2009 Cadillac DTS Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Caution The 2009 Cadillac DTS has 35 NHTSA complaints and a complaint index of 50, ranking 4th worst of 7 model years with a Caution verdict. Electrical system issues, especially a fuse box/fuel pump relay that overheats or melts, are the top concern, with 2 recalls on file.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 50/100
- #4 of 7 DTS years
- Verdict
- Caution
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 35
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 2
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 1
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 1
- Injuries
- 3
- Top issue
- Electrical System
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 18
- 15 city / 22.5 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 3 / 0
Top 2009 Cadillac DTS problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Electrical System12 (34%)
- Brakes7 (20%)
- Structure & Body7 (20%)
- Fuel System5 (14%)
- Engine4 (11%)
- Other3 (9%)
- Steering3 (9%)
- Visibility & Wipers2 (6%)
- Airbags1 (3%)
- Seat Belts1 (3%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Rear fuse box or fuel pump relay overheats, melts, or emits a burning odor, sometimes causing the engine to stall and refuse to restart
- Front head restraints sit at a steep angle, creating a large blind spot and forcing an uncomfortable head position
- Factory chrome wheel finish peels from all four wheels in the same spot
- Brakes pulsate during deceleration
- Airbags failed to deploy in a crash at highway speed, resulting in injuries to occupants
2009 Cadillac DTS recalls
2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 14V355000Jun 23, 2014Electrical System3,141,731 vehicles
Electrical system:ignition
This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Buick LaCrosse, 2006-2011 Buick Lucerne, 2000-2005 Cadillac DeVille, 2006-2011 Cadillac DTS, 2006-2014 Chevrolet Impala, and 2006-2007 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the weight on the key ring and road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.
Risk: If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, a key knocked out of the run position will cause loss of engine power, power steering, and power braking, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on September 23, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), and 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet). GM's number for this recall is 14299.
- NHTSA 10V240000Jun 4, 2010Electrical System1,365,070 vehicles
Electrical system
Gm is recalling certain model year 2006-2009 buick, lucerne; cadillac dts; hummer h2; model year 2008-2009 buick enclave; cadillac cts; model year 2007-2009 cadillac escalade, escalade esv, escalade ext; chevrolet avalanche, silverado, suburban, tahoe; gmc acadia, sierra, yukon, yukon xl; saturn outlook; and model year 2009 chevrolet traverse vehicles equipped with a heated washer fluid system (hwfs). A recall was implemented in 2008 to add a fuse to the control circuit harness to address the potential consequences of a printed circuit board (pcb) electrical short. However, there have been new reports of thermal incidents on hwfs modules after this improvement was installed. These incidents resulted from a new failure mode attributed to the device's thermal protection feature. The significance varies from minor distortion to considerable melting of the plastic around the hwfs fluid chamber.
Risk: It is possible for the heated washer module to ignite and a fire may occur.
Remedy: Dealers will permanently disable and remove the heated washer fluid module. An updated page for the owner manual will be provided and inserted in the owner manual to document that the feature has been permanently disabled and removed from the vehicle. The safety recall began on june 11, 2010. Owners may contact buick at 1-866-608-8080, cadillac at 1-866-982-2339, chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, saturn at 1-800-972-8876, gmc at 1-866-996-9463 and hummer at 1-800-732-5493 or at the owner center at www.gmownercenter.com.
2009 Cadillac DTS fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 15 MPG
- Highway
- 22.5 MPG
- Combined
- 18 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $3,600
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2009 compared with other DTS years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2009 Cadillac DTS reliable?
- NHTSA lists 35 complaints for the 2009 DTS with a complaint index of 50, placing it 4th worst among the 7 model years covered. It carries a Caution verdict relative to other DTS years.
- What are the most common problems with the 2009 Cadillac DTS?
- Electrical system issues make up 34% of complaints, largely tied to a fuse box and fuel pump relay that can overheat or melt, at a median mileage of 66,000. Brakes and structure/body issues each account for 20% of complaints.
- Does the 2009 Cadillac DTS have any recalls?
- Yes, NHTSA lists 2 recalls: one for a key fob/ignition switch issue affecting the airbag system, and one covering a heated washer fluid module that GM disabled and removed on affected vehicles.
- How does the 2009 DTS compare to other model years?
- The 2009 DTS ranks 4th worst of 7 years with a complaint index of 50, better than 2006 (100, Avoid) and 2008 (83, Avoid) but worse than 2010 (33, Good) and 2011 (17, Best).