2006 Cadillac STS: complaints, problems and recalls

(1) OUR 2006 CADILLAC STS REPEATEDLY FAILS TO SENSE THE OCCUPANT IN THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND FAILS TO TRIGGER THE PASSENGER-SIDE AIR BAG SENSOR TO ACTIVATE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THE ONLY WAY THE SENSOR WILL ACTIVATE IS IF THE PASSENGER SQUIRMS AROUND IN THE SEAT IN AN AWKWARD WAY TO HAVE THE SENSOR SENSE THE OCCUPANT. BUT THIS IS NOT ALWAYS POSSIBLE AND ON TWO OCCASIONS THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR ACTUALLY SHUT OFF AFTER A REFUELING OPERATION AND RESTARTING THE VEHICLE EVEN THOUGH THE PASSENGER NEVER LEFT THE VEHICLE AND HAD NOT…

Owner-reported narrative. 413 miles reported. Look up ODI 10137787 at NHTSA ↗

ALL CARS AND SUVS MANUFACTURED BY GM'S CADILLAC DIVISION HAVE BEEN BUILT WITH INSTRUMENT PANELS (IPS) THAT DO NOT ALLOW THE DRIVER TO KNOW HOW FAST HE IS GOING ABOVE A CERTAIN SPEED WHEN THE SPEEDOMETER HAS BEEN CALIBRATED IN KMH. THE US IS NOW A METRIC COUNTRY AND ALL MEASUREMENT SYSTEMS SHOULD BE IN BOTH ENGLISH AND METRIC CALIBRATION. EVERY OTHER DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN MANUFACTURER IS REQUIRED BY LAW TO HAVE IP SPEEDOMETERS THAT READ IN BOTH SYSTEMS. THESE SPEEDOMETER FACEPLATES HAVE A LARGER MPH READING AND A SMALLER KPH ONE BELOW IT SO …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10146825 at NHTSA ↗

CAR HAS ZERO TRACTION IN SNOW AND IS VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10154026 at NHTSA ↗

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

Owner-reported narrative. 1,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10173768 at NHTSA ↗

OCTOBER 8, 2006 I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT IN MY 2006 CADILLAC STS WHERE A TRUCK CROSSED THE MEDIAN ON A FOUR LANE HIGHWAY AND HIT MY CAR IN THE SIDE. THE IMPACT WAS SO SEVERE IT BENT THE CENTER POST BETWEEN THE DOORS AND NEEDLESS TO SAY I HAD TO BE CUT OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A FEW DAYS EARLIER I HAD TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP WITH MY MOTHER SITTING IN THE FRONT SEAT AND THE SIGN ON THE MIRROR READ "AIRBAG OFF". CADILLAC ASSIGNED A SERVICE REQUEST NUMBER 1-437819043 BUT TO DATE REFUSE TO DISCUSS THIS ISSUE…

Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10175736 at NHTSA ↗

2006 CADILLAC STS FOUR WHEEL DRIVE V8. THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL LOCK-UP WITHOUT WARNING GOING AT 65 MPH ON I-94 EB FREEWAY AT THE 10 MILE RD EXIT IN MICHIGAN CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BE OUT OF CONTROL AND SPIN AROUND THREE TIMES IN A CIRCLE FROM THE LEFT LANE TO THE RIGHT LANE ACROSS THE ENTIRE FREEWAY COMING TO A COMPLETE HALT ON THE RIGHT SIDE SHOULDER. THE VEHICLE CAME CLOSE TO UPENDING AND ROLLING OVER. LUCKY THE DRIVER BEHIND THE CADILLAC WAS ABLE TO KEEP CONTROL OF THEIR CAR AND BRING IT TO A STOP WHICH HELPED TH PREVENT ANY ONCOMING VEH…

Owner-reported narrative. 4,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10175760 at NHTSA ↗

