AI Damage2009 Cadillac STS: common problems
Owners of the 2009 Cadillac STS filed 15 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and electronic stability control. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 15
- involving a crash
- 4
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 33% of all complaints
- 2 Electronic stability control 27% of all complaints
- 3 Service brakes 20% of all complaints
- 4 Steering 20% of all complaints
- 5 Engine 13% of all complaints
- 6 Electrical system 7% of all complaints
- 7 Equipment 7% of all complaints
- 8 Exterior lighting 7% of all complaints
- Air bags: 5 complaints (33% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electronic stability control: 4 complaints (27% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Service brakes: 3 complaints (20% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Steering: 3 complaints (20% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine: 2 complaints (13% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3.6 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- 4.4 L · petrol · turbo · 8 cyl
- 4.6 L · petrol · 8 cyl
- automatic, 6-speed
Drive: RWD, AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 15 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 1 | 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.
My airbags did not deploy and my traction control failed. The airbag light remains on and there is a faulty code. The vehicle lost ability to control it to turn. I went straight into the fence. The airbags were not addressed by the body shop or repair shop.
This vehicle had headlights prior to the incident with bulbs popping out inside and moisture. After the repairs were done by the body shop the new headlights have had that same problem. The airbags never came out, and there is a message displayed indicating they needed service. It was never addressed by the body shop.
The air bags did not deploy. There were no injuries and a police report was not filed. The vehicle was unable to be driven and was towed to rimrock cadillac gmc (located at [address], billings, [ZIP], [phone]). The dealer diagnosed that the traction control needed to be serviced. The vehicle was repaired.
On sept 17, 2009 as I rolled to a stop in a parking lot, I applied the brake and the car, which was four feet from a brick building, suddenly lurched ahead. The car hit the brick wall, and the engine did not return to idle until I took my foot off the brake pedal.
The known timing chain issue GM done a warranty for to fix it but wonât fix it now. My car is running sluggish because of it and had numerous times that it wouldnât go up to the speed limit almost caused accidents because of it and Iâm afraid to even drive it anymore knowing that itâs a time bomb waiting to…
First the abs light comes on and then you lose power. 3rd row led taillight out... 400 to fix. Purchased in march of 2018 with 93k miles. Currently at 104k.
No overheating, oil level is fine, gasoline is good, no external problems. After restarting car drives fine initially, event recurs within 1 mile. Very difficult to try to justify this kind of intentional vehicle control behavior.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 cadillac sts. While driving various speeds, the vehicle would decelerate independently and the stability system warning indicator illuminated. The contact coasted over to the side of the road and waited a few minutes before resuming driving. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired.
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 9,286 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 25% most complained about).
On average one model year of the STS has 31 complaints (14 years in the data). This year has 15, below average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Electronic stability control. ABS/ESC sensors, steering angle, codes after suspension repair.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- 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 2009 Cadillac STS?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, electronic stability control, service brakes. Total complaints: 15. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: airbag warning light (20%), warning lights, check engine (20%), airbags did not deploy (13%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2009 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 2009 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 2009 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.