AI Damage1999 Cadillac Seville: common problems
Owners of the 1999 Cadillac Seville filed 73 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 73
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 32% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 22% of all complaints
- 3 Suspension 12% of all complaints
- 4 Service brakes 11% of all complaints
- 5 Steering 11% of all complaints
- 6 Air bags 7% of all complaints
- 7 Vehicle speed control 5% of all complaints
- 8 Engine 4% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 23 complaints (32% of all).
- Electrical system: 16 complaints (22% of all).
- Suspension: 9 complaints (12% of all).
- Service brakes: 8 complaints (11% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Steering: 8 complaints (11% of all).
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 73 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 | 23 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 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.
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.
The hard fuel rail line has begun to leak and no GM dealers carries parts to resolve problem. The 1999 STS Cadillac is in good working condition but because of the leak, it is unsafe to drive.
The contact stated that after the vehicle was started, the temperature gauge displayed that the vehicle was overheating. The vehicle was not diagnosed however, the temperature gauge and the water pump was replaced but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure.
The contact stated that there was oil leaking from the vehicle. In addition, there was smoke and an abnormal odor. The exhaust manifold and the engine were being affected by the failure which could result in a fire.
He had fallen asleep waiting for his mother/my wife and the engine caught fire. He needed to climb out of window and pull his dog through the window. He injured himself and went to hospital.
When I drive at any speed randomly the gas gauge goes to empty,windows don't work, ac goes off but fan still blows, power locks don't work, lights stay on when I stop and get out, but when I put the key back in and turn it to the "on" position and back off everything works again my battery went dead a few times due to…
The contact was driving 25 mph when the vehicle began to overheat abnormally. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer to have the gasket replaced around the cooling system yet the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where the contact was informed that the engine would need to be replaced.
Around 100,000 miles on the engine the head gaskets break, and coolant leaks into the engine. No one will replace the gaskets. All you can do is spend a small fortune ($5,000 to $9,000) on a new engine. A waste of money since the next northstar engine will probably do the same thing.
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 4,331 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 12% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Seville has 31 complaints (26 years in the data). This year has 73, above average.
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.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Other years of this model
- Seville 19856 sources
- Seville 198611 sources
- Seville 198711 sources
- Seville 198811 sources
- Seville 19895 sources
- Seville 199019 sources
- Seville 199121 sources
- Seville 199227 sources
- Seville 199342 sources
- Seville 199450 sources
- Seville 199574 sources
- Seville 1996122 sources
- Seville 199795 sources
- Seville 199865 sources
- Seville 200038 sources
- Seville 200153 sources
- Seville 200245 sources
- Seville 200316 sources
- Seville 20049 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1999 Cadillac Seville?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, electrical system, suspension. Total complaints: 73. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: stalls while driving (19%), vibration (7%), steering or power steering problems (5%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1999 Cadillac Seville?
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 1999 Cadillac Seville 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 1999 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.