1. I STARTED MY CAR VIA REMOTE START TO WARM IT UP.. PASSENGER'S AIRBAG WAS REPORTED VIA THE DASH CONTROLS AS NON-FUNCTIONAL AT THAT TIME 2. DROVE 100 YARDS AND THE REAR WINDOW IMPLODED INTO THE VEHICLE SENDING SHARDS OF GLASS ALL OVER THE INTERIOR. IT RESULTED IN MANY SMALL BLOODY CUTS AND SCRATCHES 3. SELLING DEALER WOULD NOT RESPOND TO THE ISSUE. NON-SELLING DEALER TOWED THE CAR FOR REPAIR. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 3,501 miles reported. Look up ODI 10180738 at NHTSA ↗

CAR IS 2006 CADILLAC STS4 AWD WITH 3.6L V6 ENGINE. REAR DIFFERENTIAL LEAKS OIL, CAR HAS 7,000 MILES. BROUGHT IT IN FOR SERVICE AND A SEAL WAS REPLACED. LESS THAN 60 DAYS LATER IT IS LEAKING AGAIN.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 7,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10186138 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2006-01-13 (January 13, 2006)

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ALL WHEEL DRIVE AND A 3.6L V6 ENGINE, THE TORQUE MONITORING FUNCTIONS OF THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL (ETC) ARE NOT ENABLED. THESE FUNCTIONS CAN LIMIT ENGINE SPEED AND TORQUE IF UNUSUAL ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) HARDWARE OR SOFTWARE FAILURES OCCUR.

Consequence: WITHOUT THESE FUNCTIONS ENABLED, A PERSISTENT ECM FAILURE COULD RESULT IN A THROTTLE OPENING GREATER THAN COMMANDED BY THE DRIVER AND A CRASH COULD OCCUR.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE ECM ON THESE VEHICLES FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 24, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339.

Reported: 2006-01-25 (January 25, 2006)

CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH V6 ENGINES MAY HAVE A CONDITION WHERE FUEL IS NO LONGER SUPPLIED TO THE ENGINE. THIS CONDITION OCCURS WITHOUT THE ILLUMINATION OF THE FUEL LEVEL LOW INDICATOR LIGHT OR THE WARNING CHIME.

Consequence: IF THE ENGINE STOPS RUNNING, THE OPERATOR WILL NOT BE ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE WHICH COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE (ECM) WITH NEW SOFTWARE FREE OF CHARGE. OWNERS WERE NOTIFIED IN DECEMBER 2005 AND ASKED TO MAINTAIN AT LEAST 1/4 OF A TANK FUEL LEVEL TO AVOID THIS CONDITION UNTIL THE PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. THE PARTS ARE NOW AVAILABLE, OWNER RENOTIFICATION BEGAN ON MARCH 23, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339.

Reported: 2007-12-20 (December 20, 2007)

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE REAR AXLE PINION SEAL DOES NOT MEET ALL OF THE SPECIFICATIONS AND MAY EXPERIENCE A FLUID LEAK.

Consequence: A REAR DIFFERENTIAL FAILURE MAY CAUSE LOSS OF MOTIVE POWER AND POSSIBLY LOSS OF CONTROL INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE PINION SEAL FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 1, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-800-458-8006 OR HTTP://WWW.CADILLAC.COM; PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668 OR HTTP://WWW.PONTIAC.COM; AND SATURN AT 1-800-972-8876 OR HTTP://WWW.SATURN.COM.

Reported: 2014-09-09 (September 9, 2014)

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2007 Cadillac CTS-V vehicles manufactured October 6, 2003, to March 15, 2007, and 2006-2007 Cadillac STS-V vehicles manufactured June 23, 2005, to March 15, 2007. In the affected vehicles, the electrical terminals of the fuel pump module may overheat resulting in the melting of the flange material.

Consequence: If the flange melts, a hole may be created allowing the fuel pump to leak fuel, causing the vehicle to stall, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash. Additionally, leaking fuel in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel module and fuel tank jumper harness, free of charge. GM sent out interim notices in late October. The recall began on March 12, 2015. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 14405.