1990 CADILLAC ALLANTE Service Brakes, Hydraulic Problems

POWER ASSIST BRAKE FAILURE. BRAKES ARE OPERATING AT 10 PER CENT BY PUMPING TO A GRADUAL STOP. DOWN-SHIFTING AND PANIC PUMPING AVOIDED A CRASH. *TR

Mileage: 73,000

WITHOUT WARNING, BRAKES ON MY 1990 CADILLAC ALLANTE FAILED AND I RAN INTO A TRUCK AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. *TR

Mileage: 70,000

WITHOUT WARNING, BRAKES ON MY 1990 CADILLAC ALLANTE FAILED AND I RAN INTO A TRUCK AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. *TR

Mileage: 70,000

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO APPLY THE BRAKES THEY FAILED COMPLETELY, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND MECHANIC STATED MASTER CYLINDER WAS LEAKING INTERNALLY WHICH CAUSED TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE. *AK *PH

Mileage: 36,758

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE DRVING, ANTI LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED. POWER WENT OUT, AND HAD TO APPLY BRAKES MANUALLY TO STOP VEHICLE. *AK CONSUMER STATES UNABLE TO GET PARTS TO REPAIR. *TT

BRAKES FAILED ELECTRONICALLY WITHOUT WARNING. *AK

AFTER FAILURE AND NEAR ACCIDENT, CADILLAC CORPORATION SAID THEY HAD AN INEXPENSIVE WAY TO REMEDY PROBLEM. THEY INSTALLED A BOOSTER TO ADD PRESSURE TO THE PEDAL. COST WAS $700. THIS DID NOT WORK. ANOTHER FAILURE DRIVING HOME WHICH ALMOST CAUSED ANOTHER ACCIDENT. NOW TOLD MUST REPLACE THE PUMP WHICH I DID. COST $3,382. I ASKED FOR THE OLD PART. SAID THEY WOULD HAVE TO CHARE ME ANOTHER $500 CORE CHARGE. I UNDERSTAND THIS BOSH BRAKE SYSTEM WAS THE SAME BRAKE SYSTEM RECALLED ON CHRYSLER VEHICLES. ALTHOUGH MANY MORE CHRYSLERS WERE SOLD THEN CADILLAC ALLANTE'S THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT CAN CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT AND LOSS OF LIFE. I AM TOLD THIS IS A MAJOR FAILURE IN ALLANTES'*AK

AFTER FAILURE AND NEAR ACCIDENT, CADILLAC CORPORATION SAID THEY HAD AN INEXPENSIVE WAY TO REMEDY PROBLEM. THEY INSTALLED A BOOSTER TO ADD PRESSURE TO THE PEDAL. COST WAS $700. THIS DID NOT WORK. ANOTHER FAILURE DRIVING HOME WHICH ALMOST CAUSED ANOTHER ACCIDENT. NOW TOLD MUST REPLACE THE PUMP WHICH I DID. COST $3,382. I ASKED FOR THE OLD PART. SAID THEY WOULD HAVE TO CHARE ME ANOTHER $500 CORE CHARGE. I UNDERSTAND THIS BOSH BRAKE SYSTEM WAS THE SAME BRAKE SYSTEM RECALLED ON CHRYSLER VEHICLES. ALTHOUGH MANY MORE CHRYSLERS WERE SOLD THEN CADILLAC ALLANTE'S THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT CAN CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT AND LOSS OF LIFE. I AM TOLD THIS IS A MAJOR FAILURE IN ALLANTES'*AK

I RECIEVED AN ANTILOCK DISABLED MESSAGE AND WITHIN 1 MILE THE BRAKES TOTALLY FAILED. THE CAR STILL HAD GOOD BRAKE PEDAL, BUT NO BRAKES AT ALL. THE EMERGENCY BRAKES FAILED AS WELL. FORTUNATELY, IT WAS 3:30 AM AND NO TRAFFIC. I WAS ABLE TO SWING INTO AN EMPTY PARKING LOT AND CIRCLE UNTIL THE CAR CAME TO A STOP. UPON TALKING TO SEVERAL OTHER ALLANTE OWNERS, I FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A FREQUENT OCCURANCE WITH THESE CARS. DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO BE KILLED BEFORE CADILLAC DOES SOMETHING ABOUT THIS POTIENTIALLY FATAL FLAW?*AK

