IllustrationTHIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES WHILE DRIVE THAT THE BRAKES JUST TOTALLY STOP WORKING WITHOUT ANY WARNING AND WITHOUT ANY PATTERN. A TELEPHONE POLE WAS HIT ONCE CAUSING THE DAMAGE LISTED THE LAST INSTANCE WAS WITHOUT INCIDENT OF INJURY OR DAMAGE BY USING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE
1988 Cadillac Allante
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1988 Cadillac Allante do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 27.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Allante years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
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: 0 of 21 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 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Air. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 1 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 reports0 fire reports0 injury reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
17 reportsEVERYTIME THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE BRAKE LIGHT GOES ON AND MESSAGE ANTI-LOCK DISABLED APPEARS. WHEN I TOOK IT TO CADILLAC DEALER THEY TOLD ME COST TO REPAIR WOULD BE $4,500 PLUS. HOWEVER, I HAVE HEARD FROM OTHER ALLANTE OWNERS THAT AFTER REPLACING WHOLE BRAKE SYSTEM THE PROBLEM IS LIKELY TO REOCCUR. *AK
ANTI LOCK BRAKES CONTINUALLY EXPERIENCE FAILURE. MJS
THIS PROBLEM CAUSES THE BRAKE LIGHT ON THE DASH TO COME ON WHENEVER I TOUCH THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE ANTILOCK IS DISABLED BECAUSE OF THE BRAKE LIGHT, AND AFTER A COUPLE OF SECONDS, THE PRESSURE IN THE SYSTEM WILL BUILD TO AN ACCEPTABLE LEVEL, AND THE ANTILOCK WILL PERFORM A SELF CHECK AND START WORKING. THE SELF CHECK CAUSES THE P…
Read full complaint
THIS PROBLEM CAUSES THE BRAKE LIGHT ON THE DASH TO COME ON WHENEVER I TOUCH THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE ANTILOCK IS DISABLED BECAUSE OF THE BRAKE LIGHT, AND AFTER A COUPLE OF SECONDS, THE PRESSURE IN THE SYSTEM WILL BUILD TO AN ACCEPTABLE LEVEL, AND THE ANTILOCK WILL PERFORM A SELF CHECK AND START WORKING. THE SELF CHECK CAUSES THE PEDAL TO CHATTER, AND ALL THE BRAKES TO MOMENTARILY RELEASE. THIS CAN CAUSE THE CAR TO LURCH FORWARD WHEN YOU EXPECT IT TO BE SLOWING DOWN... -- THE PARTS ASSOCIATED ARE QUITE EXPENSIVE - $350 FOR THE ACCUMULATOR, AND $1600 FOR THE SENSOR BLOCK.
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK
RECENTLY PURCHASED USED ALLANTE. THE ABS SYSTEM DISABLED KEEPS OCCURRING ON THE DIC. ALTHOUGH THE MANUAL BRAKES ARE WORKING. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE ABS ON THESE CARS. THEY SHOULD BE RECALLED & REPAIRED BY THE DEALER.
CONSUMER STS WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A TURN HIS ANTI-LOCK BRAKE PUMP FAILED CAUSING HIM TO HAVE NO BRAKES. TT
Official recalls
188V072000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly:filler Pipe And Cap
Apr 26, 1988
PRESSURE RELIEF VALVE IN FUEL CAP MAY STICK DURING THE TURN TO VENT FUNCTION, CAUSING THE VALVE TO REMAIN OPEN.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN FUEL SPILLAGE DURING AND AFTER ACOLLISION AND POSSIBLY A FIRE. VEHICLES WOULD NOT BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH FMVSS301.
Remedy: INSTALL NEW FUEL CAP.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA 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