AI Damage2002 Cadillac Seville: common problems
Owners of the 2002 Cadillac Seville filed 45 complaints with NHTSA, most often about suspension and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 45
- involving a crash
- 3
What fails most often
- 1 Suspension 27% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 16% of all complaints
- 3 Engine and cooling 16% of all complaints
- 4 Steering 16% of all complaints
- 5 Powertrain 11% of all complaints
- 6 Air bags 9% of all complaints
- 7 Service brakes 9% of all complaints
- 8 Engine 7% of all complaints
- Suspension: 12 complaints (27% of all).
- Electrical system: 7 complaints (16% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 7 complaints (16% of all).
- Steering: 7 complaints (16% of all).
- Powertrain: 5 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 45 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 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.
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.
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 was told they could not repair my car because the headlight was on a national backorder. They said there were no headlights available. My insurance covered a rental car for 30 days. I was then told I would be responsible for a car. It was suggested that I call cadillac customer service. I did so.
Car snakes extremely bad around 45 to 70 mph so bad it shakes the entire car like my wheels are loose or bent and so I bought 4 new wheels and got alignment no help did research and learned that it is due to type of torque converter in the car is a bad brand that messes up a lot and that gm hasn't acknowledged the…
Drive train cradle has weakened significantly from rust. While driving there is a looseness of the suspension felt and a shifting evident when accelerating and decelerating. I reside in minnesota and the d.o.t.
While the vehicle was stopped at a drive thru window, the seat belt mechanism exploded and smoke filled the cabin. There were no injuries. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 cadillac seville. While driving unknown speeds and making turns and lane changes, the steering wheel shook and made an abnormal clicking noise. In addition, the fuel cap warning indicator illuminated.
The contact stated that while driving at 25 mph, the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The failure recurred on numerous occasions. The vehicle was taken to a dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired.
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 5,630 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 15% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Seville has 31 complaints (26 years in the data). This year has 45, above average.
What to check before buying
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
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 199973 sources
- Seville 200038 sources
- Seville 200153 sources
- Seville 200316 sources
- Seville 20049 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Cadillac Seville?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: suspension, electrical system, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 45. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: vibration (22%), stalls while driving (16%), knocking, grinding or other noise (7%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2002 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 2002 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 2002 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.