Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 0 of 19 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Steering. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
0 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
19 reports
Mileage unknown · May 7, 2002
Steering
- RACK AND PINION STEERING - STUCK IN CERTAIN POSITIONS AND WHEN COLD - DANGEROUS! - REAR LOAD LEVELING SYS. DOESN'T SEEM TO WORK ON ANY CADILLACS OF THIS ERA. I CAN'T PUT A SINGLE BAG OF GROCERIES IN THE TRUNK WITHOUT THE REAR BOTTOMING - WHY HAVEN'T THEY BEEN RECALLED? - HEADLINER CAME LOOSE AND HANGS DOWN. - CASSETTE PLAYS A…
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- RACK AND PINION STEERING - STUCK IN CERTAIN POSITIONS AND WHEN COLD - DANGEROUS! - REAR LOAD LEVELING SYS. DOESN'T SEEM TO WORK ON ANY CADILLACS OF THIS ERA. I CAN'T PUT A SINGLE BAG OF GROCERIES IN THE TRUNK WITHOUT THE REAR BOTTOMING - WHY HAVEN'T THEY BEEN RECALLED? - HEADLINER CAME LOOSE AND HANGS DOWN. - CASSETTE PLAYS A COUPLE SECONDS THEN EJECTS. - ENGINE SPUTTERS AND MISSES EVEN THOUGH ALL TUNE-UP RELATED ITEMS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. - FRONT BRAKE HOSE CLOGGED AND LOCKED BRAKE OFF AND ON. - DANGEROUS. HIT BRAKES AND PULL HARD TO RIGHT. I OWNED AN 86 CELEBRITY WITH TWICE THE MILES AS THIS CADILLAC YET IT WAS 100 X MORE RELIABLE. CAN'T BELIEVE CADILLAC COULD HAVE STAYED IN BUSINESS AFTER THIS MODEL YEAR. WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD EVER BUY ANOTHER. THIS ONE WAS GARAGE KEPT AND NOT DRIVEN IN SNOW SINCE 1987 AND WAS OWNED BY AN ELDERLY MINISTER. IT WAS VERY WELL MAINTAINED AND LOOKED LIKE NEW WHEN I BOUGHT IT DIRECTLY FROM HIM. IF ONE THAT WAS TAKEN CARE OF THIS WELL WAS SO BAD, WHAT ABOUT THE ONES THAT RECEIVED ONLY NORMAL LEVELS OF CARE AND MAINTENANCE. THIS CAR LOOKS LIKE NEW (EXCEPT HEADLINER) BUT I'VE BEEN TEMPTED TO GIVE IT TO THE JUNK YARD. IT DEPRESSES ME GREATLY. WHEN I FIX ONE THING, OTHER THINGS FAIL TWICE AS FAST AS THE RATE I CAN GET THEM FIXED. I WANT TO TRYTO GET IT REPAIRED TO SELL BUT I CAN'T GET AHEAD OF NEW PROBLEMS.*AK
NHTSA ODI #761654
Mileage unknown · Dec 1, 2000
Steering
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TURN RIGHT AT ANY DEGREE GREATER THAN A LANE CHANGE, THE STEERING GIVES THE CONSUMER HIGH RESISTANCE, ESPECIALLY DURING A COLD START. *SLC
NHTSA ODI #558242
Mileage unknown · Sep 12, 2000
Unknown Or Other
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 205-75R14 )
NHTSA ODI #731106
Mileage unknown · Nov 3, 1999
Vehicle Speed Control
STOPPED TO OPEN THE GATE. RESTARTED THE CAR AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RACE UNCONTROLLABLLY (AS THOUGH ONE HAD THEIR FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND GAS AT THE SAME TIME). HAD MY FOOT THE BRAKE AND SHIFTED BACK INTO PARK, IT STILL RACED UNTIL I SHUT IT OFF. STARTED THE CAR AGAIN TO SEE IF WE COULD GET HOME. PROCEEDED DOWN THE ROAD AND STOP…
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STOPPED TO OPEN THE GATE. RESTARTED THE CAR AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RACE UNCONTROLLABLLY (AS THOUGH ONE HAD THEIR FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND GAS AT THE SAME TIME). HAD MY FOOT THE BRAKE AND SHIFTED BACK INTO PARK, IT STILL RACED UNTIL I SHUT IT OFF. STARTED THE CAR AGAIN TO SEE IF WE COULD GET HOME. PROCEEDED DOWN THE ROAD AND STOPPED TO LET OFF MY FATHER. RESTARTED THE CAR IN OUR PARKING AREA. THIS TIME THE BRAKES DID NOT HOLD AND IT RACED FULL SPEED IN A CIRCLE THAT I WAS STEARING. FINALLY SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR BEFORE ANY REAL PHYSICAL DAMAGE (OTHER THAN THE SEVERE FRIGHT IT CAUSED ME AND MY FATHER)
NHTSA ODI #714265
Mileage unknown · Sep 28, 1999
Steering
INTERMITTENTLY STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP WHEN STARTED. WHEN DRIVING, IT FREQUENTLY OFFERS HIGH RESISTANCE TO TURN RIGHT TO ANY DEGREE GREATER THAN A LANE CHANGE. *AK.ET
NHTSA ODI #848916
Mileage unknown · Mar 24, 1999
Service Brakes, HydraulicInjury
POSSIBLE BRAKE FAILURE WAS THE CAUSE OF VEHICLE COLLISION RESULTING IN DEATH.
