Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Cadillac Deville submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 19 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
DT: WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THERE WAS AN OIL LEAK AND VEHICLE LOST ABOUT 7 QUARTS OF OIL. THIS GOT ALL OVER THE MOTOR, MUFFLER, AND THE ROAD. THERE WAS A STRONG BURNING SMELL, BUT DID NOT CATCH ON FIRE. MECHANIC TOLD CONSUMER THAT WAS THE OIL PRESSURE SENSOR. HAS NOT YET BEEN REPAIRED, BUT THE WHOLE ENGINE WILL NEED REPLACEMENT. FOR NEW ENGINE AND CLEAN UP IT WOULD COST $8,400.00 . *AK
THE ABS TRACTION CONTROL WAS NOT WORKING AND THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF THIS DEALER REPAIR SHOP FOR THIS PROBLEM SINCE AUG. 2002 AND THE INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH BRAKE FAILURES AND EXTENDED BRAKING DISTANCE KEEP RECURRING. *JB ANNTENA STUCK UP. POWER ANTENNA ASSEMBLY REPLACED. OIL LEVEL LOW AND OIL LIGHT IS ON. THERE WAS NO READING ON THE DIPSTICK. HAD TO ADD TWO QUARTS OF OIL AFTER DRIVING 1500 MILES. OIL LIFE INDICATOR WAS RESET. PISTON, ROD AND OIL RINGS REPLACED. DRIVERS SIDE HEADLIGHT COVER FELL OFF WITH BULB BURNT OUT. HEADLAMP HOUSING ASSEMBLY REPLACED. CONSUMER WENT TO START VEHICLE AND IT WOULDN'T START. BATTERY REPLACED. CATALYTIC CONVERTER RATTLING. DRIVERS SIDE HEATED SEAT/SWITCH INOPERATIVE. WHILE GIVING GAS HESITATES; STRUGGLES UP A HILL. SPARK PLUG WIRE REPLACED. NOTIFICATION BY POSTCARD. ORDERED PARTS. DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW WON'T GO UP. REPLACED LEFT DOOR WINDOW SWITCH. SES LIGHT ON. EXHAUST RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR) REPLACED. TRANSMISSION MAKES A GRINDING NOISE ON FAST ACCELERATION. DEALER FOUND THE EXHAUST PIPE AT THE REAR OF THE CONVERTER SHIFTING A CROSS BRACE WHEN ACCELERATING. REARVIEW MIRROR BROKE OFF BASE. *TT
IN 2001, THE RIGHT HEADLIGHT LENS ON MY 1998 CADILLAC DEVILLE FELL OFF. THE DEALER, HERITAGE CADILLAC, REPLACED THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY AT NO COST, SINCE THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. ON 11/6/04, THE LEFT HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY FELL OFF. I HAVE NOT YET DISCUSSED THE PROBLEM WITH THE DEALER. *AK
ACCORDING TO A LOCAL CADILLAC DEALERS SERVICE MANAGER-THE IGNITION HAS A THEFT DETERENT SYSTEM THAT HAS A WIRE THAT OFTEN COMES LOOSE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BE UNSTARTABLE AND THUS LEAVES THE DRIVER STRANDED. THE SERVICE MANAGER TELLS ME THAT HE HAS DONE SEVERAL OF THESE AND DOESNT KNOW WHY THERE IS NO RECALL.*AK
WHEN THE TRACTION LIGHT FLICKERED ON/OFF. THE CRUISE CONTROL AND BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED. WHICH ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *JB
IN APRIL 2001, AT 37,000 MILES, AIR CONDITION/HEAT FAN MOTOR FAILED AND WAS REPLACED (UNDER WARRANTY) BY A DEALER. AGAIN IN APRIL, 2003, AT 53,300 MILES, LOCAL DEALER SAYS MOTOR IS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDS TO REPLACED AT COST OF $420. ATTITUDE OF DEALER AND CADILLAC CUSTOMER SERVICE IS THAT "STUFF HAPPENS". MY BELIEF IS THIS FAILURE RATE INDICATES PROBLEM WITH QUALITY OF FAN MOTOR OR PROBLEM WITH MOTOR ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT. *JB
AFTER REPAIRS THE PREVIOUS DAY, ALTERNATOR AGAIN FRIED. THE DEALERSHIP NOW BLAMES AFTER MARKET BATTERY. SUPPOSED DEAD CELL. THIS INSTANCE ALMOST CAUSED A WRECK ON THE INTERSTATE. STRANDED FOR 3 HOURS. NEW BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR. CAR WAS DEAD WHEN TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. AFTER FINALLY ARRIVING AT END DESTINATION, I HAD THE BATTERY THE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE BAD CHECKED AND IT CHECKED OUT OK.*JB
THE VOLTS WENT TO 11.1 AND THEN THE CAR FAILED TO RUN. DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THE ALTERNATOR WAS FRIED. REPLACED ALTERNATOR. ALL OTHER ELECTRICAL CHECKED OUT OK.*JB
CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT STARTING AND TOWED TO THE DEALER TWICE, DEALER IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AS BATTERY LEAKING ACID, WHICH CORRODED THE POSITIVE CABLE, DEALER REPLACED THE BATTERY, CLEANED ACID FROM TRAY AND REPLACED POSITIVE CABLE. *YD
I WAS INFORMED THAT MY SPARK PLUGS WIRES WERE BURNING WITH ONLY 46,000 MILES ON THIS CAR. AND THE WIRES IN THE BACK OF THE ENGINE ARE IN A VERY BAD WAY. I ALSO WAS TOLD THAT A SPARK COULD IGNITE FROM THE ENGINE AT ANY TIME, AND CAUSE AN IMMEDIATE FIRE.*AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH VEHICLE QUIT IN TRAFFIC WITHOUT ANY WARNING, IT COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *AK THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AFTER STALLING. *YH
FAILED TO START.
SHORT IN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CAUSING BLOWN FUSES. YH
BATTERY FAILURE. *YC
BRAKE ROTORS WORN OUT. YH
ELECTRICAL WIRES KEEP KILLING THE BATTERY. WOULD CAUSE THE BATTERY TO DIE OUT EACH & EVERY TIME. MAKES NOISES WHEN BATTERY IS DYING. TOOK TO DEALER & PROBLEM NOT FOUND. PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 3 DIFFERENT TIMES. *AK
UNABLE TO HEAR RADIO NEWS FROM CBS STATION, TOTAL NOISE.REPLACED RADIO.
UPPER TRANS OIL COOLER LINE FITTING FAILED RESULTING IN LEAK.
WHEN DEPRESSING THE HORN PAD NO SOUND COMES FROM THE HORN. ON 4 DIFFERENT OCASSIONS THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO 2 DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE HORN WILL BLOW SOMETIMES AND SOMETIMES IT WILL NOT. *AK
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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