Engine
4.9L 8-cyl
How to read this file. Complaint records are unverified owner submissions to the federal safety agency. Counts are raw, not adjusted for sales volume or vehicle age. Recall campaigns apply to the model; only a VIN check shows whether this car is affected or repaired. Parts shown are named by an editorial note or listed as a search directory; none is a diagnosis. Full methodology.
Fault profile
Complaint-component records on this vehicle, grouped by family. A complaint naming two systems counts once in each.
Complaints are owner-reported and not verified by the agency.
When it fails
The timing of this vehicle's reported failures, from the complaint file itself. A cluster tells you what to expect and when; it is shaped by reporting behavior as well as by the vehicle.
Vehicle age when the failure occurred
Years between the model year and the owner's reported failure date. Based on 73 of 92 complaints with a usable failure date.
Known issues
The component families with the most complaint records against this vehicle. Counts, crash and fire figures belong to the whole family, not to any single named issue. Parts listed are related system parts, not a diagnosis.
Brakes
24 complaint records1 fire report2 crash reports
"ABS: WHILE DRIVING ANTI LOCK BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON; WHOLE PMV SYSTEM FAILED, COULD HAVE CAUSED WHEEL LOCK UP, SPEED 40 MPH, NO WARNING.*AK..."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse brakes parts in the directory →
Power train
19 complaint records7 fire reports
"UPON RELEASING FOOT FROM ACCELERATOR THEN DEPRESSING PEDAL AGAIN, VEHICLE GIVES ROUGH/HARSH BUMP WHEN ATTEMPTING TO INCREASE SPEED...."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse power train parts in the directory →
Electrical system
12 complaint records5 fire reports2 crash reports
"WHILE DRIVING, ENGINE CUT OFF SEVERAL TIMES, SUDDENLY NOTICED SMOKE UNDER HOOD, THEN VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE, FOR NO APPARENT REASON. *AK..."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse electrical system parts in the directory →
Recall campaigns
Safety-recall remedies are normally provided at no charge. Under US federal law the mandatory free remedy applies when the vehicle was no more than 15 years old at the time the defect was determined; manufacturers often cover older vehicles voluntarily. Canadian rules differ. Confirm eligibility with the manufacturer using the VIN. Each campaign number links to the federal record.
| Campaign | Component | Summary | Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 94V199000 | Power Train | THE UPPER TRANSAXLE OIL COOLER HOSE CAN PULL OUT OF THE CRIMPED COUPLING AT THE TRANSAXLE END OF THE LINE ASSEMBLY. | Normally free |
Transport Canada recalls
Recalls issued under Canadian law for this model year, from Transport Canada's Vehicle Recalls Database. Matched by model name, so a Canadian-market variant may appear here that was sold under another name in the US. Units are Canadian vehicles affected.
| Recall | System | Units (CA) | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996141 1996-09-16 | Fuel System | 13,310 | NOTE: VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4.9 LITRE ENGINES. AN INCORRECT ENRICHMENT CALIBRATION TO THE FUELING STRATEGY OF THESE VEHICLES WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER IS BEING USED MAY RESULT IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH C.M.V.S.S. 1103 - EXHAUST EMISSIONS. |
| 1994051 1994-03-14 | Powertrain | 71,790 | THE UPPER TRANSAXLE OIL COOLER HOSE COULD PULL OUT OF THE CRIMPED COUPLING AT THE TRANSAXLE END OF THE LINE ASSEMBLY. |
Service bulletins and warranty extensions
Manufacturer communications to dealers on file with the federal agency: repair instructions, service campaigns, and warranty extensions. A warranty extension means the manufacturer may pay for a repair the recall table does not cover.
| Bulletin | Type | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 130089009 Sep 2013 | Engine And Engine Cooling | Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules | |
| 01792 Jan 2004 | Engine And Engine Cooling | 4.0L L47, 4.6L LD8 L37 ENGINE WATER PUMP COVER P/N 12571913- THERMOSTAT LOOSE. ALSO INCLUDING MODEL 2003 CADILLAC ELDORADO. *MR | |
| 030601027 Oct 2003 | Engine And Engine Cooling | THIS BULLETIN IS BEING ISSUED TO INFORM DEALERS OF ENHANCEMENTS TO CRANKCASE, OIL DISTRIBUTION PLATE AND OIL PAN SEALING BY USING RTV SEALANT. *TT | |
| 990601010 Jun 1999 | Engine And Engine Cooling | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMPLAIN ABOUT A ENGINE COLD / KNOCK / TICK NOISE. *TT | |
| 577106A Feb 1997 | Power Train | COLD START RATTLE NOISE (DIAGNOSIS/SERVICE PROCEDURE). *TW |
Show 3 more bulletins
| Bulletin | Type | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 577106A Dec 1996 | Power Train | COLD START RATTLE NOISE. *TW | |
| 577106 Feb 1995 | Power Train | COLD START RATTLE NOISE. *TW | |
| 3179 | Power Train | SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT ON AND CHUGGLE OR SURGE. DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P0741 OR DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE 39 (TCC STUCK OFF). *TT |
Before you buy this vehicle
A test-drive checklist generated from this vehicle's own complaint and recall record.
- Brake hard once from speed on an empty road.A pull to one side, a pulsing pedal, a pedal that sinks at a stop, or an ABS light that stays lit are the brake complaints on this vehicle presenting themselves.
- Drive it from a dead stop, twice, on a hill if you can.Shudder, hesitation, or a lurch under light throttle is how this vehicle's largest complaint cluster shows itself. Then ask for the transmission service history in writing; repeat repairs are a pattern, not a fluke.
- Sit in it with the engine off and test everything that has a switch.Windows, locks, lights, the cluster, the radio. Electrical faults are this vehicle's story and the hardest to see on a drive: an intermittent no-start waits for the second week of ownership. Ask for the battery's age and whether any control module has been replaced.
- Run the VIN against open recalls before you negotiate.This vehicle has 1 recall campaign on file. An open recall needs VIN-specific confirmation. Many are quick, no-charge fixes and worth negotiating over; an unresolved do-not-drive advisory, or a remedy the manufacturer has not yet made available, should stop the purchase until it is resolved.
- Ask for the service history in writing, then read it against this page.The complaint families above are where owners of this vehicle report trouble. Repairs in exactly those systems are evidence the car had the problem; no such repairs could mean it never developed it, or that it was never fixed. The test-drive items above are how you tell those apart.
Parts search directory
The generic parts list for this vehicle has its own page: a search launcher for every system, filtered by fuel type and era but not by engine, trim, or brake type. It is not a diagnosis and not a fitment guarantee.
Open the parts directory for this Cadillac Deville →