IllustrationLEFT REAR WHEEL CAME OFF, VEHICLE ATTEMPTED TO STOP BUT SLID OFF ROAD INTO DITCH. (OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT)
1986 Cadillac Fleetwood
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Fleetwood 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: 1 of 7 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.
- Electrical System. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 2 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 →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
1 crash reports2 fire reports1 injury reports
Wheels complaints
1 reportsOfficial recalls
490V093000 · Equipment:other:labels
May 9, 1990
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIMOUSINES BUILT BY EMPIRE COACH. VEHICLE ALTERERS LABEL MAY BE MISSING OR INCOMPLETE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH PART 567.
Remedy: ADD COMPLIANCE LABEL.
90V050000 · Seat Belts:front:anchorage
Mar 6, 1990
SAFETY BELTS (TYPE 1 LAP BELTS) FOR REAR FACING SEATS WERE NOT INSTALLED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: LACK OF RESTRAINTS COULD CONTRIBUTE TO OTHERWISE PREVENTABLE INJURY AND WOULD NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS 209 AND 210.
Remedy: INSTALL SAFETY BELTS FOR REAR FACING SEATS.
86V056000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights:switch
Apr 28, 1986
THE PUSH-PULL HEADLIGHT SWITCH MAY HAVE ELECTRICAL CONTACTS WHICH ALLOW AN INTERMITTENT HEADLIGHT CIRCUIT CAUSING HEADLIGHT TO FLICKER OR SUDDENLY GO OUT. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: SUDDEN LOSS OF THE HEADLIGHTS UNDER SEVERE WEATHER OR NIGHTTIME DRIVING CONDITIONS COULD REDUCE DRIVER VISIBILITY WHICH MIGHT RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. NOTE: ALSO, SEE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 86V131000.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Not supplied
Remedy: REPLACE HEADLIGHT SWITCH AS NECESSARY.
86V036000 · Electrical System:wiring:interior/under Dash
Mar 6, 1986
A WIRING HARNESS LOCATED UNDER THE INSTRUMENT PANEL MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY SECURED IN ITS RETAINER AND COULD INTERFERE WITH THE ACCELERATOR LEVER. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: THIS COULD PREVENT THE THROTTLE FROM RETURNING TO THE CLOSED (IDLE) POSITION WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS RELEASED, AND RESULT IN LOSS OF ACCELERATOR CONTROL AND A POSSIBLE VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Not supplied
Remedy: SECURE WIRING IN ITS RETAINER.
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
4PE89098 · Anti Lock Brakes
Opened Mar 10, 1989 · Closed May 17, 1989
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
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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.===
EA88019 · Hydro Boost
Opened Jan 28, 1988 · Closed Oct 31, 1990
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
There is no summary currently available
PE87038 · Hydroboost Failure
Opened Jul 9, 1987 · Closed Jan 28, 1988
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
SUBJECT VEHICLES:CAPRICE, CAPRICE CLASSIC, CUSTOM CRUISER, DEVILLE,ELECTRA, ESTATE WAGON, FLEETWOOD, LESABRE, NINETY-EIGHT, PARISIENNE,PARK AVENUE.(ALL 1984-86 GM VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HYDROBOOST II SYSTEMS)ANALYSIS:CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ALLEGE SEVERAL PROBLEMS INVOLVING THE POWERSTEERING AND POWER BRAKE SYSTEMS OF THESE VEHICLES.THESE PROBLEMSINCLUDE: POWER STEERING FLUID LOSS, POWER BRAKE FLUID LOSS, LEAKAGE FROMTHE HYDRO-BOOST II POWER BRAKE BOOSTER, BROKEN BOOSTER SEALS, AND MASTERCYLINDER FAILURE.ALL PROBLEMS SEEM TO BE RELATED TO THE HYDRO-BOOST IIPOWER ASSIST SYSTEM, IN WHICH THE WORKING FLUID PROVIDES POWER ASSIST TO BOKE BOOSTER.THE EFFECT OF THESE PROBLEMS COULD BE A LOSS OF STEERINGCONTROL AND/OR BRAKE EFFECTIVENESS.STATUS:THE VOLUMINOUS AMOUNT OF DATA SUPPLIED BY GM IS PRESENTLY BEING CODED BY A CONTRACTOR AND SHOULD BE COMPLETED BY 12/30/87. GM DATA INDICATED A 50% WEIBULL DISTRIBUTION FAILURE AT 50K MILES FOR THE PISTON PUSH-ROD SEAL. THIS PE LOOKS TO HAVE AN EXTRODINARILY HIGH FREQUENCY, ALTHOUGH THE SEVERITY APEARS TO BE LOW.SHOULD BE INTERESTING DISCUSSING THIS FOR UPGRADE/CLOSURE.===