Cadillac DTS Reliability — Best and Worst Years by the Data

Quick answer

The 2006 draws 9.5 complaints per run and the 2010 1.13, a 8.4-fold gap within the same model. Half of all complaints arrive by 7 years of age, so 75.6% land after the 4-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Electrical System, with 168 complaints, typically at 6.8 years.

Cadillac DTS years to avoid — and the best ones

FIG.01·Cadillac DTS — complaint rate by model year
Model year	Per run	Complaints	Runs	Enough history?
2011	1.25	15	12	yes
2010	1.13	18	16	yes
2009	2	30	15	yes
2008	4.16	79	19	yes
2007	4.14	87	21	yes
2006	9.5	228	24	yes
2005	1	7	7	yes
2004	1	5	5	yes

ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaints, grouped by VIN production run

Does the market discount it? In our listings a 2006 DTS asks a median $4,995, against $4,995 for a 2007, the next model year: about the same, so the price shows no discount for its complaint record.

Among the 4 Cadillac DTS years with enough history, the three to walk away from are 2006, 2008, 2007; the three worth hunting are 2010, 2007, 2008.

When it starts to break

FIG.02·Cadillac DTS — age at failure
Age at failure	Complaints	Running total	Warranty
0 years	43	9.4%	covered
1 year	23	14.4%	covered
2 years	17	18.1%	covered
3 years	29	24.4%	covered
4 years	43	33.8%	you pay
5 years	31	40.5%	you pay
6 years	37	48.6%	you pay
7 years	49	59.3%	you pay
8 years	61	72.5%	you pay
9 years	30	79.1%	you pay
10 years	20	83.4%	you pay
11 years	21	88%	you pay
12 years	23	93%	you pay
13 years	9	95%	you pay
14 years	10	97.2%	you pay
15 years	13	100%	you pay

ROWS 16·SOURCE NHTSA complaints with incident dates

Basic warranty on this car is 4 years / 50,000 miles. Only 24.4% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 75.6% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (4 years / 50,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 14% of the complaints here.

What actually fails — and at what age

What waits further out is Electrical System at 6.8 years — past every basic warranty, and the bill lands on whoever owns the car then.

FIG.03·Cadillac DTS — what fails and when
System	Complaints	Typical age	Crash	Fire
Electrical System	168	6.8 yrs	4	11
Exterior Lighting	87	6 yrs	1	2
Engine	68	8.9 yrs	1	4
Steering	54	7.3 yrs	4	1
Service Brakes	30	5.4 yrs	2	—
Air Bags	28	6.2 yrs	21	—
Seats	24	5.8 yrs	—	3
Unknown Or Other	22	9 yrs	—	1

ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaints

What else in this class

6 models share the DTS's vehicle class. Per production run, the Dodge Charger draws 4.56, the Chrysler 300 4.11 and the Kia K5 3.08, against 4.04 for the DTS.

FIG.05·Cadillac DTS — rivals in the same class
Same class as the DTS	Complaints on record	Recall campaigns	Years built
Dodge Charger	5,784	133	1983–2026
Chrysler 300	6,171	86	1999–2026
Kia K5	486	21	2021–2026
Hyundai Sonata	16,220	152	1989–2026
Chevrolet Impala	10,373	98	1981–2026
Lincoln Continental	2,687	80	1981–2026

ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA complaints and recall campaigns

The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.

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Everything on the Cadillac DTS

Recalls17 campaigns Fuel economy18 mpg best Common problems511 complaints Check a VINAgainst this exact build DimensionsSize, weight, generations Cargo space19 cu ft Used prices528 listings What yours is worthValue by year & mileage Insurance costEstimated per year Window stickerOriginal Monroney label Decode a VINWhat each character means About this car2006–2011

Frequently asked questions

Is the Cadillac DTS reliable?

By complaints per production run it is worse than typical: 4.04 against 3.73 for the average car, and in the middle of its class rivals.

Which DTS years should you avoid?

By complaints per production run, 2006, 2008, 2007. The cleanest years old enough to judge are 2010, 2007, 2008. Years newer than 6 are left out: complaints keep arriving for years after a car is sold.

When do DTS problems usually start?

Half of all complaints arrive by 7 years of age. The most reported system is Electrical System, typically at 6.8 years, followed by Exterior Lighting.

Will the warranty cover DTS problems?

Mostly not: basic cover is 4 years / 50,000 miles, and only 24.4% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 14% of the complaints here.

Is the DTS more reliable than the Dodge Charger?

Yes: 4.04 complaints per production run for the DTS against 4.56 for the Dodge Charger.

Complaint records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Rates, age-at-failure and warranty coverage computed by ForCar. Model years newer than 6 years are excluded from rankings — complaints accumulate for a decade (how we measure). Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.

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