2008 Cadillac DTS 4.6 Northstar V8 from North America
Summary:
It's a great car. Try one
Faults:
Power steering pressure line.
Secondary air injection valve which caused a check engine light along with strong exhaust odors and disabled the remote start.
3 tire pressure sensors died ($75 each).
Parking sensor on rear bumper broke loose ($136).
Fuel pump went out which burned up a relay damaging the fusebox.
The car currently had 3 engine oil leaks - all minor. 1 has been fixed, the other 2 aren't worth fixing.
General Comments:
I bought the car mainly as a toy to use on weekends and off days. I wound up using it daily for a little over 3 years after my everyday car was rear ended and totaled. It was reliable during that time until the fuel pump went and cost almost $1300 to fix. I bought a brand new car after that and repurposed this car back to being a casual toy. It had about 75,000 miles on it by then.
Currently the car has 2 minor oil leaks which aren't worth fixing. It had 3, but I had 1 fixed which was the oil filter adapter housing. It doesn't leave any spots underneath and I've never had to add any oil between changes.
I've heard some gripes about the Northstar engine, but other than a few minor oil leaks, I haven had any problems. It provides more than enough power for any driving situation, sounds fantastic, and gets pretty good mileage if you keep your foot out of it - which could be hard to do at times. It makes a big car fun and somewhat exciting to drive, and I'll even say it's the best Cadillac V8 engine ever made next to the 472. It sounds and behaves almost like an old Cadillac engine - even has a similar exhaust note. But the Northstar has serious top end performance which the old Cadillac engines didn't have.
The transmission is a typical GM 4 speed transaxle so I don't expect any trouble there. I keep up on all my fluid changes which includes coolant every 4-5 years done at the GM dealer, transmission every 50,000 miles also done at the GM dealer, oil changes annually using full synthetic and AC Delco oil filter.
Overall it's a great car for having a good time in your leisure. It's roomy and comfortable enough for friends and family and they'll appreciate its luxury features. The heated and cooled seats are great. It has telematic navigation via OnStar, but I just use my phone. The 8 speaker stereo is fantastic and it has a 3.5mm jack for MP3 which is good.
My experience with the DTS and my previous Fleetwood has been great and has made me a believer in the Cadillac brand. I'll try an XTS AWD next.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 25th February, 2022
26th Jun 2022, 13:35
It is an honest review, but I have heard so many bad things about this engine - some say all Northstar engines are to be avoided, others say it depends which one. Does anyone know which were the best years for this engine?
27th Jun 2022, 21:36
2003 and beyond the head bolt issues were resolved. Yes, 11 years after the debut of the Northstar. You still have to be careful if the engine overheats. Aluminum block and heads.
27th Feb 2022, 03:44
Thanks for the insightful review :)
The Northstars of this vintage were well-sorted at this point.
As you noted, the carefully curated torque curve couples well with the 4-speed (wide-ratio) Hydramatic for good drivability and performance :)
You will never regret keeping up with your fluid/filter changes :)