Total Complaints
3 filings
CADILLAC SEVILLE · model year
1978 CADILLAC SEVILLE
3 NHTSA complaints. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1978CADILLACSEVILLE carries 3 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.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1978 SEVILLE is exterior lighting:headlights:high/low beam dimmer switch with 1 filings, followed by interior lighting (1) and fuel system, gasoline (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 10 investigation files overlapping the 1978 SEVILLE, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
3
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 |
|---|---|
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:HIGH/LOW BEAM DIMMER SWITCH | 1 |
| INTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20080512FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1978 CADILLAC SEVILLE. THE CONTACT SMELLS GASOLINE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE, AND OCCASIONAL NOTICES GASOLINE ON THE GARAGE FLOOR. SHE CALLED THE DEALER, BUT HAS NOT RECEIVED A RESPONSE. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 79V197000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:FUEL RAIL) WAS REFERENCED; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT WERE WAS NO SAFETY RECALL. IN 2006, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A GAS LEAK IN THE VEHICLE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 51,785 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,488.
Mileage: 50,488
19970122EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:HIGH/LOW BEAM DIMMER SWITCH
PLUGS TO DIMMER SWITCH ON FLOOR ARE CORRODED AND MELTING.
19970122INTERIOR LIGHTING
INTERIOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATED DUE TO DELAYED ENTRY SYSTEM.
Compare 1978CADILLACSEVILLE 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 SEVILLE have?▼
The 1978 CADILLAC SEVILLE has 3 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1978 CADILLAC SEVILLE?▼
The most-complained component for the 1978 CADILLAC SEVILLE is EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:HIGH/LOW BEAM DIMMER SWITCH with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include INTERIOR LIGHTING and FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE.
Is the 1978 CADILLAC SEVILLE 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 vintage: August 2026. 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.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1978 CADILLAC SEVILLE; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.