Steering complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Vehicle would not start when atvtrain station. Had to leave overnight and had it troubleshot in am. A faulty fuel pump relay was the supposed cause. Changed the relay on a Wednesday morning and car was good till Saturday afternoon when it stalled out in the middle of route 9 in heavy traffic. At the time my wife and grandson were in the car. I had to push the vehicle off the road luckily into a strip mall with an auto parts store. Removed grandson and car seat from vehicle to access the relay in rear circuit board. Very hot. I went in and got new relay and had to change it in the parking lot. Went straight home to drop off wife and grandson. Went back out to test drive and see if problem was fixed. Worked for a little while and stalled out again. Again relay burning hot. Had son get a new relay and changed it again and brought vehicle home. …
My 2009 Cadillac DTS recently had a problem with the steering, it was steering hard when making right or left turns and eventually began making noises. I took it to my GM dealer and they checked the hoses and fluid receptacle. All they found was the receptacle was low on power steering fluid and I picked up a bottle at an auto parts store and then my steering was OK. Several weeks later my steering got very hard and I had trouble steering it so I stopped and added more fluid. I returned to the dealer and was told my power steering line was leaking at one end where it was attached to some metal. My cost was $402 to replace the one hose. This leaky hose made my car very hard to steer and I can't imagine why a strong hose like this one would ever leak especially on a vehicle with below average annual mileages. The incident occurred around 61,700 miles and could have caused a bad accident
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Cadillac DTS. The contact stated that the steering wheel seized without warning, causing the contact to lose control of the vehicle. The contact crashed into a cement wall but did not suffer any injuries. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer for further inspection. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure and current mileage was 111,730. Updated 12/04/13 ..updated 12-05-13
My car won't start if the tilt wheel is not in a certain position. The engine will not start until you put it down in a certain position---which I guess at. After I start it I can adjust the tilt wheel and I have no problem. After stopping and parking the car, I have to get it in the right position to have it start. (yesterday after 3 adjustments, it would not start.) after resting for a few hours, it started.
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Cadillac DTS. While driving approximately 45 MPH, the power steering malfunctioned and the steering wheel became very difficult to turn in either direction. The vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the power steering fluid level was low. Power steering fluid was added to the vehicle, but the failure continued. The manufacturer and the local dealer (r.j. Burne Cadillac, 1205 wyoming ave, scranton, pa) were notified, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 82,000.
Engine stopped. All power equipment ceased to function. I was able to get to the side of the freeway. Put the car in neutral, turned the key and the car started and continued for the duration of the 200 mile trip. The second time approximately three weeks ago my wife was driving in heavy city traffic when the same problem occurred and she lost the use of all power equipment. She was able to put the car in park and get it started again without incident. I called GM complaint department. They instructed me to take the car to a dealership and have a diagnostic test done on it. This was done and nothing was found to be wrong with the vehicle. I again called Cadillac complaint department and opened a case. This time I was told to take the car back to the dealership and ask the service department to recheck it. I informed them I have the diagnostic report showing nothing wrong was found. …
The contact owns a 2006 Cadillac DTS. The contact stated that a recurring power steering failure had occurred at startup, and the steering wheel was firm. The contact stated that upon adding power steering fluid to the power steering reservoir, there was an immediate power steering fluid leak. Additionally, the brakes and check engine warning lights were illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 06V105000 (Steering). However, after contacting the manufacturer, the contact was informed the vehicle was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was referred to a local dealer for potential assistance from Goodwill. The failure mileage was approximately 192,000.
I called OnStar because my car would not start and they sent someone from GM. The guy looked at my car, could not identify the problem, so I got it towed to a repair shop. Ends up, I had to replace the transmission. The repair shop ran electric test on the vehicle and no codes or issues. My dash is now reading service power steering and this is a safety issue that needs to be fixed by the manufacturer.
Related recalls (1)
Steering › Hydraulic power assist › Hose, piping, and connections
On certain vehicles equipped with a v8 engine,the power steering hose connectors May have been inadequately crimped which could result in a fluid leak.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the power steering gear inlet hose. The recall began on March 29, 2006. Owners May contact Buick at 1-866-608-8080 or Cadillac at 1-866-982-2339.
Frequently asked questions
Which Cadillac DTS years have steering problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2006 (33), 2007 (8) and 2008 (5) model years. Steering complaints make up 13% of all complaints for the 2006.
Is there a recall for Cadillac DTS steering problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 06V-105 (hose, piping, and connections, Apr 5, 2006). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Cadillac DTS steering problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 79,000 miles; 28% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the hydraulic power assist › hose, piping, and connections (3 mentions), followed by the hydraulic power assist › pump (1).
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.