What breaks most · 1998 to 2011 model years
Cadillac STS problems by year
Owners have filed 399 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Cadillac STS across model years 1998 to 2011. One year stands out: 2006 for air bags complaints. The quietest years are 1998, 2002 and 2004.
- Years to check closely: 2006
- Fewest complaints: 1998, 2002, 2004
- Complaints on file
- 3991998 to 2011, all trims
- Worst year
- 2006131 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 4414 fires · 35 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 63kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 11Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 0 | 0 | Air bags (1) | |
| 13 | 0 | 0 | Electrical system (6) | |
| 12 | 1 | 1 | Electrical system (3) | |
| 12 | 0 | 0 | Steering (3) | |
| 7 | 0 | 0 | Brakes (hydraulic) (2) | |
| 8 | 1 | 0 | Electrical system (3) | |
| 7 | 1 | 0 | Suspension (1) | |
| 92 | 12 | 3 | Electrical system (22) | |
| 131 | 16 | 4 | Air bags (55) | |
| 49 | 5 | 2 | Air bags (14) | |
| 45 | 6 | 1 | Air bags (10) | |
| 10 | 1 | 0 | Air bags (3) | |
| 4 | 0 | 0 | Speed control and throttle (1) | |
| 6 | 1 | 0 | Electrical system (3) |
What fails on the 2006 Cadillac STS
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 42% |
55 | 12 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 15% |
19 | 1 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2006 Cadillac STS |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 15% |
19 | 3 | Shop engine parts for the 2006 Cadillac STS |
| Fuel systemFuel pumps and injectors | 11% |
15 | 0 | Shop fuel system parts for the 2006 Cadillac STS |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 10% |
13 | 1 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Stability controlABS and wheel speed sensors | 6% |
8 | 1 | Shop stability control parts for the 2006 Cadillac STS |
| Engine and coolingRadiators, thermostats and cooling | 6% |
8 | 1 | Shop engine and cooling parts for the 2006 Cadillac STS |
| Seats | 5% |
6 | 0 | — |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
-
Dt*: the contact stated while traveling 45 mph, the vehicle stalled on five different occasions. The service dealer could not duplicate the problem. The contact expressed concern that the vehicle was unsafe and thought this could be an electrical problem.*ak
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 30, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Cadillac STS years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2006 carries the most filings on the Cadillac STS. The 2006 alone has 131 complaints, led by air bags.
What is the most common Cadillac STS problem?
On the 2006 model year, the most-reported component is air bags with 55 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Cadillac STS problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Cadillac STS complaints that include mileage is about 63,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.