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1998 Cadillac Deville

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Deville years

Owner complaints for the 1998 Cadillac Deville are substantially higher than the model-year median of 44.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

69 reports with mileage · 168 unknown

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.

  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 43 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 34 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 33 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

14 crash reports1 fire reports14 injury reports

Electronic Stability Control (esc) complaints

1 reports
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82,000 miles · Feb 15, 2018
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Service Brakes

MY 1998 CADILLAC DEVILLE NEEDS A VITAL PART TO IT'S ABS/TRACTION CONTROL FUNCTION. HOWEVER, GM HAS DISCONTINUED MAKING THE PART, (#19244918)WITH NO AVAILABLE SUBSTITUTE. THEREFORE, LEAVING MY CAR WITH NO ABS OR TRACTION CONTROL. ALSO, THE TRANSMISSION NO LONGER ENGAGES 1ST GEAR. (A SUPPOSED SAFTEY MEASURE)WHICH IN MOST CASES, ON…

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MY 1998 CADILLAC DEVILLE NEEDS A VITAL PART TO IT'S ABS/TRACTION CONTROL FUNCTION. HOWEVER, GM HAS DISCONTINUED MAKING THE PART, (#19244918)WITH NO AVAILABLE SUBSTITUTE. THEREFORE, LEAVING MY CAR WITH NO ABS OR TRACTION CONTROL. ALSO, THE TRANSMISSION NO LONGER ENGAGES 1ST GEAR. (A SUPPOSED SAFTEY MEASURE)WHICH IN MOST CASES, ONLY PUTS MY FAMILY'S SAFETY AT RISK. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND HOW OR IF, GM CAN LEGALLY PUT PROFITS BEFORE SAFETY.

NHTSA ODI #11073152

Official recalls

3

00V217000 · Air Bags:side/window

Aug 11, 2000

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME OF THE SIDE IMPACT SENSOR MODULES HAVE QUALITY PROBLEMS THAT CAN CAUSE AN INADVERTENT DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER OR PASSENGER SIDE IMPACT AIR BAGS. THESE SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOY WITH LESS FORCE THAN A FRONTAL AIR BAG AND ARE DESIGNED TO MINIMIZE THE RISK OF SERIOUS INJURY.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: HOWEVER, AN OCCUPANT CAN RECEIVE SOME INJURY FROM A DEPLOYMENT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE IMPACT SENSING MODULES. IF THE VEHICLE HAS HAD THE SIDE AIR BAGS TEMPORARILY DISCONECTED, THE TEMPORARY DISCONNECT WILL BE REMOVED BEFORE REPLACING THE SIDE IMPACT SENSING MODULES.

97V232000 · Structure:body:hood:hinge And Attachments

Dec 18, 1997

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH HOOD HINGE PIVOT BOLTS WHICH CAN BREAK DUE TO AN IMPROPER HEAT TREAT CONDITION. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 219, "WINDSHIELD ZONE INTRUSION." A BROKEN BOLT CAN CAUSE EITHER THE CORNER OF THE HOOD NEAR THE WINDSHIELD TO RAISE, OR ONE SIDE OF THE HOOD TO BE UNSTABLE WHEN OPENED.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE HOOD COULD BE PUSHED BACK THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD GLASS POSSIBLY INJURING THE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HOOD HINGE PIVOT BOLTS.

97V183000 · Vehicle Speed Control

Oct 27, 1997

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES, HEARSES AND LIMOUSINES. THE CANISTER PURGE EVAPORATIVE EMISSIONS HARNESS ON THESE VEHICLES WAS MISROUTED.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE HARNESS COULD INTERFERE WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL AND THROTTLE LINKAGE PREVENTING RETURN TO A CLOSED THROTTLE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLE FOR PROPER ROUTING OF THE HARNESS, CORRECT AS NECESSARY, AND INSTALL A PLASTIC TIE STRAP TO THE HARNESS.

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

3

RQ03001 · Power Rack And Pinion Steering Failure

Opened Jan 2, 2003 · Closed Sep 15, 2003

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering; Steering:rack And Pinion

GM CONDUCTED A SAFETY RECALL (NHTSA # 02V286) TO ADDRESS A STEERING DEFECT PERTAINING TO A LOWER PINION BEARING (LPB) WITHIN THE RACK AND PINION STEERING GEAR (R&P). THE RECALL COVERED 1,159,156 MODEL YEAR 1997-1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX VEHICLES BUILT BETWEEN MARCH 1, 1996 AND OCTOBER 31, 1997, 1996-1998 PONTIAC TRANS SPORT, CHEVROLET LUMINA APV, CHEVROLET VENTURE, OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE MINIVANS, AND CHEVROLET CAVALIER AND PONTIAC SUNFIRE SEDANS BUILT BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 1996 AND OCTOBER 31, 1997.ODI OPENED THIS RQ AFTER RECEIVING REPORTS THAT OTHER VEHICLES WERE EXHIBITING THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS THE RECALLED VEHICLES.BASED ON ODI'S REVIEW OF TECHNICAL AND COMPLAINT DATA COLLECTED DURING THE RQ, THE W-CARS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH EITHER A HIGHER STEERING COMPLAINT RATE OR A HIGHER LPB FAILURE RATE THAN THE OTHER VEHICLES INVESTIGATED UNDER THE RQ AND ARE ABOVE OR NEAR THE RATES FOR THE RECALLED VEHICLES.THUS, ODI WILL FURTHER EXAMINE THE W-CARS (1996-1997 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS SUPREME, 1996-1998 BUICK REGAL, CHEVROLET LUMINA, CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO, 1997-1998 BUICK CENTURY, AND 1998 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE) UNDER A NEW INVESTIGATION, ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA)03-019.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Steering

