Selling a junk Cadillac DTS
Any DTS sells for scrap or parts, running or not. Below: what owners report most often for each model year, the recalls on file, and which of those change the offer. Enter your ZIP for a buyer near you.
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What owners report about the Cadillac DTS
NHTSA has 731 owner complaints on file for the Cadillac DTS, model years 2004 to 2011, the 334th-most of the 423 models in our data. The most-reported components are electrical system (180, 25%), lights (110, 15%), engine (80, 11%). 58 complaints involved a crash, 30 a fire, and 13 say the vehicle had to be towed. The median mileage when the problem was reported is 69,850 miles. The 2006 model year has the most complaints (356). Data as of 2026-10-12.
When the top complaint is electrical system, the question for a seller is whether a buyer will resell the car, pull the parts or scrap it. Read our guide to selling a car that doesn't run: it explains which offers assume the part works and how to describe the car so the price holds at pickup.
Cadillac DTS by model year
| Year | Complaints | Most reported | Crash | Fire | Recalls | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 8 | Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2005 | 10 | Steering | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2006 | 356 | Lights | 25 | 14 | 4 | 69,700 |
| 2007 | 137 | Electrical system | 10 | 6 | 3 | 60,000 |
| 2008 | 121 | Electrical system | 10 | 9 | 3 | 87,000 |
| 2009 | 46 | Electrical system | 1 | 1 | 2 | 48,000 |
| 2010 | 32 | Electrical system | 5 | 0 | 3 | — |
| 2011 | 21 | Electrical system | 6 | 0 | 2 | — |
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not confirmed defects. Median miles is the odometer reading owners gave when they reported a problem, shown only where 20 or more reports include it.
Cadillac DTS recalls
NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns across these model years, most often for electrical system (4), steering (1), equipment (1). Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer. Before you sell, check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a buyer who plans to resell the car will.
- 2006 model year, electrical system (campaign 14V355000, Jun 2014): This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should a…
- 2010 model year, electrical system (campaign 10V553000, Nov 2010): GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010-2011 DTS AND BUICK LUCERNE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH V8 ENGINES. THE STARTER OR ALTERNATOR CABLE IS IN CONTACT WITH THE POWER STEERING RETURN LINE. IF EITHER THE STARTER O…
- 2006 model year, electrical system (campaign 10V240000, Jun 2010): GM IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2009 BUICK, LUCERNE; CADILLAC DTS; HUMMER H2; MODEL YEAR 2008-2009 BUICK ENCLAVE; CADILLAC CTS; MODEL YEAR 2007-2009 CADILLAC ESCALADE, ESCALADE ESV, ESCALADE EXT; CHEVROLET AVALAN…
- 2010 model year, equipment (campaign 09V480000, Dec 2009): GM IS RECALLING MODEL YEAR 2010 CADILLAC DTS VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS". THE TIRE AND LOADING INFORMATION LABEL, WHICH…
- 2006 model year, electrical system (campaign 08V441000, Aug 2008): GM IS RECALLING 857,735 MY 2006-2008 BUICK LUCERNE; CADILLAC DTS; HUMMER H2; MY 2007-2008 CADILLAC ESCALADE, ESCALADE ESV, ESCALADE EXT; CHEVROLET AVALANCHE, SILVERADO, SUBURBAN, TAHOE; GMC ACADIA, SIERRA, YUKON, YUKON X…
What a Cadillac DTS is worth as a junk car
Buyers price a junk DTS on four things: its weight at today's scrap steel price (the floor), the parts still on it that can be resold, whether it starts and drives, and how far they have to tow it. None of those come from a complaint database, so use this page to describe the car accurately and our junk car value guide to work out a ceiling for the metal. Then get more than one offer.
Guides for selling this car
How to sell a car that doesn't run 
How much is my junk car worth? 
How junkyards price cars 
Catalytic converters and junk cars 
How to prepare your car for the junkyard 
Junk car scams and how to avoid them Other Cadillac models
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- Cadillac Escalade 2,041
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- Cadillac STS 610
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All Cadillac models · All makes · Cash for junk cars by state
Questions people ask
- What is a junk Cadillac DTS worth?
- What a yard can recover: the car's weight at the current scrap steel price, plus parts it can resell (the catalytic converter, engine, transmission and wheels if they're good), minus towing and processing. The same DTS gets different offers from different buyers, so compare at least two. Our value guide shows the public benchmark.
- Will a junkyard buy a Cadillac DTS that doesn't run?
- Yes. Junkyards and junk car buyers take cars that don't start, and most arrange the tow. Tell them honestly whether it starts, whether the engine and transmission are still in it, and whether the catalytic converter is on; those are what change the price.
- Should I fix an open recall before selling a Cadillac DTS?
- Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer for as long as the car exists. If the car is going for scrap, the repair won't change the scrap price. If a buyer might resell it or pull parts, a completed recall can help. Check your VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup first.
- Where do these Cadillac DTS numbers come from?
- From the complaint and recall data NHTSA publishes for every make and model, counted by model year on 2026-10-12. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect, and the count rises with how many of the model were sold.