Research · complaint index

Cadillac DTS years to avoidWhat NHTSA complaint data does and doesn’t say

We compared 6 model years of the Cadillac DTS by owner complaints to NHTSA, adjusted for how long each year has been on the road. 2006 stands out with at least twice the typical complaint rate.

01 —Complaint index

Complaints per year on the road

1.0 = typical year for this model
View as table
Model yearComplaints per year since release
200612
20075
20085
20092
20101
20111
YearComplaintsPer year on roadIndexRecallsCrashesSignal
20111610.224Fewest complaints
20102210.333Fewest complaints
20093520.421Fewest complaints
20088651.036Typical
20079751.138Typical
2006255122.7414Most complaints
  • 201116 complaints · 2 recallsFewest complaints
  • 201022 complaints · 3 recallsFewest complaints
  • 200935 complaints · 2 recallsFewest complaints
  • 200886 complaints · 3 recallsTypical
  • 200797 complaints · 3 recallsTypical
  • 2006255 complaints · 4 recallsMost complaints
Data from NHTSA Complaints & Recalls APIs · synced Nov 8, 2026

Fewest complaints for their age: 2011, 2010, 2009.

02 —FAQ

About this comparison

What Cadillac DTS years have the most complaints?

Adjusted for years on the road, 2006 drew at least twice the typical rate of NHTSA owner complaints among the 6 model years compared.

Is this a reliability rating?

No. These are counts of unverified owner complaints to NHTSA. They are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so a popular year can collect more complaints. Use them to find patterns, then read the reports.

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