IllustrationDRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THEN, DRIVER PUMPED THE BRAKES THREE TIMES TO STOP. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL, AND DROVE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. MECHANIC ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM, BUT A SOLUTION COULD NOT BE DETERMINED AT THIS TIME. *AK
1989 Cadillac Allante
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1989 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
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: 0 of 37 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 35 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Equipment. 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.
0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
37 reportsEVERY ALLANTE OWNER SEEMS TO HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. DT
THE BRAKES WILL NOT WORK. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESED THE VEHICLE WILL NOT STOP, ALSO THE ABS LIGHT HAD ILLUMINATED. *JG
WHEN TRYING TO APPLY BRAKES BRAKE PEDAL WILL GO TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING VEHICLE TO HAVE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, NO BRAKES, THEN THE ABS PUMP STARTED AND BRAKES RETURNED. THE BRAKE SYSTEMS HAS BECOME UNRELIABLE. REAR BRAKES WERE NOT FUNCTIONAL (CALIPERS FROZEN), AND ACCUMULATOR REPLACEMENT RETURNED NORMAL FUNCTION FOR LESS THAN 12 HOURS.*AK
WHILE DRIVING 70 AND APPLYING BRAKES, THE ABS SYSTEM FAILED, CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. *AK THE DEALER REPLACED THE ACCUMULATOR, BUT DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *YH
WHILE COMING TO A STOP AT ABOUT 25 MPH APPLIED BRAKES AND HEARD A CLUNKING SOUND.THEN, BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. HE WAS ABLE TO COAST TO SIDE OF ROAD, GOT OUT, AND NOTICED BRAKE FLIUD ON THE GOUND. MECHANIC DETERMINED BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER HAD FAILED, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK
UNDERSTAND YOU ARE REVIEWING ANTI-LOCK BRAKES FAILURE ON THIS CAR. I AM ALSO EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM AND UNDERSTAND THERE HAVE BEEN MANY FAILURES ,18 INJURIES AND ONE DEATH FROM THIS PROBLEM. IS THERE A RECALL FOR THIS SYSTEM.*AK
EBCM FAILED, ANTILOCK SYSTEM INACTIVE, POOR BRAKING ABILITY AS ANTILOCK SYSTEM GOES NUTS FOR THE FIRST FEW MINUTES OF DRIVING,WENT TO DEALER TO REPLACE EBCM, PART NOT AVAILABLE ANYMORE FROM GMC. MY CAR IS NOW A SAFETY HAZARD. GM SHOULD CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SUCH A VITAL PART RELATED TO THE SAFTEY OF THE CAR.*AK
OUR 1989 & 1990 HAVE THE SAME DANGEROUS PROBLEM OUTLINED WITHIN 70% OF THE COMPLAINTS ON YOUR DEFECTS INVESTIGATION DATABASE. WHAT IS THE OUTCOME OF YOUR INVESTIGATIONS THERIEN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM? NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK
Official recalls
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 ↗
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