53 of the
234 complaints filed about the Cadillac Eldorado
are about the engine —
23% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2000.
DEAR NHTSA, CADILLAC GM SHIPPED THE NORTHSTAR ENGINE WITH A KNOWN HEAD GASKET ISSUE INVOLVING THE THREADING AND THE SHORTNESS OF THE HEADBOLTS, WHEN THE THE COOLANT FLOWS THROUGH THE ENGINE, THE HEAT OF THE COOLANT GOING THRU THE HEAD GASKETS RIPS AND SHREDS THE HEADBOLTS CAUSING A FAILING HEAD GASKET, WHEN THE THREADING ON THE HEADBOLTS STARTS TO SHRED APART FROM HEAT, THE HEAD GASKET CANNOT HOLD CAUSING OVERHEATING CAUSING THE HEAD GASKET TO BLOW, GM KNOWINGLY SHIPPED ALL NORTHSTAR ENGINES WITH THIS PROBLEM AND STILL HAS NOT RECALLED IT, THE MODELS AFFECTED BY THIS AWFUL PROBLEM 1992-2002 CADILLAC SEVILLE STS/SLS 1992-2002 CADILLAC ELDERADO ESC/ETC 1992-2002 CADILLAC DEVILLE . THIS ISSUE HAS CAUSED THESE VEHICLES TO BE SENT TO THE GRAVE AND HAS COSTED MANY CADILLAC OWNERS INCLUDING MYSELF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN REPAIRS, THESE CARS WOULD LEAVE THE LOT WITH THAT ISSUE AND BLOW THERE HEADS WITHIN 40,000 MILES, GM PURPOSELY MANUFACTURED THESE CARS LIKE THAT BECAUSE THE COST TO REPAIR IS ALMOST 5,000 DOLLARS, THEY MANUFACTURED MULTIPLE MODELS WITH THIS ISSUE, HOW HAVE YOU NOT RECALLED THESE VEHICLES! FIX THIS! HOW COULD THEY DO THIS TO US? THEY RIPPED US OFF 10 YEARS AND DIDN'T MANUFACTURE A FIX UNTIL 2005,
NHTSA complaint #11340812 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ON JUNE 24, 2017 WHILE DRIVING THROUGH A RESIDENTIAL AREA HEADING TO THE 7/11 STORE, A HOSE UNDER THE DASH BOARD EXPLODED AND DUMPED ANTI-FREEZE INTO THE VEHICLE ONTO MY RIGHT FOOT CAUSING 2ND DEGREE BURNS TO MY FOOT AND TOES.
NHTSA complaint #11002938 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE TURNS OFF FOR NO REASON WHILE GOING UNDER 40 MILES. HAVE TO PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND IT WILL START RIGHT UP AGAIN. USUALLY ON CITY STREETS, IN MOTION. WE THINK MOST OF THE TIME AFTER TURNING.
NHTSA complaint #10897668 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 CADILLAC ELDORADO. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS DIMMED AND THE AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR OFF, VERY LOW REFRIGERANT, AND SERVICE RIDE CONTROL WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN RESET THE COMPUTER; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS A FUEL ODOR INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 94V158000 (EQUIPMENT) AND 93V088000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,000.
NHTSA complaint #10821062 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CADILLAC ELDORADO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE STOP ENGINE NOW WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND OBSERVED THAT THE OIL WAS LOW IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAD TO ADD OIL TO THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE GASKET WAS LEAKING OIL AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000. UPDATED 02/05/16
NHTSA complaint #10808377 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CADILLAC ELDORADO. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT FELT A BURNING SENSATION ON HIS RIGHT FOOT AND NOTICED THAT AN UNKNOWN HOT LIQUID WAS LEAKING ONTO THE ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE PEDALS. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OVERHEATING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PULL THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND, IN THE PROCESS, SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
NHTSA complaint #10785044 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CADILLAC ELDORADO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE ENGINE BEGAN SMOKING. THE CONTACT HAD TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE AND CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
NHTSA complaint #10782173 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FROM A COMPLETE STOP THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AS IF I HAD FLOORED THE GAS PEDAL. I BRAKED HARD AND BROUGHT THE CAR TO A STOP, THE ENGINE STILL RACING. I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE, WAITED A WHILE AND RESTARTED THE CAR. NORMAL OPERATION. I WAS TOO FAR FOR A TOW, SO I DROVE ~50 MILES TO MY DAUGHTER'S HOUSE. THE CAR ACCELERATED TWICE MORE AT FREEWAY SPEEDS. HARD BRAKE, PULL TO THE SIDE, SHUT OFF ENGINE, RESTART, EVERYTHING NORMAL. THIS HAS HAPPENED 5 MORE TIMES, TWICE WITH WITNESSES TO SEE THAT I DID NOT MISTAKENLY HIT THE GAS PEDAL INSTEAD OF THE BRAKE. MORE STUFF REPLACED OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS OCCASIONALLY. INDEPENDENT GM MECHANIC THINKS THAT THE COMPUTER DROPPING OUT AND RESTARTING AGAIN AT FULL-THROTTLE COULD CAUSE IT, AND THAT REPLACING THE COMPUTER WOULD NOT GUARANTEE A FIX. THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 85,000 MILES ON IT NOW AND IS IN OTHERWISE FINE SHAPE AS FAR AS THE DRIVETRAIN IS CONCERNED.
NHTSA complaint #10711825 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
THE CAR HAS BEEN OVERHEATING SINCE 83600 MILES. WE CHANGED THE THERMOSTAT AND IT STILL DID THE SAME THING. TOOK TO CADILLAC DEALER AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. WENT GOT THE CAR AND PAID PRICE 3 DAYS LATER IT WAS OVERHEATING AND ANTIFREEZE WAS DISAPPEARING. FILLED THE RADIATOR UP WITH ANTIFREEZE AND IT DISAPPEARED AGAIN. WE CHANGED THE LOWER RADIATOR HOSE AND FLUSHED THE RADIATOR AND TRIED IT AGAIN. THE COOLANT DISAPPEARED AGAIN AND NO SIGN OF A LEAK. WHERE IS THE ANTIFREEZE GOING. I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE HEAD GASKET OR THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. I AM UNEMPLOYED AND DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO HAVE THIS DONE. I CAN NOT FIND WORK WITHOUT A VEHICLE. I JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR AT 75000 MILES. THIS CAR RAN LIKE A CHARM UNTIL I TOOK IT IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE AT THE CADILLAC DEALER AND THEY PUT THE WRONG OIL IN THE ENGINE. BY THE WAY THIS ENGINE IS THE NORTHSTAR ENGINE. THE MILEAGE NOW IS AT 84000 MILES. ALL CADILLAC DEALERS I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO PREVIOUSLY HAVE ALWAYS USED MOBILE OIL. THEY WERE TRYING TO TELL ME THIS OTHER OIL IS THE SAME. OBVIOUSLY THIS WAS NOT THE SAME. IT WRECKED MY CAR AND NOW I CAN NOT AFFORD TO FIX IT. THIS CAR HAS THE YEARS ON IT BUT NOT THE MILES FOR THE YEARS. WHY SHOULD YOU HAVE TO TEAR AN ENGINE APART WITH THIS LOW OF MILES ON IT. CARS ARE TO LAST TO 250,000 MILES WELL THIS ONE HAS NOT EVEN MADE IT TO 100,000 MILES. I WOULD REALLY LIKE SOME HELP GETTING THIS VEHICLE FIXED. IF THIS IS THE WAY CADILLAC'S ARE I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER CADILLAC IN MY LIFE.
NHTSA complaint #10577523 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 CADILLAC ELDORADO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE HAD OVERHEATED AND HE ALLOWED THE ENGINE TO COOL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT THE RADIATOR WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000. UPDATED 11/15/13*CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE ENTIRE RADIATOR WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 11/20/13
NHTSA complaint #10543089 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1988 CADILLAC ELDORADO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND STALLED. THE CONTACT WAITED FOR THE VEHICLE TO COOL DOWN FOR AN HOUR AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART IT. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE RELAY SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE REPAIRS WERE MADE BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
NHTSA complaint #10390532 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
1997 CADILLAC ELDORADO. CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN IN TRAFFIC *TGW THE DEALER REPLACED THE OIL SENDER, BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO STALL. THE CONSUMER STATED THE IDLE WAS BELOW FACTORY SPECS. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THEY COULD NOT OVERRIDE THE COMPUTER, TO PLACE THE VEHICLE AT THE FACTORY SETTING. THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE FIRST PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, IT IDLED AT 900 RPM AND NOT IT IDLES AT 400 IN WARM WEATHER. *JB UPDATED 05/05/10.*JB THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD ONLY SHUT DOWN WHEN IT WAS WARM. THE DEALER REPLACED SEVERAL COMPONENTS, BUT TO NO AVAIL. UPDATED 06/15/10.*JB UPDATED 06/29/10. *JB UPDATED 08/03/10.
NHTSA complaint #10327426 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CADILLAC ELDORADO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY BETWEEN 20-30 MPH THE "CHECK ENGINE COOLANT" WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS FOR IDENTICAL FAILURES. THE DEALER REPLACED THE HEAD GASKET AT AN EXPENSE OF $3,000.00. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 113,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
NHTSA complaint #10295345 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY 2000 CADILLAC ELDORADO HAS HAD THE "CAMSHAFT POSITIONING SENSORS" REPLACED 3 TIMES SINCE I'VE OWNED THE CAR (2000).ALTHOUGH GM HAS "TSB"'S OUT FOR THIS PROBLEM THEY CLAIM MINE IS NOT COVERED BECAUSE THE VIN # IS NOT THE SAME AS THE ONE INDICATED ON THIS PARTICULAR "TSB" SAME CAR----SAME TROUBLE !!!!!!! .THEY WILL NOT HONOR IT. THIS SEEMS TO ME LIKE SAYING "WE'LL FIX THE BLUE ONES,BUT NOT THE BLACK ONES". THIS IS MY 3RD CADILLAC------& MY LAST !!!!!!!!!!
NHTSA complaint #10240182 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CADILLAC ELDORADO. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, IT MADE A WHINING NOISE FROM THE BEARING. THE CONTACT OPENED THE HOOD AND NOTICED THAT THE WATER PUMP WAS LEAKING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON JULY 14, 2008 AND NO REPAIRS HAVE YET BEEN MADE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 57,000.
NHTSA complaint #10234381 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.