GM CONDUCTED A SAFETY RECALL (NHTSA # 02V286) TO ADDRESS A STEERING DEFECT PERTAINING TO A LOWER PINION BEARING (LPB) WITHIN THE RACK AND PINION STEERING GEAR (R&P). THE RECALL COVERED 1,159,156 MODEL YEAR 1997-1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX VEHICLES BUILT BETWEEN MARCH 1, 1996 AND OCTOBER 31, 1997, 1996-1998 PONTIAC TRANS SPORT, CHEVROLET LUMINA APV, CHEVROLET VENTURE, OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE MINIVANS, AND CHEVROLET CAVALIER AND PONTIAC SUNFIRE SEDANS BUILT BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 1996 AND OCTOBER 31, 1997.ODI OPENED THIS RQ AFTER RECEIVING REPORTS THAT OTHER VEHICLES WERE EXHIBITING THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS THE RECALLED VEHICLES.BASED ON ODI'S REVIEW OF TECHNICAL AND COMPLAINT DATA COLLECTED DURING THE RQ, THE W-CARS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH EITHER A HIGHER STEERING COMPLAINT RATE OR A HIGHER LPB FAILURE RATE THAN THE OTHER VEHICLES INVESTIGATED UNDER THE RQ AND ARE ABOVE OR NEAR THE RATES FOR THE RECALLED VEHICLES.THUS, ODI WILL FURTHER EXAMINE THE W-CARS (1996-1997 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS SUPREME, 1996-1998 BUICK REGAL, CHEVROLET LUMINA, CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO, 1997-1998 BUICK CENTURY, AND 1998 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE) UNDER A NEW INVESTIGATION, ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA)03-019.

Steering:rack And Pinion

GM CONDUCTED A SAFETY RECALL (NHTSA # 02V286) TO ADDRESS A STEERING DEFECT PERTAINING TO A LOWER PINION BEARING (LPB) WITHIN THE RACK AND PINION STEERING GEAR (R&P). THE RECALL COVERED 1,159,156 MODEL YEAR 1997-1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX VEHICLES BUILT BETWEEN MARCH 1, 1996 AND OCTOBER 31, 1997, 1996-1998 PONTIAC TRANS SPORT, CHEVROLET LUMINA APV, CHEVROLET VENTURE, OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE MINIVANS, AND CHEVROLET CAVALIER AND PONTIAC SUNFIRE SEDANS BUILT BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 1996 AND OCTOBER 31, 1997.ODI OPENED THIS RQ AFTER RECEIVING REPORTS THAT OTHER VEHICLES WERE EXHIBITING THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS THE RECALLED VEHICLES.BASED ON ODI'S REVIEW OF TECHNICAL AND COMPLAINT DATA COLLECTED DURING THE RQ, THE W-CARS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH EITHER A HIGHER STEERING COMPLAINT RATE OR A HIGHER LPB FAILURE RATE THAN THE OTHER VEHICLES INVESTIGATED UNDER THE RQ AND ARE ABOVE OR NEAR THE RATES FOR THE RECALLED VEHICLES.THUS, ODI WILL FURTHER EXAMINE THE W-CARS (1996-1997 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS SUPREME, 1996-1998 BUICK REGAL, CHEVROLET LUMINA, CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO, 1997-1998 BUICK CENTURY, AND 1998 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE) UNDER A NEW INVESTIGATION, ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA)03-019.

EA00004 · Inadvertent Of Side Impact Air Bag

Opened Feb 15, 2000 · Closed Sep 28, 2000

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags:side/window

There is no summary currently available

PE99061 · Inadvertent Deployment Of Side Air Bag

Opened Sep 27, 1999 · Closed Feb 15, 2000

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags:side/window

THIS SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG CAN INADVERTENTLY DEPLOY DUE TO A NUMBER OF ROOT CAUSED INCLUDING: ERRONEOUS ACCELERATION INPUTS OR FALSE ACTIVATION OF THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT ALGORITHM DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION IN THE SENSING AND DIAGNOSTIC MODULE (SDM); FALSE ACTIVATION RESULTING FROM AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE SDM WIRING HARNESS; AND FALSE ACCELERATION INPUTS RESULTING FROM IMPROPER SDM INSTALLATION.IN EACH CASE, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE INADVERTENT DEPLOYMENT TO OCCUR WITHOUT WARNING.THE SCOPE OF THE ENGINEERING ANALYSIS IS EXPANDED TO INCLUDE MY 1997 DEVILLE VEHICLES.ODI HAS IDENTIFIED 253 REPORTS ALLEGING INADVERTENT DEPLOYMENT OF A SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG ON 1997-1999 CADILLAC DEVILLE VEHICLES.GM HAS MADE 8 MODIFICATIONS IN THE MANUFACTURING OR DESIGN OF THE SIDE IMPACT SYSTEM IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES SOME OF WHICH ARE FOCUSED ON REDUCING THE POTENTIAL FOR AN ELECTRICAL SHORT.INADVERTENT DEPLOYMENT OF A SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG CAN RESULT IN UNWARRANTED INJURIES TO OCCUPANTS AND PRESENTS THE POTENTIAL FOR LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTOL. AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS IS WARRANTED TO DETERMINE IF A POTENTIAL SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS.