U.S. public vehicle records

2003 Cadillac DEVILLE problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

145 owner complaints analyzed

4 distinct recall campaigns

69,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2003 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 105 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 44 of 145 complaints (30.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Electrical and battery issues	30	20.7%
Braking behavior	25	17.2%
Engine operation	14	9.7%
Steering behavior	14	9.7%
Transmission and shifting	12	8.3%
Fuel system concerns	4	2.8%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Electrical System

Air Bags

Engine

Steering

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Unknown Or Other

Vehicle Speed Control

Service Brakes

Electrical System: 44; Air Bags: 23; Engine: 16; Steering: 10; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 8; Unknown Or Other: 7; Vehicle Speed Control: 7; Service Brakes: 6

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 20; 25,000 to 49,999: 13; 50,000 to 74,999: 24; 75,000 to 99,999: 14; 100,000 to 149,999: 23; 150,000 and above: 11

50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (24). 40 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2024

2026

2002: 1; 2003: 10; 2004: 11; 2005: 3; 2006: 3; 2007: 7; 2008: 3; 2009: 5; 2010: 8; 2011: 3; 2012: 2; 2013: 10; 2014: 45; 2015: 17; 2016: 3; 2017: 1; 2018: 3; 2019: 3; 2020: 4; 2021: 1; 2024: 1; 2026: 1

Pattern summary

Electrical System leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 30 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 25 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 14 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10008719 · 2003-02-19 (February 19, 2003)

THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED, WHICH CAUSED THE INSTRUMENT PANEL TO BE INOPERATIVE.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10008719 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10044819 · 2003-10-27 (October 27, 2003)

INTERMITTENTLY INSTRUMENT PANEL MALFUNCTIONED. CONSUMER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FUEL LEVEL, AND COULD NOT INDICATE IN WHAT GEAR THE VEHICLE WAS IN. ALSO, AIR BAG LIGHT/BATTERY LIGHT/SERVICE AIR BAG INDICATOR, AND SERVICE TIRE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE OR DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 3,084 miles reported. Look up ODI 10044819 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10022960 · 2003-07-10 (July 10, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH, THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKE, HOWEVER THERE WERE NO BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER INDICATED THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A CLIP BUSHING WHICH WAS HOLDING THE BRAKE TOGETHER. *AK *TS. THE CONSUMER HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 11,284 miles reported. Look up ODI 10022960 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10040075 · 2003-09-16 (September 16, 2003)

WHILE BRAKING 20 MPH CONSUMER TEMPORALLY LOST BRAKE POWER FOR 20 SECONDS OR MORE. AS THE CONSUMER WAS TRYING TO GAIN CONTROL OF VEHICLE BRAKE RESUMED, AND VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO COME TO A STOP. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, BUT THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10040075 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10046383 · 2003-11-05 (November 5, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY STALLED. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 1,230 miles reported. Look up ODI 10046383 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10142094 · 2005-10-25 (October 25, 2005)

2003 CADILLAC DEVILLE ACT AS THOUGH IT IS GOING TO STALL OR RUN OUT OF GAS. *** NO ANSWER REQUIRED*** *TS THIS ISSUE HAD BEEN REPETATIVETHE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *SC

Owner-reported narrative. 1,483 miles reported. Look up ODI 10142094 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10083322 · 2004-07-20 (July 20, 2004)

WHILE DRIVING, THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT WHILE TRYING TO MAKE A TURN. THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANY DEFECTS . THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE HOME AND IT OCCURRED AGAIN. IT IS NOW WITH THE DEALER AGAIN AND THEY WILL TRY TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER FOR FURTHER DETAILS. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 38,007 miles reported. Look up ODI 10083322 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10105082 · 2004-12-20 (December 20, 2004)

THE EMERGENCY BRAKE PEDAL DOES NOT ENGAGE PROPERLY WHEN APPLIED. CONSUMER PRESSED DOWN ON THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. *AK.....THE BRAKE LOCKS UP TO THE POINT THAT IT TAKES PRESSURE FROM THE DRIVE TRAIN TO RELEASE THE PARKING BRAKE. IT SHOULD RELEASE WHEN IT IS PUT INTO REVERSE. ALSO, POWER STEERING MAKES A GROANING NOISE WHEN BACKING UP OR FIRST STARTING OUT. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 24,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10105082 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10099946 · 2004-11-05 (November 5, 2004)

MULTIPLE FAILURES WITH 2003 CADILLAC. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, CRUISE CONTROL CEASED AND THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPAIRED. *BF . THE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING IN A HEAVY RAIN STORM WHEN THE HEAD LIGHTS AND DASH BOARD LIGHTS WENT OUT. THE HEAD LIGHTS EVENTUALLY CAME BACK ON UNTIL ANOTHER HEAVY RAIN AND THEY WENT OUT AGAIN. CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE WATER PUMP WAS LEAKING AND THAT WAS THE REASON THE CHECK COOLANT LEVEL READING WAS BEING DISPLAYED. *TC *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10099946 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10182461 · 2007-02-13 (February 13, 2007)

I OWN A 2003 CADILLAC DEVILLE WITH 70,700 MILES. THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" WARNING LIGHT APPEARED ON VEHICLE CONTROL PANEL FEBRUARY 1, 2007. LOCAL CAR REPAIR TECHNICIAN IDENTIFIED AND CLEARED WARNING CODE. SUGGESTED I TAKE TO CADILLAC DEALER IF THE WARNING LIGHT REAPPEARED. WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN WED, FEBRUARY 7, 2007. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH REPAIR SHOP ON FEBRUARY 9, 2007. THE TORQUE CONVERTER, SEALS, GASKETS AND VALVE WERE REPLACED AND THE CAR WAS REPAIRED. OLD PART WAS NOT GIVEN TO ME. MY CONCERN IS THIS SAME REPAIR HAS BEE…

Owner-reported narrative. 70,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10182461 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10044595 · 2003-10-23 (October 23, 2003)

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECAL 03V238000 CONCERNING FUEL TANK PRESSURE SENSOR. DEALER DID NOT NOT HAVE THE PARTS TO PERFORM RECALL REPAIR. THIS DEFECT COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 3,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10044595 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10554455 · 2013-12-02 (December 2, 2013)

I BOUGHT A 2003 DEVILLE THE FUEL PUMP STAYS ON CODE SAYS HIGH PRESSURE OR LOW FUEL PRESSER OR MULTI MISFIRE . AND SAYS CHECKLOW COOLANT WHICH IS FULL AND ALSO TIRE MONITOR . I WAS TOLD BUY THE PLACE I BOUGHT FROM TOLD ME THEIR WAS A RECALL / IM AFRAID IT WELL CATCH FIRE I HAVE KIDS./ LIKE TO KNOW IF THEIR IS ONE SO I CAN TAKE IT TO GET FIXED. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 112,456 miles reported. Look up ODI 10554455 at NHTSA ↗