Cadillac STS problems and owner complaints

AFTER A POLICE STOP FOR HIGH-MOUNT BRAKE LIGHT INOPERATIVE, I LEARNED THAT THERE IS A 100% FAILURE RATE FOR THIS 3RD BRAKE LIGHT IN CADILLAC VEHICLES. MINE IS A 1998 STS, NOW WITH 80K MILES. IT IS NOT SIMPLY A BULB REPLACEMENT BECAUSE IT IS A SEALED LED UNIT AND IT IS VERY EXPENSIVE. THE UNIT IS SUBJECT TO WATER DAMAGE. THE PRICE FOR THE PART ALONE IS OVER $800. RESEARCH HAS REVEALED THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS FIRST NOTED ON 1992 - 1997 VEHICLES, AND THEN AGAIN ON 1998 - 2001 CADILLAC VEHICLES WITH 100% FAILURE RATE, NO REPAIR IS POSSIBLE OTHE…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10339541 at NHTSA ↗

VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN AT CRUISING SPEEDS, LOW SPEEDS, AND IDLING. ALL SYSTEMS SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. VEHICLE MAY OR MAY NOT START BACK UP IMMEDIATELY. I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS ON SAME ISSUE BOTH ON NHTSA AND OTHER CHAT BOARDS. THIS CAUSES A HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITION FOR MYSELF AND OTHER DRIVERS. CAN BE ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS ON HILLY AND CURVED ROADS BECAUSE ALL POWERED STEERING AND BRAKING SHUTS DOWN AS WELL. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10153775 at NHTSA ↗

ON 11/27/00 CAR LEASED FROM CHEVY DEALER AND ONSTAR PUT ON BY CADILLAC DEALER. ON 01/08/01 CAR DEAD IN DRIVE,CADILLAC DEALER INSTALLED NEW BATTERY. ON 10/01/01 CAR QUIT WHILE DRIVING, CADILLAC DEALER INSTALLED NEW GENERATOR. ON 7/18/02 CAR DEAD IN DRIVE,CHEVY DEALER REPLACED GENERATOR. ON 9/13/04 CAR DEAD IN DRIVE ,CHEVY DEALER FOUND NOTHING. ON 11/18/04 CAR DEAD IN DOCTOR'S LOT,CHEVY DEALER FOUND NOTHING AND SENT IT TO CADILLAC DEALER WHO ALSO FOUND NOTHING. TWO DAYS LATER CAR DEAD IN STORE LOT. SENT BACK TO CADILLAC DEALER WHO INSTALLE…

Owner-reported narrative. 35,124 miles reported. Look up ODI 10139330 at NHTSA ↗

1999 CADILLAC SEVILLESTS. 100,600 MILES ON ODOMETER. WHILE DRIVING AT SLOW SPEED (IN TOWN) , ENGINE WILL STOP ENTIRELY,.- I LOSE MY POWER STEERING, BRAKES AND EVERYTHING ELSE . WHEN I GET STOPPED, ENGINE WILL START IMMEDIATELY. I'E HAD THE BATTERY CHECKED, AND AM TOLD ALL THE CONNECTIONS WERE "FINE". A GM DEALER RECENTLY TUNED THE ENGINE , AND SUGGESTED THAT HE REPLACE THE WIRING" HE DID SO. HE DID THIS @ TWO MONTHS BEFORE THE TROUBLE STARTED. THE DEALER IS OUT OF BUSINESS. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR -- SUPPOSE THIS HAD OCCURRED W…

Owner-reported narrative. 100,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10311128 at NHTSA ↗

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT WARNING RESULTING IN LOSS OF POWER. AFTERWARDS, THE VEHICLE RESTARTS IN LESS THAN A MINUTE. THE STALLING OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY AND HAS GRADUALLY BECOME WORSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR INSPECTION WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM.

