2008 Cadillac Sts

Routine

Owners filed 50 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the air bags. It has been recalled 1 time.

When it fails
020k40k60k90k120k200k
57,500 milesMedian miles at failure

43 complaints record an odometer reading. Failures cluster around 10,00020,000 miles.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Engine9
000
Air Bags8
200
Steering5
000
Electrical System4
111
Power Train3
000
Wheels2
000
Vehicle Speed Control › Accelerator Pedal2
000
Vehicle Speed Control2
010
Exterior Lighting2
000
Electronic Stability Control (esc)2
100

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Exterior Lighting08V108000
Filed Mar 11, 20084,586 vehiclesGeneral Motors Corp.

Defect. GM IS RECALLING 4,586 MY 2008 CADILLAC STS AND STS-V PASSENGER VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 138, 'TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEMS' (TPMS). THE STANDARD REQUIRES AN INDICATION TO THE DRIVER FOR CERTAIN TPMS MALFUNCTIONS. WHEN THE SYSTEM DETECTS A MALFUNCTION, THE LOW TIRE WARNING LIGHT SHOULD FLASH FOR ABOUT ONE MINUTE AND THEN STAY ON THE REMAINDER OF THE IGNITION CYCLE. A DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER MESSAGE WILL ALSO BE DISPLAYED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL.

Risk. THESE INDICATIONS OF A SYSTEM MALFUNCTION DO NOT WORK. PREMATURE TIRE FAILURE COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE REMOTE CONTROL DOOR LOCK RECEIVER MODULE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 18, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CADILLAC AT 1-800-982-2339 OR THROUGH THEIR WEBSITE AT <A HREF=HTTP://WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM>HTTP://WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM</A> .

What owners reported

Newest filings
Engine
Filed Jun 27, 2025TX

Dealership had ownership of car and should have replaced the timing chain before selling car to me, which they did not and after time for repairs to be done before time ran out, I had to pay for repairs, causing me be be out $3000+ dollars for repairs should have been covered by the warranty.

Exterior Lighting
Filed Jun 24, 202257,000 milesMA

The contact owns a 2009 Cadillac STS. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the Service TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) sensor message and TPMS warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic where the sensor was replaced and reprogrammed on multiple occasions; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed him that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 08V108000 (Exterior Lighting). The contact left a message with a service manager at the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 57,000.

Engine
Filed Dec 13, 2021MA

The Cadillac Company sent me a letter several years ago informing me of a premature timing chain wear and the illumination of the Service Engine light. They knew about this defective engine problem but they did not recall the vehicle. Instead they extended the engine warranty to 10 years or 120,000 miles. I have only 90,000 miles on my vehicle but I've owned it for over 10 years and now the check engine light is illuminated. The Cadillac dealer refuses to extend the warranty. This is a safety issue because if the engine were to fail the driver would also lose power steering and power brakes putting the safety of the vehicle occupants and others at risk. I believe that this vehicle and other GM vehicles with the 3.6 liter engine should be recalled and repaired at no cost to the vehicle owner.

Unknown or Other
Filed Oct 20, 201970,000 milesPA

SUDDENLY LOST NAVIGATION SYSTEM, WHICH ALSO SHUT DOWN CLOCK AND OTHER APPLICATIONS WITHIN THAT SYSTEM. HAD IT CHECKED OUT AT TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS, THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM. CALLED GM CUSTOMER CENTER AND WAS TOLD THIS IS A LONG STANDING PROBLEM, SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE UNIT BEING UNABLE TO SYNCHRONIZE WITH NEW SATELLITES FOR GPS. WROTE TO GM HQS, OT A REPLY BACK THAT "IT WAS BEING WORKED", WITH NO EXPECTED DATE FOR A FIX. AFTER DOING ADDITIONAL RESEARCH, FOUND THIS ISSUE HAS INDEED BEEN HAPPENING TO THIS AND SIMILAR CADILLAC SERIES VEHICLES; AND THAT GM HAS NO PLAN FOR A FIX. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS IT OCCURS RANDOMLY AND IN IN THE WRONG LOCATION AND WRONG SITUATION COULD SUFFICIENTLY DISTRACT DRIVER TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. AT THE LEAST GM SHOULD BE NOTIFYING OWNERS OF THE PROBLEM AND POTENTIAL HAZARD.

Air Bags
Filed Jul 9, 2019FL

AIR BAG ALERT SAYS SERVICE AIR BAGS THIS SHOULD BE COVERED AS MANY OF THESE BAGS HAVE BEEN RECALLED. SECOND PROBLEM: WHEN TURNING OFF THE IGNITION, IT KEEPS DINGING AND SAYS PUT CAR IN PARK EVEN THOUGH IT IS IN PARK. THIS DINGING NOISE LASTS MAYBE 10 SECONDS TO A MINUTE. SOMETIMES SHIFTING OR PUTTING FOOT ON BRAKE AGAIN STOPS THE DINGING.

