IllustrationTRANSMISSION FAILED AT 63,000 MILES. VEHICLE HAD VERY "LIGHT" USE FOR FIRST 10 YEARS. WHEN PURCHASED IN 2004, ONLY HAT 47,000 MILES. WELL SERVICED, VERY WELL TAKEN CARE OF. *TR
1994 Cadillac Deville
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Deville years
Owner complaints for the 1994 Cadillac Deville are substantially higher than 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: 13 of 127 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 34 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 16 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 reports8 fire reports6 injury reports
Power Train complaints
7 reportsAUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED ON HIGHWAY AT 60MPH AND STARTED SMOKING. TRANSMISSION WAS STUCK IN 1ST GEAR, AND FLUID WAS LEAKING OUT FAST. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND HAS TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION AGAIN DUE TO CASING AROUND TRANSMISSION BEING CRACKED.*AK
OIL PAN GASKET, TRANSMISSION COVER GASKET AIR COMPRESSOR, WATER PUMP GASKET ALL FAILED WITHIN 50,000 MILES. *AK
TOOK CAR IN WITH A MINOR OIL LEAK. DEAL SAYS LEAKING AT CASE HALVES RESEAL CASE HALFS AND OIL PAN AND REPAIR MAIN BEARING BOLT HOLE THREADS $1176.37. PARTS: $310.37, LABOR: $866.00 DEALER SAID ENGINE HAS TO BE PULLED OUT TO REPLACE GASKET. TOLD DEALER NEVER IN 50 YEARS HEARD OF AUTO THAT HAD TO HAVE ENGINE PULLED TO REPLACE A GA…
Read full complaint
TOOK CAR IN WITH A MINOR OIL LEAK. DEAL SAYS LEAKING AT CASE HALVES RESEAL CASE HALFS AND OIL PAN AND REPAIR MAIN BEARING BOLT HOLE THREADS $1176.37. PARTS: $310.37, LABOR: $866.00 DEALER SAID ENGINE HAS TO BE PULLED OUT TO REPLACE GASKET. TOLD DEALER NEVER IN 50 YEARS HEARD OF AUTO THAT HAD TO HAVE ENGINE PULLED TO REPLACE A GASKET. DEALER SAID NORTHSTAR DID. INVOICE SHOWS 16 PARTS REPLACED. ON SECOND INCIDENT CAR SUDDENLY DOWNSHIFTED WHILE ON FREEWAY TOOK IMMEDIATELY TO DEALER. CAR SHOWED CODES: P094,P056,P-86. DEALER SAYS TRANSMISSION FLUID HAS SOMEHOW LEAKED ONTO WIRING HARNESS. DEALER SAYS NO MECHICAL PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION ITS AN ELECTRONIC CONNECTION BETWEEN ENGINE (NORTHSTAR) AND TRANSMISSION. 12 PARTS TO BE REPLACED AT COST OF $1584.00. SOME AUTO HAS ALMOST $4000 IN REPAIRS IN LESS THAN ONE YEAR. NORTHSTAR ADVERTISES MAINTENENCE FREE FOR FIRST 100,000. CALLED CADILLAC DIRECT AND THEY SAY CAR IS "TO OLD" FOR THEM TO CONSIDER HELPING ON REPAIRS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT, CAUSING VEHICLE TO DIE OUT. *AK
ENGINE CHECK LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. HAVE TAKEN TO DEALER TO CHECK. VEHICLE PUT ON DIANOGSTIC & TRANSMISSION PROBLEM WAS SHOWN. HAD GEARS SLIPPING. PROBLEM NEVER NOTICED BY OWNER WHEN DRIVING. *AK
AT 50K MILES OIL AND TRANSMISSION PAN RUSTED OUT. TT
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
4PE98005 · Erratic Turn Signal Operation
Opened Feb 6, 1998 · Closed Aug 27, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting
No summary supplied.
EA95025 · Dash Trim Separation
Opened Aug 31, 1995 · Closed Sep 30, 1996
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Unknown Or Other
A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER EXPENDITURE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
PE95025 · Dash Trim Piece Separation
Opened May 1, 1995 · Closed Aug 31, 1995
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Unknown Or Other
There is no summary currently available
SQ94016 · Brake Light Switch
Opened Feb 7, 1994 · Closed Mar 21, 1994
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch
There is no summary currently available