1989 Cadillac Eldorado 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 1989 Cadillac Eldorado, 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
- Electrical220.0%
- Driver assistance110.0%
- Engine110.0%
- Fuel system110.0%
- Exterior lighting110.0%
- Seat belts110.0%
- Tires & wheels110.0%
- Brakes110.0%
- Transmission110.0%
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
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
THERE IS A SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE HEAD LIGHTS, CAUSING THE HEAD LIGHT NOT TO STAY ILLUMINATED, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO SEE AT NIGHT. CONSUMER HAS CALLED DEALER, PARTS HAS BEEN REPLACED. *AK
TRANSMISSION REPLACED. *SD
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 TO 40 MPH, STARTED BRAKING, ENGINE STARTED SPEEDING UP ON ITS OWN, APPLIED BRAKES, KEPT GOING, SHIFTED FROM DRIVE TO 1ST GEAR ATTEMPTING TO SLOW DOWN, STILL WOULD NOT STOP, SHIFTED TO PARK/ TURNED OFF IGNITION TO STOP. *AK
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
1989 ELDORADO HAS ENGINE BLOCK PROBLEMS. *TS COOLANT LEAKED THROUGH ALUMINUM ENGINE BLOCK. THE COOLANT FAN MODULE WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES.*JB
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
ONE OF THE FUEL LINES IS LEAKING. *AK *SLC
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
THIS INFORMATION IS BEING SENT IN CONJUNCTION WITH A HOT-LINE CALL MADE THIS DATE. THE PROBLEM IS SUDDEN UNEXPECTED LOSS OF HEADLIGHTS WHICH CANNOT BE TURNED ON. GIVEN A SMALL AMOUNT OF TIME (10-20 MINUTES) HEADLIGHTS BECOME OPERABLE AGAIN. VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH LIGHT SENTINAL.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC LAP/SHOULDER BELT WILL NOT RETRACT, RED RELEASE BUCKLE WOULD NOT HOLD IF PULLED ON WILL NOT LATCH PROPERLY. *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
BOTH FRONT TIRES EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, AND THE REAR TIRES DEVELOPED A BUBBLE IN THE SIDEWALL. *AK NEW TIRES WERE PURCHASED ON FOUR OCCASIONS. *SCC *JB
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
WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 TO 40 MPH, STARTED BRAKING, ENGINE STARTED SPEEDING UP ON ITS OWN, APPLIED BRAKES, KEPT GOING, SHIFTED FROM DRIVE TO 1ST GEAR ATTEMPTING TO SLOW DOWN, STILL WOULD NOT STOP, SHIFTED TO PARK/ TURNED OFF IGNITION TO STOP. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
TRANSMISSION REPLACED. *SD
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 .