AI Damage2002 Cadillac STS: common problems
Owners of the 2002 Cadillac STS filed 7 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 7
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 43% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 14% of all complaints
- 3 Electronic stability control 14% of all complaints
- 4 Engine and cooling 14% of all complaints
- 5 Fuel system 14% of all complaints
- 6 Steering 14% of all complaints
- 7 Suspension 14% of all complaints
- 8 Wheels 14% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 3 complaints (43% of all).
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (14% of all).
- Electronic stability control: 1 complaints (14% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (14% of all).
- Fuel system: 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 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.
104,000 miles - total brake line failure when driving on street at 35 mph. Managed to pull over then got car to goodyear. Brake fluid drained out completely because of brake line tapping against transmission casing over time. Casing was dented in several places. Was 5 minutes away from getting on freeway at 70 mph.
While driving every shuts down have to pull over to shift into neutral or park to restart car.
I have read about the gm recall. I had a 2002 cadillac. The car died two days in a row while I was driving. Complete electrical shutdown. I called gm. They said take to the dealer immediately. The dealer "repaired the ignition". They told me they had seen the problem before.
Car starts to shakes in frontend of car at 50 to 70 mph. System stability notification comes on. Have had it checked and mechanics can not find anything wrong. New tires and calibration does not help.
About 2weeks ago the warning light stating check brake fluid. I checked it and added some. It did it again a week later but the brakes almost failed. I took it to a gmc dealer who told me the brake line broke because it was rubbing on the transmission. He told me he had never seen this happen before.
Tl contact owns a 2002 cadillac sts. The contact felt that the vehicle was not braking properly while driving 15 mph. She took the vehicle to a repair shop and the mechanic found holes in the brake line that were three inches apart, which rubbed against the housing for the transmission.
Northstar engine block is leaking oil. Potential engine fire via engine oil drip to exhaust system.
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 STS has 31 complaints (14 years in the data). This year has 7, below average.
What to check before buying
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Electronic stability control. ABS/ESC sensors, steering angle, codes after suspension repair.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Cadillac STS?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, electrical system, electronic stability control. Total complaints: 7. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: oil leak or consumption (14%), smoke, burning smell, fire (14%), vibration (14%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2002 Cadillac STS?
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 2002 Cadillac STS 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 2002 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.