RoadVitals

1998 Cadillac Seville Steering Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Steering 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.
10
Latest Mar 30, 2012
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.
15%
of 65 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.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1

What this page shows

Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Cadillac Seville submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 10 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 steering

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Steering
Filed Mar 30, 2012
Crash reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 CADILLAC SEVILLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD WHINING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER AS THE WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AS THE STEERING FAILED, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF HER VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO REPORTED INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE CONTACT WAS NOT AWARE OF WHAT REPAIRS WOULD BE NEEDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.

NHTSA ID
10453544
Incident
May 1, 2009
Mileage
85,000 mi
Steering
Filed Jul 31, 2007

TWO (2) GM OEM RACK AND PINION REPLACEMENTS REQUIRED WITHIN AN 18 MONTH TIME FRAME DUE TO PART FAILURES. STEERING WHEEL BECAME UNRESPONSIVE ON INTERSTATE RESULTING IN A NEAR CRASH. *JB

NHTSA ID
10197910
Incident
May 20, 2006
Mileage
65,000 mi
Steering
Filed Jul 11, 2007

POWER RACK AND PINION FAILURE. *AK

NHTSA ID
10196078
Incident
Jul 6, 2007
Mileage
134,890 mi
Other / unspecifiedSteering
Filed Oct 27, 2003

LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER WHO INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE CAUSE WAS RACK AND PINION FAILURE. REPAIRS MADE, BUT PROBLEM IS STILL RECURRING. THE REPLACEMENT PART THAT WAS MAILED TO MECHANIC ARRIVED BROKEN. SIX MONTHS LATER, SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED, AWAITING RESPONSE FROM GM/CADILLAC ABOUT REIMBURSEMENT.*AK

NHTSA ID
10043626
Incident
May 14, 2003
Steering
Filed Jul 7, 2003

WHILE DRIVING DRIVER TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL AND HEARD A NOISE. VEHICLE LOST STEERING POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO STATED THAT STEERING GEAR HOUSING WAS BUSTED. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
10026658
Incident
Jul 2, 2003
BrakesEngineSteering
Filed Mar 10, 2003

THE POWER STEERING WAS VERY STIFF, AND THE POWER STEERING PUMP WAS REPLACED. THE FRONT MOTOR MOUNT BROKE AND HAT TO BE REPLACED. FRONT BRAKES WERE WORN TO THE SENSOR AND HAD TO BE RELINED.*TT *JB

NHTSA ID
10009435
Incident
Nov 26, 2002
Mileage
56,212 mi
Steering
Filed Dec 27, 2002

WHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN THE VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING AND THE MOUNT BROKE. TS THE STEERING IS VERY STIFF WHEN TURNING AT LOWER SPEEDS. *JG

NHTSA ID
10001602
Incident
Nov 25, 2002
Mileage
55,000 mi
Steering
Filed Jun 8, 2000

LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER WHO INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE CAUSE WAS RACK AND PINON FAILURE. REPAIRS MADE, BUT PROBLEM IS STILL REOCCURRING. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID
863250
Incident
Mar 1, 1998
Steering
Filed Feb 7, 2000

STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY CAME COMPLETELY OFF THE FRAME CAUSING COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. NLM

NHTSA ID
550760
Incident
Oct 1, 1999
BrakesSteering
Filed Jun 2, 1999
1 injury reported

STEERING ASSEMBLY MECHANISM FAILED IN 1998, RESULTING IN THE INABILITY TO STEER, ANTI LOCK BRAKES FAILED MAY 1999. ACCIDENT OCCURED RESULTING IN INJURY. (ATTORNEY FOR CONSUMER). MJS

NHTSA ID
545908
Incident
May 1, 1999

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Engine21

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .