CADILLAC STS · model year

2011 CADILLAC STS

9 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2011CADILLACSTS carries 9 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall Not Rated/5 rating, with Not Rated/5 front crash, Not Rated/5 side crash, and 5/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2011 STS is electrical system with 3 filings, followed by service brakes (2) and seat belts (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 2011 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.

9
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

9 filings

Crashes Reported

1 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

NHTSA NCAP overall: Not Rated/5 — Not rated · Front: Not Rated/5 · Side: Not Rated/5 · Rollover: 5/5

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM3
SERVICE BRAKES2
SEAT BELTS1
EXTERIOR LIGHTING1
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL1
STEERING1

Recent Complaints

20250104STEERING

The steering wheel became uncontrollable while idle and can't turn the steering wheel without picking up speed. While stopped you can't turn the steering wheel, it's like trying to turn it while the engine is off.

20161004SERVICE BRAKES

WE OWN A 2011 CADILLAC STS. RECENTLY MY WIFE WAS LEAVING FOR WORK AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I FELT THE HOUSE SHAKE. MY WIFE WAS REVERSING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY WHEN SHE APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE PEDAL WAS SO HARD SHE COULD NOT PRESS THE PEDAL DOWN. TO AVOID A CRASH SHE PUT THE CAR INTO DRIVE TO KEEP IT FROM GOING INTO THE STREET. ONCE SHE WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE STREET SHE PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL, BUT THE BRAKES WERE STILL NOT RESPONDING. THATS WHEN OUR HOME BECAME OUR CAR STOPPER. I DROVE THE CAR AFTERWARDS AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS STILL HARD AND WOULD NOT HOLD THE CAR FROM MOVING WHEN IT WAS PUT INTO GEAR. I CONTACTED THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHO INFORMED ME THAT IT WOULD TAKE AT LEAST 3 TO 4 HOURS LABOR TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THAT AT $149.99 PER HOUR. HE ALSO INFORMED ME THAT THEY HAD A VEHICLE IN EARLIER SAYING THE SAME THING AND THEY PRETTY MUCH REPLACED ALL OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM ON THE CAR AT THE COST OF OVER $3900.00. THAT IS CRAZY TO ME SO I WENT THROUGH THE CAR MYSELF. I REP

20161004ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

WE OWN A 2011 CADILLAC STS. RECENTLY MY WIFE WAS LEAVING FOR WORK AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I FELT THE HOUSE SHAKE. MY WIFE WAS REVERSING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY WHEN SHE APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE PEDAL WAS SO HARD SHE COULD NOT PRESS THE PEDAL DOWN. TO AVOID A CRASH SHE PUT THE CAR INTO DRIVE TO KEEP IT FROM GOING INTO THE STREET. ONCE SHE WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE STREET SHE PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL, BUT THE BRAKES WERE STILL NOT RESPONDING. THATS WHEN OUR HOME BECAME OUR CAR STOPPER. I DROVE THE CAR AFTERWARDS AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS STILL HARD AND WOULD NOT HOLD THE CAR FROM MOVING WHEN IT WAS PUT INTO GEAR. I CONTACTED THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHO INFORMED ME THAT IT WOULD TAKE AT LEAST 3 TO 4 HOURS LABOR TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THAT AT $149.99 PER HOUR. HE ALSO INFORMED ME THAT THEY HAD A VEHICLE IN EARLIER SAYING THE SAME THING AND THEY PRETTY MUCH REPLACED ALL OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM ON THE CAR AT THE COST OF OVER $3900.00. THAT IS CRAZY TO ME SO I WENT THROUGH THE CAR MYSELF. I REP

20150803VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL

2011 CADILLAC STS. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED ON ITS OWN. *SMD UPDATED 09/17/15*LJ UPDATED 09/21/15.*JB UPDATED 09/22/15*JB

Mileage: 59,000

20150521ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CADILLAC STS. WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, ALL THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE, THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM FAILED TO FUNCTION, AND THE BACK UP SENSORS CHIMED WITHOUT ANY OBJECT BEHIND THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE OR REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 7/29/15*CN UPDATED 10/17/2017*CN

Mileage: 20,000

20140823SERVICE BRAKES

WHEN I BACKED OUT OF MY CARPORT AND APPLIED MY BRAKES IT WOULDN'T STOP. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY COULDN'T MAKE THE CAR DO IT AGAIN. THE BRAKES WHEN I BACK UP STILL DOES NOT STOP MY CAR INTERMITTENTLY, UNTIL I STEP ON BRAKES 3 OR 4 TIMES. THIS IS FRIGHTENING. THE DEALERSHIP WOULDN'T EVEN TAKE A LOOK AT MY BRAKES. *TR

Mileage: 38,000

20140317ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

DASH LIGHTS FAIL TO COME UP UPON START - SPORADIC IN MARCH 2013, CHRONIC IN NOVEMBER TO PRESENT BACK UP SENSORS MALFUNCTIONING - JANUARY 2014 TO PRESENT POWER WINDOWS GO UP AND DOWN - SPORADIC JAN 2014 CD/RADIO VOLUME EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH AND THEN RE-ADJUSTS ITSELF HEADLIGHTS TURN OFF WHEN THEY SHOULD BE ON - 2 OCCURRENCES - FEBRUARY 2014 2 EMISSION WARNING FROM ONSTAR DENIED BY DEALER - JAN - 03/2014 ALARM COMING THROUGH REAR-VIEW MIRROR ASSEMBLY - VERY, VERY LOUD AND PERSISTENT - FEBRUARY 2014 I REPORTED SEVERAL OCCURRENCES IN 2013. DEALERSHIP SAID THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE REPORTED CHRONIC OCCURRENCES AGAIN IN NOVEMBER, DECEMBER AND JANUARY AND FEBRUARY - TOLD COULD NOT DIAGNOSE COMPLAINED TO CORPORATE WHO OFFERED TO HAVE CAR DIAGNOSED FOR 99.00; THEN CHARGED ASSIGNED WERE 99.00 PER SYMPTOM - GREAT WAY TO DETER A CUSTOMER TOLD BY CORPORATE THIS PAST WEEK THAT THEY DID NOT SAY THAT AND THAT THE CAR WAS UNFIXABLE. ALSO TOLD I WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND ANY CHARGES WERE NOW ON ME

Mileage: 53,000

20140317EXTERIOR LIGHTING

DASH LIGHTS FAIL TO COME UP UPON START - SPORADIC IN MARCH 2013, CHRONIC IN NOVEMBER TO PRESENT BACK UP SENSORS MALFUNCTIONING - JANUARY 2014 TO PRESENT POWER WINDOWS GO UP AND DOWN - SPORADIC JAN 2014 CD/RADIO VOLUME EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH AND THEN RE-ADJUSTS ITSELF HEADLIGHTS TURN OFF WHEN THEY SHOULD BE ON - 2 OCCURRENCES - FEBRUARY 2014 2 EMISSION WARNING FROM ONSTAR DENIED BY DEALER - JAN - 03/2014 ALARM COMING THROUGH REAR-VIEW MIRROR ASSEMBLY - VERY, VERY LOUD AND PERSISTENT - FEBRUARY 2014 I REPORTED SEVERAL OCCURRENCES IN 2013. DEALERSHIP SAID THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE REPORTED CHRONIC OCCURRENCES AGAIN IN NOVEMBER, DECEMBER AND JANUARY AND FEBRUARY - TOLD COULD NOT DIAGNOSE COMPLAINED TO CORPORATE WHO OFFERED TO HAVE CAR DIAGNOSED FOR 99.00; THEN CHARGED ASSIGNED WERE 99.00 PER SYMPTOM - GREAT WAY TO DETER A CUSTOMER TOLD BY CORPORATE THIS PAST WEEK THAT THEY DID NOT SAY THAT AND THAT THE CAR WAS UNFIXABLE. ALSO TOLD I WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND ANY CHARGES WERE NOW ON ME

Mileage: 53,000

20130111CrashSEAT BELTS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CADILLAC CTS. WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 48 MPH, THE DRIVER CRASHED INTO THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT AND SHOULDER ATTACHMENT DEVICE SEPARATED WHICH CAUSED THE OCCUPANT TO MOVE FORWARD INTO THE DEPLOYED AIR BAG. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED A BROKEN RIGHT ANKLE. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DAMAGED AND TOWED TO A SAVAGE FACILITY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE. ...UPDATED 01/23/13 *BF....UPDATED 01/30/13 *BF AN INVESTIGATOR WITH THE CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL SUBMITTED THIS COMPLAINT FORM, NOT THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 2/4/2013 *JS UPDATED 2/7/2013 *JS

Compare 2011CADILLACSTS to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 1 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2011 CADILLAC STS have?
The 2011 CADILLAC STS has 9 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2011 CADILLAC STS?
The 2011 CADILLAC STS received an overall NHTSA safety rating of Not Rated/5, front crash rating of Not Rated/5, side crash rating of Not Rated/5, and rollover rating of 5/5.
What are the most common problems with the 2011 CADILLAC STS?
The most-complained component for the 2011 CADILLAC STS is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES and SEAT BELTS.
Is the 2011 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. The 2011 CADILLAC STS has an NHTSA safety rating of Not Rated/5. 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.