FaultScore report
Owners have filed 12 complaints about the 1999 Cadillac Eldorado with NHTSA between 2004 and 2016. The largest single group is the engine & cooling. Across this model's run it ranks 6 of 9 worst.
FaultScore 39/100
Higher is worse. Measured against the other years of the Cadillac Eldorado.
How this is worked out12
Complaints
0
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
46,000 mi
Median mileage at failure
Half of reported failures happened before this
38%
Failed under 36,000 miles
Inside a typical bumper-to-bumper warranty
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
Click any bar to open that year's report.
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Median failure at 103,000 miles
Median failure at 24,500 miles
0 crashes, 1 fires · median 33,000 mi
Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all complaints include one.
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.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT HOSPITAL AFTER DRIVING 2 MILES. WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, ENGINE OFF, NO KEYS IN IGNITION, VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. VEHICLE TOTALED.
NHTSA complaint #10106304 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
ENGINE
MY WIFE PURCHASED A 1999 CADILLAC ELDORADO IN 2009 AND IT ONLY HAD 38K MILES ON IT. NOW IN 2016 IT ONLY HAS 103K MILES ON IT BUT WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINE COOLANT TEMPERATURE GAUGE WILL FREQUENTLY GO FROM 'NORMAL' TO 'ENGINE HOT - A/C OFF'. AFTER SHUTING OFF THE ENGINE, LETTING IT COOL, AND TOPPING OFF THE COOLANT LEVEL, THE WILL OPERATE IN THE 'NORMAL' TEMPERATURE RANGE FOR SEVERAL MILES BUT THEN IT WILL SUDDENLY JUMP UP TO THE 'ENGINE HOT - A/C OFF' RANGE. THE CAR IS NOW AT A REPAIR SHOP AND THEY HAVE DIAGNOSED THAT THIS 1999 CADILLAC ELDORADO HAS FAILING CYLINDER HEAD GASKETS. RECALL - CAMPAIGN #99086 (MARCH 19, 2002) ACKNOWLEDGES THIS DEFECT AND THE REASONS FOR IT. WILL CADILLAC PLEASE HELP US WITH THIS PROBLEM? A 103,000 MILE CADILLAC ELDORADO SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS ISSUE AND, IF IT DOES, THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY.
NHTSA complaint #10873587 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE
CADILLAC ELDORADO. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO INFORMATION ON VEHICLE ENGINE FAILURES. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE WAS REPAIRED. HOWEVER, IT HASN'T WORKED CORRECTLY SINCE.
NHTSA complaint #10615482 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CADILLAC ELDORADO. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE BRAKES ENGAGED ON THEIR OWN AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE STABILIZER CONTROL LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST THAT LOCATED THE FAILURE WITHIN THE STEERING SENSOR MODULE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE STEERING SENSOR MODULE, BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE, AND WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 26,000.
NHTSA complaint #10427546 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CADILLAC ELDORADO. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO OVERHEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND FOUND THAT THE WATER PUMP AND THE OVER PIPE GASKET WERE LEAKING. THEY REPLACED THE WATER PUMP, THE OVER PIPE GASKET AND THE THERMOSTAT BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO RECUR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM FOR THE FAILURE AND TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER MECHANIC TO GET A SECOND OPINION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 184,320.
NHTSA complaint #10423021 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
1999 CADILLAC EL DORADO. AT APPROX 75,000 MILES SUDDEN FAILURE OF REAR BRAKE LINE (BETWEEN TWO REAR WHEELS) DUE TO CORROSION. TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP. COST TO REPAIR $550.
NHTSA complaint #10134884 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS
DT: THE CONTACT OWNS 1999 CADILLAC ELDORADO. IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL ON PAGE. 6-31 ON BRAKE WEAR IT STATES THAT BRAKE PADS HAVE BUILT IN INDICATORS THAT WILL MAKE A SOUND WHEN NEW BRAKES ARE NEEDED. THE INDICATORS DO NOT WORK. THERE ARE TWO SIDES TO THE BRAKE PADS. ON THE CADILLAC ELDORADO IT IS WEARING DOWN QUICKER ON THE INSIDE THAN ON THE OUTSIDE. THE INSIDE BRAKE PAD WEAR DOWN AND THERE IS METAL TO METAL SOUND. ONLY THE OUTSIDE BRAKES HAVE WARNING INDICATORS. THERE ARE NONE ON THE INSIDE. CONTACT EXPLAINED THIS TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE MANUFACTURER. HE THINKS THAT THEY SHOULD LET PEOPLE KNOW NOT TO WAIT UNTIL HEARING THE INDICATOR. BECAUSE IF THE INSIDE BRAKES WEAR OUT CONSUMER WILL NOT HEAR THE INDICATOR SOUND.*AK
NHTSA complaint #10128799 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT HOSPITAL AFTER DRIVING 2 MILES. WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, ENGINE OFF, NO KEYS IN IGNITION, VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. VEHICLE TOTALED.
NHTSA complaint #10106304 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
VEHICLE STALLED ON ITS OWN. CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE LIGHTS APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER DEALER FOR INSPECTION, BUT MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10097800 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS OF 25 MPH OR MORE. ALSO THE CONSUMER HAD A CONCERN THAT THE TAIL LIGHTS WOULD GO OUT WHEN THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER ON FIVE SEPARATE OCCASIONS AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *JB.
NHTSA complaint #10097228 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. DEALER EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND EXTINGUISHED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BY SERVICING THE ENGINE. THEN, ENGINE RAN ROUGHLY. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. WHO INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN.
NHTSA complaint #10080117 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
WHILE DRIVING THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT AND THE LOW COOLANT LIGHT COMES ON, THEN THE VEHICLE OVERHEATS. THIS IS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS LOSING COOLANT. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED BY THE DEALERSHIP 4 TIMES, IN WHICH THE RADIATOR AND THE WATER PUMP HAS BEEN REPLACED AND THE PRESSURE TESTED. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS.
NHTSA complaint #10071889 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
THE BRAKES WOULD PULSATE WHEN APPLIED. THE DEALERSHIP SERVICED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK THE DEALER ONLY GROUNDED THE ROTORS DOWN.
NHTSA complaint #10053955 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.