Owner-reported narrative. 91,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10157190 at NHTSA ↗

THE MAIN AIR BAG FROM THE STEERING WHEEL WAS SET OFF WITH THE CAR RUNNING AND IN PARK. THE CAR WAS NOT MOVING NOR WAS THERE ANY COLLISION TO SET OFF THE AIR BAG. LATER INVESTIGATION BY CADILLAC/GM DETERMINED FAULTY SENSORS THAT CAUSED THE AIR BAG TO DEPLOY IMPROPERLY WHICH CREATED/CREATES A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION.

Owner-reported narrative. 53,896 miles reported. Look up ODI 10394538 at NHTSA ↗

DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING VEHICLE. ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS (THANKFULLY BOTH AT SLOW SPEEDS) STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND COULD NOT BE TURNED (LOCKED UP HEADING LEFT). SHE WAS ABLE TO GUIDE VEHICLE TO STOP WITHOUT INJURY. SHE TURNED OFF VEHICLE AND RESTARTED AND STEERING RETURNED TO NORMAL. ONLINE RESEARCH INDICATES ALL CADILLAC MODELS OF THIS VINTAGE AND SOME NEWER ARE EXPERIENCING THIS STEERING PROBLEM. HOWEVER, NO RECALL OR SERVICE BULLETINS ISSUED. THIS IS THE LAST GM PRODUCT WE WILL EVER PURCHASE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 120,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10595072 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CADILLAC STS. THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT BRAKING PROPERLY WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC FOUND HOLES IN THE BRAKE LINE THAT WERE THREE INCHES APART, WHICH RUBBED AGAINST THE HOUSING FOR THE TRANSMISSION. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY STATED THAT SHE MUST TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER TO CONFIRM THAT THE FAILURE EXISTED. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER, BUT THE CONTACT DOES NOT KNOW IF SHE WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. SHE BEL…

Owner-reported narrative. 66,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10276725 at NHTSA ↗

I HAVE A 2002 CAD. STS WITH 81,000 MILES. ABOUT 2WEEKS AGO THE WARNING LIGHT STATING CHECK BRAKE FLUID. I CHECKED IT AND ADDED SOME. IT DID IT AGAIN A WEEK LATER BUT THE BRAKES ALMOST FAILED. I TOOK IT TO A GMC DEALER WHO TOLD ME THE BRAKE LINE BROKE BECAUSE IT WAS RUBBING ON THE TRANSMISSION. HE TOLD ME HE HAD NEVER SEEN THIS HAPPEN BEFORE. I ALSO HAVE A FRIEND WHO WORKED AS SERVICE MANAGER FOR A GMC DEALER AND HE STATED HE HAD NEVER SEEN THAT HAPPEN. HE GAVE ME A PHONE AT GMC TO CALL. THE # [phone removed] THEY GAVE ME A SERVICE #. I RECEIVE…

Owner-reported narrative. 81,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10305857 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CADILLAC SRS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH THE CONTACT HEARD A CLANKING AND SWOOSHING SOUND COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE TECHNICIANS STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS BROKEN. THE TECHNICIANS ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SAFE TO DRIVE BUT WOULD NOT PROVIDE A LETTER INDICATING THAT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT WAS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THAT YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE AND ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SAFE TO DRIVE BUT DID NOT WANT TO PRO…

Owner-reported narrative. 50 miles reported. Look up ODI 10390499 at NHTSA ↗

WE (ELMORE SIMS) ARE THE OWNERS OF A 2004 CADILLAC DEVILLE SINCE MAY 2007. WE HAVE OWNED VARIOUS MODELS OF CADILLACS FOR MORE THAN TEN YEARS, AND HAVE NOT HAD ANY MAJOR PROBLEMS. THE NAME "CADILLAC'S" DENOTES QUALITY. HOWEVER, OUR LATEST PURCHASE WITH THIS THREE (3) YEAR OLD VEHICLE IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS, HAS CAUSED US GREAT REPAIRS AND EXPENSES AND LOSS OF CONFIDENCE IN THE NAME CADILLAC'S. THE FIRST REPAIR WAS WITH THE FAN MOTOR FOR THE AIR CONDITIONING, WHICH COST $240. THE NEXT MAJOR REPAIR WAS THE FUEL PUMP, WHICH COST $600. THE BR…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10209581 at NHTSA ↗