10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 0 / 1
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 0 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 27,102 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
Loss of engine coolant on my 1996 Cadillac Deville. Took car into dealer and they diagnosed blown head gaskets. Repair called for engine removal and cost approx. $3400. I have heard of a number of other GM northstar engines having this same type of failure. My car has been dealer maintained since new and with only 85,000 miles on this car and the number of other similar failures reported, I consider this a manufacturers design fault.
- Gardner, KS, USA
Consumer noticed fluid on the garage floor under the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a mechanic who determined an oil leak due to a faulty engine gasket and a rusted radiator.
- Greenwood, IN, USA
While driving 65 mph engine exploded and vehicle caught on fire.
- Columbia, SC, USA
Consumer stated that while driving and without warning oil started to leak from the engine. Dealer notified.
- La Jolla, CA, USA
I have a 1996 Cadillac Deville that I purchased new. At about 83K miles, I noticed that an oil leak had started from under the engine. I took it in to the dealer near where I live now (moritz Cadillac in arlington, tx), and was told that the cause of the oil leak was the wearing out of the engine seals at the bottom of the engine. I was then told it would cost $1,800 to repair as it would require the complete removal of the engine from the car to repair (about 18 hours of labor). After some research on the web I found that this is apparently a fairly common problem with Cadillac's with the northstar engine. I believe this to be a design flaw in the engine, and because the cost is so high, makes it very difficult for owners to have the repairs done, and hence are driving cars that are both environmentally unsound and potentially unsafe due to the leaking oil.
- Southlake, TX, USA
Vehicle was leaking oil from several places. Took to dealer, and they put in gaskets, but it's still leaking oil.
- Broadview Hieghts, OH, USA
Oil line failed, due to crack.
- Oxhard Beach, CA, USA
Motor defective.
- Laguna Beach, CA, USA
Camshaft defective.
- Laguna Beach, CA, USA
When the right front tire hit a mudhole the water splashed and the engine pulley got wet and caused it to be very hard to turn.
- Monroeville, AL, USA
- Reading, PA, USA