ABS/MASTER CYL INDER FAILURE. CAR HAS A HARD BRAKE PEDAL AND WILL NOT STOP AS IT SHOULD. REPLACEMENT PART FROM CADILLAC HAS A LIST PRICE OF $3,066.00 PLUS ABOUT $500.00 IN LABOR. GM KNOWS THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH 87-93 ALLANTES AND SHOULD BE MADE TO RECALL THEM AND REPAIR THEM AT NO CHARGE. THEY SHOULD ALSO REINBURST ALL COMSUMERS WHO HAVE ALREADY PAID FOR THIS REPAIR. THIS IS TYPICAL GM NOT ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM. *AK

ABS/MASTER CYL INDER FAILURE. CAR HAS A HARD BRAKE PEDAL AND WILL NOT STOP AS IT SHOULD. REPLACEMENT PART FROM CADILLAC HAS A LIST PRICE OF $3,066.00 PLUS ABOUT $500.00 IN LABOR. GM KNOWS THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH 87-93 ALLANTES AND SHOULD BE MADE TO RECALL THEM AND REPAIR THEM AT NO CHARGE. THEY SHOULD ALSO REINBURST ALL COMSUMERS WHO HAVE ALREADY PAID FOR THIS REPAIR. THIS IS TYPICAL GM NOT ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM. *AK

LOST ALL BRAKING WHILE TRAVELING AT 55 MPH. WHAT ARE MANUFACTURERS RESPONSIBILITY?*AKK

WHILE EXITING THE HIGHWAY THE BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND WHEN DEPRESSED, CONSUMER TRIED TO STEER CLEAR OF AN UTILITY POLE BUT THE STEERING DID NOT SEEM TO RESPOND CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO HIT THE UTILITY POLE, CONSUMER SUFFERED A FRACTURED LEFT WRIST, FRACTURED RIGHT ANKLE, MULTIPLE LACERATIONS ON THE RIGHT HAND AND LOWER ARM, LACERATIONS AROUND RIGHT EYE, BRUISED SHOULDER AND CHEST, BRUISED KNEE AND STRAINED MUSCLES IN LEFT SHOULDER AND NECK. NLM

WHILE EXITING THE HIGHWAY THE BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND WHEN DEPRESSED, CONSUMER TRIED TO STEER CLEAR OF AN UTILITY POLE BUT THE STEERING DID NOT SEEM TO RESPOND CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO HIT THE UTILITY POLE, CONSUMER SUFFERED A FRACTURED LEFT WRIST, FRACTURED RIGHT ANKLE, MULTIPLE LACERATIONS ON THE RIGHT HAND AND LOWER ARM, LACERATIONS AROUND RIGHT EYE, BRUISED SHOULDER AND CHEST, BRUISED KNEE AND STRAINED MUSCLES IN LEFT SHOULDER AND NECK. NLM

ABS BRAKES DID NOT OPERATE PROPERLY. COULD NOT STOP VEHICLE. PUT TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL AND PUMPED THE PARKING BRAKE.THIS WAS A LIFE THREATENING EPISODE. *AK .

OVER THE LAST YEAR WHILE BRAKING THE DRIVER INFO DISPLAY WOULD SHOW ANTILOCK-TRACTION DISABLED, THEN WOULD FLASH ANTILOCK OK, TRACTION OK. VEHICLE SEEMED TO BRAKE JUST FINE AND SINCE THE DISPLAY SAID IT WAS OK I DID'NT THINK IT WAS A PROBLEM, THEN ON 5-30-00 WHILE DRIVING HOME DOWN MY STREET THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP AND THE RED BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON THE DASH. THIS HAPPENED ALL WITHOUT WARNING. THE LAST TIME THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED IT SHOWED NO SIGNS OF TROUBLE. FROM WHAT I HEAR THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR CADILLAC ALLANTE FROM 87-92. IKNOW THAT THERE WERE NOT MANY OF THESE CARS MADE (ABOUT 3000 PER YEAR) BUT IF THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THEN I FEEL THIS MUST BE ADDRESSED, SINCE IT IS SAFTEY RELATED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *AK

