2011 Cadillac Sts problems
The Cadillac STS (Seville Touring Sedan) is a mid-sized luxury 4-door sedan manufactured and marketed by General Motors from 2004 to 2011 for the 2005 to 2011 model years. A version of the STS was marketed in China as the SLS through 2013.
It was equipped with a six-speed automatic transmission with performance algorithm shifting and driver shift control.
Origins
The STS was the successor to the Cadillac Seville, which beginning in 1987 was available as an upscale performance-oriented STS (for Seville Touring Sedan) version.
While smaller than the full-size DTS, the more expensive STS was the flagship sedan of the Cadillac brand.
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Common 2011 Cadillac Sts problems
Based on complaints from owners of the 2011 Cadillac STS, several common problems have been reported:
- Check Engine Light with Code P0011, P0014, P0021, P0024, P0341:
- Symptoms: Check engine light illuminated.
- Causes: Issues with camshaft actuator solenoid valves.
- Solution: Regular oil level maintenance and changes to prevent solenoid valve failure.
- EVAP Codes for a Bad Gas Cap:
- Symptoms: Check engine light for an evaporative emission control system (EVAP) code, loose gas cap.
- Causes: Faulty gas cap ratcheting and gasket issues.
- Solution: Inspect and replace the gas cap if defective.
- MAP Sensor Failure:
- Symptoms: Check engine light for a MAP sensor code.
- Solution: Replacement involves disconnecting the electric connector, removing the bolt, and replacing the sensor.
- Passenger Presence Sensor Failure:
- Symptoms: Airbag light on with a code for the passenger presence system.
- Causes: Damage to the sensor due to objects placed on the seat.
- Solution: Replacement of the sensor, which is part of the seat cushion.
- Steering Wheel Position Sensor Failure:
- Symptoms: Service stability light and ABS light on the dashboard.
- Causes: Failure of the sensor located at the base of the steering column.
- Solution: Replacement involves disabling the airbag system, removing dash panels, and replacing the sensor.
These issues are commonly reported by owners of the 2011 Cadillac STS and addressing them promptly can help maintain the car's performance and safety.
Is the Cadillac STS reliable?
The 2006 Cadillac STS receives an average consumer rating of 4.5 overall and a 4.5 for reliability, which means owners consider its reliability to be above average.
How long do Cadillac STS last?
How Many Miles Does a Cadillac Last? A new Cadillac typically drives between 150,000 and 200,000 miles with proper maintenance. This translates to about 10 to 13 years for an average driver clocking 15,000 miles per year.
Are there any recalls on Cadillac STS?
There are 6 recalls that may affect your Cadillac STS.
Check your Cadillac STS for safety recalls and get them fixed for free at a Cadillac dealership near you.
What is better Cadillac CTS or STS?
In comparing the Cadillac CTS's and the Cadillac STS's specifications and ratings, The Cadillac STS has the advantage in the areas of typical lower range of pricing for one- to five-year-old used cars, and fuel efficiency, interior volume and base engine power.
Is the Cadillac STS reliable?
The 2006 Cadillac STS receives an average consumer rating of 4.5 overall and a 4.5 for reliability, which means owners consider its reliability to be above average.
How long do Cadillac STS last?
How Many Miles Does a Cadillac Last? A new Cadillac typically drives between 150,000 and 200,000 miles with proper maintenance. This translates to about 10 to 13 years for an average driver clocking 15,000 miles per year.
Is STS or CTS better?
Cadillac STS. When we compare the Cadillac CTS's and the Cadillac STS's specifications and ratings, The Cadillac STS has the advantage in the areas of typical lower range of pricing for one- to five-year-old used cars, and fuel efficiency, interior volume and base engine power.
Is a Cadillac STS fast?
The STS-V had a 0-60 mph (97 km/h) acceleration time of 4.6 seconds and a 13.2 second quarter mile time.
2011 Cadillac Sts car problems categorized by type of issue
After analyzing all complaints sent to the NHTSA and researching popular Cadillac Sts problems, we found that the most common problems with these 2023 model year vehicles are:
- Electrical system problems
- Service brakes problems
- Vehicle speed control problems
- Exterior lighting problems
- Seat belts problems
The graph below shows statistics for all 2011 Cadillac Sts vehicle components and the number of complaints received.
