RoadVitals

1999 Cadillac Sts Engine Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Engine reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
8
Latest Sep 12, 2014
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
62%
of 13 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1999 Cadillac Sts submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming engine

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Engine
Filed Sep 12, 2014

OUR STS STALLED SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THE SCARIEST WAS ON THE HIGHWAY GOING 65 MPH. THE CAR TOTALLY SHUT OFF, LEAVING THE CAR WITHOUT ANY POWER. WE WERE ABLE TO GUIDE THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY AND THANK GOODNESS IT STARTED AGAIN. ON SEVERAL OTHER OCCASIONS, THE CAR WOULD SHUT OFF AND SOMETIMES WOULDN'T EVEN START UP RIGHT AWAY. THIS WAS VERY FRUSTRATING AND THE UNKNOWING, MADE DRIVING THIS CAR VERY UNPREDICTABLE. EVERY TIME WE BROUGHT THE CAR TO BE CHECKED THEY COULD NOT FIND "ANYTHING". FINALLY, AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC SUGGESTED PUTTING IN A NEW STARTER AND THIS SOLVED THE PROBLEM. THANK GOODNESS. THE SEVILLE STS IS NOW RUNNING, BUT THE A/C HAS GONE OUT. THE CAR IS TOO OLD TO EVEN FIX AT THIS POINT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10632731
Incident
Mar 8, 2012
Mileage
98,587 mi
Engine
Filed Oct 23, 2012
Fire reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CADILLAC STS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE ENGINE RPMS INCREASED AS SMOKE WAS RELEASED FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE MECHANIC WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC. THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED AT THE ENGINE MOTOR BOLTS, WHICH HAD BECOME DISCONNECTED DUE TO DEFECTIVE METAL. THE BOLT COIL AND THREAD WAS REPLACED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000. UPDATED 12/12/12*LJ UPDATED 12/13/2012 *JS

NHTSA ID
10481981
Incident
Jul 1, 2010
Mileage
80,000 mi
Engine
Filed Aug 13, 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CADILLAC STS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEAD BOLTS WERE NOT THE CORRECT SIZE FOR THE ENGINE AND AS A RESULT, THEY STRIPPED, CAUSING THE ENGINE HEAD TO DETACH FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REMANUFACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID
10470401
Incident
May 11, 2011
Mileage
128,000 mi
Engine
Filed Feb 16, 2010

1999 CADILLAC SEVILLESTS. 100,600 MILES ON ODOMETER. WHILE DRIVING AT SLOW SPEED (IN TOWN) , ENGINE WILL STOP ENTIRELY,.- I LOSE MY POWER STEERING, BRAKES AND EVERYTHING ELSE . WHEN I GET STOPPED, ENGINE WILL START IMMEDIATELY. I'E HAD THE BATTERY CHECKED, AND AM TOLD ALL THE CONNECTIONS WERE "FINE". A GM DEALER RECENTLY TUNED THE ENGINE , AND SUGGESTED THAT HE REPLACE THE WIRING" HE DID SO. HE DID THIS @ TWO MONTHS BEFORE THE TROUBLE STARTED. THE DEALER IS OUT OF BUSINESS. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR -- SUPPOSE THIS HAD OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING 65-70 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE. ??? PLEASE ADVISE ME!!! RIVING, ENGINE WILL STOP ENTIRELY - I LOSE MY POWER STEERING, BRAKES, AND EVERYTHING ELSE. WHEN I GET STOPPED, THE ENGINE WILL START IMMEDIATELY. HAVE CHECKED BATTERY CONNECTION AND IT CHECKS "FINE". *TR

NHTSA ID
10311128
Incident
Jan 10, 2010
Mileage
100,600 mi
Engine
Filed Dec 21, 2006

I BOUGHT A 1999 CADILLAC STS FROM A DEALER IN MORGANTOWN, WV. IT WAS A COUPLE OF YEARS OLD. NOW, IT HAS ABOUT 124,000 MILES ON IT. AFTER A FEW TRIPS TO THE DEALERS SERVICE DEPARTMENT RECENTLY, I WAS TOLD THE REASON MY CAR WAS RUNNING ROUGHLY WAS BECAUSE THERE WAS A LEAKING HEAD GASKET. UNFORTUNATELY, THE DEALER SAID, THEY WON'T TRY TO REPAIR IT BECAUSE THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH THE CADILLAC NORTHSTAR ENGINE IS THAT IF THEY TRY TO REMOVE IT, IT STRIPS SOME SORT OF BOLT OR THREAD, RUINING THE ENGINE. I HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH CADILLAC BY TELEPHONE AND BY E-MAIL SEVERAL TIMES TO ASK IF IT IS TRUE THAT THEY HAVE DESIGNED AND SOLD A CAR THAT CAN'T BE REPAIRED. THEY WOULDN'T ANSWER ME DIRECTLY; INSTEAD, THEY SAID MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND NO LONGER THEIR RESPONSIBILITY. FINALLY, SOMEONE CONCEDED THAT IT IS TRUE. I AM SHOCKED THAT A COMPANY LIKE CADILLAC CAN DESIGN AND DELIVER A CAR, KNOWING THAT CERTAIN MAJOR PROBLEMS CAN'T BE REPAIRED. *NM

NHTSA ID
10176725
Incident
Nov 10, 2006
ElectricalEngine
Filed May 10, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT WARNING RESULTING IN LOSS OF POWER. AFTERWARDS, THE VEHICLE RESTARTS IN LESS THAN A MINUTE. THE STALLING OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY AND HAS GRADUALLY BECOME WORSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR INSPECTION WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID
10157190
Incident
May 10, 2006
Mileage
91,000 mi
ElectricalEngine
Filed Mar 27, 2006

VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN AT CRUISING SPEEDS, LOW SPEEDS, AND IDLING. ALL SYSTEMS SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. VEHICLE MAY OR MAY NOT START BACK UP IMMEDIATELY. I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS ON SAME ISSUE BOTH ON NHTSA AND OTHER CHAT BOARDS. THIS CAUSES A HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITION FOR MYSELF AND OTHER DRIVERS. CAN BE ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS ON HILLY AND CURVED ROADS BECAUSE ALL POWERED STEERING AND BRAKING SHUTS DOWN AS WELL. *JB

NHTSA ID
10153775
Incident
Mar 25, 2006
Engine
Filed May 25, 2005

1999 CADILLAC STS EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH WATER SOUNDS BEHIND THE DASHBOARD AS WELL AS THE ENGINE OVERHEATING.*MR THE DEALER REPLACED THE WATER PUMP BUT THAT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND A WARNING BELL SOUNDED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO INDICATED THAT THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED. TWO MONTHS AFTER THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED THE ENGINE IDLE AND OVERHEATING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED AGAIN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND REFUSED TO PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. *NM

NHTSA ID
10122639
Incident
Mar 1, 2005
Mileage
67,000 mi

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

Data on this page last refreshed .