Research · complaint index

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

We compared 7 model years of the Cadillac STS 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
20055
20067
20073
20083
20091
20100
20110
YearComplaintsPer year on roadIndexRecallsCrashesSignal
2011700.201Fewest complaints
2010400.100Fewest complaints
20091510.304Fewest complaints
20085031.016Typical
20075331.026Typical
200614172.6417Most complaints
200510151.7313Typical
  • 20117 complaints · 0 recallsFewest complaints
  • 20104 complaints · 0 recallsFewest complaints
  • 200915 complaints · 0 recallsFewest complaints
  • 200850 complaints · 1 recallTypical
  • 200753 complaints · 2 recallsTypical
  • 2006141 complaints · 4 recallsMost complaints
  • 2005101 complaints · 3 recallsTypical
Data from NHTSA Complaints & Recalls APIs · synced Nov 13, 2026

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

02 —FAQ

About this comparison

What Cadillac STS 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 7 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.