AI DamageCadillac Seville: problems, complaints, bulletins
Summary for the Cadillac Seville across 26 model years: 801 owner complaints and 0 NHTSA service bulletins, plus repair videos. Pick a year for details.
Model years
| Year | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) | YouTube repair videos |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2002 | 45 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001 | 53 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 2000 | 38 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 | 73 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998 | 65 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 | 95 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1996 | 122 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 1995 | 74 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1994 | 50 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1993 | 42 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1992 | 27 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991 | 21 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 1990 | 19 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1988 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1987 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1986 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1985 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1984 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1983 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1981 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1979 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1978 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1977 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 21% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 12% of all complaints
- 3 Steering 11% of all complaints
- 4 Fuel system 10% of all complaints
- 5 Service brakes 10% of all complaints
- 6 Suspension 7% of all complaints
- 7 Air bags 7% of all complaints
- 8 Exterior lighting 5% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 172 complaints (21% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 100 complaints (12% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Steering: 89 complaints (11% of all), 6 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Fuel system: 83 complaints (10% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Service brakes: 77 complaints (10% of all), 13 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.
- 4.1 L · petrol · 8 cyl 1984–1987
- 4.5 L · petrol · 8 cyl 1988–1990
- 4.6 L · petrol · 8 cyl 1993–2004named in 4 complaints
- 4.9 L · petrol · 8 cyl 1991–1993
- 5.7 L · diesel · 8 cyl 1984–1985
- automatic, 4-speed 1984–2004
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 801 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and cooling | 172 | 2 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 100 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 89 | 6 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 83 | 1 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 77 | 13 | 0 |
| Suspension | 57 | 1 | 0 |
| Air bags | 55 | 25 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 42 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility | 39 | 1 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 38 | 3 | 0 |
| Equipment | 35 | 2 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 32 | 2 | 0 |
| Tires | 26 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 24 | 3 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
While stopped behind 3 vehicles at a stoplight I florida a female who said she was unfamiliar with driving her husbands stick shift vehicle stalled out. Two vehicles in front of me pulled around her when the light changed, this left about twenty feet between my car and hers.
On 05/2014 I came to a stop sign then I move on to get across the street when my cadillac shut down all electrical controls the engine came to a complete stop as my car lays dead in the middle of the street a vehicle going west hit my right front end so hard it twisted hood, front doors, fenders and engine parts…
While driving approximately 30 mph, the contact heard a loud whining noise coming from the steering wheel. The steering wheel became difficult to maneuver as the wheel seized without warning. The contact stated that as the steering failed, another vehicle crashed into the rear of her vehicle.
Applied brakes and front end did not dip as it should have; no gripping as it should have; felt grinding and slippage as vehicle continued forward without losing any momentum. There was sufficient stopping distance that vehicle speed should have been reduced and stopped.
Tl* the contact was a passenger in a 2002 cadillac seville. The contact was involved in a crash while traveling 65 mph. The driver of the vehicle crashed into a ditch and the air bag did not properly deploy. The vehicle was destroyed. The contact sustained a concussion to the head. A police report was filed.
I have a 1998 cadillac seville sls and was going through left curve on road 40-45 mph right rear axle broke, causing car to spin left then right. Parallel to road on the right and crashing into a big rock between two ponds that saved my life. Car had 70,000 miles on it.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Other models of this make
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.