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1988 Cadillac Eldorado

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

About this comparison →
2Owner complaints

Model-year median: 2

0Recall campaigns

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2Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
3
19850
19860
19872
19882
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1991
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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Engine
1Engine And Engine Cooling
1Vehicle Speed Control
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: 2 of 2 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. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Vehicle Speed Control complaints

1 reports
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67,409 miles · Apr 20, 2015
EngineVehicle Speed Control

FROM A COMPLETE STOP THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AS IF I HAD FLOORED THE GAS PEDAL. I BRAKED HARD AND BROUGHT THE CAR TO A STOP, THE ENGINE STILL RACING. I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE, WAITED A WHILE AND RESTARTED THE CAR. NORMAL OPERATION. I WAS TOO FAR FOR A TOW, SO I DROVE ~50 MILES TO MY DAUGHTER'S HOUSE. THE CAR ACCELERATED…

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FROM A COMPLETE STOP THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AS IF I HAD FLOORED THE GAS PEDAL. I BRAKED HARD AND BROUGHT THE CAR TO A STOP, THE ENGINE STILL RACING. I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE, WAITED A WHILE AND RESTARTED THE CAR. NORMAL OPERATION. I WAS TOO FAR FOR A TOW, SO I DROVE ~50 MILES TO MY DAUGHTER'S HOUSE. THE CAR ACCELERATED TWICE MORE AT FREEWAY SPEEDS. HARD BRAKE, PULL TO THE SIDE, SHUT OFF ENGINE, RESTART, EVERYTHING NORMAL. THIS HAS HAPPENED 5 MORE TIMES, TWICE WITH WITNESSES TO SEE THAT I DID NOT MISTAKENLY HIT THE GAS PEDAL INSTEAD OF THE BRAKE. MORE STUFF REPLACED OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS OCCASIONALLY. INDEPENDENT GM MECHANIC THINKS THAT THE COMPUTER DROPPING OUT AND RESTARTING AGAIN AT FULL-THROTTLE COULD CAUSE IT, AND THAT REPLACING THE COMPUTER WOULD NOT GUARANTEE A FIX. THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 85,000 MILES ON IT NOW AND IS IN OTHERWISE FINE SHAPE AS FAR AS THE DRIVETRAIN IS CONCERNED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10711825

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

C89001 · Throttle NON-RETURN

Opened Mar 6, 1989 · Closed Jan 16, 1990

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages

There is no summary currently available

EA88036 · Rear Disc Brakes

Opened Jul 22, 1988 · Closed Aug 30, 1991

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic

SUMMARY: CORROSION IN THE REAR BRAKE CALIPER PREVENTS AUTOMATIC ADJUSTMENT FOR PAD WEAR. THIS MAY EVENTUALLY CAUSE LOSS OF REAR SERVICE BRAKE AND PARKING BRAKE. GM HAS ADDED CORROSION PROTECTION AND CHANGED SPRING RATE TO CORRECT PROBLEM. SAME BASIC DESIGN USED ON ALL MODELS IDENTIFIED.