RoadVitals

1997 Cadillac Deville Exterior lighting Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Exterior lighting reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
29
Latest May 13, 2005
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
11%
of 269 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Cadillac Deville submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 29 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming exterior lighting

The 25 most recent of 29, in the owner's own words

Exterior lighting
Filed May 13, 2005

THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH THE HEADLIGHT LENSES. THE LENSES KEPT FALLING OUT OF POSITION. THE OWNER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH THE LENS FELL OUT OF POSITION ON TO THE ROAD. THE OWNER CONTACTED THE DEALER, WHO SUGGESTED THAT THE ENTIRE FIXTURE BE REPLACED. THE DEALER WILL NOT SELL THE LENS BY ITSELF. *AK THE RIGHT HEADLIGHT LENSES FELL OUT. THE WEATHER WAS WARM AND OR CLEAR. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID
10117683
Incident
Apr 7, 2005
Mileage
35,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Nov 2, 2004

THE HEADLIGHT LENS FELL OFF. THE ADHESIVE THAT HELD THE HEADLIGHTS BECAME HARD. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *JB

NHTSA ID
10099245
Incident
Oct 25, 2004
Mileage
69,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Mar 26, 2004

WHILE DRIVING HEADLIGHT LENSES FELL OFF ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. HEAD LIGHT ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID
10064972
Mileage
87,315 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Aug 1, 2003

THE CONSUMER NOTICED THE HEAD LIGHT HAD BURNED OUT, AND WATER WAS INSIDE THE HEAD LIGHT LENS AND IT WAS LOOSE AND ABOUT TO FALL OUT. THE CONSUMER CHECK THE OTHER HEAD LIGHT LENS AND IT TOO WAS LOOSE AND ABOUT TO FALL OUT. *AK THE CONSUMER REPLACED THE HEAD LIGHT AND PLACED DUCT TAPE ON THE LENSES TO KEEP THEM FROM FALLING OUT, THE DEALER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *TS *JB

NHTSA ID
10026551
Incident
Jun 22, 2003
Mileage
65,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Dec 6, 2002

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE TURN SIGNAL WILL NOT GO ON. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. TS

NHTSA ID
8023877
Incident
Oct 1, 2002
Exterior lighting
Filed Sep 16, 2002

THE LENS ON THE HEADLIGHT LAMPS ARE LOSING THE GLUE, CAUSING THE HEADLIGHT LENS TO FALL OUT OF PLACE. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND THEY WERE NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING. *AK THE CONSUMER STATES THAT ON THE RIGHT HEADLIGHT HOLDING THE 11 BY 7 INCH LENS FAILED CAUSING THE LENS TO COME OFF WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH. *SCC

NHTSA ID
8018696
Incident
Aug 23, 2002
Exterior lighting
Filed Sep 10, 2002

THE HEADLIGHT LENS HAS CLOUDED, REDUCING THE LIGHT BEAM AFFECTING NIGHT TIME DRIVING. THIS IS NOT A SURFACE PROBLEM, BECAUSE IT CANNOT BE CLEARED. THE DEFECT IS A MATERIAL PROBLEM CAUSED BY THE SUNLIGHT. THIS PROBLEM HAS EXISTED FOR ABOUT 8 MONTHS NOW MAKING THE LENS APPEAR OPAQUE EVEN IN THE DAY LIGHT. CADILLAC REFUSES RESPONSIBILITY AND SAYS THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. *JG

NHTSA ID
8018299
Incident
Aug 23, 2002
Exterior lighting
Filed May 21, 2002

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 65 MPH ON THE OPEN ROAD A HEADLIGHT LENS CAME LOOSE, AND BOUNCED OFF THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD. WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS UNTIL WE STOPPED AND EXAMINED THE AUTO. THERE WAS A SLIGHT DENT IN THE POST BETWEEN THE WINDSHIELD AND THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW. THE LEFT HEADLIGHT LENS WS EXAMINED AND FOUND TO BE LOOSE. ON THE RETURN TRIP THE LEFT HEADLIGHT LENS CAME OFF. FI MAY HAVE GONE UNDER THE CAR AS I RECALL A SLIGHT NOISE WHILE DRIVING. THE PARTS MAN AT THE DEALER MADE THE COMMENT THAT THIS USUALLY DOESN'T HAPPEN TO CADILLACS AND WHEN IT DOES THEY USUSLLY JUST DROP OFF. THE LENSES ARE SECURED TO THE HEADLIGHT WITH GLUE. APPARENTLY THIS IS COMMON ON OTHER AUTOS. THE REPAIR ENTAILED REPALCING BOTH HEADLIGHT AT A TOTAL COST OF ABOUT $610 PROBLEM. IN MY OPINION THIS IS POOR ENGINEERRING.*AK

