2005 Cadillac Dts Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2005 Cadillac Dts, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Steering333.3%
- Electrical111.1%
- Engine111.1%
- Airbags111.1%
- Suspension111.1%
- Visibility111.1%
- Exterior lighting111.1%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
ATTEMPTING TO TURN AT INTERSECTION DURING RAIN STORM STEERING LOCKED FOR 5 TO 10 SECONDS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CADILLAC DTS. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 60-70 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO VIBRATE EXCESSIVELY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE A REMEDY REPAIR FOR THE ABNORMAL VIBRATION. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE RIM AND ALL FOUR TIRES WERE REPLACED; HOWEVER THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,000. UPDATED 01/04/12*LJ
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CADILLAC DOTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE SPEEDOMETER FAILED TO OPERATE INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS AND THE STABILITY CONTROL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 41,000. ..UPDATED 12-30-13 *BF
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CADILLAC DTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 6/17/14*CN U8PDATED 8/21/2017*CN
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CADILLAC DTS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING OR IMPACT. A SLIGHT MUSTY ODOR WAS PRESENT DUE TO THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT AND ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES, WHICH DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE CONTACT DROVE TO AN UNKNOWN CADILLAC DEALER LOCATED IN STUART, FL, WHO STATED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE ABOUT THE AIR BAG BECAUSE IT WOULD BE A LONG PROCESS. THE CONTACT THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO CLAUDE NOLAN CADILLAC (LOCATED ON SOUTHSIDE BLVD, JACKSONVILLE, FL) AND WAS INFORMED TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER BECAUSE THEY HAD NEVER SEEN AN AIR BAG DEPLOY WITHOUT A CRASH. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS INFORMED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO CLAUDE NOLAN CADILLAC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE UNDERCARRIAGE AND THAT SOMETHING MUST HAVE SET OFF THE AIR BAG. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,000. UPDATED 11/07/17*LJ *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CADILLAC DTS. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 60-70 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO VIBRATE EXCESSIVELY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE A REMEDY REPAIR FOR THE ABNORMAL VIBRATION. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE RIM AND ALL FOUR TIRES WERE REPLACED; HOWEVER THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,000. UPDATED 01/04/12*LJ
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CADILLAC DEVILLE DTS. THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD CRACKING SOUND AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW FELL DOWN INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE REGULATOR WAS REPLACED. THE IDENTICAL FAILURE RECURRED ON THE REAR PASSENGER WINDOW. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED OVER TIME THE FAILURE RECURRED AGAIN ON THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,871 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 61,757. UPDATED 10/15/12 *CN UPDATED 10/24/2012 *JS
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE FRONT HEAD LIGHTS ON MY 2006 CADILLAC DTS GO OUT AT ALL TIMES. I HAVE TO CONTINUOUSLY CUT OUT AND I HAVE TO TURN THE LIGHT SWITCH OFF AND ON SO I CAN DRIVE AT NIGHT. II PREVIOUSLY OWNED ANOTHER 2006 CADILLAC DTS WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A CADILLAC DEALER KRISTAL AUTO MALL IN BROOKLYN, NY AND THEY FIX THE PROBLEM WHICH THEY SAID WAS A FAULTY BALLAST. IT WAS FAULTY ON BOTH HEADLIGHTS. AND NOW IN THE DTS I HAVE, IT IS FAULTY TOO. THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ON THIS SAME ISSUE IN OTHER GM VEHICLES.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .