IllustrationWHEN ENGINE FAILED CONSUMER WAS NOT ABLE TO DRIVE CAR. CONSUMER FELT THAT A BRAND NEW ENGINE SHOULD HAVE LASTED LONGER, ONLY LASTED 25000 MILES AND QUIT. ENGINE REPLACED WITH ONE OF THE SAME TYPE, WHICH IS FAILING AFTER 25000 MILES. *AK *ML
1987 Cadillac Deville
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1987 Cadillac Deville do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 44.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Deville 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: 3 of 40 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.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 3 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 reports3 fire reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
40 reportsWHILE WIFE WAS DRIVING SHE NOTICED STEAM WAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE. A TECHNICIAN TOLD HER THAT THERE WAS A LEAKAGE FROM THE ENGINE MANIFOLD. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ROOF OF CAR CAME OFF. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK
LEAK IN GASKET CAUSED ENGINE TO SPUTTER AND EMISSION OF SMOKE, RESULTED IN ENGINE FAILURE. QCAW
ABS LIGHT STAYS ON ALL THE TIME AND WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE VEHICLE VIBRATES.
VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED CONTINUED PROBLEMS WITH ABS SYSTEM, RECALL WORK DENIED DUE TO VIN#.
THE RACK AND PINION DOES NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY BEFORE FIVE TO TEN MINUTES AFTER THE VEHICLE IS STARTED.
SOLID MEDAL PART INSIDE THE WHEEL CRACKED.
BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR LEAKING.
Official recalls
187V093000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip
Jun 23, 1987
THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) PRESSURE/WARNING SWITCH MAY EXHIBIT BRAKE FLUID SEEPAGE WHICH EVENTUALLY CAN LEAD TO LOSS OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM HYDRAULIC PUMP MOTOR. ADDITIONALLY, THE HYDRAULIC PUMP MOTOR AND ABS ELECTRICAL RELAYS MAY HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO WATER CONTAMINATION DURING VEHICLE ASSEMBLY. THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE LOSS OF THE HYDRAULIC PUMP MOTOR AND/OR LOSS OF THE ABS FUNCTION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: LOSS OF THE HYDRAULIC PUMP MOTOR WOULD RESULT IN A TOTALLOSS OF REAR BRAKES AS WELL AS POWER ASSIST TO THE FRONT BRAKES. THE RED BRAKEWARNING LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE AND STAY ON. IF THIS WARNING IS NOT HEEDED, ALOSS OF REAR BRAKES AT A TIME WHEN MINIMUM STOPPING DISTANCE IS REQUIRED COULDRESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH. AN INOPERATIVE ABS ELECTRICAL RELAY COULD CAUSELOSS OF THE ABS FUNCTION, BUT NORMAL POWER ASSISTED BRAKING WOULD BE RETAINED.THE AMBER ANTI LOCK WARNING LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE AND STAY ON.
Remedy: THE ABS AND HYDRAULIC PUMP MOTOR ELECTRICAL RELAYS AND 30 AMP FUSES WILL BE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, THE HYDRAULIC PUMP MOTOR ASSEMBLY AND PRESSURE/WARNING SWITCH WILL BE INSPECTED AND, IF REQUIRED, REPLACED.
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
3EA89028 · Rear Brake Pin
Opened Jul 28, 1989 · Closed Jul 27, 1990
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
SUMMARY:THESE VEHICLES HAVE REAR DRUM BRAKES.THE PARKING LEVER PIVOTPIN IS HELD BY AN E RING.WHEN THE RING FAILS, PARTS OF THE RING ANDPIN FALL LOOSE INTO THE DRUM AND MAY JAM THE BRAKE, LOCKING THE WHEEL.A STRONGER E RING IS USED IN 1988 AND NEWER CARS.THIS INVESTIGATIONHAS BEEN EXPANDED TO INCLUDE GMS C BODY CARS LISTED ABOVE (E RING COMMONTO ALL CARS SHOWN).===
PE89098 · Anti Lock Brakes
Opened Mar 10, 1989 · Closed May 17, 1989
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
===
EA88031 · Sudden Acceleration
Opened Apr 22, 1988 · Closed Oct 23, 1989
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
STATUS:ANALYSIS OF INFORMATION FROM THE MANUFACTURER IS IN PROGRESS.HOWEVER, NEITHER NHTSA OF GM HAS IDENTIFIED A FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION THATCOULD RESULT IN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION.SOME VEHICLES IN THIS GROUP WEREFOUND POTENTIALLY SUBJECT TO THROTTLE CABLE RESTRICTIONS, AND WERERECALLED ALONG WITH H CARS WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS.INVESTIGATION ISCONTINUING.===