2001 Cadillac Deville Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2001 Cadillac Deville most often write about the engine shutting off without warning while driving, which also takes out power steering and power assist, and about the car failing to restart afterward; several complaints connect this to crankshaft position sensors or the ignition switch. Front window regulators breaking and letting the glass drop are the other recurring theme, and engine oil loss, coolant loss and overheating on the 4.6L V8 come up repeatedly at moderate mileage.

1. 1
   Electrical system

   Engine stalls or cuts off while driving

   • 49 complaints (28%)
   • median 71,000 mi at 11.7 yrs old (35 state mileage)
   • 6 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2001–2017

   Owners describe the engine quitting without any warning at parking-lot speeds up to highway speeds, sometimes repeatedly, and several mention that steering became very heavy and stopping power dropped at the same moment. Some say the car restarts after several attempts; others report no-start conditions where all lights come on. Dealers and independent shops variously replaced crankshaft position sensors, an idle sensor and the PCM, and some owners say the problem returned or that no fault code could be found. Reported from roughly 24,000 to 234,000 miles, with many under 110,000 miles, and often described as intermittent.

   Recall 14V355000

   What to check: Ask whether the ignition switch recall 14V355000 was completed and whether crankshaft position sensors have been replaced; a long test drive including low-speed coasting and restarts is worth doing.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “2001 Cadillac Deville. Intermittently won't start. All lights in car come on, so there is electrical power. I have been having this problem for 2 years...I am now on my 3rd dealer/service. Problem never shows up on diagnostics...they have been able to duplicate a few times....still unable to fix. Pcm has been replaced 2 times. I am very frustrated....please help....the service departments also do not know what to do...”

   NHTSA complaint #10173980, filed 2006-11, 48,000 miles

   “Engine sudden shut off while driving on high traffic highway resulted in loss of power steering and quick reduction in vehicle speed. Driver made efforts to pull over out the traffic but faster traffic from behind caught up with the disabled vehicle and resulted in number of collisions. In total three vehicles were severe dammaged and two other drivers were injured. Cause of the failure is attributed to failure of the cranck shaft sensor.”

   NHTSA complaint #10111981, filed 2005-02, 95,362 miles
2. 2
   Steering

   Stiff or seized steering, front-end noise

   • 9 complaints (5%)
   • median 90,000 mi at 13.5 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2001–2018

   Owners describe the steering wheel becoming extremely hard to turn while driving, sometimes together with a stall, and a bumping or clunking felt through the wheel when turning at low speed. Repairs attempted in complaints include the rack and pinion, tie rod ends, power steering hoses, motor mounts and the steering column, and several owners say the symptom persisted after one or more of these. Reported from about 22,000 to 168,000 miles, including some cars still at low mileage.

   What to check: Turn the wheel lock to lock while parked and at low speed and listen for clunks; ask whether the rack, pump or steering column has been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I put my car in drive and it felt and sounded like the entire front end fell out,my electric shows everything works , have also had weird thing come up that I can not turn security off, it started over heating I have fixed everything but will still get extremely hot for no reason.”

   NHTSA complaint #10598935, filed 2014-06, 234,000 miles

   “When I purchased my Cadillac, it had 22,000 miles on it. There was a bumping in the steering when I turned at slow speeds. I complained about it on several occasions. 1. The dealer repaired a broken motor mount, didn't fix it. 2. The dealer changed the rack & pinion, didn't fix it. 3. The dealer changed the tie rod ends, didn't fix it. 4. An independent mechanic tightened up loose bolts in the front end, didn't fix it. 5. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10166386, filed 2006-08, 23,000 miles
3. 3
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Window regulator failure, glass drops into door

   • 14 complaints (8%)
   • median 62,208 mi at 7.7 yrs old (12 state mileage)
   • owner-quoted repair $650 (median of 5 quotes)
   • filed 2002–2015

   Complaints describe a cracking or grinding noise when a window is raised or lowered, then the glass falling into the door and staying down. Owners report the same failure on multiple doors, sometimes within weeks of each other, and mention plastic regulator parts breaking. Dealers quoted several hundred dollars per window for regulator replacement, and owners note the parts were often out of stock. Mostly between about 48,000 and 110,000 miles, with some earlier failures; multiple windows affected over time.

