IllustrationWOULD NOT PASS EMISSIONS DUE TO MISFIRE AND NOX CONTROL SYSTEM MALFUNCTION (MOST LIKELY DUE TO PROBLEMS IN ONLY A FEW CYLINDERS). POSSIBLE CAUSES INCLUDE LEAN AIR/FUEL RATIO, PORT VACUUM LEAKS, EGR SYSTEM, ERRATIC IGNITION TIMING, AND/OR OTHER MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. *TR
1989 Cadillac Deville
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1989 Cadillac Deville do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 44.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Deville years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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: 2 of 48 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.
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
5 crash reports1 fire reports3 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
8 reportsFAN BELT FAILED.
OIL PUMP FAILED DUE TO WORN OUT BEARINGS. *AK
AT 64 MPH THE ENGINE FAILED DUE TO A FAILURE OF THE OIL PUMP AND DEFECTIVE ENGINE BEARINGS, AT 6,000 MILES LATER SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. THE SAME PROBLEM ALSO OCCURRED AT 3,000 MILES AND LESS. TOOK IT TO AN ENGINEERING SCHOOL AND THEY FOUND THAT THE ENGINE WAS IMPROPERLY ALIGNED, CAUSING BEARING AND OIL PUMP TO FAIL WITHOUT WA…
Read full complaint
AT 64 MPH THE ENGINE FAILED DUE TO A FAILURE OF THE OIL PUMP AND DEFECTIVE ENGINE BEARINGS, AT 6,000 MILES LATER SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. THE SAME PROBLEM ALSO OCCURRED AT 3,000 MILES AND LESS. TOOK IT TO AN ENGINEERING SCHOOL AND THEY FOUND THAT THE ENGINE WAS IMPROPERLY ALIGNED, CAUSING BEARING AND OIL PUMP TO FAIL WITHOUT WARNING. *AK
HEAT REGULATOR INOPERATIVE.
TRANSMISSION THROTTLE VALVE FAILED, CAUSING SUDDEN ACCELERATION.
VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN DUE TO FAILED IDLE SPEED CONTROL.
ENGINE COOLANT HOSE ROTTED OUT, CAUSING COOLANT TO EXPELL FROM ENGINE, RESULTING IN ENGINE BLOCK OVERHEATING, DAMAGING CYLINDERS. *SKD
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.