1990 Cadillac Deville Problems
- Complaints
- 76filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 100,000miles, 9 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 0campaigns on record
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
Sources: NHTSA records for the 1990 Cadillac Deville (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests. Report an error
What owners report
Owners of this model year most often describe sudden, unintended acceleration — sometimes while using cruise control, sometimes not — and brakes that do not stop the car during those events. Brake complaints are the other large group: hard pedal, extended stopping distance, ABS light, and wheel lock-up. Mileage in the sample is mostly well above 80,000, so these are reports about older, high-mileage cars rather than new ones.
- Vehicle speed control
Sudden acceleration, brakes unable to stop the car
- 13 complaints (17%)
- median 92,673 mi at 15.8 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
- 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
- filed 1996–2015
Complaints describe the car accelerating on its own while driving at steady or coasting speed, sometimes with cruise control engaged and sometimes without. Owners say the brake pedal then feels hard or does nothing, and several report putting the transmission into neutral or park to stop, or hitting something. Dealers and independent shops generally told them no fault could be found, and in a few cases suggested a sticking throttle valve. Reported across a wide mileage range, from about 44,000 to over 150,000 miles, on cars of many years' age.
What to check: Ask whether the throttle body and cruise control cable/linkage have been inspected or serviced, and test the throttle return by hand with the engine off. Confirm the brakes can stop the car firmly from speed on a test drive.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“The car while turning intermittently dies and looses any acceleration stalls and most of the time starts back up when lifting foot of the gas and sometimes dies. Also the car accelerates on its own sometimes very quickly. The car stalling while making a left turn got me t-boned by someone while making a left hand turn. I'm not the only one with this problem. This defect is going to get somebody killed.”
NHTSA complaint #10810706, filed 2015-12, 95,346 miles“Car accelerated out of control with speed at 100+ miles per hour. The brakes failed/ would not move. The accelerator moved away from my foot. This happen a total of 4 times with my car. Each time the dealer said it was a different problem. My car was a 1990 Cadillac sedan Deville, 4 door. The toyota recall described exactly what happen to my car. The 911 call televised on the news with the family that was killed in the toyota car, the caller said the car was accelerating out of control and the brakes had failed . …”
NHTSA complaint #10285864, filed 2009-09, 157,745 miles - Brakes
ABS light on, hard pedal, long stopping distance
- 14 complaints (18%)
- typically at 8.1 yrs old
- filed 1995–2002
Complaints describe a hard brake pedal, extended stopping distance, the ABS warning light coming on and going off, and sometimes a wheel locking or the car pulling to one side under braking. Some owners had front discs, shoes and wheel cylinders replaced without the problem going away; others mention the ABS valve block, and one notes a service bulletin describing valve block repair. Reported on cars well past 90,000 miles, often after several prior brake repairs.
What to check: Ask for brake service records and whether the ABS valve block or hydraulic unit has been checked. Look for an ABS light that stays on or flickers, and test braking from highway speed on a quiet road.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“The brake shoes in the rear do not make contact with the drums, causing the front brakes to wear out often. Consumer sttes in addition to wearing out the front brakes faster consumer has reduced braking, consumer has tried to get dealership to look at vehicle on several occasions but they feel it is insignificant.”
NHTSA complaint #805756, filed 1996-12“Brakes have been experiencing hard brake pedal, several system repairs made prevoiusly however have not been the source of the failure, service bulletin repair of the ABS valve block repaired problems.”
NHTSA complaint #543646, filed 1999-02 - Engine cooling
Stalling while turning or with A/C on
- 5 complaints (7%)
- median 95,346 mi at 20.7 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
- 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
- filed 1999–2015
Owners describe the engine cutting out intermittently, most often during a slight turn at speed or when driving with the air conditioning on in warm weather, then restarting right away. In one case a dealer attributed it to a baffle in the fuel tank and advised keeping the tank at least half full; another owner linked a water pump problem to a warning light. The car usually restarts without storing a fault code. Described on cars in the 80,000 to 175,000 mile range, often on warm days or during turning maneuvers.
What to check: Ask whether stalling has been reported or diagnosed and whether the fuel tank, pump and related control module have been inspected. Note that keeping the tank above half full is what one dealer reportedly advised.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“This problem is intermittent. On warm days, when driving with airconditioning.turned on, the car stalls and then quickly starts up again. No notice from computer problem light. Note other owners of this car have had similar problems even after dealer check.........one dealer informed me that it is the baffle around the fuel take that cuts the ignition out and I should keep fuel completely filled to top or at least half full. Yesterday when the problem happened again, it was warm in los angels, had 11 gallons in tank and still had problem. …”
NHTSA complaint #10336637, filed 2010-06, 80,000 miles“Intermittently when slightly turning the wheel on an expressway engine will stall out and die, resulting in loss of vehicle control. The vehicle will start up immediately after. The dealer and manufacturer have been notified.”
NHTSA complaint #847099, filed 1999-09 - Air bags
Air bag light on, smoke or split cover at the wheel
- 6 complaints (8%)
- median 175,480 mi at 17.6 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
- 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
- filed 1996–2007
Complaints describe smoke and a burning smell coming from the steering wheel air bag area shortly after starting the car, and in one case the air bag cover splitting across. Another owner reported the air bag not deploying in a head-on collision. One owner was told by a dealer that the condition was not a safety concern; another says a water pump fault was blamed for the air bag light. Reported on older, high-mileage cars, including one at about 175,000 miles.
What to check: Check that the air bag warning light behaves normally on startup and ask whether the air bag or its connector has been serviced. Look for cracking or discoloration on the steering wheel cover.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“My car was parked in my driveway-several seconds after starting the vehicle I smelled a strong burning oder and then seen whisps of smoke coming from the back side of the air bag in the steering wheel-I shut off the ignition and the smoke quit shortly after - I restarted the vehicle and the air bag started to smoke in a few seconds again--I disconnected the s.I.r. Connector on the steering column and restarted the vehicle-no smoke or smell with s.I.r. …”
NHTSA complaint #707869, filed 1999-06“Air bag: driver's side air bag satrted to split oct. 96. Has now split completely across. Took car in to dealer and was told it was not a safety issue and not to worry about it.”
NHTSA complaint #818946, filed 1997-12
Buying note. These are old, high-mileage cars, and the recurring themes are throttle and brake behavior and air bag and ABS warning lights, so a careful test drive plus service records matter more than cosmetics. Have a shop inspect the throttle linkage, brake hydraulics and warning lights before purchase.
Summary written with AI from a sample of 39 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.
NHTSA recorded 76 consumer complaints for the 1990 Cadillac Deville. 9 of the complaints include a mileage, and 11% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 100,000 miles. Of all complaints, 10 involved a crash, 2 a fire, 6 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 1 technical service bulletin for this model year.
Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Brakes23 30%
- Vehicle speed control21 28%
- Engine cooling9 12%
- Air bags6 7.9%
- Tires6 7.9%
- Electrical system5 6.6%
- Equipment4 5.3%
- Fuel system4 5.3%
- Steering3 4.0%
Also reported: Seat belts (2), Body and structure (2), Suspension (2), Wheels (2), Engine (1), Other or unknown (1).
Example complaints
Brakes: “Barrington motor works had made more excuses than fix problems, other problems exist, but too many to list. The barrington mw has never once found a problem till the car leaves us stranded, even after we complained about that problem. Until I find a decent GM dealer, this is the last GM for us, we are sick and tired of Cadillac dealers, and we have been to many.”
NHTSA complaint #708437, filed 1999-07Vehicle speed control: “While driving 35 MPH and without any reason vehicle suddenly accelerated to 65 MPH. Brakes were applied to decelerate vehicle and they didn't work, resulting in a collision. Dealer and independent shop could not find anything wrong with the vehicle.”
NHTSA complaint #10044998, filed 2003-10, 90,000 milesEngine cooling: “The contact owns a 1990 Cadillac Deville. While driving 65 MPH, the vehicle's steering wheel began to smoke for thirty seconds. The air bag light has remained illuminated for two months. The mechanic stated that the water pump caused the air bag light to fail. The contact also noticed a rubbing noise coming from the axle when making a left and right turn. The steering failure has not been diagnosed. The current mileage is 175,512 and failure mileage was 175,480.”
NHTSA complaint #10190429, filed 2007-05, 175,480 milesMileage when problems were reported
11% of the 9 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 90,000 and 157,745 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 1990 Cadillac Deville. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Side pole | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deville · sedan | not rated | 5 / – | — | — | — |
Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Recalls and investigations
NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 1990 Cadillac Deville in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA investigations
- EA91019Engine compartment firesClosed · Mar 22, 1991
- PE91029Throttle linkage interferClosed · Jan 7, 1991
- PE91016Engine compartment firesClosed · Nov 26, 1990
Technical service bulletins
TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 1 on record; the latest 1 are shown.
- 10246631Sep 1, 2013Engine cooling. Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules
Other model years of the Cadillac Deville
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 95 | 75,500 | 1 | — | 19 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2004 | 167 | 68,686 | 1 | — | 19 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2003 | 145 | 68,500 | 4 | — | 19 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2002 | 176 | 59,000 | 5 | — | 19 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2001 | 175 | 74,238 | 4 | — | 18 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2000 | 225 | 70,000 | 5 | — | 19 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1999 | 187 | 65,555 | 1 | — | 18 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1998 | 237 | 74,211 | 3 | — | 18 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1997 | 269 | 82,000 | 2 | — | 18 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1996 | 218 | 85,575 | 2 | — | 18 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1995 | 129 | 104,000 | 2 | — | 18 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1994 | 127 | 88,690 | 0 | — | 18 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1993 | 92 | 113,000 | 1 | — | 17 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1992 | 135 | 110,000 | 1 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1991 | 87 | 97,000 | 1 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1990 | 76 | 100,000 | 0 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1989 | 48 | 143,000 | 0 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1988 | 28 | — | 0 | — | 17 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1987 | 40 | 108,100 | 1 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1986 | 22 | — | 2 | — | — | — | Stable |
| 1985 | 19 | — | 1 | — | — | — | Stable |
| 1984 | 6 | 90,995 | 0 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 1983 | 5 | — | 0 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
All Cadillac Deville model years · Best and worst years by complaints
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1990 Cadillac Deville?
Owners of this model year most often describe sudden, unintended acceleration — sometimes while using cruise control, sometimes not — and brakes that do not stop the car during those events. The issues reported most often: Sudden acceleration, brakes unable to stop the car; ABS light on, hard pedal, long stopping distance; Stalling while turning or with A/C on.
How many NHTSA complaints does the 1990 Cadillac Deville have?
NHTSA recorded 76 consumer complaints for the 1990 Cadillac Deville as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 1990 Cadillac Deville is reported most often?
Brakes is named most often, in 23 complaints (30% of the total), followed by vehicle speed control with 21.
Has the 1990 Cadillac Deville been recalled?
NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
At what mileage are problems with the 1990 Cadillac Deville reported?
Among the 9 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 100,000 miles and the middle half falls between 90,000 and 157,745 miles; 11% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program.
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.