Problems · NHTSA complaints
1997 Cadillac Eldorado problems
Owners filed 59 complaints about the 1997 Cadillac Eldorado with NHTSA between Jul 1997 and Jun 2016. The most-cited component is fuel system, gasoline (14).
Complaints
59
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
6
Reported by owners
Fires
4
Reported by owners
Injuries
6
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Fuel system, gasoline14
- Service brakes, hydraulic14
- Engine and engine cooling8
- Steering3
- Fuel system, other3
- Electrical system2
- Power train2
- Air bags2
- Equipment2
- Fuel/propulsion system1
- Engine1
- Service brakes1
- Traction control system1
- Tires1
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
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
6
5
11
1
1
4
8
2
4
2
4
2
2
2
1
1
0
0
2
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 6 |
| 1998 | 5 |
| 1999 | 11 |
| 2000 | 1 |
| 2001 | 1 |
| 2002 | 4 |
| 2003 | 8 |
| 2004 | 2 |
| 2005 | 4 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2007 | 4 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 2 |
| 2016 | 1 |
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.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Fuel system, gasoline
14 reports1 crash2 fires1 related recall
“MY VEHICLE STARTED STALLING ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO, IT WOULD SUDDENLY JUST CUT OFF AS IF THE GAS WAS NO LONGER FUELING THE VEHICLE. IT WOULD STOP AND WOULD NOT START AGAIN FOR ABOUT AND HOUR. AFTER STARTING IT WOULD RUN FOR ABOUT TWENTY MIN. IT WOULD THEN STOP AGAIN. I CHANGED THE FUEL PUMP WITH A NEW ONE AND IT DID THE SAME THING. IT APPEARS THERE IS NO SOLUTION FOR THIS PROBLEM. *TR”
Service brakes, hydraulic
14 reports3 crashes1 related recall
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CADILLAC ELDORADO TOURING COUPE (NA). WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED SHORTLY AFTER AND THE VEHICLE JERKED. THE VEHICLE SLOWED TO 15 MPH AND THE CONTACT COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AGAIN AFTER IT WAS STARTED UP AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE PROBLEM COULD HAVE BEEN BECAUSE OF A CORRODED TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM OR ABS SYSTEM SENSOR. THE CONTACT SHUT OFF THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,800 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 35,200.”
Engine and engine cooling
8 reports
“1997 CADILLAC ELDORADO. CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN IN TRAFFIC *TGW THE DEALER REPLACED THE OIL SENDER, BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO STALL. THE CONSUMER STATED THE IDLE WAS BELOW FACTORY SPECS. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THEY COULD NOT OVERRIDE THE COMPUTER, TO PLACE THE VEHICLE AT THE FACTORY SETTING. THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE FIRST PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, IT IDLED AT 900 RPM AND NOT IT IDLES AT 400 IN WARM WEATHER. *JB UPDATED 05/05/10.*JB THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD ONLY SHUT DOWN WHEN IT WAS WARM. THE DEALER REPLACED SEVERAL COMPONENTS, BUT TO NO AVAIL. UPDATED 06/15/10.*JB UPDATED 06/29/10. *JB UPDATED 08/03/10.*JB”
Steering
3 reports1 fire
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1997 CADILLAC ELDORADO. WHILE PARKING THE VEHICLE, THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DRIVER EXITED THE VEHICLE AND WAS INFORMED THAT IT WAS ON FIRE. A FIRE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V110000 (FUEL SYSTEM/GASOLINE). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. ...UPDATED 08/29/16 UPDATED 6/11/18*JB”
Fuel system, other
3 reports
“DT: 1997 CADILLAC EL DORADO. THE CONSUMER STATES HE HAD RECALL, 04V110000REPAIRS PERFORMED ON VEHICLE. THIS WAS DONE APPROXIMATELY ON AUGUST 30, 2005. WHEN THE VEHICLE CAME OUT OF THE DEALERSHIP IT BEGAN LEAKING FUEL. THE REPLACED COMPONENTS WERE NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR. THIS CAUSED THE FUEL TO LEAK. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SINCE THIS WAS REPLACED. *AK”
Electrical system
2 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 CADILLAC ELDORADO. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ANTI BRAKING SYSTEM AUTOMATICALLY ENGAGED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT NOTICED A FUEL ODOR WHEN SHE TURNED THE IGNITION SWITCH INTO THE RUN POSITION. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE IGNITION SWITCH INTO THE RUN POSITION INTERMITTENTLY AND HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.”
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.