1998 CADILLAC DEVILLE Electrical System Problems

DT: WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THERE WAS AN OIL LEAK AND VEHICLE LOST ABOUT 7 QUARTS OF OIL. THIS GOT ALL OVER THE MOTOR, MUFFLER, AND THE ROAD. THERE WAS A STRONG BURNING SMELL, BUT DID NOT CATCH ON FIRE. MECHANIC TOLD CONSUMER THAT WAS THE OIL PRESSURE SENSOR. HAS NOT YET BEEN REPAIRED, BUT THE WHOLE ENGINE WILL NEED REPLACEMENT. FOR NEW ENGINE AND CLEAN UP IT WOULD COST $8,400.00 . *AK

Mileage: 47,000

THE ABS TRACTION CONTROL WAS NOT WORKING AND THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF THIS DEALER REPAIR SHOP FOR THIS PROBLEM SINCE AUG. 2002 AND THE INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH BRAKE FAILURES AND EXTENDED BRAKING DISTANCE KEEP RECURRING. *JB ANNTENA STUCK UP. POWER ANTENNA ASSEMBLY REPLACED. OIL LEVEL LOW AND OIL LIGHT IS ON. THERE WAS NO READING ON THE DIPSTICK. HAD TO ADD TWO QUARTS OF OIL AFTER DRIVING 1500 MILES. OIL LIFE INDICATOR WAS RESET. PISTON, ROD AND OIL RINGS REPLACED. DRIVERS SIDE HEADLIGHT COVER FELL OFF WITH BULB BURNT OUT. HEADLAMP HOUSING ASSEMBLY REPLACED. CONSUMER WENT TO START VEHICLE AND IT WOULDN'T START. BATTERY REPLACED. CATALYTIC CONVERTER RATTLING. DRIVERS SIDE HEATED SEAT/SWITCH INOPERATIVE. WHILE GIVING GAS HESITATES; STRUGGLES UP A HILL. SPARK PLUG WIRE REPLACED. NOTIFICATION BY POSTCARD. ORDERED PARTS. DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW WON'T GO UP. REPLACED LEFT DOOR WINDOW SWITCH. SES LIGHT ON. EXHAUST RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR) REPLACED. TRANSMISSION MAKES A GRINDING NOISE ON FAST ACCELERATION. DEALER FOUND THE EXHAUST PIPE AT THE REAR OF THE CONVERTER SHIFTING A CROSS BRACE WHEN ACCELERATING. REARVIEW MIRROR BROKE OFF BASE. *TT

Mileage: 10,000

IN 2001, THE RIGHT HEADLIGHT LENS ON MY 1998 CADILLAC DEVILLE FELL OFF. THE DEALER, HERITAGE CADILLAC, REPLACED THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY AT NO COST, SINCE THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. ON 11/6/04, THE LEFT HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY FELL OFF. I HAVE NOT YET DISCUSSED THE PROBLEM WITH THE DEALER. *AK

Mileage: 70,000

ACCORDING TO A LOCAL CADILLAC DEALERS SERVICE MANAGER-THE IGNITION HAS A THEFT DETERENT SYSTEM THAT HAS A WIRE THAT OFTEN COMES LOOSE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BE UNSTARTABLE AND THUS LEAVES THE DRIVER STRANDED. THE SERVICE MANAGER TELLS ME THAT HE HAS DONE SEVERAL OF THESE AND DOESNT KNOW WHY THERE IS NO RECALL.*AK

Mileage: 122,121

ACCORDING TO A LOCAL CADILLAC DEALERS SERVICE MANAGER-THE IGNITION HAS A THEFT DETERENT SYSTEM THAT HAS A WIRE THAT OFTEN COMES LOOSE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BE UNSTARTABLE AND THUS LEAVES THE DRIVER STRANDED. THE SERVICE MANAGER TELLS ME THAT HE HAS DONE SEVERAL OF THESE AND DOESNT KNOW WHY THERE IS NO RECALL.*AK

Mileage: 122,121

WHEN THE TRACTION LIGHT FLICKERED ON/OFF. THE CRUISE CONTROL AND BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED. WHICH ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *JB

Mileage: 40,000

IN APRIL 2001, AT 37,000 MILES, AIR CONDITION/HEAT FAN MOTOR FAILED AND WAS REPLACED (UNDER WARRANTY) BY A DEALER. AGAIN IN APRIL, 2003, AT 53,300 MILES, LOCAL DEALER SAYS MOTOR IS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDS TO REPLACED AT COST OF $420. ATTITUDE OF DEALER AND CADILLAC CUSTOMER SERVICE IS THAT "STUFF HAPPENS". MY BELIEF IS THIS FAILURE RATE INDICATES PROBLEM WITH QUALITY OF FAN MOTOR OR PROBLEM WITH MOTOR ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT. *JB

