IllustrationABS BRAKE FAILURE. I HAVE CONTACTED ALL CADILLAC DEALERS IN ST LOUIS AREA AND THEY DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT SYSTEM. IT HAS NOT BEEN DRIVABLE NOW FOR 2 YEARS,AND IT SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH 1987 ALLANTES. *CB
1987 Cadillac Allante
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1987 Cadillac Allante do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 27.5.
Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.
About this comparison →34Owner complaints
Model-year median: 27.5
0Recall campaignsView recall details →
3InvestigationsView investigation details →
Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.
Inspection summary
1987 Cadillac Allante
NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 34 owner complaints · 0 recall campaigns · 3 investigations.
Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.
Top reported categories (up to 5)
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 25 reports
- Service Brakes, Air: 7 reports
- Power Train: 2 reports
- Electrical System: 1 reports
- Engine And Engine Cooling: 1 reports
Full reported-category list and vehicle report
Recall links
No recall campaigns in this snapshot.
Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.
Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.
How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Allante years →Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 3 of 34 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Air. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
1 crash reports1 fire reports1 injury reports
Service Brakes, Air complaints
7 reportsABS SYSTEMS ON ALLANTES DEFECTIVE--NHSTA ENGINEERS INVESTIGATING?
NO SUMMARY
NO SUMMARY
ANTI LOCK BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE UNABLE TO STOP CAR WITHOUT PRESSING DOWN WITH BOTH FEET DEALER ADVIASES THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THE CADILLAC ALLANTE THE GARAGE IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON THE CAR AND SAID THE REPAIR COULD EASILY BE OVER 2OOO.00 DOLLARS THERE IS NO WARNING WHEN THIS HAPPENS
UNDER NORMAL BRAKING CONDITIONS BRAKES WORK AS THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO, BUT IF ANY ADDITIONAL BRAKING PRESSURE IS NEEDED THE BRAKES FAIL WHILE DISPLAYING A MESSAGE THAT THE ABS IS DISABLED. AGAIN, THIS FAILURE WILL OCCUR ANYTIME MORE THAN NORMAL BRAKE PRESSURE IS REQUIRED.
I HAVE BEEN READING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM FOR A WHILE NOW... I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A SERIOUSE PROBLEM THAT MUST BE INVESTIGATED.... THANK YOU. STEPHEN NEARY
Recall campaigns
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
Defect investigations
3EA99017 · Braking System Failure
Opened Jun 30, 1999 · Closed Dec 28, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip
No summary supplied.
PE99012 · Braking System
Opened Feb 5, 1999 · Closed Jun 30, 1999
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
CONSUMERS ALLEGE A PARTIAL OR TOTAL LOSS OF BRAKING ABILITY
DP99001 · Braking System
Opened Jan 6, 1999 · Closed Feb 8, 1999
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
THE PETITIONER ALLEGE TOTAL LOSS OF ALL BRAKING ABILITY WITHOUT WARNING
An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.