILES. THE COST IS $1695 THEY SAID THE LIGHT FAILED BECAUSE THE SEAL IS BAD AND THIS ALLOWED CONDENSATION TO BUILD UP. I CHECKED AROUND AND NOTICED THAT THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM FOR CADILLAC SRX 2010 MODEL YEAR AND NEW OWNERS. SINCE THE PROBLEM IS SO WIDE SPREAD IT SEEMS MORE LIKE AN ENGINEERING DEFECT THAT SHOULD BE COVERED EITHER BY A RECALL OR AN EXTENSION IN THE WARRANTY. SEEMS UNFAIR TO MAKE THE CONSUMER HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS.

Mileage: 53,007

20141231ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

DRIVING HOME ON THE INTERSTATE AT THE POSTED 70 MPH SPEED MY ELECTRONIC STABILITY LIGHT GOES OFF AND THE CARS ENGAGED SUDDENLY BEGINS TO RAPIDLY POWER DOWN. A FEW MOMENTS LATER I WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN 40 MPH AS THE TRANSITION REVIVED TO 2X NORMAL LEVELS. I WAS FORCED TO PULL OFF THE INTERSTATE AND TURN OFF THE CAR FOR A FEW MINUTES, RESTART THE CAR AND DRIVE WHILE THE TRANSITION LIGHT REMAINED LIGHT UP. OVER THE PAST COUPLE WEEKS THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY LIGHT/ENGINE POWERING DOWN SITUATION HAS BECOME MORE FREQUENT AND ALMOST A DAILY SITUATION I EXPECT--NOT A COMFORTING FEELING WHEN ON THE INTERSTATE. I TOOK THE CAR THE A LOCAL MECHANIC TODAY AND FOR ONCE THE TRANSMITION LIGHT WAS NOT ON AND THE TRACTION STABILITY SITUATION WAS NOT A PROBLEM--GO FIGURE. ANYWAY, THE MECHANIC TESTED THE CAR AND SAID THE ISSUE APPEARED TO BE MOISTURE GETTING INTO THE ACCELERATOR SENSOR AND CAUSING THE ISSUE. HE WAS NOT 100% SURE AND RECOMMENDED I KEEP DRIVING THE CAR AND BRING IN ONCE THE ISSUE POPS UP

Mileage: 79,000

20141231VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

DRIVING HOME ON THE INTERSTATE AT THE POSTED 70 MPH SPEED MY ELECTRONIC STABILITY LIGHT GOES OFF AND THE CARS ENGAGED SUDDENLY BEGINS TO RAPIDLY POWER DOWN. A FEW MOMENTS LATER I WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN 40 MPH AS THE TRANSITION REVIVED TO 2X NORMAL LEVELS. I WAS FORCED TO PULL OFF THE INTERSTATE AND TURN OFF THE CAR FOR A FEW MINUTES, RESTART THE CAR AND DRIVE WHILE THE TRANSITION LIGHT REMAINED LIGHT UP. OVER THE PAST COUPLE WEEKS THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY LIGHT/ENGINE POWERING DOWN SITUATION HAS BECOME MORE FREQUENT AND ALMOST A DAILY SITUATION I EXPECT--NOT A COMFORTING FEELING WHEN ON THE INTERSTATE. I TOOK THE CAR THE A LOCAL MECHANIC TODAY AND FOR ONCE THE TRANSMITION LIGHT WAS NOT ON AND THE TRACTION STABILITY SITUATION WAS NOT A PROBLEM--GO FIGURE. ANYWAY, THE MECHANIC TESTED THE CAR AND SAID THE ISSUE APPEARED TO BE MOISTURE GETTING INTO THE ACCELERATOR SENSOR AND CAUSING THE ISSUE. HE WAS NOT 100% SURE AND RECOMMENDED I KEEP DRIVING THE CAR AND BRING IN ONCE THE ISSUE POPS UP

Mileage: 79,000

20100714EXTERIOR LIGHTING

LED TAILLIGHTS ARE DISTRACTING, ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH LOW REFRESH RATES. THE HUMAN RETINA TAKES 1MS TO TAKE A SNAPSHOT OF THE WORLD, SO LIGHTS WITH A REFRESH RATE BELOW 1000HZ SHOULD BE BANNED FROM THE ROADS. CADILLACS IN PARTICULAR ARE BAD, WITH REFRESH RATES APPARENTLY AROUND 60HZ OR SO. I CAN USUALLY SPOT CADDIES FROM A DISTANCE ON THE FREEWAY AT NIGHT DUE TO HOW MUCH THEIR TAILLIGHTS FLICKER. IT IS EXTREMELY ANNOYING, BEING THE EQUIVALENT TO FLASHING A LIGHT ON AND OFF RAPIDLY, AND DISTRACTS ME AWAY FROM THE REST OF THE ROAD. ONE SUCH TIME NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT AS MY ATTENTION KEPT GETTING DISTRACTED BY AN LED TAILLIGHT AND I NEARLY MISSED AN EMERGENCY BRAKE IN THE LANE AHEAD OF ME. PLEASE BAN ALL LED TAILLIGHTS, OR LED TAILLIGHTS WITH A REFRESH RATE BELOW 1000HZ. *TR

Compare 2010CADILLACSTS to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 1 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2010 CADILLAC STS have?
The 2010 CADILLAC STS has 6 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2010 CADILLAC STS?
The most-complained component for the 2010 CADILLAC STS is EXTERIOR LIGHTING with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) and VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL.
Is the 2010 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.