1996 Cadillac Deville problems
The 1996 Cadillac Deville has 281 complaints on file with NHTSA. The largest share (16%) concerns steering. After that come engine (15%) and fuel system (13%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 281 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Steering 16% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 14 and 10
- Injuries and deaths
- 17 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 89,000 miles 50 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 1 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 2 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 6 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 12 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 10 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 10 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 1 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 2 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 2 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 3 |
| 200k+ miles | 1 |
What the data shows
Among the 50 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 89,000 miles.
Safety-related details: 14 complaints mention a crash; 10 complaints mention a fire; 17 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 1996 ranks 3rd most-complained-about out of 16 model years of the Cadillac Deville with enough data (146 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 2 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
While driving down the street and making a turn, another vehicle, toyota pickup truck behind, plowed into consumer's vehicle. Upon impact, airbags on both sides didn't deploy. Also, driver's seatback collasped. Contacted the dealer and manufacturer.
While traveling at 65 MPH in heavy traffic on highway a small black object appeared on pavement, consumer was unable to stop or turn right or left because of heavy traffic, vehicle passed over the object and it went between wheels and down middle of car. Both driver's side and passenger side air bags deployed. Consumer made it to shoulder. Consumer stated that passenger's side window broke, and that passenger and driver sustained cuts and burns. Consumer has contacted dealer.
Loss of engine coolant on my 1996 cadillac deville. Took car into dealer and they diagnosed blown head gaskets. Repair called for engine removal and cost approx. $3400. I have heard of a number of other GM northstar engines having this same type of failure. My car has been dealer maintained since new and with only 85,000 miles on this car and the number of other similar failures reported, I consider this a manufacturers design fault.
1996 cadillac deville had a cracked head gasket.** answer required***. The cracked gasket caused coolant to leak from the vehicle.