CADILLAC ELDORADO · model year

1999 CADILLAC ELDORADO

12 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1999CADILLACELDORADO carries 12 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 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 1999 ELDORADO is engine and engine cooling with 3 filings, followed by engine (2) and service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:rotor (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 1999 ELDORADO, 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.

12
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

12 filings

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

ComponentCount
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING3
ENGINE2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC1

Recent Complaints

20160610ENGINE

MY WIFE PURCHASED A 1999 CADILLAC ELDORADO IN 2009 AND IT ONLY HAD 38K MILES ON IT. NOW IN 2016 IT ONLY HAS 103K MILES ON IT BUT WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINE COOLANT TEMPERATURE GAUGE WILL FREQUENTLY GO FROM 'NORMAL' TO 'ENGINE HOT - A/C OFF'. AFTER SHUTING OFF THE ENGINE, LETTING IT COOL, AND TOPPING OFF THE COOLANT LEVEL, THE WILL OPERATE IN THE 'NORMAL' TEMPERATURE RANGE FOR SEVERAL MILES BUT THEN IT WILL SUDDENLY JUMP UP TO THE 'ENGINE HOT - A/C OFF' RANGE. THE CAR IS NOW AT A REPAIR SHOP AND THEY HAVE DIAGNOSED THAT THIS 1999 CADILLAC ELDORADO HAS FAILING CYLINDER HEAD GASKETS. RECALL - CAMPAIGN #99086 (MARCH 19, 2002) ACKNOWLEDGES THIS DEFECT AND THE REASONS FOR IT. WILL CADILLAC PLEASE HELP US WITH THIS PROBLEM? A 103,000 MILE CADILLAC ELDORADO SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS ISSUE AND, IF IT DOES, THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY.

Mileage: 103,000

20140728ENGINE

CADILLAC ELDORADO. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO INFORMATION ON VEHICLE ENGINE FAILURES. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE WAS REPAIRED. HOWEVER, IT HASN'T WORKED CORRECTLY SINCE. *JB

20110927SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CADILLAC ELDORADO. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE BRAKES ENGAGED ON THEIR OWN AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE STABILIZER CONTROL LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST THAT LOCATED THE FAILURE WITHIN THE STEERING SENSOR MODULE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE STEERING SENSOR MODULE, BUT THE FAILURE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE, AND WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 26,000.

Mileage: 23,000

20110902ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 CADILLAC ELDORADO. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO OVERHEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND FOUND THAT THE WATER PUMP AND THE OVER PIPE GASKET WERE LEAKING. THEY REPLACED THE WATER PUMP, THE OVER PIPE GASKET AND THE THERMOSTAT BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO RECUR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM FOR THE FAILURE AND TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER MECHANIC TO GET A SECOND OPINION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 184,320.

Mileage: 184,320

20050831SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

1999 CADILLAC EL DORADO. AT APPROX 75,000 MILES SUDDEN FAILURE OF REAR BRAKE LINE (BETWEEN TWO REAR WHEELS) DUE TO CORROSION. TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP. COST TO REPAIR $550. *JB

20050714SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS 1999 CADILLAC ELDORADO. IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL ON PAGE. 6-31 ON BRAKE WEAR IT STATES THAT BRAKE PADS HAVE BUILT IN INDICATORS THAT WILL MAKE A SOUND WHEN NEW BRAKES ARE NEEDED. THE INDICATORS DO NOT WORK. THERE ARE TWO SIDES TO THE BRAKE PADS. ON THE CADILLAC ELDORADO IT IS WEARING DOWN QUICKER ON THE INSIDE THAN ON THE OUTSIDE. THE INSIDE BRAKE PAD WEAR DOWN AND THERE IS METAL TO METAL SOUND. ONLY THE OUTSIDE BRAKES HAVE WARNING INDICATORS. THERE ARE NONE ON THE INSIDE. CONTACT EXPLAINED THIS TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE MANUFACTURER. HE THINKS THAT THEY SHOULD LET PEOPLE KNOW NOT TO WAIT UNTIL HEARING THE INDICATOR. BECAUSE IF THE INSIDE BRAKES WEAR OUT CONSUMER WILL NOT HEAR THE INDICATOR SOUND.*AK *NM

20050114FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM

VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT HOSPITAL AFTER DRIVING 2 MILES. WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, ENGINE OFF, NO KEYS IN IGNITION, VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT. VEHICLE TOTALED. *JB

Mileage: 33,000

20041026ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

VEHICLE STALLED ON ITS OWN. CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE LIGHTS APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER DEALER FOR INSPECTION, BUT MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

20041020ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS OF 25 MPH OR MORE. ALSO THE CONSUMER HAD A CONCERN THAT THE TAIL LIGHTS WOULD GO OUT WHEN THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER ON FIVE SEPARATE OCCASIONS AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *JB. *AK

Mileage: 36,000

20040629ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. DEALER EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND EXTINGUISHED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BY SERVICING THE ENGINE. THEN, ENGINE RAN ROUGHLY. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. WHO INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN. *AK

Mileage: 56,000

20040430ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

WHILE DRIVING THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT AND THE LOW COOLANT LIGHT COMES ON, THEN THE VEHICLE OVERHEATS. THIS IS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS LOSING COOLANT. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED BY THE DEALERSHIP 4 TIMES, IN WHICH THE RADIATOR AND THE WATER PUMP HAS BEEN REPLACED AND THE PRESSURE TESTED. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. *LA

Mileage: 123,000

20040113SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR

THE BRAKES WOULD PULSATE WHEN APPLIED. THE DEALERSHIP SERVICED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK THE DEALER ONLY GROUNDED THE ROTORS DOWN. *SC

Mileage: 26,000

Compare 1999CADILLACELDORADO to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 1 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1999 CADILLAC ELDORADO have?
The 1999 CADILLAC ELDORADO has 12 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1999 CADILLAC ELDORADO?
The most-complained component for the 1999 CADILLAC ELDORADO is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR.
Is the 1999 CADILLAC ELDORADO 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.