Problems · by component

1997 Cadillac Deville service brakes, hydraulic problems

52 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1997 Cadillac Deville cite service brakes, hydraulic, 19% of all 280 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
52
19% of all complaints
Crashes
3
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the service brakes, hydraulic

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CADILLAC DEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ATTEMPTING TO ENGAGE THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE, TRACTION CONTROL, BRAKE AND SECURITY LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. ALSO, THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL THE GAUGES AND SIGNALS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED AND FAILED TO SHOW ANY INFORMATION. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE FLUID WAS LEAKING WHEN ATTEMPTING TO MOVE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 12/01/14*LJ UPDATED 10/1/15 *JS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 30, 2014Service brakes, hydraulic, Electrical system, Service brakesODI 10651429
“I NOTICED THAT MY ABS TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT WAS ON THE DASHBOARD CONSOLE AND WHEN I PUSH ON THE BRAKES THE AND THE CAR WAS NOT STOPPING. THE ABS WAS ENGAGING ON DRY PAVEMENT. I CHECKED THE ONBOARD DIAGNOSTIC TOOL ON THE CADILLAC AND I AM GETTING AN ERROR CODE OF TCS C1255 WHICH IS A FAULTY ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL MODULE/ ELECTRONIC BRAKE AND TRACTION CONTROL MODULE. I NOTICED THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS EXACT PART THAT I AM EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH REFERENCE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 97V064000. I CALLED CADILLAC DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT MY VIN DOES NOT COME UP WITH ANY RECALLS AND THERE ARE NOT ANY RECALLS AT ALL FOR 1997 CADILLAC DEVILLE. I AM REQUESTING THAT MY VIN BE ADDED TO THE RECALL FOR THE BRAKES AND THE FUEL SYSTEM RECALL. THANK YOU *TR UPDATED 3/13/15 *JS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 8, 2014Service brakes, hydraulic, Service brakesODI 10608992
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CADILLAC DEVILLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE AND THERE WAS A LOW POWER RESPONSE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THERE WAS ALSO A DECREASE IN THE BRAKE LINE PRESSURE, WHICH INCREASED THE STOPPING DISTANCE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM AND TRACTION CONTROL WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND REMAINED LIT UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE AUTHORIZED DEALER AND IS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL MODULE. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 97V064000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK), ALTHOUGH THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 157,800 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 158,000. UPDATED 03/17/09 THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER WOULD NOT HONOR THE RECALL. UPDATED 03/18/09. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 10, 2009Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10258201
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CADILLAC DEVILLE. AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES, THE CONTACT PARKED AND NOTICED SMOKE AND SMALL FLAMES UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE TRACKING CONTROL AND ABS CONTROL MODULE BURNED. THE FAILURE IS IDENTICAL TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 97V064000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK). THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 58,000. UPDATED 07/08/08. *BF UPDATED”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 12, 2008Service brakes, hydraulicFire reportedODI 10230790
“FOR OVER A YEAR I HAVE HAD A WARNING LIGHT INDICATING ABS BRAKES AND TRACTION CONTROL PROBLEMS, SERVICE STEERING SYSTEM AND SERVICE ENGINE. THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIX IT. I FOUND A RECALL FROM 1997# 04V110000 WHERE 156,000 1997 CADILLAC DEVILLES WERE AFFECTED. CADILLAC CUSTOMER SERVICE SAID MY VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. TODAY THAT RECALL COMPLAINT WAS NO LONGER SHOWING ON THE NHTSA SITE. I'VE HAD SOME BRAKING PROBLEMS AND WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER MY BRAKES ARE FINE. STEVE, THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID I NO LONGER HAD WARRANTY AND ACTED UNCONCERNED. THEY SAID IT WOULD COST $800 TO REPLACE THE EBTCM AND THAT MIGHT NOT FIX IT. THE DEALER JUST ACTS LIKE IT IS NO PROBLEM. APR 26, 2006 MY DIC DISPLAY SHOWED SERVICE STEERING SYSTEM MY MILEAGE WAS 53,874. INVOICE STATED CUST CONCERN NOT DUPLICATED. MAY 04,2006 SERVICE STEERING SYSTEM MESSAGE ON DIC. TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT ON AGAIN. THE INVOICE SHOWED CAUSE INTERNAL FAULT. CADILLAC ELECTRICAL AND AC DIAGNOSED SHORTED MAGNA STEER SOLENOID IN THE STEERING GEAR AND A BAD EBTCM. C1241 & C1277 REPLACED STEERING GEAR AND SET FRONT TOE. SHOWED REPLACED EBTCM MISSPELLING FOR REPLACED. CLEARED CODES ALSO. I HAD WARRANTY AND PD…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 8, 2007Steering, Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10202281
“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL PULSATED AS IF THE ABS HAD ACTIVATED. THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT AND THE ABS LIGHT ALSO ILLUMINATED CONSTANTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SEEN BY A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO CONTACTED. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL # 97V064000 WHICH PERTAINED TO THE ANTILOCK BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. UPDATED 1/29/2007 - *NM”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 20, 2006Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10173847

Showing 6 of 52 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 12, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Service brakes

Free remedy

THE ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL MODULE OR THE ELECTRONIC BRAKE AND TRACTION CONTROL MODULE CAN CAUSE THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) TO CYCLE DURING A NON-ABS BRAKE APPLICATION.

Service brakes, hydraulicReported Apr 28, 1997NHTSA 97V064000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 12, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.