RoadVitals

2005 Cadillac Sts Driver assistance Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Driver assistance 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.
9
Latest Jul 23, 2019
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.
9%
of 101 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.
4
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1

What this page shows

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2005 Cadillac Sts submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 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 driver-assistance

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

Driver assistance
Filed Jul 23, 2019

AFTER DRIVING CAR AND SHUTTING IT OFF AND TRYING TO START IT UNLESS THEN 2 HOURS OF SHUTTING CAR OFF CAR WILL NOT START UNLESS UNHOOKING THE BATTERY

NHTSA ID
11234281
Incident
Jan 1, 2019
BrakesDriver assistanceEngine
Filed Oct 3, 2014

WHILE DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY( AT NIGHT), GOING 70MPH, THE CAR COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. I LOST ALL POWER, BRAKES, STEERING, LIGHTS. ON DASH MESSAGE STATED "ACCESSORY ACTIVE" AND THEN "SHIFT TO PARK." TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY CHANGED THE THROTTLE BODY AND CAM/CRANK SHAFT ALONG WITH A COUPLE OTHER SMALL THINGS. GOT THE CAR BACK, AND 1 WEEK LATER, THE PROBLEM BEGAN AGAIN BUT WORSE. IT WOULD DO IT REPEATEDLY, AT ALL DIFFERENT SPEEDS. A COUPLE OF TIMES RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION! TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER AGAIN AND THIS TIME THEY CHANGED THE BODY CONTROL MODULE. GOT THE CAR BACK AND ABOUT A WEEK LATER, THE PROBLEM HAS RETURNED! *TR

NHTSA ID
10641345
Incident
Aug 1, 2014
Mileage
91,000 mi
Driver assistanceElectricalEngine
Filed Jul 2, 2014

I WAS DRIVING ALONG A CITY ROADWAY WHEN THE VEHICLE'S STABILITY, TRACTION CONTROL, AND ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON SIMULTANEOUSLY WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE VEHICLE JUST STOPPED, ALMOST CAUSING THE CAR BEHIND ME TO COLLIDE WITH MY VEHICLE. I CALLED THE DEALER, LAWLEY'S GM STORE IN SIERRA VISTA, AZ. WHERE I HAD JUST PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND TOLD THE SERVICE MANAGER WHAT HAPPENED...HE SENT A TOW TRUCK TO PICKUP THE VEHICLE AND AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE AT THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME IT WAS THE THROTTLE BODY NEEDING REPLACEMENT...I BOUGHT A NEW ONE AND HAD IT INSTALLED. RAN FINE FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS AFTER WHICH THE VEHICLE BEGAN STALLING WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY ROAD WHEN THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN, BUT THIS TIME WHEN THE VEHICLE STOPPED WITHOUT ANY WARNING CAUSING THE VEHICLES BEHIND ME HAD TO SWERVE AROUND ME ALMOST CAUSING ACCIDENTS WITH ONCOMING VEHICLES. CALLED THE DEALER AGAIN, HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED IN AND THIS TIME WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLES COMPUTER WAS NOT PROGRAMMED RIGHT AND THAT IT ALSO NEEDED THROTTLE BODY HARNESS...BOUGHT THE HARNESS AND HAD IT INSTALLED AS WELL AS THE DEALER REPROGRAMMING THE COMPUTER. CAR DID WELL FOR A FEW MONTHS WHEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN (VEHICLE STOPPING UNEXPECTEDLY), THIS TIME APPROACHING A MAJOR CROSSWALK AND ONCE AGAIN CAUSING THE VEHICLES BEHIND ME TO COME A ABRUPT STOPS, FORTUNATELY A CITY POLICE VEHICLE WAS ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE CROSSWALK AND THE OFFICER WITNESSED WHAT HAPPENED, PUT HIS VEHICLE'S EMERGENCY LIGHTS ON AND CAME OVER TO HELP ME PUSH OUT FROM THE STREET TO A WALGREEN'S PARKING LOT WHERE I ONCE AGAIN CALLED THE DEALER, HAD IT TOWED TO DEALER WHERE THEY TOLD ME THE THROTTLE BODY PIN CONNECTORS HAD TO BE SOLDERED ON WHICH THEY DID. CAR IS RUNNING OK FOR NOW, BUT I AM CONCERNED THAT I MAY BE DRIVING AND THE VEHICLE WILL ONCE AGAIN STOP UNEXPECTEDLY AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.THERE ARE CONSUMER POSTS ON THIS PROBLEM ON THE WEB. *TR

NHTSA ID
10607645
Incident
Apr 11, 2013
Mileage
67,000 mi
AirbagsDriver assistance
Filed Jan 28, 2014
Crash reported

I WAS DRIVING MY 2005 CADILLAC STS DOING ABOUT 45 MILES AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR LOST CONTROL. I PUT ON BRAKES AND MY CAR WOULD NOT STOP. I TRIED STEERING TO THE LEFT TO AVOID TREES AND MY CAR WOULD NOT TURN IT APPEARED THAT MY ACCELERATOR WAS STUCK AND MY STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT TURN. MY CAR HIT THREE TREES AND WHEN IT STRUCK THE THIRD TREE I KEPT APPLYING THE BRAKES IT STILL WOULDN'T STOP THEN I TURNED MY CAR OFF AND THAT'S THE ONLY WAY I GOT IT TO STOP. MY BACK WHEEL ON THE PASSENGER SIDE CAME OFF AND MY CAR WAS TOTALED. MY AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. I SPOKE WITH GMAC CLAIMS REPRESENTATIVE AND HE STATED THAT IT WAS NORMAL FOR THE AIR BAG NOT TO DEPLOY. HE ALSO, STATED THAT THE AIR BAG INDICATED THAT I HAD APPLIED THE ACCELERATOR WHEN I KNOW THAT I DID NOT. I AM TERRIFIED FROM THIS ACCIDENT AND THIS IS THE FIRST ACCIDENT I HAVE EVER HAD AND I DO NOT DRINK OR TAKE DRUGS. I ASKED THE REPRESENTATIVE DID THE BLACK BOX INDICATE THAT I HAD TO TURN THE CAR OFF TO STOP IT AND REPRESENTATIVE STATED NO, THEN I ASKED HIM TO TELL ME HOW THE CAR STOPPED. IF I HAD NOT TURNED THE CAR OFF IT WOULD NOT HAVE STOPPED AND I WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY. GMAC DENIED MY CLAIM AND STATED THAT IT WAS MY FAULT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10561798
Incident
Nov 28, 2013
Mileage
11,000 mi
Driver assistanceEngine
Filed Sep 10, 2013

WHILE DRIVING MY 2005 CADILLAC STS IN AFTERNOON RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC THE CAR SUDDENLY LOSS ACCELERATION. THE CAR WOULD NOT MAINTAIN SPEED (60 MPH) WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. HAD TO EXIT FREEWAY. THE CAR CONTINUED TO OPERATE ONLY AT IDLE. EVERYTHING ELSE WAS WORKING, BUT COULD NOT GET THE CAR TO RESPOND TO THE THROTTLE PEDAL. WAS ABLE TO SLOWLY EXIT AND ENTER A PARKING LOT. RESTARTED THE CAR AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE OFF NORMALLY. AFTER A FEW MINUTES THE PROBLEM RECURRED. THE DEALER HAD THE CAR 4 DIFFERENT TIMES (OVER A MONTH TOTAL) AND WAS NOT ABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER INDICATED A $4000 CABLE HARNESS ASSEMBLY HAS TO BE REPLACED, BUT DID NOT GUARANTEE IT WILL CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THROTTLE BODY, THROTTLE POSITION SENSORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED WITHOUT RESULTS. THE CAR DID OPERATE NORMAL FOR OVER A MONTH WITH NEW THROTTLE BODY. AFTER VISITING THE DEALER FOR ANOTHER ISSUE THE THROTTLE PROBLEM RECURRED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10542907
Incident
May 15, 2013
Mileage
123,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Oct 13, 2009
Crash reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CADILLAC STS. DURING BRAKE APPLICATION, HE EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED VEHICLE ACCELERATION. AS A CONSEQUENCE HE CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, BUT THE TECHNICIANS COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,000.

NHTSA ID
10287205
Incident
Oct 7, 2009
Mileage
41,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Oct 9, 2009

LETTER ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT REGARDING THE PROBLEM OF RAPID DECELERATION WHEN THE RADAR CONTROLLED CRUISE CONTROL IS ENGAGED. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY DISENGAGES AND IT IMMEDIATELY SLOWS DOWN. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS UNABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM AND SUGGESTED REPLACING THE ENTIRE SYSTEM AT A COST OF $4,300-5,000 DOLLARS. *JB

NHTSA ID
10287508
Incident
Jan 1, 1901
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Apr 9, 2008
Crash reported1 injury reported

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CADILLAC STS. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE SYBILLA TRACK LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN SLIDING TO THE LEFT. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE STRUCK THE GUARDRAIL AND CAUSED $7,014.75 WORTH OF DAMAGE. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED. THE ABS DID NOT MALFUNCTION AT ALL. ONSTAR STATED THAT THE YAW RATE SENSOR MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A BODY SHOP IN SPRINGFIELD, VA. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 50,880.

NHTSA ID
10223833
Incident
Apr 7, 2008
Mileage
50,880 mi
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Apr 21, 2006
Crash reported

THE CONSUMER HAS PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE NOT WANTING TO START. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT SINCE THE VEHICLE IS COMPLETELY ELECTRIC THAT SOMETIMES THE CIRCUITS OR TRANSMITTERS BLOW OUT, 2005 CADILLAC STS. *NM WHILE APPROACHING A RED LIGHT THE BRAKES FAILED AND THE VEHICLE'S SPEED INCREASED. THE CONSUMER PURPOSELY RAN INTO A DIVIDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT REMAINED FOR 45 DAYS. *NM

NHTSA ID
10156284
Incident
Mar 24, 2006
Mileage
15,526 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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .