16 of the 135 complaints about the 1997 Cadillac Seville are about the steering — 12% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 87,325 miles.
16
Complaints
1
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
STEERING
97 CADILLAC SEVILLE,CLUNCKING IN FRONT END ,RACK AND PINION,CAN FEEL THE NOISE COMING FROM INSIDE THE RACK AND PINION. STEERING SEEMS TO LOCK UP WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT OR IN A TURN.
NHTSA complaint #10289895 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CADILLAC SEVILLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR REPAIR. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130,020.
NHTSA complaint #10241069 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:COLUMN
SMOKE AND SMELL OF ELECTRICAL FIRE COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN. IMMEDIATELY TOOK TO GM CADILLAC DEALER. THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AS THEY HAVE CORRECTED THE PROBLEM IN OTHER CADILLAC'S "SEVERAL TIMES". THE TURNSIGNAL SWITCH MELTED. THEY REPLACED TURNSIGNAL SWITCH & CANCELING CAMS. REASEEMBLED AND TESTED. PRICE: $392.47
NHTSA complaint #10127441 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
WHILE DRIVING AND GOING AROUND CORNERS THE STEERING VEERS TO ONE SIDE OR ANOTHER SUDDENLY. THERE IS ALSO STRANGE NOISES COMING FROM THE FRONT END WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS. IF THIS HAPPENS AT A HIGH SPEED I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO CONTROL IT AND SOMETHING SERIOUS COULD HAPPEN. THIS SEEMS RELATED TO OTHER 1997 GM RACK AND PINION FAILURES THAT I HAVE RESEARCHED. WILL HAVE THE RACK AND PINION REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #10126724 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
1997 CADILLAC SEVILLE STS POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN. STEERING EFFORT INCREASED INSTANTLY AND CAUSED THE CAR TO RUN OFF THE ROAD, NO DAMAGE OR INJURY FORTUNATELY AS THE SPEED WAS LOW. STEERING TO THE RIGHT IS COMPARATIVELY NORMAL BUT STEERING TO THE LEFT REQUIRES AS MUCH FORCE AS I CAN MUSTER, WORSE AT SLOWER SPEEDS (SUCH AS PARKING OR TURNING LEFT FORM A STOP OR CRAWL). I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND LARGE NUMBERS OF CADILLACS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND THAT IT IS NOT CONFINED TO THEM ALONE, IN FACT THERE SEEMS TO BE A LARGE QUANTITY OF GM PRODUCTS THAT HAVE THE SAME THING HAPPEN, SOME INVOLVING INJURY ACCIDENTS.
NHTSA complaint #10082390 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
IN MY 1997 CADILLAC STS THE STEERING GEAR WENT BAD. DURING A LEFT TURN IT WILL INTERMITTENTLY BECOME HARDER TO COMPLETE A LEFT TURN. TURNING RIGHT IS FINE. OVER 800000 GM CARS WERE RECALLED IN 1997 FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM HOWEVER CADILLAC IS NOT ONE OF THEM. WHEN I CONTACTED GM THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. WHEN IN A VEHICLE I FEEL IT IS IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO PREDICT THE RESISTANCE OF THE STEERING WHEEL AS IT MAY PERTAIN TO MY AND OTHERS FUTURE SAFETY.
NHTSA complaint #10064490 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
CAR WOULD NOT STEER TO THE LEFT STEERING LOCKED UP ON MY WIFE AFTER STEERING WHEEL WAS TURN TO THE RIGHT.HAD TO HAVE CAR TOWED HOME.CAN NOT DRIVE IT.
NHTSA complaint #10058531 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
POWER STEERING LOCKS UP / FAILS ONLY TURNING LEFT IN 1997 CADILLAC SEVILLE STS. HAPPENED ALL OF A SUDDEN, NEARLY CRASHED.
NHTSA complaint #10051162 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING
1997 SEVILLE STS WHILE STARTING TURN FROM A STOP THE TRACTION CONTROL APPLIES THE BRAKES SKIDS THE TIRES, TAKES AWAY THE ABILITY TO STEER AND DECELERATES THE ENGINE, THIS ALSO OCCURS WHEN DOING THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT (70) MPH. THE BOOK REQUIRES DRIVERS TO PULL OVER AND TURN CAR OFF THEN RESTART, DOING THIS ON THE FREEWAY PERMITS THIS TO OCCUR AT HIGH WAY SPEEDS. WENT TO DEALER, THEY SAY TO REPLACE THE STEERING SENSOR, CALLED MANUFACTURER THEY SAY TOO BAD CONSUMER.
NHTSA complaint #10043457 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
WHEN TURNING LEFT THE POWER STEERING IS NOT WORKING BUT WORKS TO THE RIGHT. THEN IT SEEMS TO WORK ALRIGHT A FEW TIMES THEN QUIT AGAIN WHEN TURNING LEFT. IT IS SO HARD TO TURN THAT I HAVE PARKED THE CAR.
NHTSA complaint #10002648 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP
POWER STEERING PUMP WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING, HAD TO BE REPLACED. IN JULY 2002 PUMP FAILED AGAIN WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH.
NHTSA complaint #8013999 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:RACK AND PINION:RACK
POWER STEERING RACK FAILED. MJS
NHTSA complaint #546110 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP
WHILE DRIVING DOWN A SIDE STREET TURNED INTO A PARKING LOT ON A RAINY DAY AND POWER STEERING FROZE, WAS NOT ABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL. CONTACTED DEALER , AND HE REPLACED THE POWER STEERING BELT.
NHTSA complaint #853018 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP
POWER STEERING BELT CONTINUALLY COMES OFF WHEN DRIVING OVER WATER PUDDLES. MJS
NHTSA complaint #606923 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
WHILE DRIVING THE RACK AND PINION BROKE. VEHICLE WAS HIT PRIOR TO THIS AT THE FRONT FINDER ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE DEALER HAS REPAIRED THE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #823503 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING
DRIVING 60MPH W/CRUISE CONTROL ON; BRAKES MAKING NOISES ON & OFF; SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. GOT OUT VEHICLE & NOTICED BRAKES & HUB CAP ON DRIVER'S SIDE HOT; STEERING VIBRATES ALL THE TIME; CRUISE CONTROL WENT OUT. TOOK TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS.
NHTSA complaint #818013 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.