NHTSA ID
762132
Incident
Apr 17, 2002
Exterior lighting
Filed Apr 12, 2002

WHILE DRIVING HEADLIGHT LENS FELL OFF. TOOK TO DEALER. PROBLEM WAS NOT REMEDIED. *AK *JG

NHTSA ID
8007530
Incident
Mar 1, 1999
Exterior lighting
Filed Apr 10, 2002

WHILE DRIVING GLASS LENS ON HEADLIGHTS ON BOTH SIDES FELL OFF WITHOUT ANY WARNING.*AK

NHTSA ID
8007269
Incident
Mar 27, 2002
Exterior lighting
Filed Mar 18, 2002

TWO FRONT LENSES THAT COVER HEADLIGHTS FELL OUT WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK *YH

NHTSA ID
8005796
Incident
Oct 10, 2001
Exterior lighting
Filed Jan 3, 2002

WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT LENSES BLEWOUT. THERE ARE NO HEADLIGHTS IN THE VEHICLE AT THIS TIME. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AKCONSUMER HAD BOTH THE LENSES FIXED. PER PHONE CONVERSATION WITH CADILLAC, CADILLAC AGREED TO PAY 75% OF COST. CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS TO BE A DEFECT CADILLAC SHOULD INVESTIGATE. CONSUMER IS AWAITING REIMBURSEMENT. *JG(POSSIBLE NEW ADDRESS: SHARON BADGLEY 33248 SAND DUNE LANE, LEESBURG, FL 34788 352-314-2444)

NHTSA ID
8001425
Incident
Dec 1, 2001
Exterior lighting
Filed Dec 20, 2001

DRIVERS SIDE HEADLIGHT COVER FELL OFF, PASSENGER SIDE IS LOOSE AND POSSIBLY LEAKS WATER IN TO THE ELECTRICAL SOCKETS. *JG *AK

NHTSA ID
8001003
Incident
Dec 1, 2001
Exterior lighting
Filed Dec 20, 2001

DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT COVER FELL OFF. DEALER REPLACED COVER. CHECKED PASSENGER'S SIDE AND NOTICED IT WAS LOOSE. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THIS COULD CAUSE LIGHT FAILURE OR A FIRE. *JB

NHTSA ID
8001002
Incident
Nov 20, 2001
Exterior lighting
Filed Sep 3, 2001

HEADLAMP LENS SEPARATED FROM HOUSING DUE TO ADHESIVE FAILURE, EXPOSING REFLECTOR AND LAMP TO MOISTURE AND POTENTIAL FAILURE. SERVICE MANAGER INFORMED THAT THIS IS COMMON PROBLEM. COMPONENT AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION.*AK

NHTSA ID
751571
Incident
Apr 25, 2001
Exterior lighting
Filed Jul 10, 2001

HEAD LIGHT LENS HAVE FALLED OFF HEADLIGHTS. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT PARTS WERE ONLY SOLD AS A WHOLE UNIT, NOT JUST LENS COVER. ASKING NHTSA TO ASSIST IN THIS MATTER.*AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THE PLASTIC CIVER HAS FALLEN OFF WHILE DRIVING, REPLACEMENT IS COSTLY BECAUSE CONSUMER HAS TO PURCHASE THE WHOLE HEAD LIGHT ASSEMBLY INSTEAD OF JUST THE FAILED PART. *SLC

NHTSA ID
892361
Incident
Jul 7, 2001
Exterior lighting
Filed May 10, 2001

BOTH HEADLIGHT COVERS FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING IN COLD,RAINY CONDITIONS. THANKFULLY, MY USED CAR DEALER HANDLED THE PROBLEM UNDER WARRANTY, BUT IT APPEARS THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE HEADLIGHT UNITS.*AK

NHTSA ID
745181
Incident
Mar 11, 2001
Exterior lighting
Filed Apr 24, 2001

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH IN HIGH WIND WHEN COVER FOR RIGHT FRONT HEADLAMP FELL OFF. THEN, IT STARTED RAINING WHICH CAUSED HEADLAMP BULB TO GO OUT. CONSUMER WAS STOPPED BY STATE POLICE WHO INFORMED HIM THAT HEADLIGHT WAS OUT. *AK HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED AND THE SAME DAY WHILE DRIVING THE LEFT PLASTIC COVER BLEW OFF. *SLC

NHTSA ID
886594
Incident
Apr 16, 2001
Exterior lighting
Filed Apr 23, 2001

COVER FOR LEFT HEADLAMP FELL OFF VEHICLE ON APRIL 10TH, 2001, AND COVER FOR RIGHT HEADLAMP FELL OFF ON APRIL 12TH, 2001 WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH. CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT CONDENSATION IN HEAD LAMP ASSEMBLY CAUSED COVERS TO DISCONNECT. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ID
886518
Incident
Apr 10, 2001
Exterior lighting
Filed Mar 30, 2001

MY 1997 CADILLAC DEVILLE WAS ONE MONTH OUT OF WARRANTY WHEN THE RIGHT HEADLIGHT COVER FELL OFF WHIL MY WIFE WAS ON THE HIGHWAY. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, I FOUND THAT THE LEFT HEADLIGHT COVER WAS ABOUT TO FALL OFF AS THE ADHESIVE HAD FAILED THAT HOLDS THE LENS TO THE HEADLIGHT BODY. NO REPLACEMENT COVERS ARE AVAILABLE. THE ONLY "FIX" IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY AT A COST OF $689.75 FOR THE TWO HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES. CADILLAC HAS REUECTED THIS AS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT OR AS A SAFETY ISSUE. I FEEL IT IS BOTH AND THAT THIS VINTAGE OF CADILLAC DEVILLE'S SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED FOR WHAT I AM FINDING OUT IS A SOMEWHAT COMMON PROBLEM. WHILE MY WIFE WAS IN THE SERVICE WAITING AREA TO HAVE THESE HEADLIGHTS REPLACED ONE OF THE CUSTOMERS ALSO STATED THAT SHE WAS IN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AND ANOTHER SAID THAT HE HAD RECENTLY HAD ONE OF HIS REPLACED IN BOTH INSTANCES THIS WAS DONE UNDER WARRANTY. ALSO, IF THIS WERE NOT A COMMON PROBLEM WHY WOULD A SMALL TOWN DEALERSHIP STOCK SUCH AN EXPENSIVE PART AND NOT HAVE TO ORDER IT FROM THE FACTORY? FURTHER, UNPON INQUIRY BY A FRIEND OF MINE OF A WEST PALM BEACH CADILLAC DEALER'S SERVICE REP, THE SERVICE REP MADE THE STATEMENT THAT "THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME AND WE USUALLY COVER IT UNDER THE NORMAL WARRANTY OR A SPECIAL WARRANTY THAT WE CAN UTILIZE." I FEEL THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND NOT JUST A PROBLEM OF GETTING SATISFACTION FROM CADILLAC. THE SAFETY ISSUE IS THAT WHEN THE HEADLIGHT COVER IS GONE OR FAILS TO BE WATERTIGHT, MOISTURE CAN REACH THE HALOGEN BULB WITHIN THE SEALED UNIT AND THE LEAST AMOUNT OF MOISTURE CAUSES THE BULB TO FAIL. NEEDLESS TO SAY, YOU ARE THEN UNEXPECTEDLY WITHOUT LIGHTS IF BOTH UNITS FAIL AND IF ONLY ONE FAILS YOU ARE STILL WITHOUT PROPER LIGHTING FOR NIGHTTIME DRIVING. CAN YOU INQUIRE OF CADILLAC AS TO THE FREQUENCY OF THIS HEADLIGHT LENS FAILURE AND ASK THEM WHY THEY HAVE NOT ESTABLISED A RECALL PROGRAM IF THIS FAILURE IS AS FREQUENT AS I AM HEARING?*AK

NHTSA ID
743315
Incident
Feb 2, 2001
Exterior lighting
Filed Mar 8, 2001

THE LEFT HEADLIGHT CLEAR LENS-COVER CAME LOOSE, THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THAT THIS COMPONENT COULD BE RESEALED, THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT IT COULD NOT BE RESEALED BUT A NEW LAMP ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE INSTALLED, INSURANCE AGENT LEONARD DUNLOP WROTE IN FOR CONSUMER. NLM

NHTSA ID
560325
Exterior lighting
Filed Mar 2, 2001

HEADLIGT LENS COMES UNGLUED FROM HEADLIGHT FLIES OFF; ALSO CAUSES HEADLIGHT FAILURE; TALKED WITH SERVICE REP AT DEALERSHIP AND HE STATED THAT IT IS A COMMON DEFECT. *AK

NHTSA ID
741816
Incident
Feb 24, 2001
Exterior lighting
Filed Nov 16, 2000

HEADLIGHTS HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE LENSE WAS SEPARATING, CONSUMER FELT IT WAS COMING FROM A HEAT BUILDUP, CONSUMER ALSO OWNED A 1995 SAME MAKE/MODEL THAT EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM.*AK *SLC

NHTSA ID
875107
Incident
Apr 1, 1999
Exterior lighting
Filed May 20, 2000

HEADLIGHT COVER BLEW OFF WHILE DRIVING, NO PREVIOUS DAMAGE TO VEHICLE PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. *AK

NHTSA ID
722949
Incident
May 20, 2000
Exterior lighting
Filed Sep 18, 1998

THE RIGHT FRONT AND REAR FLASHERS DO NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN THE TURN SIGNAL I DEPRESSED.

NHTSA ID
540898

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.

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Data on this page last refreshed .