2011 Cadillac Sts complaints
The NHTSA has received 6 complaints about various vehicle components related to the 2011 Cadillac Sts.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2016-09-01
- VIN: 1G6DW6ED3B0
- Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES
- Summary: WE OWN A 2011 CADILLAC STS. RECENTLY MY WIFE WAS LEAVING FOR WORK AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I FELT THE HOUSE SHAKE. MY WIFE WAS REVERSING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY WHEN SHE APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE PEDAL WAS SO HARD SHE COULD NOT PRESS THE PEDAL DOWN. TO AVOID A CRASH SHE PUT THE CAR INTO DRIVE TO KEEP IT FROM GOING INTO THE STREET. ONCE SHE WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE STREET SHE PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL, BUT THE BRAKES WERE STILL NOT RESPONDING. THATS WHEN OUR HOME BECAME OUR CAR STOPPER. I DROVE THE CAR AFTERWARDS AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS STILL HARD AND WOULD NOT HOLD THE CAR FROM MOVING WHEN IT WAS PUT INTO GEAR. I CONTACTED THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHO INFORMED ME THAT IT WOULD TAKE AT LEAST 3 TO 4 HOURS LABOR TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THAT AT $149.99 PER HOUR. HE ALSO INFORMED ME THAT THEY HAD A VEHICLE IN EARLIER SAYING THE SAME THING AND THEY PRETTY MUCH REPLACED ALL OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM ON THE CAR AT THE COST OF OVER $3900.00. THAT IS CRAZY TO ME SO I WENT THROUGH THE CAR MYSELF. I REPLACED ALL BRAKES AND ROTORS, REPLACED THE BRAKE FLUID AND BLEED THE WHOLE BRAKE SYSTEM. ALL THAT FOR THE NEXT DAY THE SAME THING HAPPENED. I HAVE SINCE TRACED THE ELECTRICAL SIDE AND HAVE FOUND THAT THE VACUUM BRAKE ASSIST FUSE UNDER THE HOOD WAS BLOWN. I HAVE REPLACED THE FUSE BUT AS SOON AS YOU HIT THE BRAKE IT BLOWS THE FUSE AGAIN.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2015-08-03
- VIN: 1G6DW6ED4B0
- Components: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
- Summary: 2011 CADILLAC STS. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED ON ITS OWN. *SMD UPDATED 09/17/15*LJ UPDATED 09/21/15.*JB UPDATED 09/22/15*JB
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2012-12-01
- VIN: 1G6DW6ED4B0
- Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Summary: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CADILLAC STS. WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, ALL THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE, THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM FAILED TO FUNCTION, AND THE BACK UP SENSORS CHIMED WITHOUT ANY OBJECT BEHIND THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE OR REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 7/29/15*CN UPDATED 10/17/2017*CN
SERVICE BRAKES PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2012-06-12
- VIN: 1G6DX6ED6B0
- Components: SERVICE BRAKES
- Summary: WHEN I BACKED OUT OF MY CARPORT AND APPLIED MY BRAKES IT WOULDN'T STOP. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY COULDN'T MAKE THE CAR DO IT AGAIN. THE BRAKES WHEN I BACK UP STILL DOES NOT STOP MY CAR INTERMITTENTLY, UNTIL I STEP ON BRAKES 3 OR 4 TIMES. THIS IS FRIGHTENING. THE DEALERSHIP WOULDN'T EVEN TAKE A LOOK AT MY BRAKES. *TR
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2013-03-11
- VIN: 1G6DW6ED4B0
- Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING
- Summary: DASH LIGHTS FAIL TO COME UP UPON START - SPORADIC IN MARCH 2013, CHRONIC IN NOVEMBER TO PRESENT BACK UP SENSORS MALFUNCTIONING - JANUARY 2014 TO PRESENT POWER WINDOWS GO UP AND DOWN - SPORADIC JAN 2014 CD/RADIO VOLUME EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH AND THEN RE-ADJUSTS ITSELF HEADLIGHTS TURN OFF WHEN THEY SHOULD BE ON - 2 OCCURRENCES - FEBRUARY 2014 2 EMISSION WARNING FROM ONSTAR DENIED BY DEALER - JAN - 03/2014 ALARM COMING THROUGH REAR-VIEW MIRROR ASSEMBLY - VERY, VERY LOUD AND PERSISTENT - FEBRUARY 2014 I REPORTED SEVERAL OCCURRENCES IN 2013. DEALERSHIP SAID THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE REPORTED CHRONIC OCCURRENCES AGAIN IN NOVEMBER, DECEMBER AND JANUARY AND FEBRUARY - TOLD COULD NOT DIAGNOSE COMPLAINED TO CORPORATE WHO OFFERED TO HAVE CAR DIAGNOSED FOR 99.00; THEN CHARGED ASSIGNED WERE 99.00 PER SYMPTOM - GREAT WAY TO DETER A CUSTOMER TOLD BY CORPORATE THIS PAST WEEK THAT THEY DID NOT SAY THAT AND THAT THE CAR WAS UNFIXABLE. ALSO TOLD I WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND ANY CHARGES WERE NOW ON ME. CAN'T FIX SOMETHING NO ONE CAN/WILL ACKNOWLEDGE EXISTS IF CONSUMER DOESN'T HAVE THE MONEY TO PURSUE THE MATTER. REFUSAL TO OFFER ANY OTHER SUPPORT FROM CORPORATE. I HAVE SENT IN 3 LETTERS TO CORPORATE. *TR
SEAT BELTS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2012-10-24
- Number Of Injuries: 2
- Crash: 1
- VIN: 1G6DW6ED7B0
- Components: SEAT BELTS
- Summary: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CADILLAC CTS. WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 48 MPH, THE DRIVER CRASHED INTO THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT AND SHOULDER ATTACHMENT DEVICE SEPARATED WHICH CAUSED THE OCCUPANT TO MOVE FORWARD INTO THE DEPLOYED AIR BAG. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED A BROKEN RIGHT ANKLE. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DAMAGED AND TOWED TO A SAVAGE FACILITY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE. ...UPDATED 01/23/13 *BF....UPDATED 01/30/13 *BF AN INVESTIGATOR WITH THE CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL SUBMITTED THIS COMPLAINT FORM, NOT THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 2/4/2013 *JS UPDATED 2/7/2013 *JS
Negative 2011 Cadillac Sts car reviews
Positive 2011 Cadillac Sts car reviews
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I overpaid according to these low prices...and I'm still not sorry. Why? Because the person who owned it first took great care of it and had regular service done. Additionally, I read the manual and other instructions so I know how it all functions. If you drive the car in a reasonable manner, don't race or tow anything, and follow these instructions, it will last 200K miles as others say.
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Congratulations on your first Cadillac! It's great to hear that you're enjoying it so much and that people are complimenting you on its beauty. The red color and chrome details really make it stand out. It sounds like you had a wonderful 2500 mile trip, despite the unfortunate incident with the rain-filled pot-hole. I'm glad to hear that OnStar was able to assist you in finding the nearest dealer. It's also great to hear that you don't miss the navigation system, and that your husband is happy with the car too. That smiling front end really adds to the car's charm! Thanks for sharing your experience with us.
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My wife and I purchased our 08 STS V8 in March of this year with 13000 miles on it. We absolutely love it! We've taken it on long trips to Vegas, Denver, and Ohio from our home in Oklahoma, and it has never let us down. My wife drives it every day to work, and after another 13000 miles, we couldn't be happier with our purchase. On our trip to Vegas and back, we averaged an impressive 30 MPG with four adults and a trunk full of luggage. The sound system is the best of any factory system available, and the car's performance is just as good as my '94 Vette. While the interior storage space could be improved upon, and the glove box is a bit of a joke, overall, it's a great car that's fun to drive.
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Make sure to do your research before shopping for a car.
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I bought my 2009 with 78,000 miles and was immediately impressed with the car. I liked it so much that I decided to purchase a top tier 3-year warranty. I really want to drive this car for a while!
Additional sources
More sources of information about 2011 Cadillac Sts problems:
Common Cadillac STS Problems - 2005 to 2011 - 1A Auto
Mar 17, 2021 ... Top 5 Issues with the 1st Gen Cadillac STS (2005 to 2011) · 1. EVAP Codes for a Bad Gas Cap · 2. Camshaft Actuator Solenoid Valve Failure · 3.
2011 CTS common issues | Cadillac Owners Forum
Dec 3, 2019 ... From what I'm reading it looks like major concerns for the 3.6 are early water pump failure (fairly easy job and the pump itself is rather cheap) ...
2010 CTS-V common problems? | Cadillac CTS-V Forum
Dec 25, 2019 ... "Pearl" is a 2011, V Coupe, A6, Recaros, Skyview. Mods: Airaid - Red filter, Side Swipe, Mamo LS7 Ported TB, ZL1 lid, Fasterproms underhood tank ...
CTS; common problems and how to fix them? | Cadillac Owners Forum
Sep 16, 2013 ... As to your point on other issues, in my time on these forums, aside from the issues with the timing chain (that has also been addressed) and oil ...
Common 2011 Cadillac SRX Electrical Problems - Q&A
Jun 21, 2019 ... I have run into it several times myself in the past before and had to replace it. it is possible this is also due to a fault with a loose or ...
Other years of Cadillac Sts
Are you having problems with your 2011 Cadillac Sts?
Sid O'Hara 2024-03-12
I've heard so many good things about this car! It looks really nice and the quality is great. However, the controls and navigation system are quite complicated. It can take some time and studying of the manual to change the hour on the clock. The car feels heavy, like you're in an electric train, but if you push it hard, it does respond. Although, it's probably better to go for a v8. The gas tank is also quite small, which is a shame. The seats are a bit hard and the lights aren't the best, but the music system is great. It's not the most agile car, but with a v8 it would be much better!