1988 Cadillac Deville Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1988 Cadillac Deville, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Driver assistance822.2%
- Steering719.4%
- Tires & wheels513.9%
- Engine411.1%
- Brakes411.1%
- Visibility25.6%
- Electrical25.6%
- Other / unspecified12.8%
- Fuel system12.8%
- Heating & air conditioning12.8%
- Body & structure12.8%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
THROTTLE SENSOR SWITCH HAS BEEN REPLACED BECAUSE VEHICLE WILL IDLE/ REV UP, AND TRY TO MOVE WITHOUT CONSUMER STEPPING ON GAS PEDAL. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK
WHILE CONSUMER'S WIFE WAS DRIVING VEHICLE REFUSED TO STOP WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED DUE TO IDLE SPEED CONTROL MOTOR FAILURE. VEHICLE LOST CONTROL. ALSO, BRAKES WERE SMOKING AND ON FIRE. VEHICLE HAD NO CUT OFF SWITCH TO STOP IT.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE POWER STEERING IS HARD TO TURN IN COLD WEATHER. *YC
WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TURNED TO THE LEFT THE STEERING LOCKS, ASSUMES THAT IT IS THE STEERING SECTOR OR THE CENTRAL FRONT END, THE SPEED IS AT ANY LIMIT. ANY TIME THE STEERING GRABS AND PULLS WHEN DRIVING AT A LOWER SPEED, THE VEHICLE WON'T TURN AT ALL, AND IT MAY TURN IF SITTING FOR A WHILE. WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
HEADLINER WAS REPLACED. *SLC
WHILE DRIVING TIRE SUDDENLY LOSS AIR PRESSURE, TIRE WAS REPLACED WITH SPARE, TIRE WAS TAKEN IN FOR INSPECTION BUT NO BREAKS OR HOLES WERE FOUND, IT WOULD NOT HOLD AIR WHEN MECHANIC TRIED TO INFLATE IT, ON THE RIGHT REAR TIRE, THERE WAS A BULGE ABOUT THE SIZE OF A BASEBALL ON THE OUTSIDE OF TIRE, NEAR THE WHEEL RIM, AND A SMALL BULGE ABOUT 3 INCHES LONG AND ABOUT 1/2 INCH HIGH ON THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE, ALL 4 OHTSU (205/70 R14) V4NPL021700(3) AND V4NPJ09100(1) HAVE BEEN REPLACED.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
HEADLINER WAS REPLACED. *SLC
CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE'S OIL CHANGED, AND THE MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE OIL PAN WAS RUSTING AT THE BOTTOM, AND THERE WAS A PIN HOLE IN IT. NO DENTS OR DAMAGES DONE TO IT,. THE PIN HOLE IN IT WOULD GET BIGGER AND WORSE, AND OIL WILL CONSTANTLY COME OUT. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
HEADLINER WAS REPLACED. *SLC
APPROXIMATELY 1,OOO MILES AFTER REPLACING BRAKE PADS AND SHOES FOR FRONT BRAKES, CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN 2 REAREND ACCIDENTS. IN BOTH INSTANCES, VEHICLE WAS IN STOP AN GO TRAFFIC. CONSUMER APPLIED FULL FORCE ON BRAKES, VEHICLE DID NOT STOP, RESULTING IN ACCIDENTS. VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS AFTER 2ND ACCIDENT. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL AT INTERVALS BECOME INOPERABLE, MAKING DRIVING HAZARDOUS IN RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
COLD POWER STEERING. *SD
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
HEADLINER WAS REPLACED. *SLC
ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, CAUSING FAILURE OF POWER WINDOWS/RADIO AND ANTENNA.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
INSIDE OF LUGS: NUTS HAVE A LIP RING THAT TIGHTENS BOLTS, CAUSING BOLTS TO BE STRIPPED. LUGS: NUTS CAME LIKE THAT, AND CONSUMER WILL NOT CONSIDER PAYING FOR PROBLEM. WHEELS COULD COME OFF UNDER HEAVY STRESS.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE CONSUMER'S WIFE WAS DRIVING VEHICLE REFUSED TO STOP WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED DUE TO IDLE SPEED CONTROL MOTOR FAILURE. VEHICLE LOST CONTROL. ALSO, BRAKES WERE SMOKING AND ON FIRE. VEHICLE HAD NO CUT OFF SWITCH TO STOP IT.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Heating & air conditioning
Reports naming the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system.
From owner reports, verbatim
AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR FAILED.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
HEADLINER WAS REPLACED. *SLC
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .