AI Damage2007 Cadillac DTS: common problems
Owners of the 2007 Cadillac DTS filed 97 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and exterior lighting. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 97
- involving a crash
- 8
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 29% of all complaints
- 2 Exterior lighting 14% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 13% of all complaints
- 4 Service brakes 13% of all complaints
- 5 Steering 8% of all complaints
- 6 Air bags 7% of all complaints
- 7 Powertrain 7% of all complaints
- 8 Seats 7% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 28 complaints (29% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Exterior lighting: 14 complaints (14% of all).
- Engine: 13 complaints (13% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Service brakes: 13 complaints (13% of all).
- Steering: 8 complaints (8% of all).
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 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 97 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 | 28 | 2 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 13 | 1 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 7 | 4 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 3 | 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.
While driving at an unspecified rate of speed, the oil pressure warning indicator flashed, there was a sudden loss of power, and the brake pedal was stiff when depressed. As a result, the contact crashed into the rear of an 18 wheeler. The driver sustained minor bruising and pain to the shoulders and forearms.
While turning into a parking space at a very low speed my engine by itself accelerated very fast and I immediately put my foot on the brake but this did not stop the car so I put it into reverse and kept my foot on brake the car continue to accelerate very fast but eventually stopped.
The contact indicated that while waiting at a traffic light, another vehicle crashed into the contact's vehicle, which caused the contact to hit the vehicle in front of her and the air bags failed to deploy. The contact indicated that the vehicle was the third out of the six vehicles involved in the crash.
The drivers frontal and side air bags did not deploy, and the on-star system did not activate. The vehicle was completely destroyed. The manufacturer stated there was no reason for the air bags to deploy, and that the air bags will only deploy if the sensor was impacted.
The air bags failed to deploy. The driver and passenger were wearing their seat belts. Neither were ejected from the vehicle; however, the driver sustained a broken neck and shoulder damage. The cause of the failure has not yet been determined. The current and failure mileages were 4,000. Updated 06/17/08
2007 Cadillac DTS has been giving me problems with leaking water from either the moon roof or roof itself near driver's door.the floor gets soaked with water and has caused a part called a yaw under the seat to short the wiring out and had to be replaced because it controls the tail lights and tail lights and brake…
Was backing out of my parking space and the warning icons on my dash,(Service brake system,stabiltrack, traction control.4 years ago I had to replace a (yaw) that goes under the driver's seat because moonroof is leaking so I sealed the roof.the yaw controls the stabiltrack.i took it to a auto parts store to get…
We purchased this vehicle four months ago and love it except for: 1)There seems to be some kind of tint on the rear view mirror which makes it very hard to see other vehicles at night, especially at dusk before some drivers turn their headlights on.
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 3,638 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 10% most complained about).
On average one model year of the DTS has 66 complaints (8 years in the data). This year has 97, 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.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2007 Cadillac DTS?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, exterior lighting, engine. Total complaints: 97. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: headlights and tail lights (12%), smoke, burning smell, fire (12%), vibration (7%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2007 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 2007 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 2007 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.