Total Complaints
16 filings
CADILLAC FLEETWOOD · model year
1989 CADILLAC FLEETWOOD
16 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1989CADILLACFLEETWOOD carries 16 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 1989 FLEETWOOD is service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip with 4 filings, followed by vehicle speed control (1) and fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly (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 1989 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.
16
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 |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 4 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL | 1 |
| STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| TIRES:TREAD/BELT | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20010723TIRES:TREAD/BELT
I REPORTED AND SENT THE FAILED TIRE (6/13 INCIDENT) TO FIRESTONE. AT THEIR INSISTENCE AND PROMISE TO REIMBURSE ME FOR REPLACEMENT TIRES, I BOUGHT 3 NEW TIRES. FIRESTONE'S REPLY DENIES THAT TREAD SEPARATION IS MANUFACTURER'S FAULT AND REFUSES TO REIMBURSE ME FOR COST OF NEW TIRES OR REPAIR TO VEHICLE.*AK (DOT NUMBER: VDM0A1B206 TIRESIZE: P205/70R15)
20001219ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
AIR WILL BLOW, CONSTANTLY CHANGING VENTS BY ITSELF, THE PANEL LIGHTS FLASH, AND THE CLIMATE SYSTEM CAN'T BE CONTROLLED, POSSIBLY AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. *SLC
20000519SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
20000510STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 35MPH AND SHE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE BECAUSE POWER STEERING WAS GONE. ALSO, UNDERNEATH THE COLUMN FRAME FELL APART, IT WAS HOLDING ON BY A FEW BOLTS. *AK *ML
20000510STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 35MPH AND SHE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE BECAUSE POWER STEERING WAS GONE. ALSO, UNDERNEATH THE COLUMN FRAME FELL APART, IT WAS HOLDING ON BY A FEW BOLTS. *AK *ML
19990823SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED, VEHICLE WILL NOT STOP WHEN THE BRAKES APPLIED AT ANY SPEED OVER 40 MPH. *YC
19990706VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
WHILE TRAVELING AT40-45 MPH ACCELERATOR SUDDENLY GOT STUCK IN OPEN POSITION, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO KEEP ACCELERATING. TO STOP VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN NEUTRAL AND THE KEY WAS TURNED OFF. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
19990409VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
SUDDEN ACCELERATION, VEHICLE ACCELERATED FROM, 45 TO 75 MPH DUE TO FAULTY IDLE MOTOR/REPLACED.
19990301ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WHILE TRAVELING IN THE VEHICLE 55 MPH THE ENGINE IDLES WITHOUT INDICATIONS TO 85 MPH. CONSUMER HAD TO TURN VEHICLE OFF TO GAIN CONTROL. *AK
19980710ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
WHILE DRVING AT NIGHT WOULD NOTICE THE PANEL LIGHTS KEPT GETTING DIMMER. HAD CALLED & SPOKE TO SERVICE MANAGER & WAS INFORMED TO BRING VEHICLE IN TO CHECK IT OVER. *AK
19980205SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ANTI-LOCK BRAKES FAILED, PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR WITH NO BRAKE CONTROL.
19960605SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM
POWER ASSIST BOOSTER OF THE BRAKE HAS FAILED AT DIFFERENT TIMES WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY.PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
19950426SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE, DEFECTIVE ROTORS, EQUIPPED WITH ABS BRAKES. TT
19950417SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ABS PUMP MOTOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. TT
19950301FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
GAS TANK SPLIT IN THE SEAM AT THE RIGHT TANK ON THE ORIGINAL AND REPLACEMENT, RESULTING IN GAS LEAK. TT
19950130VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THROTTLE STUCK AND HIT THREE OTHER CARS. TT
Compare 1989CADILLACFLEETWOOD 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 1989 CADILLAC FLEETWOOD have?▼
The 1989 CADILLAC FLEETWOOD has 16 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 CADILLAC FLEETWOOD?▼
The most-complained component for the 1989 CADILLAC FLEETWOOD is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL and FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY.
Is the 1989 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.