AI Damage2000 Cadillac SLS: common problems
Owners of the 2000 Cadillac SLS filed 11 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 11
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 45% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 18% of all complaints
- 3 Structure 9% of all complaints
- 4 Tires 9% of all complaints
- 5 Vehicle speed control 9% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 5 complaints (45% of all).
- Electrical system: 2 complaints (18% of all).
- Structure: 1 complaints (9% of all).
- Tires: 1 complaints (9% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 1 complaints (9% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 11 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and cooling | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 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.
I'm not sure if the engine would have overheated and caught fire or not? I returned this vehicle to used car dealer for refund. I was told to take it to a garage and I discovered the radiator cap was leaking. It was replaced. To me it looked like it was warped?
While driving 10 mph, the vehicle stalled then shut off without warning. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The current and failure mileages were 70,700.
Parking brake release, loss of power to seats, cab lights out, front ac passenger side blows hot only, no power to door locks, no response to keyless entry, valet switch stopped working, rear window defogger stopped working, rear ac blower stopped working and electronic trunk and fuel release mechanisms no longer…
2002, I have had many incidences in which the interior lights did not come on after starting the engine for several minutes, and that the headlights were dim. I took the vehicle into the dealer at kent rylee in rogers, ar, on 1-29-04, and to superior cadillac in fayetteville, ar on 11-3-04 with the same complaints…
Consumer stated vehicle would stall intermittently without warning. Vehicle had been checked by a dealer several times, but was unable to determine cause. Problem has existed since vehicle was purchased. Ts. Also due to the engine stalling the power steering, brakes, and all lights had become inoperative. Scc
While driving 50-60mph the vehicle would vibrate, the problem was thought to be rectified, however months later the vibration reoccurred, vehicle had been in several times for inspection and balancing. Consumer was told it was a manufacturers defect.
Throttle stuck open full while passing another vehicle. Managed to avoid hitting three other vehicles, but all that came to mind was shutting engine off. Coasted to a stop and had to manually close throttle body under hood.
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 10,520 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 29% most complained about).
On average one model year of the SLS has 7 complaints (4 years in the data). This year has 11, above average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Tires. Tire age by DOT code, bulges, wear pattern.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2000 Cadillac SLS?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, electrical system, structure. Total complaints: 11. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: headlights and tail lights (27%), stalls while driving (18%), windows, sunroof (18%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2000 Cadillac SLS?
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 2000 Cadillac SLS 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 2000 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.