AI Damage1987 Cadillac Fleetwood: common problems
Owners of the 1987 Cadillac Fleetwood filed 7 complaints with NHTSA, most often about fuel system and seats. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 7
What fails most often
- 1 Fuel system 29% of all complaints
- 2 Seats 29% of all complaints
- 3 Engine and cooling 14% of all complaints
- 4 Service brakes 14% of all complaints
- 5 Steering 14% of all complaints
- Fuel system: 2 complaints (29% of all).
- Seats: 2 complaints (29% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (14% of all).
- Service brakes: 1 complaints (14% of all).
- Steering: 1 complaints (14% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 4.1 L · petrol · 8 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 7 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 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.
Steering locks up at any given time or speed, but especially when turning hard left at a slow speed. 1987 cadillac fleetwood with rack and pinion. It's been doing this for 4 years but is much worse lately. My mechanic says it would cost a lot to fix so he's been kind of ignoring it.
The metal in the seat shell and/or mounting system to which it attaches broke, causing seat to fall backwards.
While driving on freeway at 55 mph applied the brakes and the speeds accelerate (5) more miles kept applying and there were no brakes. Please describe detai.
One of four steel brackets that hold seat to floor broke.
Intake manifold gasket failed, causing oil to mix with coolant, erroding bearing surfaces, resulting in engine bearing knock.
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 12,538 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 34% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Fleetwood has 10 complaints (18 years in the data). This year has 7, below average.
What to check before buying
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Seats. Occupant sensor, power adjustment, seat mounts.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1987 Cadillac Fleetwood?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: fuel system, seats, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 7. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: brake failure (14%), fuel system, fuel smell (14%), knocking, grinding or other noise (14%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1987 Cadillac Fleetwood?
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 1987 Cadillac Fleetwood 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 1987 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.