1998 Cadillac DEVILLE: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
173 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
74,211 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1998 model year. Data snapshot: . 69 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Exterior Lighting:Headlights is the most frequently named component, appearing in 28 of 173 complaints (16.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 28 | 16.2% |
| Steering behavior | 15 | 8.7% |
| Engine operation | 8 | 4.6% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 6 | 3.5% |
| Transmission and shifting | 4 | 2.3% |
| Fuel system concerns | 4 | 2.3% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Exterior Lighting:Headlights | 28 |
| Air Bags | 11 |
| Air Bags:Side/Window | 10 |
| Exterior Lighting:Headlights:Concealment Devices | 9 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 9 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 7 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 7 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor | 7 |
Exterior Lighting:Headlights: 28; Air Bags: 11; Air Bags:Side/Window: 10; Exterior Lighting:Headlights:Concealment Devices: 9; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 9; Engine And Engine Cooling: 7; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 7; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor: 7
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 5 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 13 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 17 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 13 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 18 |
| 150,000 and above | 3 |
Under 25,000: 5; 25,000 to 49,999: 13; 50,000 to 74,999: 17; 75,000 to 99,999: 13; 100,000 to 149,999: 18; 150,000 and above: 3
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (18). 104 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 29 |
| 2001 | 34 |
| 2002 | 20 |
| 2003 | 17 |
| 2004 | 22 |
| 2005 | 13 |
| 2006 | 11 |
| 2007 | 4 |
| 2008 | 6 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 3 |
| 2011 | 3 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2014 | 2 |
| 2015 | 3 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 1 |
2000: 29; 2001: 34; 2002: 20; 2003: 17; 2004: 22; 2005: 13; 2006: 11; 2007: 4; 2008: 6; 2009: 1; 2010: 3; 2011: 3; 2012: 2; 2014: 2; 2015: 3; 2017: 2; 2018: 1
Pattern summary
Exterior Lighting:Headlights leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 28 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 15 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 8 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10007758 · 2003-02-18 (February 18, 2003)
I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE HEADLIGHTS GOING OUT ON MY 1998 CADELLAC DEVELLE. THE PASSENGER SIDE LENS BLEW OFF THE CAR AND WENT FLYING. THE HEADLIGHT WENT OUT. I STOPED TO SEE WHAT HAD HAPPEN - SAW NO LENS ON THE ONE SIDE. CHECKED THE OTHER SIDE AND THE LENS WAS READY TO FALL OFF. I HAD NOT LIGHTS ON ONE SIDE AND IF I HAD NOT WIRED THE OTHER LENS IN PLACE IT WOULD HAVE BLEW OFF AND I WOULD HAVE HAD NO HEADLIGHTS. CONTACED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THEY ARE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM BUT SUGGESTED I CONTACT THE 800#. THEY REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING AB…
Owner-reported narrative. 103,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10007758 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10008105 · 2003-02-25 (February 25, 2003)
MY HEADLIGHT LENS BLEW OFF THE CAR AND HIT THE WINSHEILD. SINCE IT WAS RAINING AND SNOWING THIS CAUSED MY HEADLIGHT TO GO OUT. I STOPPED TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED AND SAW THE LENS WAS NOT ATTACHED TO THE ASM. IN CHECKING THE OTHER HEADLIGHT I FOUND IT TO WAS READY TO COME OFF. THE OTHER HEAD LIGHT WAS VERY LOOSE. THE DEALER HAD STATED THIS WAS A PROBLEM ON 1998 CADILLACS BUT STATE IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRENTY. CALLED THE 800 # AND WAS TOLD THE SAME THING. IN CHECKING I FOUND MANY COMPLAINTS AND ONE STATED THE POSITION CADILLAC IS TAKING I…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10008105 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10010320 · 2003-03-11 (March 11, 2003)
BOTH HEADLIGHT LENS CAME OFF. WAS TOLD BY DEALER THE LENS COULD NOT BE REPLACED BY ITSELF SO HAD TO PURCHASE AND INSTALL 2 SEALED HEADLIGHT UNITS. COST OF OVER $600. DEALER PICKED UP HALF THE COST. CAR HAD ONLY 40,000 MILES. I CALLED CADILLAC CUSTOMER SERVICE AND ALL THEY SAID THEY COULD DO WAS TO CONTACT THE DEALER WHICH I HAD ALREADY WORKED WITH. DEALER FEELS THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THE HEADLIGHTS BECAUSE 'WE REPLACE A LOT OF THESE ON '97 & 98' DEVILLES, GRAND AM'S, AND OTHER SIMILAR PRODUCTS. THESE ARE SEALED UNITS JUST LIKE ANY O…
Owner-reported narrative. 42,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10010320 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10015252 · 2003-04-11 (April 11, 2003)
CHILD SAFETY SEAT QUESTIONNAIRE MODEL NUMBER : 22-150-BNB. MR SCC *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10015252 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10016405 · 2003-04-23 (April 23, 2003)
IN APRIL 2001, AT 37,000 MILES, AIR CONDITION/HEAT FAN MOTOR FAILED AND WAS REPLACED (UNDER WARRANTY) BY A DEALER. AGAIN IN APRIL, 2003, AT 53,300 MILES, LOCAL DEALER SAYS MOTOR IS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDS TO REPLACED AT COST OF $420. ATTITUDE OF DEALER AND CADILLAC CUSTOMER SERVICE IS THAT "STUFF HAPPENS". MY BELIEF IS THIS FAILURE RATE INDICATES PROBLEM WITH QUALITY OF FAN MOTOR OR PROBLEM WITH MOTOR ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 53,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10016405 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10017513 · 2003-04-24 (April 24, 2003)
WHEN THE TRACTION LIGHT FLICKERED ON/OFF. THE CRUISE CONTROL AND BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED. WHICH ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10017513 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10019483 · 2003-07-03 (July 3, 2003)
THE HEAD LIGHT LENS FELL OFF UNKNOWINGLY, WHICH RESULTED IN THE BULB BLOWING OUT. THE HEAD LIGHT LENS WAS REPLACED AT NO COST TO THE CONSUMER.*JB *CB *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 33,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10019483 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10024628 · 2003-07-10 (July 10, 2003)
BOTH LENSES HAVE DETACHED FROM THE HEADLIGHTS. AS A RESULT, THE HEADLIGHTS BLEW OUT. *AK THE RIGHT HEADLIGHT LENS HAD FALLEN OUT ONTO THE HIGHWAY. THE RAIN STRUCK THE UNPROTECTED HEADLIGHT AND CAUSED IT TO BURN OUT. THE LEFT LENS WAS ALSO LOOSE BUT DID NOT FALL OUT. THE DEALER STATED THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. *SCC *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 77,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10024628 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
3 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
00V217000 · Air Bags:Side/Window
Reported: 2000-08-11 (August 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: 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.
NHTSA campaign record ↗97V183000 · Vehicle Speed Control
Reported: 1997-10-27 (October 27, 1997)
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES, HEARSES AND LIMOUSINES. THE CANISTER PURGE EVAPORATIVE EMISSIONS HARNESS ON THESE VEHICLES WAS MISROUTED.
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.
NHTSA campaign record ↗97V232000 · Structure:Body:Hood:Hinge And Attachments
Reported: 1997-12-18 (December 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: 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.
NHTSA campaign record ↗