Illustration1994 CADILLAC SEVILLE HAD HOT COOLANT POUR ONTO THE DRIVER'S FOOT CAUSING SEVERE BURNS.*MR THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE, IT WAS DISCOVERED THE HEATER CORE HAD RUPTURED, IN ADDITION THE DEALER RECOMMENDED THAT THE WATER PUMP WATER PUMP HOUSING, HOSES AND THERMOSTAT. *JB
1994 Cadillac Seville
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 Seville 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: 8 of 50 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 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
4 crash reports5 fire reports4 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
21 reportsOIL WAS LEAKING OUT THE LOWER CRANK CASE, WHICH COULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT AND CAUSE THE ENGINE TO FAIL. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BY CONSUMER, AND WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK
THERE IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH CRANK CASE LOWER SEAL ON THE 4.6 NORTHSTAR ENGINE AND MANUFACTURER HAS NOT RESPONDED. OIL LEAK IS HITTING EXAUST AND CAT CONVERTER WHICH COULD CAUSE A FIRE. THIS SHOULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE AND A RECALL FOR REPAIR. THERE IS A TSB ON THIS ISSUE , BUT NO RECALL. I WANT A FIX!!! LOCAL DEALER WANTS OVER $2…
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THERE IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH CRANK CASE LOWER SEAL ON THE 4.6 NORTHSTAR ENGINE AND MANUFACTURER HAS NOT RESPONDED. OIL LEAK IS HITTING EXAUST AND CAT CONVERTER WHICH COULD CAUSE A FIRE. THIS SHOULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE AND A RECALL FOR REPAIR. THERE IS A TSB ON THIS ISSUE , BUT NO RECALL. I WANT A FIX!!! LOCAL DEALER WANTS OVER $2000 FOR REPAIR! DT
ON 7/25/01, ENGINE OVERHEATED AS PER ENGINE SCREEN. 255 DEGREES. REPLACED "FAILED THERMOSTAT" TOPPED OFF COOLANT AND RECHECKED. CAR SMELLED LIKE ENGINE HOT. VEHICLE LOST COOLANT. CALLED PUTNAM CADILLAC/BUICK. THEY CHANGED OIL & CHECKED. NO DETECTION OF OVERHEATING. 7/23/02 CAR DRIVEN TO PUTNAM CADILLAC. $5,153 CHARGED …
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ON 7/25/01, ENGINE OVERHEATED AS PER ENGINE SCREEN. 255 DEGREES. REPLACED "FAILED THERMOSTAT" TOPPED OFF COOLANT AND RECHECKED. CAR SMELLED LIKE ENGINE HOT. VEHICLE LOST COOLANT. CALLED PUTNAM CADILLAC/BUICK. THEY CHANGED OIL & CHECKED. NO DETECTION OF OVERHEATING. 7/23/02 CAR DRIVEN TO PUTNAM CADILLAC. $5,153 CHARGED TO TEAR DOWN HEADS & FOUND 5 STRIPPED HEAD BOLTS ON FRONT BANK AND ONE ON REAR BANK. SIX TOTAL THREAD REPAIRS. CYLINDER HEAD PRESSURE TESTED. RESURFACED & RESET VALVES. 6 HELI COILS INSTALLED. REINSTALL CYLINDER HEADS AFTER MACHINE SHOP REPAIRS. HEADS WERE CHECKED FOR WARPAGE DUE TO EXTREME HEAT CAUSED BY MANUFACTURER'S OVER-TORQUING THE HEAD BOLTS AND SPINNING THEM IN THEIR THREADS. NEW VALVE SEALS ADDED. REPLACED WATER PUMP. CADILLAC SERVICING CENTER REVEALED THAT NUMEROUS OTHER 94 SLS CADILLACS HAVE BEEN REPORTED AT OTHER SERVICE CENTERS TO HAVE THE SAME FLAW OF "LOOSE HEADBOLTS COMING LOOSE FROM THE ENGINE BLOCK CAUSING HEAD GASKETS TO LEAK & OVERHEATING." THIS IS DANGEROUS AND EXPENSIVE BECAUSE THE COMPUTER IN THE ENGINE STATES "SHUT OFF ENGINE" THIS OCCURRED JULY 23, 2002 WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT . WE HAD TO PULL OFF THE SHOULDER OF THE FREEWAY AND ALLOW THE CAR'S TEMPERATURE TO DECLINE. WE LIMPED HOME DANGEROUSLY BY HAVING TO DRIVE SLOWLY AND STOP SEVERAL TIMES TO KEEP THE TEMPERATURE DOWN.*AK
ENGINE SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING UP MOUNTAIN ROAD DUE TO OVERHEATING. PROBLEM DIAGNOSED BY DEALER AS BLOWN HEAD GASKETS DUE TO LOOSENING OF HEAD BOLTS. PROBLEM IS USE OF STEEL BOLTS DIRECTLY IN ALUMINUM BLOCK WHICH VIBRATE LOOSE OVER TIME, CAUSING LOSS OF ENGINE COOLANT. WIDELY RECOGNIZED PROBLEM BY REPAIR SHOPS AND THERE IS A …
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ENGINE SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING UP MOUNTAIN ROAD DUE TO OVERHEATING. PROBLEM DIAGNOSED BY DEALER AS BLOWN HEAD GASKETS DUE TO LOOSENING OF HEAD BOLTS. PROBLEM IS USE OF STEEL BOLTS DIRECTLY IN ALUMINUM BLOCK WHICH VIBRATE LOOSE OVER TIME, CAUSING LOSS OF ENGINE COOLANT. WIDELY RECOGNIZED PROBLEM BY REPAIR SHOPS AND THERE IS A TECHNICAL SEVICE BULLETIN ADDRESSING THIS REPAIR; NEVERTHELESS CADILLAC CLAIMS IT IS NOT AWARE OF ANY DESIGN DEFECT AND REFUSES TO ASSIST WITH REPAIR. REPAIR COST $4,600 TO REBUILD ENGINE OR $7,800 TO REPLACE ENGINE. PROBLEM DEVELOPED WITH NO WARNING AND CAUSED OCCUPANT AND FAMILY TO BE STRANDED.*AK
THE CYLINDER HEAD BOLTS STRETCHED RESULTING IN OIL LEAK AND HEAD GASKET FAILURE. LEAK VARIES FROM DROPS ON GARAGE FLOOR TO SMOKING OIL CLOUD FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT. CADILLAC MISDIAGNOSED PROBLEM WHILE UNDER WARRANTY AND PERFORMED WRONG REPAIR TWICE. CADILLAC WILL NOT ASSUME ANY RESPONSIBILITY EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A COMMON PRO…
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THE CYLINDER HEAD BOLTS STRETCHED RESULTING IN OIL LEAK AND HEAD GASKET FAILURE. LEAK VARIES FROM DROPS ON GARAGE FLOOR TO SMOKING OIL CLOUD FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT. CADILLAC MISDIAGNOSED PROBLEM WHILE UNDER WARRANTY AND PERFORMED WRONG REPAIR TWICE. CADILLAC WILL NOT ASSUME ANY RESPONSIBILITY EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM REGARDLESS OF ENGINE MILEAGE.*AK
ENGINE HALF CASE OIL SEAL FAILED RESULTING IN LEAKAGE, POSSIBLE ENGINE FIRE HAZARD. *MJS
ENGINE IS MADE OF 2 METALS, THEY EXPAND DIFFERENTLY, OIL USAGE IN VEHICLE IS 3 QUARTS WEEKLY. CADILLAC DEALER MADE CONSUMER AWARE OF THIS FACT. *AK
OIL IS LEAKING FROM CRANK CASE, POSSIBLY CAUSING OTHER RELATED DAMAGE. *AK THE OIL LEAK IS DUE TO DESIGN FLAW, WHICH THE MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF BUT RELACTANT TO REPAIR BEYOND WARRANTY. *YH
ENGINE OIL LEAKS, IN TWO PLACES, POSSIBLE HEAD BOLTS STRIPPED, GM RECOMMENDS REPLACEING ENGINE AT A COST OF $7,500. THE ENGINE HAS ONLY 72,500 MILES ON IT. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. GM SHOULD REPAIR THIS PROBLEM AT NO COST, DUE TO PROBLEM ORIGINATING FROM A DESIGN PROBLEM.*AK
Official recalls
294V158000 · Equipment:appliance:air Conditioner
Aug 31, 1994
IF THE AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR CLUTCH ASSEMBLY CONTACTS THE AUXILIARY ENGINE OIL COOLER OUT HOSE, THE HOSE MAY WEAR THROUGH ALLOWING ENGINE OIL TO LEAK IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: AN OIL LEAK THAT CONTACTS THE HOT EXHAUST SYSTEM CAN RESULT IN AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A TIE STRAP TO RETAIN THE AUXILIARY ENGINE OIL COOLER OUTLET HOSE TO THE AUXILIARY ENGINE OIL COOLER INLET HOSE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE RADIATOR ASSURING ADEQUATE CLEARANCE OF THE AFFECTED HOSE FROM THE AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR CLUTCH ASSEMBLY.
93V164000 · Vehicle Speed Control
Oct 1, 1993
THE THROTTLE CABLE CAN BECOME DISENGAGED FROM THE RETAINING BRACKET.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE DISENGAGED THROTTLE CABLE CAN INTERFERE WITH THETHROTTLE CAM MECHANISM, RESULTING IN THE THROTTLE STICKING IN EITHER THE OPENPOSITION OR CLOSED POSITION. WHEN THE THROTTLE STICKS IN THE OPEN POSITION,UNWANTED VEHICLE ACCELERATION WILL OCCUR WHICH MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: INSPECT THROTTLE CABLES TO ENSURE THE THROTTLE CONTROL CABLE IS FULLY SEATED IN THE RETAINING BRACKET AND INSTALL A CABLE TIE STRAP TO SECURE THE CABLE IN ITS CORRECT SEAT.
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
2PE94053 · Engine Compartment Fires
Opened Jul 14, 1994 · Closed Sep 16, 1994
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
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