Mileage: 53,300

THE VOLTS WENT TO 11.1 AND THEN THE CAR FAILED TO RUN. DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THE ALTERNATOR WAS FRIED. REPLACED ALTERNATOR. ALL OTHER ELECTRICAL CHECKED OUT OK.*JB

AFTER REPAIRS THE PREVIOUS DAY, ALTERNATOR AGAIN FRIED. THE DEALERSHIP NOW BLAMES AFTER MARKET BATTERY. SUPPOSED DEAD CELL. THIS INSTANCE ALMOST CAUSED A WRECK ON THE INTERSTATE. STRANDED FOR 3 HOURS. NEW BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR. CAR WAS DEAD WHEN TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. AFTER FINALLY ARRIVING AT END DESTINATION, I HAD THE BATTERY THE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE BAD CHECKED AND IT CHECKED OUT OK.*JB

CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT STARTING AND TOWED TO THE DEALER TWICE, DEALER IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AS BATTERY LEAKING ACID, WHICH CORRODED THE POSITIVE CABLE, DEALER REPLACED THE BATTERY, CLEANED ACID FROM TRAY AND REPLACED POSITIVE CABLE. *YD

CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT STARTING AND TOWED TO THE DEALER TWICE, DEALER IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AS BATTERY LEAKING ACID, WHICH CORRODED THE POSITIVE CABLE, DEALER REPLACED THE BATTERY, CLEANED ACID FROM TRAY AND REPLACED POSITIVE CABLE. *YD

I WAS INFORMED THAT MY SPARK PLUGS WIRES WERE BURNING WITH ONLY 46,000 MILES ON THIS CAR. AND THE WIRES IN THE BACK OF THE ENGINE ARE IN A VERY BAD WAY. I ALSO WAS TOLD THAT A SPARK COULD IGNITE FROM THE ENGINE AT ANY TIME, AND CAUSE AN IMMEDIATE FIRE.*AK

THE AIR CONDITIONING WAS TOO COLD ON PASSSENGER SIDE - CLOSED VENTS - WHEN COMFORTABLE THEY WERE OPENED ONLY TO FIND THAT THERE WAS NOW HOT AIR COMING OUT. THE NEXT SERIES OF EVENTS TOOK PLACE IN A VERY SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. THE CONTROL FOR THE HEADLIGHTS WAS DIMMING TO OFF THEN GOING ON, THE AIR CONDITIONING STOPPED WORKING, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DIGITAL DISPLAY WENT OUT LEAVING NO INDICATION AS TO SPEED. THE PASSENGER NOTICED A GLOW IN THE DOOR PANEL, THIS GLOW WAS A FIRE. I PULLED ON TO THE SHOULDER AND WE GOT OUT. I CALLED *11 INDIANA TOLL ROAD FOR ASSISTANCE AND THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUSTED IN A MATTER OF MINUTES. THE CAR IS NOW AT THE DEALER IN OAK LAWN IL. AND GENERAL MOTORS IS INVESTGATING THE INCIDENT.

WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH VEHICLE QUIT IN TRAFFIC WITHOUT ANY WARNING, IT COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *AK THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AFTER STALLING. *YH

WHILE DRVING VEHICLE WANDERS FROM SIDE TO SIDE WHICH COULD LEAD TO LOSS OF CONTROL. ALSO, THE DASH COMPUTER HAD TO BE REPLACED AND ROTORS NEED REPLACING. *AK *ML

FAILED TO START.

BATTERY FAILURE. *YC

SHORT IN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CAUSING BLOWN FUSES. YH

BATTERY IS DEAD. YH

FUEL LIGHT INOPERABLE, COMPUTER PART REPLACED TO RECTIFY. YH

COMPUTER MALFUNCTIONING ACTIVATES BRAKE AND FUEL LEVEL ALERTS. YH

SHORT IN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CAUSING BLOWN FUSES. YH

ELECTRICAL WIRES KEEP KILLING THE BATTERY. WOULD CAUSE THE BATTERY TO DIE OUT EACH & EVERY TIME. MAKES NOISES WHEN BATTERY IS DYING. TOOK TO DEALER & PROBLEM NOT FOUND. PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST 3 DIFFERENT TIMES. *AK

HORN FAILED ALMOST RESULTING IN VEHICLE COLLISION.

WHEN DEPRESSING THE HORN PAD NO SOUND COMES FROM THE HORN. ON 4 DIFFERENT OCASSIONS THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO 2 DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE HORN WILL BLOW SOMETIMES AND SOMETIMES IT WILL NOT. *AK