Total Complaints
4 filings
CADILLAC DEVILLE · model year
1978 CADILLAC DEVILLE
4 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1978CADILLACDEVILLE carries 4 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 1978 DEVILLE is tires with 2 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components (1) and fuel system, gasoline:delivery:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings (1). 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 1978 DEVILLE, 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.
4
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| TIRES | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20110812TIRES
JETZON INNOVATION TIRE, P225/75R15, DOT U9HH, RCJ, 5110, D121, RADIAL DENSION 0341, 44210-1, R25502. THIS TIRE WAS MOUNTED AND IMMEDIATELY SEPARATED WHEN PARKED IN MY GARAGE AT HOME. THE OBVIOUS PROBLEM IS THE RUSTED STEEL IT WAS MANUFACTURED ON AND THE LACK OF ADHESION TO IT. I INFORMED THE COMPANY AND WAS TOLD IT WAS CAUSED BY MOUNTING AND WOULD NOT BE REPLACED. I AM 100% SURE THIS TIRE DEFECTIVE AND ANYONE MOUNTING THIS TIRE WOULD HAVE EXPOSED THE DEFECT. THIS TIRE WAS NOT EXPOSED TO THE ELEMENTS AND THE RUBBER AROUND THE RUSTED STEEL RIM BELT APPEARS TO HAVE DRY ROT LIKE CRACKS. I HAVE THE TIRE AND PHOTO'S TO SEND AT YOUR REQUEST. *TR UPDATED 12/15/11
19970624FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
FUEL LEAK DUE TO A PUNCTURED FUEL LINE. *AK
19960628TIRES
SEARS TIRE BLOWOUT. *SD
19950821SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
THE BRAKE HYDRAULIC CONTROL VALVE FAILED ON A MODULE THERE ARE NO BRAKE . TT
Compare 1978CADILLACDEVILLE to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
PE24011Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Electronic Brake Module Component Failure
PE22006Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Rear-View Camera Failure
PE19001Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Roof Skin Separation While Driving
EQ11001EQClosed
IEE Passenger Sensing System Mats
EA07017Engineering AnalysisClosed
REAR DRIVETRAIN COMPONENT FAILURE
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1978 CADILLAC DEVILLE have?▼
The 1978 CADILLAC DEVILLE has 4 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1978 CADILLAC DEVILLE?▼
The most-complained component for the 1978 CADILLAC DEVILLE is TIRES with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS and FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS.
Is the 1978 CADILLAC DEVILLE safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
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.