Engine
Filed Feb 15, 201980,000 milesIL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CADILLAC STS. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WENT TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED; HOWEVER, THEY TURNED OFF THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN MALFUNCTIONED AND THE VEHICLE COULD NOT EXCEED 25 MPH. THE FAILURE PRODUCED ERROR CODES 08, 09, 16, 17, 18, AND 19. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Crash
Filed Jan 26, 2019210,000 milesMO

MY HUSBAND BACKED INTO A POST AND IT LUNCHED HIM FORWARD, AS FAR AS THE BRAKES WEREN'T WORKING. HE ENTER A BUILDING THANK GOD NO ONE WAS HURT. HE WAS IN A PARKING LOT.

Air Bags
Filed Oct 16, 2018190,000 milesMS

MY AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON AND IT REMAINS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME OVER A $1000.00 TO FIX IT. THIS OCCURS WHILE IN MOTION AND STATIONERY. MY CAR DOES A HARD JERK WHEN STOPPING ON BRAKES IT JERKS FROM THE REAR END.

Exterior Lighting
Filed May 10, 201857,500 milesMA

MY CAR IS EXHIBITING THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID: 08V108000, RECALL DATE: 2008-03-11. HOWEVER, MY VIN: [XXX], IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. SUMMARY GM IS RECALLING 4,586 MY 2008 CADILLAC STS AND STS-V PASSENGER VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 138, 'TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEMS' (TPMS). THE STANDARD REQUIRES AN INDICATION TO THE DRIVER FOR CERTAIN TPMS MALFUNCTIONS. WHEN THE SYSTEM DETECTS A MALFUNCTION, THE LOW TIRE WARNING LIGHT SHOULD FLASH FOR ABOUT ONE MINUTE AND THEN STAY ON THE REMAINDER OF THE IGNITION CYCLE. A DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER MESSAGE WILL ALSO BE DISPLAYED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. INTERMITTENTLY, MY CAR WILL DISPLAY A WARNING WHILE DRIVING, INDICATING THAT ONE OR MORE OF THE TPMS SENSORS HAVE FAILED. THE WARNING PERSISTS UNTIL THE END OF THE DRIVE CYCLE. RESTARTING THE CAR CLEARS THE WARNING. THE CAR IS ALWAYS MOVING WHEN THIS OCCURS. I HAVE REPLACED BOTH TPMS SENSORS THAT HAD WARNINGS. THE REPAIR FACILITY ALSO RESET THE TMPS SYSTEM FOR THE NEW SENSORS TO BE RECOGNIZED. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS, EVEN ON THE REPLACED SENSORS. I HAVE ATTACHED A COPY OF AN INVOICE FOR ONE OF THE TPMS SENSORS IN QUESTION. I BELIEVE THAT MY CAR SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AND THE DEALER SHOULD REPROGRAM THE SYSTEM TO CORRECT THE ISSUE (AS WITH THE OTHER CARS LISTED IN THE RECALL). INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Mar 14, 2018180,000 milesFL

THE SAME CONDITION AS LISTED IN THE: 2007 CADILLAC STS FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP NHTSA CAMPAIGN #14V542000. I HAD TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP DUE TO THE EXACT SAME CONDITIONS IN THE 2007 MODEL YEAR RECALL.

Engine
Filed Sep 20, 2017130,000 milesTX

RECALL.I AM AN ACTIVE DUTY SAILOR AND MISSING SEVERAL NOTICES OF THE INTIAL RECALL.....ENGINE REDUCTION OF POWER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSTATE...PREMATURE TIMING CHAIN WEAR REPROGRAM ENGINE CONTROL MODULE...WHILE DRIVING THE CAR COMPLETELY LOST POWER AND WOULD NOT GO OVER 15MPH....THIS HAPPENED ON A BUSY I-10 INTERSTATE...IS THERE AWAY TO REOPEN THIS RECALL.

