Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1996 record →
IN HEAVY RAIN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WOULD MOMENTARILY SHUTDOWN, INCLUDING POWER STEERING. CONSUMER HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP ON SIX DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. DEALER HAS NOT MADE ANY REPAIRS UNTIL THE 6TH TIME WHEN VEHICLE WAS TAKEN. DEALER HAD RECOGNIZED A SERVICE BULLENTIN ISSUED, AND CHARGED CONSUMER $80 FOR REPAIRS FOR NON CLIP ON SERPENTINE BELT. *AK THE VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN. *YH
LOSS OF ALL ELECTRICAL POWER INCLUDING POWER STEERING. *AK
EXPERIENCING INTERMITTENT STALLING WHILE DRIVING AND APPLYING ACCELERATOR PEDAL FROM A STOP POSITION WHILE MAKING TURNING, ETC. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMERTHAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE, UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
WHEN CONSUMER LETS OFF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL VEHICLE KEEPS GOING , WILL LUNGE FORWARD. VEHICLE WILL NOT SLOW DOWN. *AK
THE DISC MOUNTING ASSEMBLY OF THE REAR BRAKES IS HELD IN PLACE BY A SINGLE UNDERSIZE SCREW ON EACH SIDE. THIS SCREW CAN SHEAR, RESULTING IN THE PEDAL GOING TO THE FLOOR WITH A COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKING ABILITY.*AK
WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE DURING RAINY WEATHER THE POWER STEERING LOCKS UP WHILE MAKING TURNS, VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED WITHOUT A SPLASH SHIELD TO DEFLECT WATER FROM THE SERPENTINE BELT. NLM
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35-37 MPH WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE TURNED LEFT IN FRONT OF CONSUMER ,HITTING IT HEAD-ON, AND CAUSING CONSUMER TO FLY FOWARD AND HIT HEAD AGAINST THE ROOF NEAR THE SUNVISOR. ON HIS WAY DOWN BACK INTO THE SEAT, DUAL AIRBAGS DEPLOYE, BUT IT DID NOT INFLATE, CAUSING A LOSS OF PROTECTION AND INJURIES. *AK
GAS PEDAL REPAIR
WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN STEERING WHEEL WILL NOT TURN. CONSUMER HAS COME VERY CLOSE TO HAVING A COLLISION ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY REPLACED STEERING BELT. NEXT TIME, DEALER PUT ON A SPLASH PAN. HOWEVER, CONSUMER IS STILL EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK
VEHICLE SHIMMIES WHEN BRAKING, TURNED ROTORS AND REPLACED STABILIZER LINKS TO RECTIFY VIBRATION PROBLEM. *MJS
WHEN VEHICLE WAS OFF FOR TWO OR THREE MINUTES CONSUMER HAD TO TAP IT GAS PEDAL WITH FOOT TO GET VEHICLE TO MOVE. *AK
WHILE GOING OVER SMALL PUDDLES OF WATER STEERING WHEEL WILL LOCK, NOT ALLOWING THE DRIVER TO TURN THE VEHICLE. ALSO, SUDDENLY VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO 70MPH. DEALER HAS INSPECTED AND REPAIRED VEHICLE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ON LOCAL ROAD IN RAIN, ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A RIGHT HAND TURN, AND STEERING WHEEL DIDN'T RESPOND. KEPT PULLING AND IT FINALLY TURNED. CONTACTED DEALER . DEALER SAID THAT THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WAS THE SERPENTINE BELT THAT BECAME WET FROM THE RAIN. *AK
WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN AND ATTEMPTING TO MAKE RIGHT HAND TURN, STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. AFTER SEVERAL TRIES, STEERING WHEEL FINALLY TURNED. THIS HAPPENED TWICE THAT DAY. CONTACTED DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT WHEN THE SERPENTINE BELT GETS WET, IT WILL SLIP. GMC IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY HAVE ISSUED A BULLETIN. *AK
WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE CUTS OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO LOCK UP. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER HAS REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP AND OTHER PARTS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
PREMATURE WEAR OF THE STRUTS. DEALER HAS REPLACED THE STRUTS THREE TIMES. *AK
WHILE MAKING LEFT TURN IN MODERATE TRAFFIC, INSTRUMENT PANEL WENT BLACK,TEMPERATURE DEMAND WENT TO 75F,BLOWER CAME ON FULL WITH BLAST OF VERY HOT AIR; IN DRIVING TO DEALER INCIDENT RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES AND TRACTION WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, THOUGH TRACTION WAS NOT LOST.
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET AND MAKING A TURN, ANOTHER VEHICLE, TOYOTA PICKUP TRUCK BEHIND, PLOWED INTO CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS ON BOTH SIDES DIDN'T DEPLOY. ALSO, DRIVER'S SEATBACK COLLASPED. CONTACTED THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER. *AK
VEHICLE'S FRONT END HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE AT ABOUT 30MPH, AND BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, INJURING THE DRIVER. *AK
THROTTLE STICKS WHILE DRIVING ON OCCASION. *MJS
WHEN TRAVELING VEHICLE CUT OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER STATED THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED REPLACING. DEALER HAS REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
LOST POWER STEERING TWICE, BELT SLIPS OFF IN WET WEATHER. YH
WHEN DRIVING UNDER WET CONDITIONS AND WATER GETS TO THE UNDERBODY OF THE VEHICLE, THERE IS A LOSS OF POWER STEERING. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE. AND SAID THE VEHICLE NEEDED A SHIELD. *AK
WHILE DRIVING IN WET WEATHER, LOST POWER STEERING ASSIST BY BELT SLIPPING WHEN WET. DEALER CLAIMED THIS WAS MAINTENANCE ISSUE AND REPLACED WHAT HE SAID WAS A "WORN OUT BELT".
STEERING AND BRAKES LOCK, USUALLY ON A CURVE, ALWAYS ON WET ROAD. PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED WITH OTHER DRIVERS IN THIS VEHICLE. QUESTIONS TO DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT OFFER NO ENLIGHTENMENT OR SATISFACTION; THEY'VE NEVER HEARD OF ANYTHING LIKE THIS.
AFTER APPROX. 1/2 HOUR OF HIGHWAY DRIVING THE ENGINE WOULD IDLE AT 2200 RPM WHEN I CAME TO A STOP. THE NORMAL IDLE SPEED IS 700 RPM. THIS PROBLEM COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT.
THIS AUTOMOBILE LOSES POWER STEERING ASSIST WHEN TURNING AND WATER IS SPLASHED UNDER THE FRONT OF THE CAR.STEERING FAILURE HAS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND IS VERY DANGEROUS IN TURNS WHEN YOU NEED POWER ASSIST MOST. I HAVE NOT CONTACTED THE DEALER SINCE I FEEL IT IS A DESIGN PROBLEM AND NOT A ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ISSUE. *AK
VEHICLE HAS MOVED BACKWARDS AFTER HAVING BEEN STOPPED WITH MOTOR OFF ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.
THE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION IN THE CAR EVEN THOUGH THEY DEPLOYED IN THE OTHER CAR THAT WAS INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT. THE CADILLAC HAD EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE LEFT FRONT END TO THE EXTENT THAT THE UNIBODY ON THAT SIDE WAS CRUMPLED, A LARGE PART OF THE FRONT WILL BE REPLACED AND THE WINDSHIELD WAS BROKEN. IF THE SEAT BELTS HAD NOT WORKED EXTREMELY WELL, HOLDING BOTH FRONT SEAT PASSENGERS AGAINST THE SEAT, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN SEVERE INJURIES.
ACCELERATOR PEDAL STICKS WHEN APPLIED AND SOMETIMES WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED. OWNER HAS TO APPLY MORE PRESSURE TO THE PEDAL TO STOP THE PEDAL FROM STICKING. DEALER CANT FIND PROBLEM. *AK
WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION WITH OCCUPANT OUT OF VEHICLE, VEHICLE ROLLED BACK A FOOT. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT AND OR INJURIES. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *AK *ML
VEHICLE EXPERIENCING PROBLEM WITH THROTTLE LINKAGE STICKING. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO UNKNOWN BUILDUP WHICH IS CONSIDERED TO BE A NORMAL MAINTENANCE CHARGE. CONSUMER BELIEVED THIS IS NOT NORMAL, AND IS SEEKING NHTSA FOR HELP IN THIS MATTER. *AK
THE CAR ON 3 OCCASIONS HAS MOVED BACKWARDS AFTER ENGINE SHUT-OFF & CAR LOCKED.
