1996 CADILLAC DEVILLE Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

MY FATHER PURCHASED A 1996 SEDAN DEVILLE BRAND NEW. HE PASSED AWAY IN APRIL 1998. MY MOTHER DROVE THE CAR UNTIL THIS YEAR. SHE GAVE ME THE CAR. THE CAR HAS APPROX 17,000 MILES. I JUST FOUND OUT THE CAR HAS A BLOWN REAR HEAD GASKET. I REALIZE THE CAR IS 15 YRS OLD BUT I FEEL THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE. THE CAR WAS NEVER ABUSED AND STILL SMELLS NEW INSIDE. DO I HAVE ANY RECOURSE WITH GM? *TR

Mileage: 17,000

FRONT WHEELS PASSED THROUGH A PUDDLE AND WATER SPLASHED INTO ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHILE I ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A TURN. THERE WAS A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND THE TURN COULD NOT BE COMPLETED. THE EFFECT WAS MOMENTARY BUT SCARED ME QUITE A BIT. THIS HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES ON DIFFERENT RAINY DAYS WITH THE CAR. *TR

Mileage: 70,000

ANY TIME THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN MORE THAN 2 HOURS, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATS, AND CAUSES THE "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO COME ON. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES, AND HE IS UNABLE TO REPAIR TO OUR SATISFACTION. THIS HAS OCCURRED MANY, MANY TIMES WITHOUT RESOLUTION. *TR

CAR LOSES POWER COMPLETELY AND CUTS OFF. THERE IS NO ELECTRIC OR ENGINE AVAILABLE AND THE CAR MUST BE RESTARTED IN ORDER TO PROCEED IN TRAFFIC. THIS FAILURE USUALLY OCCURS AT LOW RATES (20-35MPH) OF SPEED BUT ESPECIALLY WHEN TURNING CORNERS. POWER STEERING IS DIMINISHED DUE TO POWER FAILURE. *TR

VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING ON CITY ROADS WHERE POSTED SPEEDS ARE 35-45 MPH. THE CAR JUST STARTED TO SPEED UP ON ITS OWN AND I COULD NOT GET THE ENGINE TO SLOW DOWN. THE ONLY WAY I COULD AVOID A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT WAS TO RIDE THE BRAKES CONTINUOUSLY. BY THE TIME I GOT HOME THE BRAKES WERE SMOKING AND EXTREMELY OVERHEATED. I ALMOST COULD NOT STOP WITH THE ENGINE RACING AND THE BRAKES WORN OUT. I HAD TO SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN WHILE STILL IN DRIVE, ALMOST RUNNING INTO THE WALL OF MY HOUSE. I AM 70 YEARS OLD AND WAS VERY SCARED. ON EDMUNDS .COM THERE ARE THREE OTHER REPORTED INSTANCES OF THE SAME THING HAPPENING WITH THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL. MY CAR IS UNDRIVEABLE AND I WILL HAVE TO GET IT TOWED FROM MY HOUSE TO THE DEALER FOR IT TO BE CHECKED OUT, PLEASE FOLLOW UP ON THIS AS IT IS A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION. I WAS VERY CLOSE TO HAVING AN ACCIDENT. *JB

Mileage: 100,165

BOUGHT VEHICLE USED FROM AUTO DEALERSHIP. FROM DAY ONE SMELLED OIL FROM UNDER HOOD, SMELLED ENGINE COOLANT LEAK. HAVING TO CONSTANTLY REFILL COOLANT LEVEL. AND COOLANT MIXED ON WITH ENGINE OIL. DEALER "COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM AFTER THREE ATTEMPTS. LATER, 3 OTHER REPAIR SHOPS ALL DIAGNOSED BLOWN HEAD GASKET. ESTIMATED COST OF REPAIRS RANGED FROM $2800.00 TO $5200.00. *JB

1996 CADILLAC DEVILLE HAD A CRACKED HEAD GASKET.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR THE CRACKED GASKET CAUSED COOLANT TO LEAK FROM THE VEHICLE. *NM

Mileage: 62,545

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.*JB

Mileage: 85,575

WHILE DRIVING, THE RPM RACED TO 50-60 MPH. THE CONSUMER MANAGED TO GET CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. PEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *JB

