2005 Cadillac STS recalls and problems

The 2005 Cadillac STS has 3 recalls and 101 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is electrical system.

How the 2005 compares

Highest

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

Highest complaint count among 12 STS model years — 2nd most.

3recalls

101complaints

13crashes

4fires

4injuries

57,000median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.

Check your VIN →

3 recalls

Power Train

Dec 20, 2007 · NHTSA campaign 07V589000 · 275,936 vehicles

Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, the rear axle pinion seal does not meet all of the specifications and May experience a fluid leak.

Original NHTSA wording

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

Risk: A rear differential failure May cause loss of motive power and possibly loss of control increasing the risk of a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

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

Remedy & notes

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.

Gm recall no. 07204.customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Suspension

Apr 20, 2006 · NHTSA campaign 06V125000 · 23,077 vehicles

Problem: Certain vehicles have a left or right rear suspension toe link that could separate because of an incorrect weld.

Original NHTSA wording

CERTAIN VEHICLES HAVE A LEFT OR RIGHT REAR SUSPENSION TOE LINK THAT COULD SEPARATE BECAUSE OF AN INCORRECT WELD.

Risk: If this were to occur, the affected rear wheel would be able to turn in or out, affecting vehicle control, which could result in a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR, THE AFFECTED REAR WHEEL WOULD BE ABLE TO TURN IN OR OUT, AFFECTING VEHICLE CONTROL, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will inspect the right and left toe link and replace as required. If a toe link is replaced, the dealer will perform a wheel alignment. The recall began on May 3, 2006. Owners May contact Cadillac at 1-866-982-2339.

Gm recall no. 06029. Customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Fuel System

Jan 25, 2006 · NHTSA campaign 06V020000 · 17,462 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Original NHTSA wording

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.

Risk: If the engine stops running, the operator will not be able to restart the vehicle which could increase the risk of a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

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

Remedy & notes

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.

Gm recall no. 05111.customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Engine19

Vehicle Speed Control6

Exterior Lighting5

Structure5

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

Complaints by year filed

NHTSA investigations

FAILURE OF THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL

PE07037 · opened Jul 17, 2007 · closed Dec 27, 2007 · led to recall 07V589000

Summary

ODI EVALUATED TWO DIFFERENT ALLEGED DEFECTS INVOLVING REAR DRIVETRAIN COMPONENTS DURING THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION.GM IS CONDUCTING A RECALL TO ADDRESS ONE OF THE DEFECT CONDITIONS AND ODI HAS OPENED AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS TO CONTINUE ITS INVESTIGATION OF THE OTHER ALLEGED DEFECT. ON DECEMBER 19, 2007, GM SUBMITTED A DEFECT INFORMATION REPORT TO NHTSA CONCERNING DEFECTIVE REAR AXLE PINION SEALS IN APPROXIMATELY 275,936 MODEL YEAR (MY) 2005-07 CADILLAC CTS, STS AND SRX VEHICLES AS WELL AS MY 2006-07 PONTIAC SOLSTICE AND MY 2007 SATURN SKY VEHICLES (RECALL 07V-589).ON STS AND SRX VEHICLES WITH ALL WHEEL DRIVE, THE FRONT AXLE PINION SEAL ALSO DOES NOT MEET ALL OF GM'S SPECIFICATIONS AND MAY EXPERIENCE A FLUID LEAK.GM INDICATED THAT THE SEAL SUPPLIER MADE AN UNAUTHORIZED CHANGE TO THE PINION SEAL MATERIAL.LEAKING PINION SEALS COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF REAR DIFFERENTIAL LUBRICATION WHICH COULD RESULT IN REAR WHEEL LOCK-UP AND LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. ON DECEMBER 7, 2007, ODI OPENED AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA07-017) TO INVESTIGATE COMPLAINTS OF REAR DRIVETRAIN COMPONENT FAILURE (E.G., FRACTURED REAR DIFFERENTIAL CARRIER HOUSING OR REAR AXLE HALF SHAFTS) WHILE DRIVING IN APPROXIMATELY 7,600 MY 2004 THROUGH 2006 CADILLAC CTS-V VEHICLES.THIS CONDITION MAY RESULT IN A LOSS OF MOTIVE POWER AND VEHICLE DISABLEMENT AND IS NOT ADDRESSED BY RECALL 07V-589.ODI IDENTIFIED 35 COMPLAINTS (16 TO ODI AND 19 TO GM) AND 128 WARRANTY CLAIMS POTENTIALLY RELATED TO THIS CONDITION (SEE EA07-017 OPENIN…

2005 vs. other Cadillac STS years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2005. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2005 Cadillac STS have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns covering the 2005 Cadillac STS, the latest from Dec 20, 2007 (power train). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2005 Cadillac STS?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention electrical system (23), engine (19), power train (18). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.