Total Complaints
25 filings
CADILLAC ALLANTE · model year
25 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1992CADILLACALLANTE carries 25 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1992 ALLANTE is service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip with 13 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:master cylinder (4) and structure:body:roof and pillars (2). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 10 investigation files overlapping the 1992 ALLANTE, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
25 filings
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 13 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER | 4 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK | 2 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 1 |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 |
THESE VEHICLES HAVE BOSCHE BRAKING SYSTEM THAT IS ACTIVATED BY A RELAY. THAT AND SEVERAL OTHER THINGS, ABOUT THIS SYSTEM, CAN CAUSE THESE BRAKES TO MALFUNCTION OR TO FAIL COMPLETELY ANY TIME THE CAR IS IN MOTION. THIS GENERALLY KNOWN TO ANYONE WHO OWNS ONE OF THESE CARS, AND TO GENERAL MOTORS. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SITUATION THAT CAN VERY EASILY CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH TO ANYONE CLOSE TO THESE VEHICLES. I WAS BLESSED THAT THIS HAPPENED IN MY DRIVEWAY AND DID NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT, BUT COULD HAVE BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AT 65 OR 70 MPH.
Mileage: 86,147
THESE VEHICLES HAVE BOSCHE BRAKING SYSTEM THAT IS ACTIVATED BY A RELAY. THAT AND SEVERAL OTHER THINGS, ABOUT THIS SYSTEM, CAN CAUSE THESE BRAKES TO MALFUNCTION OR TO FAIL COMPLETELY ANY TIME THE CAR IS IN MOTION. THIS GENERALLY KNOWN TO ANYONE WHO OWNS ONE OF THESE CARS, AND TO GENERAL MOTORS. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SITUATION THAT CAN VERY EASILY CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH TO ANYONE CLOSE TO THESE VEHICLES. I WAS BLESSED THAT THIS HAPPENED IN MY DRIVEWAY AND DID NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT, BUT COULD HAVE BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AT 65 OR 70 MPH.
Mileage: 86,147
WHEN THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE LOST ALL BRAKING ABILITY. *JB PH
Mileage: 20,127
TOP LATCH MECHANISM FAILED TO HOLD, AS INVESTIGATED BY NHTSA IN PE97-050. CAR HAD BEEN INSPECTED 9/99 AT DEALER, PER CADILLAC SPECIAL POLICY 98045. AT THAT TIME, CAR HAD 35,000 MILES. CAR HAD 46,000 MILES WHEN LATCH DISENGAGED FROM THE WINDSHIELD FRAME. CAR NOW HAS 51,000 MILES. AT TIME OF INCIDENT, LATCH WAS CYCLED TO REENGAGE. CONCERNED ABOUT PERMANENT FIX, DEALER REFERED ME TO CADILLAC. CADILLAC REFERED ME TO DEALER. DEALER'S ORIGINAL INSPECTION PER THE SPECIAL POLICY DID NOT PREVENT THE INCIDENT. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO PREVENT IT HAPPENING AGAIN. DT
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
THE ABS SYSTEM WS REPLACED APPROX. RWO THOUSAND MILES AND TWO YEARS AGO. IT HAS NOW FAILED FOR THE SECOND TIME AND THE CART HAS ONLY 31,000 MILES AND AT LEAST 1/4TH OF THE ORIGINAL BRAKE PADS LEFT. MANUFACTURE CHARGED $200 TOWARDS FIRST FAILURE AND NOW WANTS ME TO PAY HALF OF PART COST AND ALL OF LABOR TO REPLACE A PART WITH ONLY TWO THOUSAND MILES ON IT. *AK
COMPLETE ABS SYSTEM WAS ACTUALLY REPLACED TWICE ( AGAIN ON 09/22/1999 AT 62,434 MILES ) AS THE UNIT INSTALLED ON 09/17/1999, REPORTED HEREIN, WAS ALSO DEFECTIVE. PLEASE ADD THIS COMPLAINT TO YOUR FILES RELATING TO THE CURRENTLY OPEN INVESTIGATION OF THE ALLEGED BRAKING SYSTEM FAILURES ON 1987-1992 CADILLAC ALLANTE ODI ACTION NUMBER: EA99-017. *AK
THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE ABS AND MASTER CYLINDAR HAVE BEEN REPLACED. THE ORIGINAL OWNER ONCE AND MYSELF ONCE AT 3,000 DOLLARS EACH. WHEN THE PROBLEM HAPPENDED I HAD NO BRAKES AND IF I HAD BEEN ON THE INTERSTATE I WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED OR SOMEONE ELSES FAMILY COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. *AK
THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE ABS AND MASTER CYLINDAR HAVE BEEN REPLACED. THE ORIGINAL OWNER ONCE AND MYSELF ONCE AT 3,000 DOLLARS EACH. WHEN THE PROBLEM HAPPENDED I HAD NO BRAKES AND IF I HAD BEEN ON THE INTERSTATE I WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED OR SOMEONE ELSES FAMILY COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. *AK
BRAKE WARNING LIGHT IS COMING ON AND SOMETIMES BRAKES ARE TOO HARD TO STOP WITHOUT PUMPING. DEALER WANTS $5000 TO REPLACE MASTER CYLINDER BUT ADMITS THEY DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE CAR THEY MANUFACTURED AND CAN'T TELL ME WHATS WRONG. I CONTACTED CADILLAC ABOUT THE INCOMPETENCE OF THEIR AGENTS AND THEY REPLYED THAT THE DEALER WAS INDEPENDENT. I CAN'T SPEND $5000 TO FIND OUT IF THIS WILL FIX IT. THE MASTER CYLINDER WHICH THEY WANT TO REPLACE HAS BEEN REPLACED BEFORE IN A 59000 MILE CAR. I BELIEVE THE BRAKES ARE A SAFETY HAZARD ON THESE CARS AND THAT THE MANUFACTURER OUGHT TO HAVE TO REPAIR THEM UNDER A RECALL TO CORRECT THE DEFECTS.
THIS IS THE THIRD TIME IN LESS THAN A YEAR AND APPROXIMATELY 2500 MILES THAT WE HAVE BRAKE FAILURE. THE FIRST TIME THE VEHICLE ONLY LOST THE ABS -- THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS REPLACED WITH A CADILLAC RE-MANUFACTURED UNIT. THE 2ND FAILURE WAS TOTAL LOSS OF BRAKING -- A DIFFERENT CADILLAC DEALER (JACK WOLF, BELVIDERE, IL) REPLACED MASTER CYLINDER AGAIN WITH A RE-MANUFACTURED. THE LAST BRAKING SYSTEM WAS AGAIN A TOTAL FAILURE !!/6/1999. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO JACK WOLF , BELVIDERE,IL 11/08/1999. HAVE NOT HEARD STATUS AS OF THIS A.M.
THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM WAS REPLACED AT 62,000 MILES DUE TO POSSIBLE SAFETY HAZARD. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *YC
MASTER CYLINDER FAILED CAUSING THE BRAKES TO FAIL WHILE DRIVER WAS BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. NLM
SAME ABS BRAKE PART REPLACED WITH A RE-MANUFACTURED PART (NO NEW PARTS AVAILABLE) AT AROUND 32,000 MILES AND REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. THIS IS THE HYDRAULIC SERVO AND NOTHING TO DO WITH BRAKE PADS OR OTHER BRAKE PARTS THAT CAN WEAR FAST BECAUSE OF DRIVER.
I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAVE OPENED AN "ENGINEERING ANALYSIS" ON THE BRAKING SYSTEM ON 1987-1992 CADILLAC ALLANTES. I PURCHASED MY ALLANTE IN NOV 1998, AND A "REMANUFACTURED FOR GM" STICKER IS ON THE FLUID RESERVOIR ON THE MASTER CYLINDER, INDICATING THAT AT SOME POINT THIS COMPONENT HAS BEEN REPLACED. I JUST WANTED TO ADD MY CAR TO YOUR LIST OF ALLANTES THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE HIGHLY COMPLICATED SYSTEM FOUND ON THE 87-92 ALLANTE. I HAVE FORWARDED COPIES OF THIS FORM TO TWO ACQUAINTANCES WHO ALSO OWN ALLANTES AND HAVE ALSO HAD ANTILOCK BRAKE PROBLEMS WITH THEIR CARS.
TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE--NO BRAKING FUNCTION AT ALL. *AK
ABS MASTER CYLINDER FAILED RESULTING IN EXCESSIVE PEDAL PRESSURE AND LOSS OF STOPPING ABILITY.
BRAKES DO NOT STOP CAR PROPERLY. *AK
WHEN THE BRAKES GO OUT IT IS ALL YOU CAN DO TO STOP THE CAR.
Electronic Brake Module Component Failure
Rear-View Camera Failure
Roof Skin Separation While Driving
IEE Passenger Sensing System Mats
REAR DRIVETRAIN COMPONENT FAILURE
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.