Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1998 Cadillac Deville, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Exterior lighting43
- Air bags34
- Engine and engine cooling33
- Service brakes, hydraulic32
- Electrical system21
- Visibility17
- Steering15
- Suspension13
- Vehicle speed control11
- Power train8
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 17 injuries and 2 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 6 1998 Deville vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 4 people died inside them, and 1 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1998 Cadillac Deville failed the safety check 1.34% of the time — 22% less often than the average 1998 passenger car (1.71%). Median odometer at inspection: 92,275 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In New Zealand
2 1998 cars are on the New Zealand register; 100% arrived as used imports, 0% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 1 variant: combined 13.0 L/100 km (about 18 mpg US), CO₂ 299 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| DeVille · Full-size · Premium gasoline | 15.5 | 9.8 | 13.0 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
3 Transport Canada recalls for the 1998 Cadillac Deville.
| 2000174 28 Aug 2000 | Airbag On certain vehicles, the side impact airbags may deploy unexpectedly, without a crash, as the vehicle is started or during normal driving. A driver or right fr… |
| 1998011 23 Jan 1998 | Structure THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH C.M.V.S.S. 219 - WINDSHIELD ZONE INTRUSION. THE HOOD HINGE PIVOT BOLTS MAY BREAK CAUSING EITHER CORNER OF THE HOOD NEAR THE W… |
| 1997188 29 Oct 1997 | Engine THE CANISTER PURGE EVAPORATIVE EMISSIONS HARNESS ON THESE VEHICLES MAY BE MISROUTED. UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS THE HARNESS MAY INTERFERE WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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.
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.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES, HEARSES AND LIMOUSINES. THE CANISTER PURGE EVAPORATIVE EMISSIONS HARNESS ON THESE VEHICLES WAS MISROUTED.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Cadillac told its dealers about the 1998 Cadillac Deville: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 634913 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ON A STEERING VIBRATION, SHUDDER OR MOAN NOISE DURING PARKING MANEUVERS. *TT |
| 631313 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ON HIGHER THAN EXPECTED OIL CONSUMPTION. *SLC |
| 629767 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ABOUT A STEERING VIBRATION, SHUTTER OR MOAN NOISE DURING LOW SPEED TURNING PARKING MANEUVERS. *TT |
| 629465 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ON A STEERING VIBRATION, SHUDDER OR MOAN NOISE DURING LOW SPEED TURNING/PARKING MANEUVERS. *TT |
| 628874 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL UPPER TRIM PANEL AND THE WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER GRILLE APPEAR TO BE LIFTING/LOOSE/WARPING. *TT |
| 623908 | THIS BULLETIN ADDRESSES CONCERNS WITH THE INSTRUMENT PANEL (IP) UPPER TRIM PANEL AND DEFORSTER GRILLE WHICH APPEARS TO BE LIFTING / LOOSE / WARPING. *TT |
| 623480 | INFORMATION REGARDING PRODUCT SAFETY CAMPAIGN, NON-CRASH DEPLOYMENT OF SIDE IMPACT AIR BAGS. *SLC |
| 619410 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMPLAIN OF A LOW SPEED POWER STEERING SHUTTER PRIMARILY DURING RIGHT TURNS THAT CAN BE FELT THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL AND SEAT. *TT |
| 619249 | CONCERNS WITH THE POWER STEERING SYSTEMS. *TT |
| 619248 | INFORMATION MESSAGE CONCERNING THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM APPLICABLE TO 1998 THROUGH 2000 MODEL YEAR CADILLACS. *TT |
| 619241 | THIS PRODUCT TECHNICAL INFORMATION CONCERNS AN INTERMITTENT STUMBLE OR STALL CONDITION. SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT INTERMITTENTLY THEY EXPERIENCE A STUMBLE OR STALL CONDITION WHEN COMING DOWN TO A STOP. IN MOST INSTANCES THE ENGINE WILL RESTART, SOMETIMES WITH AN EXTENDED CRANK, AND A POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P1599 MAY OR MAY NOT BE PRESENT. *TT |
| 619037 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMPLAIN OF A LOW SPEED POWER STEERING SHUTTER PRIMARILY DURING RIGHT TURNS. *TT |
| 617757 | SUBJECT REGARDING REVISED GUIDELINES - SERVICE PROCEDURE TO TEMPORARILY DISCONNECT SIDE IMPACT AIR BAGS - PART 2. *TT |
| 617756 | GENERAL MOTORS HAS NOTIFIED OWNERS OF CERTAIN VEHICLES THAT A CONDITION COULD EXIST THAT MAY CAUSE THE SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG TO DEPLOY UNEXPECTEDLY, WITHOUT A CRASH, AS THESE VEHICLES ARE STARTED OR DURING NORMAL DRIVING - PART 1. *TT |
| 617630 | THIS BULLETIN STATES THAT GM CAMPAIGN IDENTIFICATION NUMBER 00066 HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE GM VEHICLE INQUIRY SYSTEM (GMVIS) DATABASE FOR THE 1998-99 CADILLAC DEVILLE SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG RECALL. *TT |
| 617617 | GENERAL MOTORS RECENTLY NOTIFIED OWNERS OF CERTAIN VEHICLES THAT A CONDITION COULD EXIST THAT MAY CAUSE THE SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG TO DEPLOY UNEXPECTEDLY, WITHOUT A CRASH, AS THESE VEHICLES ARE STARTED OR DURING NORMAL DRIVING. *TT |
| 617616 | SUBJECT REGARDING RECALL CAMPAIGN 00066 - INADVERTENT DEPLOYMENT OF SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG. *TT |
| 615076 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE INTERIOR LIGHTS DO NOT COME ON WHEN OPENING A DOOR IN LOW LIGHT CONDITIONS, IF THE VEHICLE IS NOT LOCKED AND THE RKE TRANSMITTER OR KEY CYLINDER IS NOT ACTIVATED PRIOR TO OPENING THE DOOR. *TT |
| 614356 | CONCERNS WITH MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ILLIMINATES, SPEEDOMETER FLUCTUATES / INOPERATIVE, CRUISE CONTROL / TORQUE CONVERTER CLUTCH INOPERATIVE. *TT |
| 609639 | TRUNK MOUNTED 12 CD CHANGER EJECTS INTERMITTENTLY. YD |
| 6092576 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ON AN UNDERHOOD NOISE; TRACTION ENGAGED MASSAGE; ABS WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE C1225 SET. *TT |
| 6088866 | EXPERIENCING CLUNK, RATTLE OR METAL TO METAL NOISE FROM FRONT OF VEHICLE. *TT |
| 608389 | MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (MIL) ILLUMINATES, SPEEDOMETER FLUCTUATES/INOPERATIVE, CRUISE CONTROL/TORQUE CONVERTER CLUTCH INOPERATIVE. *MJS |
| 606086 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMPLAIN ABOUT A ENGINE COLD / KNOCK / TICK NOISE. *TT |
| 603831 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE VEHICLE THFT DETERRENT SYSTME ACTIVATES WHEN UNLOCKING THE DOOR WITH A KEY. *YC |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
POWER RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILURE
INADVERTENT OF SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG
INADVERTENT DEPLOYMENT OF SIDE AIR BAG
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation