Problems · NHTSA complaints

2009 Cadillac DTS problems

Owners filed 35 complaints about the 2009 Cadillac DTS with NHTSA between Sep 2009 and Sep 2024. The most-cited component is electrical system (12).

Complaints
35
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
3
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Electrical system12
  2. Service brakes6
  3. Seats5
  4. Engine4
  5. Steering3
  6. Fuel/propulsion system3
  7. Structure2
  8. Visibility2
  9. Fuel system, gasoline2
  10. Electronic stability control (esc)1
  11. Air bags1
  12. Visibility/wiper1
  13. Seat belts1
  14. Other / unknown3

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 8, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20091
20105
20111
20121
20132
20146
20154
20164
20172
20184
20193
20200
20210
20221
20230
20241

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Electrical system

12 reports1 fire2 related recalls
“The contact owns a 2009 Cadillac DTS. The contact was driving at 55mph on the highway and the vehicle slowed down independently and the screens went blank. The contact pulled over to the shoulder of the road. The vehicle was shut off but would not restart. The contact called the police and the officer called a tow truck. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The mechanic on 3 occasions replaced the same relay fuse however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 23, 2022Electrical systemODI 11453689

Service brakes

6 reports
“I FILED A COMPLAINT IN 2016 (COMPLAINT NO. 10823262) RELATED CORROSION OF THE REAR BRAKE LINES. THIS COMPLAINT IS SIMILAR BUT RELATED TO CORROSION OF THE FRONT BRAKE LINES IN WHICH I AGAIN HAD A SIMILAR LIFE THREATENING EXPERIENCE. THE ORDINARY "CORRODED" STEEL LINES WERE REPLACED WITH "VINYL COATED" LINES. I NEVER HEARD BACK ON THE 2016 COMPLAINT; WHAT IS GM DOING TO PROTECT CADDY OWNERS OR ALERTING THEM OF THIS SITUATION?”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 4, 2019Service brakesODI 11266121

Seats

5 reports
“CANT BRING DRIVER OR PASSENGER SEATS UP OR DOWN RESULTING IN UNCOMFORTABLE DRIVING POSITION IN DRIVE, NEUTRAL, PARK, ALL GEARS. DISTANCE SENSORS MALFUNCTION FREQUENTLY WHEN GOING INTO REVERSE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 2, 2019Electrical system, Seats, Unknown or otherODI 11265795

Engine

4 reports
“I WAS BACKING MY CAR OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY, AS I BACKED ONTO THE ROAD,THE CAR SUDDENLY QUIT RUNNING. I TRIED RESTARTING IT,BUT IT WAS COMPLETELY DEAD...I HAD TO CALL A TOW TRUCK AND THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL CADILLAC DEALER..WHEN I WENT TO THE DEALER THE FOLLOWING DAY,I WAS INFORMED THAT THE FUSE BOX UNDER THE REAR SEAT HAD SHORTED OUT...I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOT ANY RECALLS ON THE FUSE BOX THAT THEY NEW OF..I WAS TOLD A NEW FUSE BOX AND ASSOCIATED COSTS WOULD RUN $716.00, I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO HAVE THE REPAIR WORK DONE.. THE FUSE BOX COST ALONE WAS OVER $400.00. MY CAR HAD 48,000 MILES ON IT WHEN THIS OCCURRED..I HAVE HAD MANY CARS IN MY TIME AND NEVER HAD A FUSE BOX SHORT OUT..IF THIS OCCURRED ON A HIGHWAY,I WOULD HAVE LOST P/S,,P/B ECT. AND THE RESULTS COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL...GM IS AWARE OF THIS,BUT TO MYKNOWLEDGE HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL.INCIDENTLY ,THE DEALERSHIP HAD FUSE BOXES IN STOCK......”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 24, 2017Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 10980310

Steering

3 reports
“VEHICLE WOULD NOT START WHEN ATVTRAIN STATION. HAD TO LEAVE OVERNIGHT AND HAD IT TROUBLESHOT IN AM. A FAULTY FUEL PUMP RELAY WAS THE SUPPOSED CAUSE. CHANGED THE RELAY ON A WEDNESDAY MORNING AND CAR WAS GOOD TILL SATURDAY AFTERNOON WHEN IT STALLED OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF ROUTE 9 IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. AT THE TIME MY WIFE AND GRANDSON WERE IN THE CAR. I HAD TO PUSH THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD LUCKILY INTO A STRIP MALL WITH AN AUTO PARTS STORE. REMOVED GRANDSON AND CAR SEAT FROM VEHICLE TO ACCESS THE RELAY IN REAR CIRCUIT BOARD. VERY HOT. I WENT IN AND GOT NEW RELAY AND HAD TO CHANGE IT IN THE PARKING LOT. WENT STRAIGHT HOME TO DROP OFF WIFE AND GRANDSON. WENT BACK OUT TO TEST DRIVE AND SEE IF PROBLEM WAS FIXED. WORKED FOR A LITTLE WHILE AND STALLED OUT AGAIN. AGAIN RELAY BURNING HOT. HAD SON GET A NEW RELAY AND CHANGED IT AGAIN AND BROUGHT VEHICLE HOME. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS NOW COME ON SO I TESTED VEHICLE WITH IBD MINISTER AND GAVE ME A P0230 CODE WHICH IS FOR A BAD FUEL PUMP RELAY WHICH I ALREADY KNOW. I AM GOING TO CALL CADILLAC DEALERSHIP AND HAVE IT LOOKED AT. I AM VERY SURPRISED THAT THERE ISN'T A RECALL ON THIS AS IT IS A LIFE AND SAFETY HAZARD.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 11, 2019Steering, Electronic stability control (esc), Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11185728

Fuel/propulsion system

3 reports
“HAVE BEEN SMELLING GAS AFTER FILL UPS FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. EACH TIME I FILL IT AND PARK IT IN MY GARAGE IT FILLS WITH GAS FUMES THAT COULD EXPLODE AND KILL SOMEONE UNAWARE. ODOR LEAVES AFTER DRIVING 30 MILES OR SO. GOT CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND O'REILY AUTO PARTS CHECK AND SAID IT SHOWED FUEL ISSUES. TOOK CAR TO MY GM DEALER AND THEY SAY NEED A NEW GAS TANK, A NEW GAS CAP AND NEW EVAPORATIVE LINES BECAUSE I HAVE A LEAKING GAS TANK LEAKING AT OR NEAR FILLING AREA, AND GAS CAP IS NOT GOOD AND LINES ARE LEAKING ACCORDING TO A "SMOKE" TEST. REPAIRS ARE $2,800. I AM 75 YRS OLD AND HAVE NEVER HAD A GAS TANK LEAK AT THE "NECK" AREA AFTER OWNING SOME 40 DIFFERENT CARS, SOME OF THEM VERY OLD. I BELIEVE THIS MAY BE A FACTORY DEFECTIVE PRODUCT AND A DANGEROUS ONE AT THAT. IT IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER AND TOMORROW I WILL PAY $175 FOR THE SMOKE TEST BUT I CANNOT AFFORD TO FIX IT SO I WILL ONLY FILL IT TO THE 12 GALLON POINT INSTEAD OF FULL. PLEASE ADVISE IF THERE IS A RECALL OR PERHAPS OTHER CADILLAC DTS OWNERS WITH THIS OR A SIMILAR PROBLEM”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 26, 2018Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11154119
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 8, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.