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2008 Cadillac DTS

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2008 DTS.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 2008 Cadillac DTS is a passenger car equipped with an automatic 4-speed transmission and an engine oil capacity of 7.5 quarts specified at 5W-30 API viscosity, carrying EPA fuel-economy estimates of 15 mpg city, 23 mpg highway, and 18 mpg combined. Owner-reported data records 86 total complaints for this model year, with the electrical system cited as the top concern and three recalls on file, placing it between the 2006 high of 254 complaints and the 2011 low of 15 across the 2006–2011 production span. That middle positioning means the 2008 model accumulated fewer reported issues than the 2006 peak yet significantly more than the 2011 minimum, giving researchers a clear midpoint in the model-line complaint trend to benchmark when assessing individual vehicle history.

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 48 · 730 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 48 · 730 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 Number48
Standard BCI Cranking Performance730 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 specification
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.039; Rear: 0.039 in
Brake ApplicationWITH RPO J55 / WITH RPO JL9
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.001 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 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 50,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace)
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.

Federal records indicate a sharp downward trend in consumer complaints across the generation, dropping from 254 in 2006 to 86 in 2008, before falling further to 35 in 2009. The 2008 model year sits in the middle of this improvement arc, showing significantly fewer issues than the launch year but still higher volume than subsequent models, with Electrical System concerns leading the specific complaint areas at 24 reports. Recall activity remained stable at 3 campaigns for 2008, matching the previous year, while Technical Service Bulletins rose to 916, indicating an increase in documented repair procedures alongside the declining complaint rate. Safety data notes 6 fire complaints and 6 crash complaints for this specific year, though the provided record does not specify the root causes for these incidents. While the 2008 DTS is statistically more reliable than the 2006 predecessor, buyers seeking the lowest complaint risk should prioritize the 2009 model year where reported issues drop by more than half.

3
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
916
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
86
Owner complaints
6 involved a crash · 6 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 86 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Electrical System24
Engine9
Exterior Lighting6
Seat Belts5
Electrical System,Fuel/Propulsion System3
Steering3
Structure3
Unknown Or Other,Engine,Fuel/Propulsion System2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 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…

08V441000Electrical SystemReported 28/08/2008

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… Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A WIRE HARNESS WITH AN IN-LINE FUSE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080; CADILLAC AT…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 916 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 48 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 2008 DTS take?

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

Does the 2008 DTS have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 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.