What year Cadillac STS should I avoid?

NHTSA data points to the 2005 and 2006 model years as the ones to avoid, with complaint indexes of 83 and 100, the two highest across all STS years covered.

Is the 2011 Cadillac STS reliable?

The 2011 STS is rated Best among STS years, with a complaint index of 17, only 7 total complaints, and no recall campaigns.

What are the most common Cadillac STS problems?

Across all STS years, airbags account for 27% of complaints, engine issues 23%, and electrical system issues 21%, based on NHTSA complaint data.

Does the Cadillac STS have any recalls?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns across STS model years, including fixes for a rear axle pinion seal fluid leak, a fuel system stalling issue, and a suspension toe link weld defect.

Which Cadillac STS year has the fewest complaints?

The 2010 model year has the fewest complaints at just 4, with a complaint index of 0 and no recalls, though it carries no official verdict in this dataset.

Cadillac STS Best and Worst Years (2005–2011)

The 2005 and 2006 Cadillac STS are the years to avoid, with complaint indexes of 83 and 100 and the most reported problems in electrical, engine, and airbag systems. The 2011 model ranks Best and 2009 ranks Good, with far fewer complaints and no recalls.

Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls per model-year, ranked within this model — not a reliability rating. Methodology.

Avoid 2005 Avoid 2006 Best 2011

Model years: 7; 2005–2011
NHTSA complaints: 368
Recall campaigns: 6
Crashes reported: 45
Fires reported: 12
Top problem area: Airbags

STS Complaint Index by year

Higher = more complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and Do-Not-Drive recalls per year on the road, relative to other years of this model.

Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best

Cadillac STS problems and recalls by year

Year	Verdict	Index	Complaints	Crashes	Fires	Recalls	Top issue	MPG	NCAP
2005	Avoid	83	101	13	4	3	Electrical System	18	—
2006	Avoid	100	139	16	6	4	Airbags	18	—
2007	Caution	50	52	5	0	2	Airbags	18	—
2008	Caution	67	50	6	2	1	Engine	19	—
2009	Good	33	15	4	0	0	Brakes	19	—
2010	No verdict	0	4	0	0	0	Electrical System	19.5	—
2011	Best	17	7	1	0	0	Electrical System	21	—

STS years to avoid: what went wrong

2006 Cadillac STS Index 100 · 139 complaints · 4 recalls

The 2006 STS has the highest complaint index in the lineup at 100, driven by 139 complaints. Airbags are the top problem area at 41% of complaints, with a median failure mileage of 72,000 miles; owners described airbags failing to deploy in crashes. Engine complaints followed at 24% (76,663 miles), including reports of unintended surging while parking. NHTSA logged four recalls for this year, including a fuel module and jumper harness replacement and a rear axle pinion seal fix. This year also had the most crashes (16) and injuries (20) of any STS model year.

2006 airbags problems →2006 engine problems →2006 electrical system problems →

2005 Cadillac STS Index 83 · 101 complaints · 3 recalls

The 2005 STS carries a complaint index of 83 and 101 total complaints. Electrical system issues lead at 27%, with a median failure mileage of 60,000 miles, followed by engine problems at 24% (67,000 miles) and transmission/powertrain issues at 18% (68,000 miles). Owners reported stalling, loss of power while driving, and brake failure. NHTSA recorded three recalls for this year, covering a rear axle pinion seal fluid leak, a fuel system ECM reprogramming for stalling, and other issues. Crashes tied to these complaints numbered 13, with 4 injuries reported.

2005 electrical system problems →2005 engine problems →2005 transmission & powertrain problems →

Most common Cadillac STS problems (all years)

Share of NHTSA complaints by component group across all model years.

Airbags100 (27%)
Engine85 (23%)
Electrical System79 (21%)
Brakes46 (13%)
Transmission & Powertrain43 (12%)
Fuel System36 (10%)
Structure & Body26 (7%)
Other23 (6%)
Suspension, Wheels & Tires23 (6%)
Steering18 (5%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

Frequently asked questions

What year Cadillac STS should I avoid?: NHTSA data points to the 2005 and 2006 model years as the ones to avoid, with complaint indexes of 83 and 100, the two highest across all STS years covered.
Is the 2011 Cadillac STS reliable?: The 2011 STS is rated Best among STS years, with a complaint index of 17, only 7 total complaints, and no recall campaigns.
What are the most common Cadillac STS problems?: Across all STS years, airbags account for 27% of complaints, engine issues 23%, and electrical system issues 21%, based on NHTSA complaint data.
Does the Cadillac STS have any recalls?: NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns across STS model years, including fixes for a rear axle pinion seal fluid leak, a fuel system stalling issue, and a suspension toe link weld defect.
Which Cadillac STS year has the fewest complaints?: The 2010 model year has the fewest complaints at just 4, with a complaint index of 0 and no recalls, though it carries no official verdict in this dataset.