Problems · NHTSA complaints

2002 Cadillac Deville problems

Owners filed 182 complaints about the 2002 Cadillac Deville with NHTSA between Nov 2001 and Apr 2025. The most-cited component is electrical system (45).

Complaints
182
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
20
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
17
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Electrical system45
  2. Air bags26
  3. Engine and engine cooling25
  4. Steering18
  5. Engine17
  6. Power train16
  7. Visibility15
  8. Vehicle speed control11
  9. Tires11
  10. Service brakes, hydraulic7
  11. Service brakes6
  12. Fuel system, gasoline6
  13. Seat belts5
  14. Structure5

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

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20011
200217
200320
200416
20058
200612
200710
20089
20093
20107
20115
20125
20133
201441
201511
20165
20171
20181
20193
20202
20211
20220
20230
20240
20251

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Electrical system

45 reports4 crashes1 fire1 related recall
“The contact owns a 2002 Cadillac Deville. The contact stated that while driving approximately 7 MPH and making a left turn, the vehicle suddenly shut off, causing the driver to lose control of the steering and crash into a tree. During the crash, the vehicle sustained front-end damage, but no air bag had deployed. No injuries were reported, and no police report was taken. The vehicle was later towed to a local dealer, who diagnosed that the ignition switch had failed. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact was informed that the VIN was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V355000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). The contact indicated that the vehicle had experienced the same failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 80,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 7, 2025Electrical system, Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11653218

Air bags

26 reports8 crashes1 related recall
“MY CAR WAS PARKED IN MY GARAGE WHEN THE HORN SOUNDED EXTREMELY LOUD AND WOULD NOT STOP I COULD NOT STOP IT SO I TOOK IT TO SHOP. THE DEALER SAYS THAT AIRBAG SHORTED OUT AND SHORTED OUT THE HORN. THEY WANT TO REPLACE AIRBAG AND HORN AT A COST OF $1109 WAS THIS AIRBAG RECALLED?”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 2, 2021Air bags, Unknown or otherODI 11394334

Engine and engine cooling

25 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CADILLAC DEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD OVERHEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE INNER HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 21, 2014Engine and engine coolingODI 10627202

Steering

18 reports4 crashes1 related recall
“I WAS GOING TO DROP OFF SOME TRASH BAGS IN DUMPSTER AROUND THE BLOCK FROM MY HOUSE.AND WAS PARKED NEXT TO IT AT APTMENTS STREET.I PUT THE CAR IN PARK TURNED OFF ENGINE AND REMOVED THE KEYS POPPED THE TRUNK REMOVED TRASH BAGS CLOSED TRUNK AND GOT BACK IN DRIVER SEAT PLACED KEY IN JUST AS ALWAYS REAL EASY GOING AND TRIED TO TURN IT FOR HOUR IN HOT SUN THEN WALKED HOME CALLED TOW TRUCK WERE WE BROUGHT IT HOME WERE I LIVE MY HOUSE AND COST $164.00 DOLLARS AND IS IN SAME CONDITION AS OF NOW. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 26, 2020Steering, EngineODI 11325916

Engine

17 reports1 crash
“TAKATA AIR BAG, DO NOT KNOW IF THAT ITEM IS IN MY CAR BUT THEY SAY IT IS. ALSO LIKE SO MANY NORTHSTAR ENGINES THERE IS TROUBLE WITH THE HEAD GASKET, AND ACCORDING TO THE HYDROCARBON BLOCK TEST, MINE MUST BE REPLACED. IN ORDER TO REPLACE IT, THE ENGINE AND POWER TRAIN MUST BE REMOVED, AT MY EXPENSE. DUE TO THIS ISSUE, MY CAR CONTINUES TO TRY AND OVERHEAT AFTER ABOUT 29 MILES OF DRIVING. AFTER LISTENING TO THOSE FOLKS ON THE CADILLAC FORUM, I HAVE BEEN LEAD TO BELIEVE, THE OVERHEATING ISSUE MAY BE, PARTLY THE FAULT OF THE FINE THREAD HEAD BOLTS AND OR STUDS. MANY MECHANICS I HAVE SPOKEN WITH HAVE SAID THAT I NEED A NEW ENGINE, ALTHOUGH THE FOLKS ON THE CADILLAC FOURM HAVE SAID THAT TIME-SERTS, OR THE LARGER STUDS/BOLTS MIGHT FIX THE ISSUE. NEVER THE LESS, WITH EACH CADILLAC DEVILLE DHS WITH THE NORTHSTAR ENGINE I READ ABOUT, THE SAME ISSUE EXISTS FOR ALMOST ALL OF THEM, WHICH INDICATES TO ME THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE IN THE ORIGINAL DESIGN OF POSSIBLY NOT USING A LARGE ENOUGH BOLT/STUD TO BEGIN WITH. EITHER THAT OR CADILLAC MAY HAVE HAD A PLANNED OBSOLESCENCE TYPE THING TO GET THE DRIVERS TO KEEP REPLACING THEIR AUTOMOBILES. AND THEY SAY RECALLS ARE NOT COVERING THIS DESIGN FLAW....”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 9, 2019Power train, Air bags, EngineODI 11242844

Power train

16 reports1 crash
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CADILLAC DEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 9, 2015Power trainODI 10762588
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026

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