AI Damage2006 Cadillac DTS: common problems
Owners of the 2006 Cadillac DTS filed 255 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and exterior lighting. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 255
- involving a crash
- 14
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 31% of all complaints
- 2 Exterior lighting 31% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 15% of all complaints
- 4 Steering 13% of all complaints
- 5 Vehicle speed control 7% of all complaints
- 6 Air bags 5% of all complaints
- 7 Seats 5% of all complaints
- 8 Tires 4% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 79 complaints (31% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Exterior lighting: 79 complaints (31% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine: 38 complaints (15% of all).
- Steering: 33 complaints (13% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Vehicle speed control: 17 complaints (7% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 4.6 L · petrol · 8 cylnamed in 1 complaints
- automatic, 4-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 255 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 | 79 | 1 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 79 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine | 38 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 33 | 4 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 17 | 1 | 0 |
| Air bags | 12 | 11 | 0 |
| Seats | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 10 | 2 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility | 6 | 1 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
As a result, the contact crashed into a ditch and the was able to exit the vehicle only through the front driver's side window. The air bags failed to deploy and the vehicle failed to restart. A police report was filed. The driver sustained injuries to the arm that required medical attention.
The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained a shoulder injury that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 24,995.
The air bags failed to deploy. The contact and the passenger sustained neck and shoulder injuries, but medical attention was not received. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence and was not diagnosed or repaired.
While driving approximately 50 mph, the front passenger side tire blew out and the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the steering wheel seized, causing the vehicle to spin and crash into a fence. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed and there were no injuries reported.
My son was driving my car from jackson,ms and a deer came out in front of him he tried to miss the deer and lost control of the car and it fliped and went into some trees and landed upside down the sterning wheel airbag didn't deploy the car was total loss.
The air bags did not deploy. The contact and the driver of the other vehicle were injured and transported to the hospital via ambulance. A police report was available. The vehicle was unable to be diagnosed due to it being deemed as destroyed. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
Drivers side air bag didn't deploy in accident. Whole drivers side smashed in and person wouldn't have been injured as badly had it gone off like it was supposed to.
2006 cadillac dts driver side mirror does not extend out far enough to eliminate a blind spot and at the same time up far enough to see any distance behind him. The consumer also stated if he eliminates the blind spot, he can not see traffic in order to merge onto the highway.
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 1,604 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 4% most complained about).
On average one model year of the DTS has 66 complaints (8 years in the data). This year has 255, above average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2006 Cadillac DTS?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, exterior lighting, engine. Total complaints: 255. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: headlights and tail lights (29%), steering or power steering problems (9%), oil leak or consumption (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2006 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 2006 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 2006 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.