ODI ACTION NUMBER: EA99-017 I GOT A MESSAGE ON MY MESSAGE CENTER THAT MY ALLANTE'S ABS SYSTEM WAS DISABLED SO I TOOK IT INTO MY DEALER. ON THE WAY THE BRAKES WENT TOTALLY OUT, ALMOST CAUSING AT LEAST ONE ACCIDENT. NOW I AM FINDING OUT FROM OTHER OWNERS OF CADILLAC ALLANTES THAT THIS IS HOW THE FOUND OUT ABOUT A MODEL WIDE PROBLEM. YOUR BRAKES GO OUT IS HOW YOU FIND YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH YOUR BRAKES. I HAD DRIVEN FEWER THAN TEN MILES AFTER RECEIVING THE WARNING. AND THE WARNING WAS NOT BRAKE FAILURE, BUT JUST ABS WHICH I HAVE NEVER REALLY USED. CADILLAC MADE VERY FEW OF THESE MODELS, BUT THE PROBLEM IS RAMPANT IN ALL OF THEM UP TO 1993. ARE YOU DOING ANYTHING ABOUT THIS? *AK

I CANNOT APPLY BRAKES WITHOUT LOSING THE ANTILOCK SYSTEM. I RETAIN SOME BRAKING, BUT IT IS THE MANUAL BRAKING AND NOT THE ABS. THIS FAILURE STARTED AROUND 60000 MILES IN 1998 AND I'VE BEEN EXTREMELY CAUTIOUS IN DRIVING THIS VEHICLE KNOWING THAT I WON'T HAVE ABS. I'M A MEBER OF THE ALLANTE APPRECIATION GROUP AND HAVE READ APPROX (40) FAILURES OF SAME FROM OTHER ALLANTE OWNERS. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT OUR WEBSITE AND YOU'LL ALWAYS FIND SOME MEMBER COMPLAINING OF A FAILURE OF THE ABS. *AK

DRIVING AT 45 MPH, A WARNING LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASH AND I EXPERIENCED, SUDDEN AND COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE, USED EMERGENCY BRAKE AND TRANSMISSION TO STOP.

ABS BRAKE SYSTEM HAVE BEEN REPLACED AT APPROXIMATELY 74,000. *AK

NO SUMMARY

EVER SINCE I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE EVERY TIME I STEP ON THE BRAKES I RECEIVE A MOMENTARY DROP IN THE BRAKE PEDAL, WHAT APPEARS TO BE A LOUD CLICKING COMING FROM UNDER THE DASH AREA AND THEN A REFIRMING OF THE BRAKE PEDAL JUST BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. ALL THE TIME THIS IS HAPPENING I AM RECEIVING A MESSAGE ON THE DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER, ANTI-LOCK DISABLED, TRACTION CONTROL DISABLED FOLLOWED BY ANTI-LOCK O.K., TRACTION CONTROL O.K. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THIS VEHICLE AND SINCE I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE I HAVE TALKED TO OTHERS WITH THE SAME OR SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND I DO NOT FEEL THIS IS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. I FEEL THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE MANUFACTURING OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM COMPONENTS AND SHOULD BE REPAIRED BY THE MANUFACTURER REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE OR WARRANTY TIME.

THERE HAS BEEN MANY ALLANTES WITH SAME PROBLEMS. PLEASE DON'T WAIT FOR A FATALITY!SEE OTHER PEOPLES COMMENTS AND PROBLEMS ON ALLANTE NET: HTTP://WWW.ALLANTE.ORG/ NO AFETY DEFECTS MENTIONED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK

HYDRAULIC UNIT FOR BRAKES FAILED. MJS

3 APPLICATIONS OF BRAKES AFTER FAILURE LIGHT CAME ON. "DROVE" CAREFULLY TO DEALER, USING GEARS TO "BRAKE." REPLACED PUMP ASSEMBLY AND RELAY ASSEMBLY.

