Most common 2006 Cadillac STS problems
Share of the 139 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Cadillac STS complaints by model year
Best STS years: 2002, 1999, 2003. Years to avoid: 2006, 2005, 2008, 2007. Compare all years →
2006 Cadillac STS recalls (4)
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2007 Cadillac CTS-V vehicles manufactured October 6, 2003, to March 15, 2007, and 2006-2007 Cadillac STS-V vehicles manufactured June 23, 2005, to March 15, 2007.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel module and fuel tank jumper harness, free of charge. GM sent out interim notices in late October. The recall began on March 12, 2015.
Power train › Axle assembly › Axle shaft › Seal
On certain passenger vehicles, the rear axle pinion seal does not meet all of the specifications and May experience a fluid leak.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the pinion seal free of charge. The recall began on February 1, 2008. Owners May contact Cadillac at 1-800-458-8006 or http://www.Cadillac.com; Pontiac at 1-800-620-7668 or http://www.Pontiac.com;…
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery
Certain vehicles equipped with v6 engines May have a condition where fuel is no longer supplied to the engine. This condition occurs without the illumination of the fuel level low indicator light or the warning chime.
Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the electronic control module (ECM) with new software free of charge. Owners were notified in December 2005 and asked to maintain at least 1/4 of a tank fuel level to avoid this condition until…
Vehicle speed control
On certain passenger vehicles equipped with all wheel drive and a 3.6l v6 engine, the torque monitoring functions of the electronic throttle control (etc) are not enabled. These functions can limit engine speed and torque if unusual engine control module (ECM) hardware or software failures occur.
Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the ECM on these vehicles free of charge. The recall began on January 24, 2006. Owners May contact Cadillac at 1-866-982-2339.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2006 Cadillac STS:
Failure of the rear differential
Odi evaluated two different alleged defects involving rear drivetrain components during this preliminary evaluation.GM is conducting a recall to address one of the defect conditions and odi has opened an engineering analysis to continue its investigation of the other alleged defect.
What 2006 Cadillac STS owners say
Air bags all 57 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Cadillac STS. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. As a result, the contact lost control of the vehicle causing it to veered off road and crashed into an embankment. The air bags failed to deploy. In addition, the contact stated that the seat belt lock disengaged. The contact and the front passenger sustained permanent brain injuries that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 70,000.
Air bag light constantly stays on, along with the check engine light. Seat belt chime constantly rings with the seat belt connected. Gas low notification light does not come on until on empty. No heated seats. I think the ECM needs to be reset.sun roof goes up but not slides open. Passenger side door won't open.automatic car starter doesn't work. 2 years ago, my son in law, started this car in below zero temp and it started on fire. He put it out and restarted it and it was OK. Something makes noise occasionally for no apparent reason.
Engine & cooling all 28 →
Tl* the contact owns 2006 Cadillac STS. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning causing another vehicle to crash into the contact's vehicle. The vehicle rolled over several times ejecting both the contact and front passenger from the vehicle. The driver and front passenger sustained neck, back and brain injuries that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 70,000.
Tl* the contact owned a 2006 Cadillac STS. While driving 45 MPH, the engine stalled without warning and the vehicle crashed into a tree. The failure recurred numerous times prior to the crash. The contact and the two rear passengers sustained injuries that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to an unknown location. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Electrical system all 21 →
Air bag light constantly stays on, along with the check engine light. Seat belt chime constantly rings with the seat belt connected. Gas low notification light does not come on until on empty. No heated seats. I think the ECM needs to be reset.sun roof goes up but not slides open. Passenger side door won't open.automatic car starter doesn't work. 2 years ago, my son in law, started this car in below zero temp and it started on fire. He put it out and restarted it and it was OK. Something makes noise occasionally for no apparent reason.
Traveling 81 north in northeast pennsylvania, rounding turn car stalled. I lost complete control of the vehicle which caused me to slam into a guard rail and the car went down an embankment and into a boulder. Air bags never deployed. Passenger and I were severely injured and had to be pulled out of the vehicle. Although we were both buckled in, the seatbelts flew off upon impact. This car should be recalled, it is very dangerous and should not be on the road (its a death trap).
2006 Cadillac STS engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.6L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 16 / 25 / 19 |
| 4.6L 8-cyl | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 24 / 18 |
| 3.6L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 15 / 23 / 18 |
| 4.6L 8-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 21 / 17 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2006 Cadillac STS a good car?
Based on 139 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2006 STS rates avoid: 8.5× as many complaints as a typical year of the STS at the same age. It is one of the STS years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2006 Cadillac STS?
The air bags — 57 complaints, 41% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal. Next are the engine & cooling (28) and electrical system (21).
How many recalls does the 2006 Cadillac STS have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2006 Cadillac STS, the most recent from September 9, 2014 (fuel pump). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Cadillac STS?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2002, 1999 and 2003. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2006, 2005, 2008 and 2007. See the full Cadillac STS years comparison.
At what mileage do 2006 Cadillac STS problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 73,000 miles; 25% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.