Engine
Filed May 9, 201792,000 milesCA

ENGINE BLOCK DETERERATING FROM INSIDE OUT. LEEKING FLUID. ALL SERVICES MADE AND CAR HAS NEVER OVERHEATED. SERVICED BY RELIABLE CADILLAC, ROSEVILLE CA

Engine
Filed Jan 14, 2017121,361 milesPA

PURCHASED VEHICLE 11- 2011 (65,498) 10-(2012) FIRST CK ENGINE LIGHT ISSUE AND EVERY YEAR SINCE THEN I'VE TAKEN IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE FOR CK ENGINE LIGHT LAST THREE YEARS 2014-THRY-16 NOW 17 THE VEHICLE SHUTS OFF WHILE I'M DRIVING OR SITTING WAITING FOR THE TRAFFIC LIGHT TO CHANGE THIS IS A ISSUE FOR ME BECAUSE I'M WORRIED ABOUT GETTING REAR ENDED MY VEHICLE IS IN THE KERBECK CADILLAC SERVICE DEALER SINCE 1/19/2017 FOR THE SAME ISSUE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND PARK TO SHIFT I'VE COMPLAIN TO GM CUSTOMER SERVICE AND CASE NUMBER ON THIS ISSUE , BUT THEY CAN'T SEEM TO FIX THEIR OWN VEHICLE IN THE MEAN TIME I', STILL PAYING FOR A UNSAFE VEHICLE , IF THE MAKER OF THE CAR CAN'T CORRECT THEIR OWN ISSUE THEN WHO CAN, WHY DOES ISSUE HAVE TO FALL IN THE CONSUMER LAP ? WHY DO I HAVE TO DRIVE AND PAY FOR THIS UNSAFE VEHICLE. NO-ONE WANTS TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE WHY KEEP GIVING ME THAT CT BACK IF THEY CAN'T CORRECT THIS SAFETY ISSUE ,THEY KEEP BLAMING IT ON THE MILEAGE THEN WHY SELL THESE VEHICLE WITH THE OUTRAGE PRICE TAGS KNOWING THAT IT THAT BE A SAFETY ISSUE IN A FEW YEARS ONCE THE VEHICLE IS OVER 100,000 MILES I'VE HAD THE VEHICLE FOR FIVE YEARS (JUST PUT APPROX ANOTHER 66,000 MILES, SO THEY ARE USING THIS AS EXCUSE THEN DON'T SELL CARS WITH HIGH MILES . THEY SHOULD THINK ABOUT CONSUMER SAFETY NOT JUST THE MONEY. IN THE BEGINNING THE VEHICLE WOULD BE STATIONARY THEN YEARS PASS WHILE CAR IS IN MOTION CITY DRIVING.

Engine
Filed Dec 8, 2016120,168 milesPA

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON VEHICLE START SHUTTING DOWN WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON A PA INTERSTATE AND ON A CITY STREET THIS HAS HAPPENED ON SERVAL OCCASION , THEN THE PARK TO SHIFT LIGHTS COMES ON AND THE VEHICLE AT THAT TIME IS UNABLE TO SHUT OFF. AT LEASE THREE TIME THIS YEAR 2016 (APR#7TH OCT 26TH AND NOV 3RD EACH TIME THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED, APPROX SIX TIME SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN NOV 2011.

Engine
Filed Nov 25, 2016150,000 milesKY

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CADILLAC STS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V542000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 150,000.

Air Bags
Filed Oct 30, 2016180,000 milesMI

AIR BAG SENSORS GOING BAD OR CORRODED. SHOULDN'T THEY LAST THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE?

Steering
Filed Aug 3, 2016110,000 milesPA

POWER ASSISTED STEERING FLUCTUATES. SOMETIMES IT WORKS. IT MAY START OR STOP WORKING AT ANY TIME, AND IS INCONSISTENT.

Air Bags
Filed May 23, 201545,000 milesNJ

THE INFORMATION WINDOW UNDER MY SPEEDOMETER WARNED ME TO CHECK THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG. IT THEN WENT OFF ABOUT 2 DAYS LATER. I WARNED ME AGAIN IN THE MIDDLE OF APRIL, BEGINNING OF MAY AND MAY 22ND. I DID NOT DRIVE MY CAR TODAY (5/23) SO I DON'T KNOW IF THE WARNING IS STILL ON. IF IT IS I WILL WRITE AGAIN.

Power Train
Filed Apr 29, 201530,000 milesMI

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CADILLAC STS. WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE KEPT ACCELERATING WHILE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

Steering
Filed Mar 14, 201546,000 milesMI

STEERING WHEEL HEATER STOPPED WORKING. DEALER WANTS 1100 TO REPLACE. AFTER READING MANY FORUMS THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. *TR

20 of 50 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2006
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20117000Routine
20104000Routine
200915000Routine
2008 — this page50120Routine
200752200Routine
2006139460Routine
2005101340Routine
20047000Routine
20038000Routine
20027000Routine
200112000Routine
200012110Routine
199913010Routine
19983000Routine

Compare every Sts year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Mar 11, 2008. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.