NHTSA ODI #544554
Mileage unknown · Feb 13, 1999
Electrical System
A FEW MONTHS BEFORE PURCHASE, THE ALTERNATOR/BATTERY HAD BEEN REPLACED. LAST WEEK, I REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AGAIN.
NHTSA ODI #703251
Mileage unknown · Apr 15, 1997
Engine And Engine Cooling
ENGINE REPLACED.
NHTSA ODI #516431
Mileage unknown · Oct 1, 1996
Seat Belts
UPPER SEAT BELT IS NOT SNUG AGAINST CHEST, IF DRIVER LEANS FORWARD, BELT DOES NOT RETRACT/SOMETIMES, UPPER BELT STAYS ALL THE WAY OUT AND REQUIRES THAT BELT BE UNBUCKLED. *AK
NHTSA ODI #509336
Mileage unknown · Mar 18, 1996
Steering
FAILURE ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN, THE BOLTS THAT HOLDS THE STEERING WHEEL IS BREAKING AWAY FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. *AK
OMISSION OF THE CERTIFICATION LABELS AS REQUIRED BY FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NUMBER 110 "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS".
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Not supplied
Remedy: DEALER WILL INSTALL REQUIRED CERTIFICATION LABELS.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
4
EA88031 · Sudden Acceleration
Opened Apr 22, 1988 · Closed Oct 23, 1989
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
STATUS:ANALYSIS OF INFORMATION FROM THE MANUFACTURER IS IN PROGRESS.HOWEVER, NEITHER NHTSA OF GM HAS IDENTIFIED A FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION THATCOULD RESULT IN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION.SOME VEHICLES IN THIS GROUP WEREFOUND POTENTIALLY SUBJECT TO THROTTLE CABLE RESTRICTIONS, AND WERERECALLED ALONG WITH H CARS WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS.INVESTIGATION ISCONTINUING.===
EA88019 · Hydro Boost
Opened Jan 28, 1988 · Closed Oct 31, 1990
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
There is no summary currently available
PE87038 · Hydroboost Failure
Opened Jul 9, 1987 · Closed Jan 28, 1988
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
SUBJECT VEHICLES:CAPRICE, CAPRICE CLASSIC, CUSTOM CRUISER, DEVILLE,ELECTRA, ESTATE WAGON, FLEETWOOD, LESABRE, NINETY-EIGHT, PARISIENNE,PARK AVENUE.(ALL 1984-86 GM VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HYDROBOOST II SYSTEMS)ANALYSIS:CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ALLEGE SEVERAL PROBLEMS INVOLVING THE POWERSTEERING AND POWER BRAKE SYSTEMS OF THESE VEHICLES.THESE PROBLEMSINCLUDE: POWER STEERING FLUID LOSS, POWER BRAKE FLUID LOSS, LEAKAGE FROMTHE HYDRO-BOOST II POWER BRAKE BOOSTER, BROKEN BOOSTER SEALS, AND MASTERCYLINDER FAILURE.ALL PROBLEMS SEEM TO BE RELATED TO THE HYDRO-BOOST IIPOWER ASSIST SYSTEM, IN WHICH THE WORKING FLUID PROVIDES POWER ASSIST TO BOKE BOOSTER.THE EFFECT OF THESE PROBLEMS COULD BE A LOSS OF STEERINGCONTROL AND/OR BRAKE EFFECTIVENESS.STATUS:THE VOLUMINOUS AMOUNT OF DATA SUPPLIED BY GM IS PRESENTLY BEING CODED BY A CONTRACTOR AND SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY 12/30/87. GM DATA INDICATED A 50% WEIBULL DISTRIBUTION FAILURE AT 50K MILES FOR THE PISTON PUSH-ROD SEAL. THIS PE LOOKS TO HAVE AN EXTRODINARILY HIGH FREQUENCY, ALTHOUGH THE SEVERITY APEARS TO BE LOW.SHOULD BE INTERESTING DISCUSSING THIS FOR UPGRADE/CLOSURE.===
EA86025 · Windshield Wipers
Opened Aug 25, 1986 · Closed Mar 2, 1988
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Visibility
SUMMARY:GM BELIEVES THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN CORRECTED THROUGH ITS PUBLI-CATION OF 7 SERVICE BULLETINS CONCERNING THIS MATTER. IN ADDITION, GMDOES NOT BELIEVE WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURE REPRESENTS A SAFETY HAZARD.ANALYSIS: THREE FAILURE MODES HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED; INSULATING FILM MAYBUILD UP BETWEEN THE BRUSH FACE AND THE COMMUTATOR OF THE WIPER MOTOR,CORROSION MAY FORM IN THE WIPER MOTOR BRUSH AND DISENGAGEMENT OF THEWIPER ARMS MAY OCCUR. IN VIEW OF THE EXISTING LEGAL PRECEDENT, THE LARGENUMBER OF WARRANTY CLAIMS CONCERNING WIPER MOTOR FAILURES (114,000) ANDTHE HIGH WIPER MOTOR AND MOTOR KIT PART SALES (251,000), IT IS IMPERATIVETHAT THIS MATTER RECEIVE MANAGEMENT SUPPORT.STATUS: GM RESPONSE DATED 2/23/87. ANALYZING AS TIME PERMITS.EA CLOSED 3/2/88.=== D@
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