Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 1985 Cadillac Deville
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Engine & Cooling
731.8%
Steering
627.3%
Electrical System
29.1%
Other & Unspecified
14.5%
Seat Belts
14.5%
Wheels
14.5%
Acceleration & Cruise Control
14.5%
Body & Structure
14.5%
Brakes
14.5%
Transmission & Drivetrain
14.5%
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Mar 1995peak 2May 2002
NHTSA investigations into the 1985 Cadillac Deville
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough
complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks
something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
EA88031Opened 22 Apr 1988Closed 23 Oct 1989VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES
SUDDEN ACCELERATION
STATUS:ANALYSIS OF INFORMATION FROM THE MANUFACTURER IS IN PROGRESS.HOWEVER, NEITHER NHTSA OF GM HAS IDENTIFIED A FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION THATCOULD RESULT IN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION.SOME VEHICLES IN THIS GROUP WEREFOUND POTENTIALLY SUBJECT TO THROTTLE CABLE RESTRICTIONS, AND WERERECALLED ALONG WITH H CARS WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS.INVESTIGATION ISCONTINUING.===
EA88019Opened 28 Jan 1988Closed 31 Oct 1990STEERING
HYDRO BOOST
PE87038Opened 9 Jul 1987Closed 28 Jan 1988STEERING
HYDROBOOST FAILURE
SUBJECT VEHICLES:CAPRICE, CAPRICE CLASSIC, CUSTOM CRUISER, DEVILLE,ELECTRA, ESTATE WAGON, FLEETWOOD, LESABRE, NINETY-EIGHT, PARISIENNE,PARK AVENUE.(ALL 1984-86 GM VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HYDROBOOST II SYSTEMS)ANALYSIS:CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ALLEGE SEVERAL PROBLEMS INVOLVING THE POWERSTEERING AND POWER BRAKE SYSTEMS OF THESE VEHICLES.THESE PROBLEMSINCLUDE: POWER STEERING FLUID LOSS, POWER BRAKE FLUID LOSS, LEAKAGE FROMTHE HYDRO-BOOST II POWER BRAKE BOOSTER, BROKEN BOOSTER SEALS, AND MASTERCYLINDER FAILURE.ALL PROBLEMS SEEM TO BE RELATED TO THE HYDRO-BOOST IIPOWER ASSIST SYSTEM, IN WHICH THE WORKING...
EA86025Opened 25 Aug 1986Closed 2 Mar 1988VISIBILITY
WINDSHIELD WIPERS
SUMMARY:GM BELIEVES THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN CORRECTED THROUGH ITS PUBLI-CATION OF 7 SERVICE BULLETINS CONCERNING THIS MATTER. IN ADDITION, GMDOES NOT BELIEVE WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURE REPRESENTS A SAFETY HAZARD.ANALYSIS: THREE FAILURE MODES HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED; INSULATING FILM MAYBUILD UP BETWEEN THE BRUSH FACE AND THE COMMUTATOR OF THE WIPER MOTOR,CORROSION MAY FORM IN THE WIPER MOTOR BRUSH AND DISENGAGEMENT OF THEWIPER ARMS MAY OCCUR. IN VIEW OF THE EXISTING LEGAL PRECEDENT, THE LARGENUMBER OF WARRANTY CLAIMS CONCERNING WIPER MOTOR FAILURES (114,000) ANDTHE HIGH WIPER MOTOR AND MOTOR KIT PART S...
Recalls on the 1985 Cadillac Deville
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which
the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous
enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
Canada — Transport Canada
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not
always mirror the American ones.
Recall 1986007624 units in Canada
THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH C.M.V.S.S.1101-EMISSION DEVICE.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
Ypsilanti, MI1 injured1 killed
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
POSSIBLE BRAKE FAILURE WAS THE CAUSE OF VEHICLE COLLISION RESULTING IN DEATH.
NHTSA complaint #544554 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Seven Valleys, PA
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
- RACK AND PINION STEERING - STUCK IN CERTAIN POSITIONS AND WHEN COLD - DANGEROUS! - REAR LOAD LEVELING SYS. DOESN'T SEEM TO WORK ON ANY CADILLACS OF THIS ERA. I CAN'T PUT A SINGLE BAG OF GROCERIES IN THE TRUNK WITHOUT THE REAR BOTTOMING - WHY HAVEN'T THEY BEEN RECALLED? - HEADLINER CAME LOOSE AND HANGS DOWN. - CASSETTE PLAYS A COUPLE SECONDS THEN EJECTS. - ENGINE SPUTTERS AND MISSES EVEN THOUGH ALL TUNE-UP RELATED ITEMS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. - FRONT BRAKE HOSE CLOGGED AND LOCKED BRAKE OFF AND ON. - DANGEROUS. HIT BRAKES AND PULL HARD TO RIGHT. I OWNED AN 86 CELEBRITY WITH TWICE THE MILES AS THIS CADILLAC YET IT WAS 100 X MORE RELIABLE. CAN'T BELIEVE CADILLAC COULD HAVE STAYED IN BUSINESS AFTER THIS MODEL YEAR. WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD EVER BUY ANOTHER. THIS ONE WAS GARAGE KEPT AND NOT DRIVEN IN SNOW SINCE 1987 AND WAS OWNED BY AN ELDERLY MINISTER. IT WAS VERY WELL MAINTAINED AND LOOKED LIKE NEW WHEN I BOUGHT IT DIRECTLY FROM HIM. IF ONE THAT WAS TAKEN CARE OF THIS WELL WAS SO BAD, WHAT ABOUT THE ONES THAT RECEIVED ONLY NORMAL LEVELS OF CARE AND MAINTENANCE. THIS CAR LOOKS LIKE NEW (EXCEPT HEADLINER) BUT I'VE BEEN TEMPTED TO GIVE IT TO THE JUNK YARD. IT DEPRESSES ME GREATLY. WHEN I FIX ONE THING, OTHER THINGS FAIL TWICE AS FAST AS THE RATE I CAN GET THEM FIXED. I WANT TO TRYTO GET IT REPAIRED TO SELL BUT I CAN'T GET AHEAD OF NEW PROBLEMS.
NHTSA complaint #761654 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Cincinnati, OH
STEERING
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TURN RIGHT AT ANY DEGREE GREATER THAN A LANE CHANGE, THE STEERING GIVES THE CONSUMER HIGH RESISTANCE, ESPECIALLY DURING A COLD START. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #558242 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Cincinnati, OH
STEERING
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TURN RIGHT AT ANY DEGREE GREATER THAN A LANE CHANGE, THE STEERING GIVES THE CONSUMER HIGH RESISTANCE, ESPECIALLY DURING A COLD START. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #558242 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Leland, MI
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 205-75R14 )
NHTSA complaint #731106 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Texas, TX
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
STOPPED TO OPEN THE GATE. RESTARTED THE CAR AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RACE UNCONTROLLABLLY (AS THOUGH ONE HAD THEIR FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND GAS AT THE SAME TIME). HAD MY FOOT THE BRAKE AND SHIFTED BACK INTO PARK, IT STILL RACED UNTIL I SHUT IT OFF. STARTED THE CAR AGAIN TO SEE IF WE COULD GET HOME. PROCEEDED DOWN THE ROAD AND STOPPED TO LET OFF MY FATHER. RESTARTED THE CAR IN OUR PARKING AREA. THIS TIME THE BRAKES DID NOT HOLD AND IT RACED FULL SPEED IN A CIRCLE THAT I WAS STEARING. FINALLY SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR BEFORE ANY REAL PHYSICAL DAMAGE (OTHER THAN THE SEVERE FRIGHT IT CAUSED ME AND MY FATHER)
NHTSA complaint #714265 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Cinn, OH
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
INTERMITTENTLY STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP WHEN STARTED. WHEN DRIVING, IT FREQUENTLY OFFERS HIGH RESISTANCE TO TURN RIGHT TO ANY DEGREE GREATER THAN A LANE CHANGE. *AK.ET
NHTSA complaint #848916 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Ypsilanti, MI1 injured1 killed
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
POSSIBLE BRAKE FAILURE WAS THE CAUSE OF VEHICLE COLLISION RESULTING IN DEATH.
NHTSA complaint #544554 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
East Northport, NY
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
A FEW MONTHS BEFORE PURCHASE, THE ALTERNATOR/BATTERY HAD BEEN REPLACED. LAST WEEK, I REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AGAIN.
NHTSA complaint #703251 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
East Northport, NY
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
A FEW MONTHS BEFORE PURCHASE, THE ALTERNATOR/BATTERY HAD BEEN REPLACED. LAST WEEK, I REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AGAIN.
NHTSA complaint #703251 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Pittsburgh, PA
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
RADIATOR REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #516431 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Pittsburgh, PA
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #516431 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Cheyenne, WY
SEAT BELTS
UPPER SEAT BELT IS NOT SNUG AGAINST CHEST, IF DRIVER LEANS FORWARD, BELT DOES NOT RETRACT/SOMETIMES, UPPER BELT STAYS ALL THE WAY OUT AND REQUIRES THAT BELT BE UNBUCKLED.
NHTSA complaint #509336 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Napa, CA
STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
GAS STRUT ON HOOD FAILED, CAUSING HOOD TO CLOSE ON DRIVERS HEAD WHILE CHECKING OIL.
NHTSA complaint #505105 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Federal WAY, WA
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
FAILURE ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND COLUMN, THE BOLTS THAT HOLDS THE STEERING WHEEL IS BREAKING AWAY FROM THE STEERING COLUMN.
NHTSA complaint #980849 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Stow, OH
WHEELS
CONSUMER WHEELS BEND AND TIRES WOBBLES ALL 4 OF THEM. TT
NHTSA complaint #974823 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Creve Coeu, MO
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE FAILURE.
NHTSA complaint #485771 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Fairfield, CA
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE HAS FAILED, NEEDS A NEW ENGINE AFTER 30K MILES. TT
NHTSA complaint #973267 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Westland, MI
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
THE ENGINE HAS A KNOCK IN IT AND THE HEAD GASKET HAS BEEN REPLACED AND IT HAS ONLY 22,000 MILES ON IT. TT
NHTSA complaint #967421 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
St.louis, MO
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
REPLACED ENGINE DUE TO ANTI-FREEZE LEAKAGE.
NHTSA complaint #967331 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Jenkins, KY
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
MAIN BEARINGS /BLOWER MODULE FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #489346 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Philadelphia, PA
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
POWER STEERING FAILURE WHEN STARTING VEHICLE. TT
NHTSA complaint #961224 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SAN Mateo, CA
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION SUPPORTS/TRANSAXLE FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #480316 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.