Mileage: 80,000

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *JB

Mileage: 60,000

EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH BRAKES, A/C COMPRESSOR AND LEAK IN ENGINE. *BF THE CONSUMER WAS SENT CORRESPONDENCE NOTIFYING HER OF A RECALL ON THE 1996 CADILLAC SEDAN DIVILLE. THE RECALL DID NOT COVER THE PROBLEMS THE CONSUMER WAS HAVING WITH HER VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD SHE NEEDED STRUTS. AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE SERVICED THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE ENGINE. CONSUMER GOT RID OF THE VEHICLE AND BOUGHT ANOTHER TYPE OF VEHICLE. *TC

MY 1996 CADILLAC DEVILLE CONCOURSE HAS DEVELOPED A DEFECT WHEREAS IT WILL ACCELERATE ON IT'S OWN, SHUTTING DOWN THE A/C FOR MORE HORSEPOWER WHILE IT DOES IT. I HAVE SEEN IT ACCELERATE THROUGH 80 MPH ONCE. THE CONDITION GOES AWAY TEMPORAILY WHEN THE ENGINE IS SHUT OFF AND RECRANKED, RETURNING AT UNPREDICTABLE INTERVALS. MY LOCAL CADILLAC DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM, GIVING ME A "GO AWAY AND NEVER COME BACK SPEECH" ADVISING ME STRONGLY TO JUNK THE CAR (IT'S IN ALMOST PERFECT CONDITION OTHERWISE). I THINK I MAY HAVE A 'SMOKING GUN' CAR FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE KILLED, MAIMED, DESTROYED PROPERTY WITH CARS THAT ACCELERATE BY THEMSELVES. THE DEALER HAD THE CAR OVERNIGHT AND CLAIMED TO HAVE MADE NO FREPAIRS, BUT IT HAS NOT REPEATED THIS SINCE I GOT IT BACK TODAY. IT WAS A CHRONIC CONDITIOIN THREE DAYS AGO NEAR THE END OF A 3000 MILE TRIP. CADIULLAC HAS EXTRAORDINARY RESPOSIBILITIES AND LIABILITIES HERE FOR REFUSING TO REPAIR THE CAR AS THEY HAVE MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR ANYONE ELSE TO REPAIR CADILLAC CARS, AND THIS CAR IS A LOADED GUN. I HAVE LEARNED TO STOP IT BY TAKING IT OUT OF GEAR, AT WHICH TIME, IF THE CONDITION IS PRESENT, THE ENGINE IDLES BETWEEN 3000 AND 4000 RPM. THEY HAVE ADMITTED TO ME THAT IT IS IN THE ELECTRONIC ENGINE CONTROLS, BUT STEADFASTLY REFUSED TO BE SPECIFIC ABOUT IT. IU THOUGHT IT VERY STRANGE THAT THEY WOULD SO POINTEDLY TRY TO MAKE AN ANTI-CADILLAC PERSON OUT OF ME WITH THEIR RUDENESS ABOUT MY PROBLEM, AND THEIR REFUSAL TO PERFORM REPAIRS. THEY HAVE ALWAYS LOVED TO TAKE MY MONEY BEFORE.*AK

Mileage: 180,000

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. *AK *JB

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. *AK *JB

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ENGINE EXPLODED AND VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE.*AK

Mileage: 150,000

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING OIL STARTED TO LEAK FROM THE ENGINE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

DEX COOL COMPLAINT SLUDGE BUILD UP WATERPUMP AND TRANSMISSION CANNOT AFFORD TO FIX PUT NEW WATERPUMP ON BUT I HAVE STILL PROBLEMS. *AK

THE GASKET FOR THE OIL PAN HAD LEAKED, AND CAUSED THE SERVICE LIGHT TO REMAIN ON. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. PH SCC

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND NO WARNING THE CONSUMER CAN STRONGLY SMELL CHEMICAL FUMES INSIDE THE VEHICLE DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITH OUT ANY WARNING, THE VEHICLE WILL STALL AND IT WILL BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED. MR WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED, LOSS OF ALL POWER INCLUDING BRAKES AND STEERING OCCURRED. *JG

Mileage: 61,100

CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE WILL STALL OUT CAUSING VEHICLE NOT TO GO FORWARD. HOWEVER VEHICLE WILL GO INTO REVERSE. WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLS AND ONLY GOES INTO REVERSE, IT TAKES ABOUT TWO HOURS BEFORE IT FUNCTIONS PROPERLY. MECHANIC COULD NOT FIND WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. CONSUMER FEELS PREVIOUS OWNER TRADED VEHICLE IN DUE TO STALLING. *TT

WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUTDOWN WITHOUT WARNING. VEHICLE WILL NOT GO FORWARD, BUT WILL GO INTO REVERSE. AFTER APPROXIMATELY TWO HOURS, VEHICLE WILL RESTART AND RETURN TO NORMAL CONDITIONS. DEALER CANNOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK *YH

ENGINE IS MADE OUT ALUMINUM AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING IT OVERHEATED. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT APPEARED ON DASHBOARD. DEALERSHIP AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

ENGINE STALLS AT 30 MPH AFTER LETTING OFF OF THE GAS. LOSING ALL POWER ASSIST THE STEERING AND BRAKES AS IT DID THIS WEEKEND ON A MOUNTAIN ROAD IN AR. WHILE SLOWING DOWN FOR A 10 MPH CURVE.... IF MY WIFE HAD BEEN DRIVING SHE COUND NOT HAVE MADE THE TURN AND BEEN DOWN THE MOUNTAIN SIDE !!! THIS PROBLEM HAS PERSISTED SINC E ARROUND SEPT 2000. MOST OF THE TIME THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM. LAST TIME I LEFT THE CAR FOR SEVERAL DAYS. WHEN IT STALLED THEY REPLACED THE CRANK SENSORS, NOW IT STALLS AT 30 MPH INSTEAD OF AT STOPS ONLY !!!*AK

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.

VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL FROM SEVERAL PLACES. TOOK TO DEALER, AND THEY PUT IN GASKETS, BUT IT'S STILL LEAKING OIL.*AK

IN HEAVY RAIN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WOULD MOMENTARILY SHUTDOWN, INCLUDING POWER STEERING. CONSUMER HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP ON SIX DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. DEALER HAS NOT MADE ANY REPAIRS UNTIL THE 6TH TIME WHEN VEHICLE WAS TAKEN. DEALER HAD RECOGNIZED A SERVICE BULLENTIN ISSUED, AND CHARGED CONSUMER $80 FOR REPAIRS FOR NON CLIP ON SERPENTINE BELT. *AK THE VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN. *YH

VEHICLE HAS HAD CONTINUED PROBLEMS WITH ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION, SEVERAL REPAIRS AND FINAL REPLACEMENT OF THE ENGINE DID NOT RECTIFY OIL CONSUMPTION, THE REPLACEMENT ENGINE WAS NOT THE PROPER ENGINE FOR THE VEHICLE. *MJS

WHILE DRIVING ON LOCAL ROAD IN RAIN, ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A RIGHT HAND TURN, AND STEERING WHEEL DIDN'T RESPOND. KEPT PULLING AND IT FINALLY TURNED. CONTACTED DEALER . DEALER SAID THAT THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WAS THE SERPENTINE BELT THAT BECAME WET FROM THE RAIN. *AK

WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN AND ATTEMPTING TO MAKE RIGHT HAND TURN, STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. AFTER SEVERAL TRIES, STEERING WHEEL FINALLY TURNED. THIS HAPPENED TWICE THAT DAY. CONTACTED DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT WHEN THE SERPENTINE BELT GETS WET, IT WILL SLIP. GMC IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY HAVE ISSUED A BULLETIN. *AK

WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE CUTS OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO LOCK UP. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER HAS REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP AND OTHER PARTS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

VEHICLE VIBRATES AND STALLS WHILE IDLING AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS, ENGINE HAS STARTED ITSELF ON ONE INCIDENT AND MOVES BACKWARDS WHEN ENGINE IS OFF, UNABLE TO DETERMINE FAILURE.

WHILE DRIVING OVER A PUDDLE OF WATER, THE ACCESSORY BELT GETS WET, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER STEERING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY DETAILS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AND ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A RIGHT HAND TURN IN RAINY WEATHER,THE SERPENTINE BELT BECAME WET, CAUSING LOSS CONTROL. WAS UNABLE TO STEER. VEHICLE ENDED UP WELL IN THE LEFT HAND LANE, NARROWLY MISSED RUNNING INTO THE CENTER DIVIDER. *AK

EXHAUST SENSOR FAILED.

OIL LINE FAILED, DUE TO CRACK.

ENGINE FAILED.

CAMSHAFT DEFECTIVE.

OIL LEAK.

MOTOR DEFECTIVE.

EMISSIONS SYSTEM EVAPORATOR SOLENOID FAILED.

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.*AK

THE VEHICLE WAS UNATTENDED AND THE VEHICLE COUGHT ON FIRE. PLEASE DESCRIBE IN MORE DETAILS. *AK

THE VEHICLE WAS UNATTENDED AND THE VEHICLE COUGHT ON FIRE. PLEASE DESCRIBE IN MORE DETAILS. *AK