THREE TOTAL BRAKE FAILURES TO DATE. TWO RESULTED IN ACCIDENTS WHEN THE ALLANTE HAD TO BE CRASHED INTO TRUCKS ON EACH OCCASSION TO STOP WITHOUT INJURY TO PEDESTRIANS. PROPERTY DAMAGE IN EACH CASE WAS ABOUT $1,000 TO THE ALLANTE AND $2,000 TO THE TRUCKS IN EACH CASE. THE CAR WAS THEN TOWED TO CADILLAC WHO EXAMINED THE BRAKE SYSTEM AND COULD NOT "FIND A PROBLEM." HOWEVER, ON EACH OCCASION, CADILLAC REPLACED THE ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM AND MASTER CYLINDER AT NO CHARGE. WE WERE ADVISED (AND STILL ARE TOLD) BY CADILLAC THAT THEY HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED A BRAKE FAILURE OR SIMILAR INCIDENT IN ANY ALLANTE! WE JUST LEARNED THIS IS NOT THE CASE WHEN WE DISCOVERED YOUR WEBSITE. THE DENIAL OF ANY BRAKE INCIDENTS HAS COME FROM UNIVERSITY CADILLAC, BAYVIEW CADILLAC, THE CADILLAC SOUTH FLORIDA AREA REPRESENTATIVE AND CADILLAC THROUGH THEIR "800" NUMBER 1-800-ALLANTE. OBVIOUSLY, THIS NOT BEING THE TRUTH, THIS IS A COMPANY-WIDE EFFORT TO WITHHOLD THE TRUTH FROM ALLANTE OWNERS!

NO SUMMARY

FIRST BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE WAS COVERED UNDER CADILLAC WARRANTY; DON'T REMEMBER DATE, BUT ALL CADILLAC DEALERS ARE HOOKED TO A CENTRAL COMPUTER SYSTEM THAT CAN LOOK UP DATES OF ALL REPAIRS BY VIN. *AK

ABS FAILURE. NO BRAKES.

SIX INCIDENTS OF TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE (ABS) RESULTING IN VEHICLE BEING TOWED TO DEALER. REPLACE PUMP MOTOR FOUR TIMES. REPLACE MASTER CYLINDER, ACCUMULATOR ($3420.00). REPLACE PUMP RELAY. BRAKES DO NOT HAVE A CONSISTANT FEEL. AT TIMES CAR SPEEDS UP WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. MY OPINION IS THAT THE ABS IS UNSAFE AND POORLY ENGINEERED.

ANTI LOCK BRAKES FAIL.

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN SHE TRIED BRAKING THE PEDAL WAS VERY HARD SHE HAD TO SLOW DOWN WITH ENGINE IT WAS LUCKY THAT SHE WAS NOT GOING FAST. THE DEALER SAID THE CAR HAD A BOSCHE111 SYSTEM THAT DID NOT HAVE A BACKUP IF THE PUMP WENT OUT CAR WOULD NOT STOP. I WAS SHOCKED. I HAD IT REPLACED I THOUGHT IT PROBABLY WOULD NOT HAPPEN AGAIN FOR ANOTHER 61000 MILES. WELL IT HAS HAPPENED AGAIN I AM AFFRAID TO SELL OR DRIVE THIS CAR IF THIS EVER HAPPENED AT 70 MILES AN HOUR ON THE FREEWAY I WOULD BE DEAD. SCARRY!!!!!!

ANTI-LOCK DISABLED FLASHED ON THE DIC WHILE SLOWING TO A STOP. LOSS ALL BRAKE ASSIST AND HAD TO USE THE PARKING BRAKE TO SLOW THE CAR DOWN.

DRIVING ALONG, BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED WITH NO WARNING. FORTUNATELY DRIVING IN AREA WITH LOWER SPEED. TOOK TO DEALER WHO INDICATED COMPLETE MASTER BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE. COST $4000 TO REPAIR. CAR IS LIKE NEW IN EVERYWAY, STORED IN GARAGE, AND ONLY HAS 49,500 MILES ON IT IN 8 YEARS (6000 PER YEAR PLUS/MINUS). THIS IS AN OBVIUOS FLAW AND COULD CERTIANLY CAUSE ACCIDENT AND INJURY, NOT TO MENTION A RIDICULOUS FINANCIAL REPAIR HARDSHIP OF $4000. HAVE HEARD OF THIS HAPENING WITH OTHER ALLANTE'S.

WHEN COMING TO QUICK, HARD STOP, ANTI-LOCK BECOMES DISABLED.

ABS BRAKE FAILURE DUE TO A DESIGN DEFECT.

DRIVING BETWEEN 30MPH WHEN THE BRAKE TOTALLY FAILED BECAUSE OF THE ABS ACCUMULATOR AND PUMP. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK