AI Damage2003 Cadillac Deville: common problems
Owners of the 2003 Cadillac Deville filed 145 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 145
- involving a crash
- 15
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 36% of all complaints
- 2 Air bags 17% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 11% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 10% of all complaints
- 5 Service brakes 10% of all complaints
- 6 Steering 8% of all complaints
- 7 Visibility 8% of all complaints
- 8 Engine and cooling 7% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 52 complaints (36% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Air bags: 25 complaints (17% of all), 9 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine: 16 complaints (11% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Powertrain: 14 complaints (10% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Service brakes: 14 complaints (10% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 4.6 L · petrol · 8 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 145 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 52 | 1 | 0 |
| Air bags | 25 | 9 | 0 |
| Engine | 16 | 1 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 14 | 1 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 14 | 3 | 0 |
| Steering | 12 | 2 | 0 |
| Visibility | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Equipment | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 3 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Front end collision at 42 mph that caused heavy front end damage and the air bag failed to deploy. My vehicle was in motion when the small pickup in front stopped short causing impact.
The air bags failed to deploy. The contact and the passenger sustained injuries that required medical attention. The vehicle was destroyed. A police report was filed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 48,000.
The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed and there were no injuries reported. The vehicle was towed to a dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 71,000. Updated 2/24/15 updated 03/02/15
The contact stated that while reversing out of the driveway, the brakes failed and the pedal sank into the floor. The contact mentioned that the vehicle rolled away in reverse and crashed into a fence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure.
The contact stated while driving approximately 40 mph, the brakes failed to stop the vehicle and the brake lights illuminated. The failure recurred multiple times. The vehicle has not been repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.
In october of 2008, after being parked for approximately twenty minutes, the vehicle rolled backwards into a parked vehicle. There was no prior warning of brake failure and no injuries. Three weeks ago, the vehicle disappeared after being parked for an hour.
The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The power steering was inoperable. In addition, the contact stated that the message that the key was not detected was displayed.
The abs & traction control indicators come up on the screen along with check as I'm driving. When this happens my brakes make a weird sound like a sprung spring and the brakes feel like they're gone but they're not. It's scary be sure I feel I may not be able to stop which to me is a safety hazard.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 2,704 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 7% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Deville has 83 complaints (33 years in the data). This year has 145, above average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Other years of this model
- Deville 19763 sources
- Deville 19784 sources
- Deville 19823 sources
- Deville 19835 sources
- Deville 19846 sources
- Deville 198519 sources
- Deville 198622 sources
- Deville 198740 sources
- Deville 198828 sources
- Deville 198948 sources
- Deville 199076 sources
- Deville 199187 sources
- Deville 1992135 sources
- Deville 199392 sources
- Deville 1994127 sources
- Deville 1995129 sources
- Deville 1996218 sources
- Deville 1997269 sources
- Deville 1998237 sources
- Deville 1999187 sources
- Deville 2000225 sources
- Deville 2001175 sources
- Deville 2002176 sources
- Deville 2004167 sources
- Deville 200595 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Cadillac Deville?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, air bags, engine. Total complaints: 145. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: stalls while driving (10%), warning lights, check engine (10%), windows, sunroof (7%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2003 Cadillac Deville?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2003 Cadillac Deville from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2003 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.