2009 Cadillac STS recalls & problems

Safety recalls

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.

Fuel economy

EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.

What owners report

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

• Engine

  The known timing chain issue GM done a warranty for to fix it but won’t fix it now. My car is running sluggish because of it and had numerous times that it wouldn’t go up to the speed limit almost caused accidents because of it and I’m afraid to even drive it anymore knowing that it’s a time bomb waiting to happen that could blow up on the highway that can cause accidents.

  Apr 2, 2026
• Electronic stability control (esc)

  WHEN DRIVING IN RAIN THE SMALLEST AMOUNT OF WATER WILL CAUSE THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER TO ENGAGE AND IT DOES NOT GO OFF UNTIL THE VEHICLE HAS SAT FOR A LONG AMOUNT OF TIME. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. FIRST THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON AND THEN YOU LOSE POWER. 3RD ROW LED TAILLIGHT OUT... 400 TO FIX. PURCHASED IN MARCH OF 2018 WITH 93K MILES. CURRENTLY AT 104K.

  Apr 8, 2018
• Air bagsCrash

  MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND MY TRACTION CONTROL FAILED. THE AIRBAG LIGHT REMAINS ON AND THERE IS A FAULTY CODE. THE VEHICLE LOST ABILITY TO CONTROL IT TO TURN. I WENT STRAIGHT INTO THE FENCE. THE AIRBAGS WERE NOT ADDRESSED BY THE BODY SHOP OR REPAIR SHOP.

  Sep 13, 2015 · 80,000 miles
• Air bagsCrash

  THE CAR TRACTION CONTROL FAILED AND THE VEHICLE HAD THE SERVICE STABILITY SYSTEM COME ON. THE ABS LIGHT WAS LIT AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE OR TURN EASILY. THE VEHICLE WENT INTO THE DITCH. THIS VEHICLE HAD HEADLIGHTS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT WITH BULBS POPPING OUT INSIDE AND MOISTURE. AFTER THE REPAIRS WERE DONE BY THE BODY SHOP THE NEW HEADLIGHTS HAVE HAD THAT SAME PROBLEM. THE AIRBAGS NEVER CAME OUT, AND THERE IS A MESSAGE DISPLAYED INDICATING THEY NEEDED SERVICE. IT WAS NEVER ADDRESSED BY THE BODY SHOP. ALSO PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT THE STEERING HAD AN ISSUE CAUSING PAIN TO MY SHOULDER. THE DIAGNOSIS WAS WRONG AFTER THE STEERING SERVICE LIGHT REMAINED AFTER A GEAR REPLACEMENT AND THE…

  Nov 15, 2015 · 90,000 miles
• Service brakesCrash

  TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CADILLAC STS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE TRACTION CONTROL FAILED AND THE ABS WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED MOVING FORWARD. THE CONTACT CRASHED THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE INTO A DITCH. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN AND WAS TOWED TO RIMROCK CADILLAC GMC (LOCATED AT 840 SHILOH RD, BILLINGS, MT 59106, (406) 651-5000). THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRACTION CONTROL NEEDED TO BE SERVICED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

  Nov 1, 2015 · 70,000 miles
• Air bags

  TAKATA RECALL. PASSENGER SEAT, PASSENGER DETECT SENSOR (PPS) STOPPED WORKING. NO PHYSICAL DAMAGE. PASSENGER PRESENT LIGHT SAYS, PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF. AIR BAG DASH LIGHT ALWAYS ON. I CHECKED WIRING UNDER THE SEAT AND CAN NOT VISUALLY SEE ANY DAMAGE TO THE WIRING GOING TO THE SEAT CUSHION SENSOR OR THE SEAT BUCKLE SENSOR.

  Jul 27, 2017 · 145,000 miles
• Service brakes

  VEHICLE DETECTS FAULT AND DISPLAYS MESSAGE TO SERVICE STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM. SPECIFIC PROBLEM NOT YET DIAGNOSED. WITHIN A FEW MOMENTS, THE DISPLAY STATES THAT ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED. THIS CAUSES A VERY UNSAFE CONDITION AS THE VEHICLE SLOWS TO 10-15 MPH. PRESSING GAS PEDAL CAUSES TRANSMISSION TO DOWNSHIFT TO LOWER GEAR SLOWING VEHICLE FURTHER. CANNOT SAFELY MANEUVER IN TRAFFIC, BRAKES REQUIRE MUCH HIGHER PEDAL PRESSURE DUE TO LOW VACUUM BOOST AFTER ENGINE POWER REDUCED. INSUFFICIENT WARNING THAT THIS IS HAPPENING. PROBLEM IS NOT WITH ENGINE OR POWERTRAIN, BUT ENGINE POWER IS CUT (ENGINE RUNS VERY ROUGH AS A RESULT) IN RESPONSE TO DETECTED STABILITY SYSTEM ERROR. ENGINE RUNS FINE IF…

  Jan 6, 2017 · 140,000 miles
• Electronic stability control (esc)

  TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CADILLAC STS. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD DECELERATE INDEPENDENTLY AND THE STABILITY SYSTEM WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT COASTED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WAITED A FEW MINUTES BEFORE RESUMING DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

  Jan 6, 2017 · 140,000 miles

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.