The Cadillac Company sent me a letter several years ago informing me of a premature timing chain wear and the illumination of the Service Engine light. They knew about this defective engine problem but they did not recall the vehicle. Instead they extended the engine warranty to 10 years or 120,000 miles. I have only 90,000 miles on my vehicle but I've owned it for over 10 years and now the…
2008 Cadillac STS engine problems
moderate 8 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $3,100 · see engine across all vehicles →
Complaints
8
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$3,100
When does it fail?
Of the 8 engine complaints filed for the 2008 Cadillac STS, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA engine complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 4 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
What owners are reporting 3 most recent
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Cadillac sts. While driving approximately 45 MPH, the engine stalled without warning. The vehicle restarted, but the failure recurred numerous times. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 14v542000 (fuel system, gasoline). The failure mileage was approximately…
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Cadillac sts. While driving approximately between 55-60 MPH on normal road conditions; the "engine" warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for diagnostic testing. The technician was unable to duplicate the failure. Recently, the vehicle was taken to an authorize dealer for inspection for an identical failure.…
Had engine trouble with your 2008 Cadillac STS?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the engine problem on the 2008 Cadillac STS?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 8 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $3,100 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the engine typically fail?
Based on the 8 complaints filed, engine issues most often appear around 89,312 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $3,100 for engine repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to engine?
No active recalls currently cover engine issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2008/Cadillac/STS.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.