IllustrationTHERE HAS BEEN 2 TIMES THAT THIS ENGINE HAS FAILED ALMOST COSTING OUR LIVES.*AK
1990 Cadillac Deville
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1990 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: 9 of 76 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 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
10 crash reports2 fire reports6 injury reports
What owners actually said
76 reportsREPLACED THE WATER PUMP THREE TIMES WITHIN THE PAST TWO YEARS. TOO MANY OTHER PROBLEMS TO LIST. *AK
I HAVE WRITTEN TO CADILLAC AND WILL TRY TO ATTACH THAT NOTE. NO SAFETY DEFECT. *AK
SHARP PULL OF STEERING WHEEL WITH A HARD BRAKE APPLICATION DURING A NON-ABS STOP. *AK
THE MICHELIN TIRE BLEW OUT CAUSING A POSSIBLE COLLSION WITH ONE INJURY (LIMITED INFORMATION PROVIDED). *MJS
PE00020; TIRE TREAD SEPARATION: WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 65-70 MPH, TREAD ON THE REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE CAME OFF. DRIVER MANAGED TO GET VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD SAFELY. NO ONE WAS INJURED. FIRESTONE FR 360, TIRE SIZE P205 70R15, ON A 1990, CADILLAC, DEVILLE. NOT ORIGINAL TIRE EQUIPMENT. FIRESTONE WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE…
Read full complaint
PE00020; TIRE TREAD SEPARATION: WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 65-70 MPH, TREAD ON THE REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE CAME OFF. DRIVER MANAGED TO GET VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD SAFELY. NO ONE WAS INJURED. FIRESTONE FR 360, TIRE SIZE P205 70R15, ON A 1990, CADILLAC, DEVILLE. NOT ORIGINAL TIRE EQUIPMENT. FIRESTONE WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE TIRE. FIRESTONE PAID FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE TIRE, TOWING CHARGES, REPLACEMENT FOR A NEW BATTERY AND CAR DAMAGES. *AK THE CUSTOMER AGREED AND BOUGHT NEW FIRESTONE TIRES TO REPLACE THE OLD ONES BUT NOW DOES NOT FEEL SAFE TO DRIVE. *YH
HOBBIE DIAGNOSED AND REPLACED ENGINE MOTOR MOUNT IN MARCH 1999. WE HAD THE CAR CHECKED AT AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP IN JUNE 2000 (5676 MILES ON NEW PART) AND THEY FOUND THAT THE NEW MOUNT WAS BROKEN. WE FEEL THAT THE PART MAY HAVE BEEN BROKEN AT THE TIME OF INSTALLATION. CALLED BOTH HOBBIE AND GENERAL MOTORS. NEITHER WILL ACKN…
Read full complaint
HOBBIE DIAGNOSED AND REPLACED ENGINE MOTOR MOUNT IN MARCH 1999. WE HAD THE CAR CHECKED AT AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP IN JUNE 2000 (5676 MILES ON NEW PART) AND THEY FOUND THAT THE NEW MOUNT WAS BROKEN. WE FEEL THAT THE PART MAY HAVE BEEN BROKEN AT THE TIME OF INSTALLATION. CALLED BOTH HOBBIE AND GENERAL MOTORS. NEITHER WILL ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE MOTOR MOUNT IS DEFECTIVE NOR WILL THEY ADMIT TO A PROBLEM.
ENGINE MOUNTS WERE BROKEN / INTERMITTENT ROUGH IDLE CAUSED BY DEF GROUNDING SYSTEM.
WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH VEHICLE WAS IN AN HEAD-ON COLLISION ,AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK
WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED THE PEDAL WAS NORMAL. BUT VEHICLE EXPERIENCED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER REPLACED/REPAIRED THE FRONT DISC/SHOES, AND WHEEL CYLINDER, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXSITS. *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
3EA91019 · Engine Compartment Fires
Opened Mar 22, 1991 · Closed Mar 25, 1992
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
There is no summary currently available
PE91029 · Throttle Linkage Interfer
Opened Jan 7, 1991 · Closed Apr 16, 1991
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
There is no summary currently available
PE91016 · Engine Compartment Fires
Opened Nov 26, 1990 · Closed Mar 22, 1991
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
There is no summary currently available