Total Complaints
4 filings
CADILLAC FLEETWOOD · model year
1988 CADILLAC FLEETWOOD
4 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1988CADILLACFLEETWOOD carries 4 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, 1 injury, 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 1988 FLEETWOOD is vehicle speed control:accelerator pedal with 1 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (1) and vehicle speed control (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 1988 FLEETWOOD, 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
1
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
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
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | 1 |
Recent Complaints
19990519VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THROTTLE PLATE STUCK AT 60 MILES PER HOUR. PIECES OF A.I.R. PUMP VANES FOUND STUCK IN THROTTLE PLATE. THIS WAS A POTENTIALLY A DEADLY SITUATION HAD THERE BEEN MORE TRAFFIC ON THE ROAD. THE IGNITION HAD TO BE TURNED OFF TO STOP THE CAR. THIS OF COURSE KILLED ALL POWER TO STEERING AND BRAKING. THE A.I.R. PUMP AND A.I.R. SWITCHING VALVE HAD TO BE REPLACED DEBRI CLEANED OUT OF ALL HOSES. *AK
19990519ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
THROTTLE PLATE STUCK AT 60 MILES PER HOUR. PIECES OF A.I.R. PUMP VANES FOUND STUCK IN THROTTLE PLATE. THIS WAS A POTENTIALLY A DEADLY SITUATION HAD THERE BEEN MORE TRAFFIC ON THE ROAD. THE IGNITION HAD TO BE TURNED OFF TO STOP THE CAR. THIS OF COURSE KILLED ALL POWER TO STEERING AND BRAKING. THE A.I.R. PUMP AND A.I.R. SWITCHING VALVE HAD TO BE REPLACED DEBRI CLEANED OUT OF ALL HOSES. *AK
19971217SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ABS BRAKE SYSTEM LEAKS DUE TO THE CAST ALUMINUM PUMP HOUSING BEING POROUS OR DEFECTIVE, CAUSING TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE.
19950901CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
AUTO-TRAN: GAS PEDAL STUCK IN OPEN POSITION AS DRIVER STARTED CAR, SHIFTED FROM PARK TO DRIVE; VEHICLE LURCH FORWARD; HIT TREE, TOTALED VEHICLE. *AK
Compare 1988CADILLACFLEETWOOD 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 1988 CADILLAC FLEETWOOD have?▼
The 1988 CADILLAC FLEETWOOD has 4 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 CADILLAC FLEETWOOD?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 CADILLAC FLEETWOOD is VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP and VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL.
Is the 1988 CADILLAC FLEETWOOD 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.