AI Damage2004 Cadillac DTS: common problems
Owners of the 2004 Cadillac DTS filed 7 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 7
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 29% of all complaints
- 2 Air bags 14% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 14% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 14% of all complaints
- 5 Steering 14% of all complaints
- 6 Tires 14% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 2 complaints (29% of all).
- Air bags: 1 complaints (14% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine: 1 complaints (14% of all).
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (14% of all).
- Steering: 1 complaints (14% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 7 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 cadillac dts. The contact stated that while driving 30 mph, the passenger's side of the vehicle was crashed into by another vehicle. The air bags failed o deploy. The contact sustained a fractured elbow and bruising. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an auto body shop.
Tl contact owns a 2004 cadillac dts equipped with michelin radial x tires, and tire size 235/55/r17. The contact stated that all the tires were cracked severely which caused the air to leak out. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The technician diagnosed the tires needed to be replaced.
The contact stated that while driving approximately 5 mph, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was able to restart. The failure recurred multiple times. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired.
Without warning and for no reason the right side rear door window fell down into the door. There was a young child in the rear seat at the time. There should be a recall on this as it is a severe safety hazard. This car has very few miles for its age and should not be having these problems.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 cadillac dts. The contact was driving when the vehicle began to decelerate slowly and became resistant to acceleration attempts. In addition, the transmission would drag while attempting to shift gears.
During rainy periods while driving at a slow speed (20-30 mph) in parking lots or residential streets where water has pooled when I hit a deep (3-5 inches) puddle the power steering on my 2004 cadillac deville dts stops functioning for a period of 30-45 seconds.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 12,538 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 34% most complained about).
On average one model year of the DTS has 66 complaints (8 years in the data). This year has 7, below average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2004 Cadillac DTS?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, air bags, engine. Total complaints: 7. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: windows, sunroof (29%), stalls while driving (14%), steering or power steering problems (14%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2004 Cadillac DTS?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2004 Cadillac DTS from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2004 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.