Problems · NHTSA complaints

1996 Cadillac Eldorado problems

Owners filed 60 complaints about the 1996 Cadillac Eldorado with NHTSA between Sep 1996 and Dec 2015. The most-cited component is electrical system (21).

Complaints
60
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
5
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Electrical system21
  2. Fuel system, gasoline10
  3. Engine and engine cooling8
  4. Visibility6
  5. Equipment3
  6. Service brakes, hydraulic3
  7. Tires2
  8. Vehicle speed control2
  9. Steering2
  10. Air bags2
  11. Seat belts2
  12. Engine1
  13. Wheels1
  14. Exterior lighting1

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 Nov 10, 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
19962
199716
19983
19993
20002
20011
20022
20036
20047
20053
20064
20071
20084
20090
20101
20110
20121
20131
20142
20151

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

21 reports2 fires
“ON OUR WAY TO A FAMILY FUNERAL BELLS STARTED GOING OFF AND LIGHTS FLASHING. MY HUSBAND HAD PUT IN A NEW ENGINE FROM ONE STOP AUTO DON'T KNOW WHY. WHEN WE CAME BACK FROM VIRGINIA I TOOK THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC HE DIDN'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING TO IT. HE BELIEVED THE BRAIN AND THE ENGINE WASN'T COMMUNICATING. MY HUSBAND SUGGESTED WE TAKE THE CAR TO CHESAPEAKE CADILLAC IN COCKEYSVILLE WHERE HE USUALLY BUY HIS CAR FROM. WHEN WE WENT INTO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT MY HUSBAND AND THE SERVICE PERSON [XXX] NEW EACH OTHER BECAUSE HE WOULD TAKE HIS CAR THERE FOR SERVICE. WE ALSO TOLD THEM WE BELIEVED THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE CAR. MY HUSBAND ALSO TOLD HIM TO DEAL WITH ME BECAUSE THE CAR WAS GIVEN TO ME. AND WE WERE SEPARATED AND HE WAS MOVING NOT TO SEND ANYTHING TO HIS OLD ADDRESS BUT TO TALK TO ME. WHEN I WOULD CALL [XXX] TO ASK ABOUT THE VEHICLE HE MADE IT SOUND LIKE SOMETHING SUSPICIOUS WAS GOING ON WITH THE CAR. HE TOLD ME TO TELL MY HUSBAND TO CALL HIM AND I ASKED HIM TO TELL ME WHAT WAS GOING ON WAS THE CAR READY. IT WAS ONLY TAKEN THERE FOR DIAGNOSTIC SO I COULD TAKE THE CAR BACK TO WHERE THE ENGINE WAS PUT IN JUST NEEDED CONFIRMATION. [XXX] NEVER TOLD ME THE CAR WAS…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 31, 2014Electrical systemODI 10562367

Fuel system, gasoline

10 reports1 related recall
“FUEL DELIVERY SYSTEM WAS SPRAYING FUEL ONTO HOT ENGINE (INCIDENT OCCURRED ON 11/17/10, AND REPAIRED AT LOCAL CERTIFIED REPAIR CENTER.) NHTSA RECALL #04V110000/GM RECALL NO. 41921. OWNER WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF RECALL. THE RECALL BEGAN ON 06/02/04 FOR 1996-1997 OLDSMOBILE AND 1996-1997 AURORA VEHICLES. OWNERS OF 1995 CADILLACS AND OLDSMOBILE AURORA'S WERE SENT LETTERS ON 08/06/04. NO MENTION OF 1996 CADILLAC EL DORADO ! CADILLAC DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO REIMBURSE OWNER FOR REPAIR, EVEN THOUGH ALL REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO THE DEALERSHIP. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 17, 2014Fuel system, gasolineODI 10598796

Engine and engine cooling

8 reports2 fires
“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE OVERHEATS. THIS OCCURS BECAUSE THE HEAD BOLTS RUST CAUSING THE HEAD GASKET TO BLOW. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE ENGINE WAS MANUFACTURED BY NORTHSTAR.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 11, 2006Engine and engine coolingODI 10155035

Visibility

6 reports1 fire
“WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO OPERATE PROPERLY IN INCLEMENT WEATHER.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 10, 1999VisibilityODI 781803

Equipment

3 reports1 related recall
“1996 CADILLAC ELDORADO ELECTRICAL FAILURE WHILE DRIVING. CONSUMER STATED THAT HE WILL LOSE GAUGES, AUTO HEADLIGHTS, WARNING LAMPS, AND TURN SIGNAL INDICATORS. HE SAYS THIS FAILURE USUALLY OCCURS ON THE FREEWAY. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED EVERYTHING BLINKED AND FLASHED AS IF A SWITCH WAS BEING RAPIDLY TURNED ON AND OFF. AFTER 2 MINUTES EVERYTHING WENT BLACK. THE CONSUMER LOCATED A RECALL REGARDING THE PROBLEM HE EXPERIENCED, HOWEVER CADILLAC INFORMED HIM, THAT HIS VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS OUTSIDE OF THE PRODUCTION DATE. RECALL# 95V224000. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 28, 2008EquipmentODI 10219544

Service brakes, hydraulic

3 reports1 fire
“WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC REPLACED THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKE ROTORS. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED, BUT MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM . ALSO, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD, AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. HOWEVER, MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM . *AK *BF *NM”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 13, 2005Service brakes, hydraulic, Engine and engine coolingODI 10117550
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026

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