IllustrationTOTAL BRAKE FAILURE WITHOUT WARNING, DRIVING 45 MPH APPLIED BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN NO BRAKING AT ALL,I WENT INTO THE ROAD SHOULDER AND SOME HOW MANAGE TO STOP BY DRIVING THE CAR THROUGH TALL WEEDS. FAILURE DUE TO BRAKE LINE RUPTURE. *NM
1991 Cadillac Allante
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1991 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: 2 of 32 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 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. 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.
2 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
25 reportsWHILE REVERSING AT 10 MPH BRAKES FAILED , CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO HIT THE VEHICLE IN THE REAR. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS HARD WHEN DEPRESSED. *AK CONSUMER READ IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL THAT THE VEHICLE HAD DUAL BRAKES. MEANING, IF ONE PART FAILS THE OTHER PART WOULD WORK TO STOP THE VEHICLE. BRAKES WERE CHECKED BY A PRIV…
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WHILE REVERSING AT 10 MPH BRAKES FAILED , CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO HIT THE VEHICLE IN THE REAR. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS HARD WHEN DEPRESSED. *AK CONSUMER READ IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL THAT THE VEHICLE HAD DUAL BRAKES. MEANING, IF ONE PART FAILS THE OTHER PART WOULD WORK TO STOP THE VEHICLE. BRAKES WERE CHECKED BY A PRIVATE DEALER AND CONSUMER LEARNED HE HAD BRAKES GOING FORWARD BUT NOT BACKWARDS. *PH
BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON AT 2MPH IN TRAFFIC DURING A 400 MILE TRIP FROM PA TO MA. I CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AS BRAKING ABILITY WAS NOT COMPROMISED. AFTER 200 MILES (NEXT DAY) BRAKING ABILITY WAS GREATLY REDUCED, I PROCEEDED TO CADILLAC DEALER IN BROCKTON,MA. PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS A FAILED HYDRAULIC MODULATOR ASSEMBLY PART# …
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BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON AT 2MPH IN TRAFFIC DURING A 400 MILE TRIP FROM PA TO MA. I CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AS BRAKING ABILITY WAS NOT COMPROMISED. AFTER 200 MILES (NEXT DAY) BRAKING ABILITY WAS GREATLY REDUCED, I PROCEEDED TO CADILLAC DEALER IN BROCKTON,MA. PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS A FAILED HYDRAULIC MODULATOR ASSEMBLY PART# 3636719. ACCORDING TO DEALER THIS IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR THIS CAR. THE SYSTEM IS NOT WELL ENGINEERED (SEE NHTSA DEFECT INVESTIGATION# EA99017).*AK
WHEN APPLYING BRAKE THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP AND THE DRIVER WENT THROUGH RED LIGHT. THE BRAKE SYSTEM FOR THIS VEHICLE FAILS WITHOUT WARNING AND IS EXTREMELY DAMGEROUS. *YH
REPAIRED 6/99, USED PARTS, FAILED AGAIN 9/99 (A LITTLE DIFFERENT), $4000 REPAIR, ALL ALLANTE'S EXPERIENCING SAME PROBLEMS. VERY DANGEROUS, VERY EXPENSIVE TO FIX, BRAKES FAIL WITH NO WARNING. COULD CAUSE SEVERE ACCIDENT AND INJURE, KILL ALLANTE DRIVER, PASSENGERS, AND INNOCENT BYSTANDERS. GM DISCONTINUED USING THIS SYSTEM INST…
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REPAIRED 6/99, USED PARTS, FAILED AGAIN 9/99 (A LITTLE DIFFERENT), $4000 REPAIR, ALL ALLANTE'S EXPERIENCING SAME PROBLEMS. VERY DANGEROUS, VERY EXPENSIVE TO FIX, BRAKES FAIL WITH NO WARNING. COULD CAUSE SEVERE ACCIDENT AND INJURE, KILL ALLANTE DRIVER, PASSENGERS, AND INNOCENT BYSTANDERS. GM DISCONTINUED USING THIS SYSTEM INSTEAD OF DOING RECALL. IF YOU SENT QUESTIONAIRES OUT TO ALL ALLANTE' OWNERS, I'M SURE AT LEAST 70% WOULD SAY THAT THEY HAVE THIS PROBLEM. GM IS WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND HASN'T DONE ANYTHING ABOUT IT. IT'S ONE THING TO KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND COUGH UP THE $4000 TO HAVE IT FIXED, BUT IT'S CRIMMINAL FOR GM TO ALLOW PEOPLE LIKE ME TO EXPERIENCE THE PROBLEM FIRST-HAND AS I'M TRYING TO STOP AT AN INTERSECTION. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE STATISTICS ON ALLANTE' WRECKS AND HOW THEY HAPPENED. I'M SURE MANY HAVE BEEN BECAUSE OF THIS. THESE CARS SHOULDN'T BE ALLOWED ON THE ROADWAYS UNLESS THEY HAVE BEEN RETROFITTED WITH NEW SYSTEM. *AK
BRAKES FAILED IN THE PROCESS IN COMING TO A STOP. THEN VEHICLE WAS FREE WHEELING UNTIL THEY WERE PRESSED ALMOST TO THE FLOOR.*AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. THE PEDAL WENT COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR. I MADE IT INTO A PARKING LOT AND COASTED TO A STOP (FORTUNATE TIMING OF INCIDENT). I HAVE SINCE HEARD THIS IS NOT AN UNUSUAL OCCURENCE WITH THIS BOSCH BRAKE SYSTEM. I WAS ALSO TOLD TO REFRENCE ODI ACTION NUMBER EA-99-017. THIS SITUATION IS REALLY FRIGHTENING. …
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COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. THE PEDAL WENT COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR. I MADE IT INTO A PARKING LOT AND COASTED TO A STOP (FORTUNATE TIMING OF INCIDENT). I HAVE SINCE HEARD THIS IS NOT AN UNUSUAL OCCURENCE WITH THIS BOSCH BRAKE SYSTEM. I WAS ALSO TOLD TO REFRENCE ODI ACTION NUMBER EA-99-017. THIS SITUATION IS REALLY FRIGHTENING. CAN YOU FORWARD TO ME ANY ADVICE? *AK
THE BOSCH SYSTEM FAILED COMPLETELY. LOST ALL HYDRALLIC PRESSURE AND HAD NO BRAKES WHATSOEVER. APPARENTLY THIS IS A KNOW PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN EXPERIENCED BY ALL OWNERS AFTER 100K MILEAGE OR 7 YEARS OF AGE.*AK
NEED HELP FAST. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK( DOT NUMBER: NA TIRE SIZE: NA )
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