IllustrationTHERE IS A SYSTEM DESIGN PROBLEM ON ALL CADILLAC ALLANTE ABS BRAKE SYSTEMS. *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 reportsNO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK
WHEN BRAKE IS APPLIED, WARNING LIGHT COMES ON, BRAKE "THUMPS" (SKIPS), ABS IS DISABLED AND BRAKES WORK. I AM CAUTIOUSLY DRIVING CAR. LET NO ONE ELSE DRIVE. DEALER (FITZGERALD, ANNAPOLIS, MD) SAYS CAR IS SAFE, BRAKES WILL WORK. *AK
ORIGINAL ABS SYSTEM FAILED IN FALL OF 1998 AND WAS REPLACED WITH A REBUILT MASTER CYLINDER/ABS ASSEMBLY AT A COST OF $2900. 14 MONTHS AND 16000 MILES LATER, THIS ASSEMBLY FAILED AS WELL. THE LATEST FAILURE RESULTED IN NUMEROUS "ATTEMPTS" ON THE PART OF THE DEALERSHIP TO REPAIR THE SYSTEM, PUTTING THE CAR BACK ON THE ROAD, ONLY T…
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ORIGINAL ABS SYSTEM FAILED IN FALL OF 1998 AND WAS REPLACED WITH A REBUILT MASTER CYLINDER/ABS ASSEMBLY AT A COST OF $2900. 14 MONTHS AND 16000 MILES LATER, THIS ASSEMBLY FAILED AS WELL. THE LATEST FAILURE RESULTED IN NUMEROUS "ATTEMPTS" ON THE PART OF THE DEALERSHIP TO REPAIR THE SYSTEM, PUTTING THE CAR BACK ON THE ROAD, ONLY TO FAIL AGAIN. TWO FAILURES NEARLY RESULTED IN ACCIDENTS, ON AVOIDED BY DRIVING THE CAR OFF THE ROADWAY. REPAIRED SYSTEM IS CURRENTLY FUNCTIONING CONSISTENTLY WELL. I MAY BE CONTACTED DIRECTLY FOR FURTHER INFORMATION IF IT WOULD BE HELPFUL. I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A COMMON, AND EXPENSIVE PROBLEM ON THIS VEHICLE AS I HAVE LEARNED. THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER. DOUGLAS S. HERBERT (919) 682-3411. *AK
WHEN APPYLING ABS BRAKES BRAKE PEDAL BOUNCES BACK AND BECOMES HARD, ALSO, ABS BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATES. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK
SUDDENLY NO BRAKES, HAD TO HAVE TOWED. ABS PUMP FAILURE, REPLACED ABS PUMP RELAY. *AK
ABS SYSTEM NOT WORKING. WORRIED THAT BRAKES WILL FAIL ON ME AS THEY HAVE DONE ON OTHER ALLANTE OWNERS. *AK
WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, VEHICLE WOULD TAKE ABOUT 10 OR MORE SECONDS BEFORE BRAKES CATCH TO STOP. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER & WAS INFORMED THE MASTER CYLINDER IS CAUSING THE DELAYED REACTION TIME & NOT WORKING LIKE IT SHOULD. MASTER CYLINDER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. *AK *ML
NO SUMMARY
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