UPON TURNING FRONT WHEEL THREW WATER ON THE POWER STEERING BELT CAUSING IT TO MALFUNCTION. THE BELT IS BEING REPLACED UNDER RECALL, HOWEVER ONLY IN WET STATES, FLORIDA NOT INCLUDED.
TURN SIGNAL WOULD GO VERY FAST INSTEAD OF STEADY. WHEN ITS TURNED OFF & TURNED BACK, WOULD WORK AT NORMAL SLOW PACE. ITS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. ALSO, TRUNK RELEASE BUTTON DO NOT COME OUT TO RELEASE TRUNK.*AK
WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 35MPH & HIT BUMP IN ROAD, VEHICLE'S REAR END WOULD FISH TAIL. WAS INFORMED THAT SUSPENSION WAS THE CAUSE.
VEHICLE VIBRATES AND STALLS WHILE IDLING AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS, ENGINE HAS STARTED ITSELF ON ONE INCIDENT AND MOVES BACKWARDS WHEN ENGINE IS OFF, UNABLE TO DETERMINE FAILURE.
TURN SIGNAL IS ERRATIC, TURN SIGNAL IS VERY RAPID WHEN HELD. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN TURNING ON THE TURN SIGNAL (EIHER RIGHT OR LEFT) OR WHEN TURN SIGNAL IS FULLY ENGAGED, SIGNALS EXHIBIT A RAPID CLICK CONDITION. CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW. *TT
STEERING FROZE AT 20MPH AFTER LEAVING STOP SIGN. NO CONTROL OF VEHICLE. STEERING WHEEL WAS NOT MOVABLE. VEHICLE KEPT MOVING. APPLIED BRAKES TO STOP VEHICLE. AT DEALER'S INFORMED FAULT WITH STEERING BELT & HOUSING WHEN IT'S WET. *AK *ML
PE98005; TURN SIGNALS WILL BE ACTIVATED BUT WON'T ILLUMINATE WHICH MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. DEALER REPLACED THE BULB. A YEAR LATER, THE PROBLEM REOCCURRED. *AK *NLM
THE TURN LIGHTS WORK ERRATICALLY ,THE DASH SIGNAL LIGHTS BLINK FAST WHILE THE LIGHT ON THE OUTSIDE DO NOT BLINK. SOMETIMES IT BLINKS FAST AND SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T BLINK AT ALL. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
WHEN DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS BRAKES BECOME SPONGY, WILL NOT LOCK WHICH CAUSES A GRADUAL EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK
VEHICLE EXPRIENCING PROBLEM WITH TURN SIGNAL RAPIDLY FLASHING. DEALER NOTIFIED *AK
RIGHT TURN SIGNAL FAILED. QCAW
INTERMITTENT PROBLEM: WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL UNDER NORMAL BRAKING, CONSUMER NOTICED A VERY LOUD GRIDING NOISE SOUND AS IF IT'S METAL TO METAL COMING FROM THE FRONT BRAKES. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER ON FOUR OCCASIONS. DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT PROBLEM, PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
ERRATIC OPERATION OF TURN SIGNALS.
TURN SIGNALS PERFORM ERRATICALLY. (QCAW)
INTERMITTENTLY THE TURN SIGNALS OPERATE ERRATICALLY. DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING THE ENGINE STARTED TO IDLE WITHOUT INDICATIONS. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
WHILE DRIVING IN RAIN OR SOON AFTER IT RAINS, THE POWER STEERING PUMP DRIVE BECOMES WET AND SLIPS WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED CAUSING DIFFICULTY STEERING AND NEAR CRASHES ON THREE OCCASIONS.
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 1996 Cadillac Deville → · Every Deville year → · How the figures are calculated →