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2009 Cadillac DTS

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2009 DTS.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 2009 Cadillac DTS is a passenger car equipped with an automatic 4-speed transmission and an engine requiring 7.5 quarts of 5W-30 API oil, with EPA fuel-economy ratings of 15 mpg city, 23 highway, and 18 combined. Within the 2006–2011 complaint history, the 2009 model year generated just 35 owner complaints—well below the 2006 peak of 254 and closer to the 2011 low of 15—alongside two recalls and the electrical system as the top complaint area. That complaint volume places the 2009 DTS among the more settled years of its generation, indicating a steadier reliability record than the launch-period models carried.

Model year201120102009200820072006

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity7.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy15/23/18 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 94R · 720 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12731179. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 94R · 720 CCAOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter12731179
Engine air filter22676970
Spark plug12571535
Battery88865934
Front wiper blades15931976 alt 19388171
Serpentine belt12588412 alt 12646194
Thermostat12559807 alt 12574478
Cabin air filter25906375

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length207.5 in
Overall width74.8 in
Overall height57.5 in
Wheelbase115.4 in
Curb weight4008 lb
Track (front / rear)63 / 62.6 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)61/39

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined15 / 23 / 18 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume113 cu ft
Cargo volume19 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the DTS of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

7.0–7.7 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.00 sec — 2006 Performance Sedan
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2006Performance Sedan 4.6L V87.00 sec15.40 sec291 hpFWD
2006Performance Sedan 4.6L V87.10 sec15.40 sec291 hpFWD
2006Luxury III Sedan 4.6L V87.70 sec16.00 sec275 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 7.5 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, 75W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 15.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-7-3-4-5-6-8.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity7.4
Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear Oil75W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity4.5 qt
Engine CoolantDEX-COOL OR EQUIVALENT
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity7.5 qt

Engine torques

Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts7.4 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts18 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug15.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug15.0 ft-lbs
Engine Valve Cover Bolts7.4 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts100 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-2-7-3-4-5-6-8
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Gap0.050 in
Spark Plug Torque11.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.43 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity4.70 oz
Standard BCI Group Number94R
Standard BCI Cranking Performance720 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test15, Pressure should not exceed 20 psi.
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature188-206 °F
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)55-62
Injector Primary Resistance11-14 @ 50-90 degreesF ohms
Engine Oil Pressure35 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPM2000 rpm

Brakes

Brake ApplicationWITH RPO J55 / WITH RPO JL9
Torque Caliper to Bracket83 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle181 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 in
Brake ApplicationWITH RPO J55 / WITH RPO JL9
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.001 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.496 in / 0.787 in / 1.181 in / 0.472 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
137 ft. lbs., step 2: 15037 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant every 75,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 75,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 25,000 miCabin Air Filter (replace) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel System (inspect)
Every 75,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 100,000 miSpark Plugs (replace) · Transmission Fluid & Filter (replace)
At 150,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2009 Cadillac DTS represents a notable inflection point in the generation’s federal record, with complaints dropping sharply to 35—less than half of 2008’s total and a fraction of the 254 reported in 2006. Recalls also declined to two, the lowest in the six-year span, while investigations ceased entirely after 2008, suggesting GM had addressed many early reliability concerns. However, the steady rise in TSBs (peaking at 961 in 2009) indicates persistent, though likely minor, issues being documented for dealers. The top complaint areas—electrical system and service brakes—align with broader trends for the generation, though their frequency is markedly lower than in prior years. With only one crash and one fire complaint, the 2009 model year appears to be the most stable of the DTS’s production run. **This makes the 2009 a comparatively strong used purchase within the generation, assuming the lower complaint volume reflects genuine improvements rather than reporting anomalies.**

2
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
961
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
35
Owner complaints
1 involved a crash · 1 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent
’06’07’08’09’10’11

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 35 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Electrical System8
Service Brakes5
Engine3
Steering2
Structure2
Fuel System, Gasoline2
Seats2
Electrical System,Seats,Unknown Or Other1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

14V355000Electrical System:IgnitionReported 23/06/2014

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… Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on…

10V240000Electrical SystemReported 04/06/2010

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… Remedy: DEALERS WILL PERMANENTLY DISABLE AND REMOVE THE HEATED WASHER FLUID MODULE. AN UPDATED PAGE FOR THE OWNER MANUAL WILL BE PROVIDED AND INSERTED IN THE OWNER MANUAL TO DOCUMENT THAT…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 961 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
135982025-09-09Unknown Or OtherNew Vehicle Monitoring Programs Section in IVH
PIC5650M2025-08-06Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIP5601C2025-07-18Unknown Or OtherThis PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic…
PIT5074R2025-05-30Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIT5074R2025-05-30Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific DTS. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group 94R batteryVehicles taking 7.5 qtEngine oil filter 12731179Engine air filter 22676970Spark plug 12571535Battery 88865934

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBsOBD-II trouble codesTorque specificationsMaintenance schedulesFluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2009 DTS take?

7.5 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2009 DTS have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the DTS get?

EPA figures are 15 city / 23 highway / 18 combined mpg.