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1988 Cadillac Deville

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1988 Cadillac Deville do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 44.

About this comparison →
28Owner complaints

Model-year median: 44

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

2Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
19
198522
198640
198728
198848
198976
199087
1991
Compare all Deville years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Vehicle Speed Control
8Steering
7Tires
5Engine And Engine Cooling
4Service Brakes, Hydraulic
4
All reported categories
Electrical System
2Visibility
2Equipment
1Fuel System, Gasoline
1Structure
1Unknown Or Other
1Wheels
1

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 28 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.

  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Steering. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Tires. Review the 5 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 reports1 fire reports1 injury reports

Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints

4 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Apr 26, 2002
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingService Brakes, Hydraulic

HEADLINER WAS REPLACED. *SLC

NHTSA ODI #565453

Mileage unknown · May 5, 2000
Service Brakes, HydraulicCrash

APPROXIMATELY 1,OOO MILES AFTER REPLACING BRAKE PADS AND SHOES FOR FRONT BRAKES, CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN 2 REAREND ACCIDENTS. IN BOTH INSTANCES, VEHICLE WAS IN STOP AN GO TRAFFIC. CONSUMER APPLIED FULL FORCE ON BRAKES, VEHICLE DID NOT STOP, RESULTING IN ACCIDENTS. VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS AFTER 2ND ACCIDENT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #861516

Mileage unknown · Oct 10, 1998
Fuel System, GasolineService Brakes, HydraulicVehicle Speed ControlFire

WHILE CONSUMER'S WIFE WAS DRIVING VEHICLE REFUSED TO STOP WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED DUE TO IDLE SPEED CONTROL MOTOR FAILURE. VEHICLE LOST CONTROL. ALSO, BRAKES WERE SMOKING AND ON FIRE. VEHICLE HAD NO CUT OFF SWITCH TO STOP IT.

NHTSA ODI #781112

Mileage unknown · Oct 24, 1995
Service Brakes, HydraulicVehicle Speed ControlCrashInjury

UPON STARTING, PLACED INTO REVERSE GEAR, SUDDENLY ENGINE SURGED, THEN ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL, OVER POWERING BRAKE. TT

NHTSA ODI #973816

Official recalls

0

No 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

2

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.===