   What to check: Operate every window up and down and listen for grinding or popping; ask whether any regulators have already been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have had to replace my automatic window motor and regulators five times. First on the rear left, then one month later on the front right, then in 2006, both left and right rear, and just this week the passenger front. I have had this car for 2 years. I am a good driver and have never been in an accident. The windows are cheaply made with a little piece of plastic that breaks a lot. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10171338, filed 2006-10, 49,767 miles

   “My first window broke about 6 months ago. My second one 3 weeks ago and tonight a third. Can Cadillac be responsible and can they be made to take care of these costs?”

   NHTSA complaint #10759736, filed 2015-08, 100,000 miles
4. 4
   Engine cooling

   Oil loss, coolant loss and overheating (4.6L V8)

   • 13 complaints (7%)
   • median 92,500 mi at 9.5 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2001–2015

   Owners report the engine using extra oil between changes and losing coolant, with the temperature gauge climbing and the engine shutting down when hot. Several say a dealer diagnosed a failed head gasket, leaking crankcase halves or loose engine block bolts, and some were quoted engine replacement. In some complaints the overheating returned after a head gasket repair. Reported from about 70,000 to 140,000 miles, with oil consumption often noticed between routine oil changes.

   4 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check oil and coolant levels and look for coolant residue or oil seepage around the engine; ask whether a head gasket or cooling-system repair has been done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have a 2001 Cadillac dts the engine take excessive amounts of oil and a coolant absorption that cause overheating and constant engine work. I was told at the Cadillac dealership this is a common problem with the Cadillac north star engine. The engine shuts offs when the car runs hot and my safety was in jeopardy due to this known failure. Gm should fix these known safety issues with cars with this issue at no cost to the customer. These issues normally range from $1000-$4000 to repair.”

   NHTSA complaint #10265020, filed 2009-04, 89,000 miles

   “I have a 2001 Cadillac Deville with a 4.6(y) motor while I love the car the motor is the pits it is very costly using over 1qt between oil changes and now I have a misfire and lost of coolant and was told that my head gasket had blown and my crankcase halves are leaking and I was told to fix it would be a new engine at the cost of $8k so I guess I will have to deal with the random misfire because I cant afford to fix it you would think since Cadillac is GM's luxury brand they wouldn't have the customers deal with this sloppy engine also I …”

   NHTSA complaint #10380163, filed 2011-02, 140,000 miles
5. 5
   Air bags

   Airbags not deploying in a crash

   • 18 complaints (10%)
   • median 69,750 mi at 12.1 yrs old (12 state mileage)
   • 14 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2001–2016

   Complaints describe front-end collisions in which neither the driver nor passenger airbag deployed, with some owners noting the airbag warning light had been on beforehand or that the car had an open ignition-switch recall. Some report injuries to occupants. Owners say they were told a recall applied to the airbag system and asked for inspection. Reported across a wide mileage range, from about 60,000 to 148,000 miles, in crashes at moderate to highway speeds.

   Recall 14V355000

   What to check: Confirm the ignition-switch recall 14V355000 was performed and that the airbag warning light goes out after the self-test at start-up.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Was involved in a front end crash going 48mph and the drivers side air bag or any other air did not deploy. There was so much damage to the front end that the car was totaled a complete loss. I would like car to be inspected for faulty air bags and also front end for faulty equipment as did not hold up well with crash. This vehicle only had 78,000 miles and was in perfect condition prior to crash. I was told there was a recall on the airbags and with that much damage and speed they should of been deployed this is a major safety violation. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10917443, filed 2016-10, 78,000 miles

   “The contact owns a 2001 Cadillac Deville. The contact received a recall notice for NHTSA campaign number: 14v355000 (electrical system). While driving 25 MPH, the vehicle stalled and caused the contact to crash the vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. Two passengers were injured and received medical attention. The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was 60,000.”

   NHTSA complaint #10626013, filed 2014-08, 60,000 miles

Buying note. Have a pre-purchase inspection focus on the steering and front end, check for oil and coolant loss on the V8, and confirm recall 14V355000 was completed. Window regulators and stalling complaints are common enough that service records are worth reviewing before buying.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 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.