PlainCars

CADILLAC DEVILLE · model year

1986 CADILLAC DEVILLE

27 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1986CADILLACDEVILLE carries 27 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 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 1986 DEVILLE is engine and engine cooling:engine with 5 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (4) and service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (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 1986 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.

27
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

27 filings

Crashes Reported

1 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE5
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE4
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP2
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL1
STRUCTURE:BODY1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION1
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:HOSES/LINES/PIPING/FITTINGS1
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY1
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL1

Recent Complaints

20081008SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

1986 CADILLAC DEVILLE/FLEETWOOD ABS BRAKE SYSTEM. CONSUMER REQUESTS THAT ENFORCEMENT OF SAME INSPECTION, TESTING AND REPLACEMENT OF THE FAILED BRAKING PARTS FOR HIS VEHICLE. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE ABS DID NOT PERFORM IN A SATISFACTORY MANNER. THE CONSUMER STATED THE ABS WAS FLAWED. THE CONSUMER STATED WATER CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS THAT AFFECTED THE ABS. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED THE ELECTRICAL BRAKE PUMP HARNESS AT NO COST TO HIM. RECALL 87V093000 *JB

20000418ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

CAR DEVELOPED AN OIL LEAK, I THOUGHT IT WAS THE OIL PAN GASKET. TOOK IT TO A DEALERSHIP WHO CHANGED THE OILPAN GASKET. IT STILL LEAKED OIL, SO I REMOVED THE ENGINE. I DISCOVERED THAT THE BLOCK HAD A CRACK FROM THE CRANK SHAFT TO THE CAM SHAFT ON THE REAR OF THE ENGINE. I TRIED TO ALUMINUM WELD IT ONCE, BUT IT STILL LEAKED. *AK

20000313ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

WHILE DRIVING INTO THE DRIVEWAY UPON RETURNING FROM WORK, PARKED THE VEHICLE, NOTICED A PUDDLE OF WATER UNDERNEATH. LIFTED UP THE HOOD, COULD SEE WATER COMING OUT OF THE ENGINE CYLINDER GASKET. *AK

19991229LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

LATCH LOCK ASSEMBLY ON BOTH DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDES BECAME DEFECTIVE, NOT ALLOWING BOTH DOORS TO OPEN FROM THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. *AK

19991029POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

NO SUMMARY

19990918POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

NO SUMMARY

19990610STEERING:RACK AND PINION

DIFICULT STEERING WHEN VEHICLE IS COLD. ALSO, ENGINE LEAKS OIL. *AK

19990610ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

DIFICULT STEERING WHEN VEHICLE IS COLD. ALSO, ENGINE LEAKS OIL. *AK

19990407ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

DEVELOPED A LOUD TICKING/KNOCKING NOISE IN ENGINE. *AK

19981014SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER

MASTER CYLINDER FAILED. (ATTORNEY)

19980825ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

ENGINE FAILED AND VEHICLE SHUTDOWN. OWNER BELIEVES A DEFECTIVE CRANKSHAFT CAUSED THE PROBLEM.

19970425VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL

ACCELERATOR PEDAL INTERMITTENTLY STICKS WHEN APPLIED, ENGINE ACCELERATES TO HIGH SPEED, VEHICLE KEEPS MOVING WITH BRAKES APPLIED. TEST DRIVEN BY DEALER, NOT DUPLICATED. *AK

19951122ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

ALUMINUM ENGINE HAS FAILED AT 80K MILES. TT

19951108SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

WHILE DRIVING, DRIVER FRONT AND REAR SHOULDER/LAP BELT UNDER NORMAL MOVEMENT CAUSES TO COME UNDONE FOR NO REASON. TT

19951102POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)

TRANSMISSION MAKES A CLUNKING NOISE WHEN PUTTING INTO DRIVE/REVERSE, ALSO STIFF GEAR SHIFT.

19951102ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

CAMSHAFT BALANCER PULLEY FAILED, CAUSING ENGINE NOISE. *AK

19951102ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL

TPS SENSOR FAILED, RESULTING IN HIGH IDLE.

19951102ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:HOSES/LINES/PIPING/FITTINGS

UPPER ENGINE HOSE FAILED, CAUSING ENGINE LEAK.

19950818ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

THE ENGINE IS DEFECTIVE AND DOES NOT WORK AND WILL NOT START UP. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

19950711ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

THE MOTOR BLEW UP AND CADILLAC WILL NOT REPAIR IT. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

Compare 1986CADILLACDEVILLE to Similar Vehicles

DEVILLE vs FORDF-150 → DEVILLE vs FORDEXPLORER → DEVILLE vs JEEPGRAND CHEROKEE → DEVILLE vs FORDESCAPE →

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

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1986 CADILLAC DEVILLE have?▼
The 1986 CADILLAC DEVILLE has 27 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1986 CADILLAC DEVILLE?▼
The most-complained component for the 1986 CADILLAC DEVILLE is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE with 5 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP.
Is the 1986 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

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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.