Problems · NHTSA complaints
1996 Cadillac Fleetwood problems
Owners filed 17 complaints about the 1996 Cadillac Fleetwood with NHTSA between Jul 1996 and Apr 2018. The most-cited component is service brakes, hydraulic (3).
Complaints
17
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
5
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Service brakes, hydraulic3
- Vehicle speed control2
- Steering2
- Engine and engine cooling2
- Air bags2
- Electrical system2
- Fuel system, gasoline1
- Suspension1
- Visibility1
- Structure1
- Seats1
- Latches/locks/linkages1
- Power train1
- Seat belts1
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 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
3
5
1
1
1
1
0
2
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 3 |
| 1997 | 5 |
| 1998 | 1 |
| 1999 | 1 |
| 2000 | 1 |
| 2001 | 1 |
| 2002 | 0 |
| 2003 | 2 |
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2005 | 0 |
| 2006 | 0 |
| 2007 | 0 |
| 2008 | 0 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 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
Service brakes, hydraulic
3 reports
“POWER STEERING GOES OUT TEMPORARILY WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, THEN IT RELEASES BY ITSELF, DEALERSHIPOP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM, MECHANIC REPLACED STEERING WHEEL POSITION SENSOR. *AK CONSUMER ALSO STATED THERE IS A NOISE IN FRONT SUSPENSION WHEN BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE, THE REMOTE WAS INOPERABLE, KEYLESS ENTRY PAD WILLNOT OPEN DOOR UNLESS STANDING RIGHT NEXT TO IT, R/R DOOR IS HARD TO CLOSE WHEN ALL OTHER DOORS ARE CLOSED, BRAKES FEEL LIKE THEY ARE DRAGGING, DEALER ADJUSTED REAR BRAKES, CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE HESITATES AT TIMES, DEALER REPLACED THE EGR VALVE, ALSO PASSENGER SIDE HAED REST WILL NOT STAY UP.*SLC”
Vehicle speed control
2 reports
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CADILLAC FLEETWOOD. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. IN ORDER TO STOP THE ACCELERATION, THE CONTACT PLACED THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL GEAR. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS AND THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 109,000.”
Steering
2 reports
“STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. CONSUMER DOWN SHIFTED, AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP.*AK”
Engine and engine cooling
2 reports
“GASKET FAILED.”
Air bags
2 reports2 crashes
“AIR BAG WORKED AS INTENDED BUT CONSUMER CONCERNED ABOUT THE CONTENTS OF THE AIRBAG WHICH MADE IT HARD TO BREATH AFTER ACCIDENT.”
Electrical system
2 reports
“CONSUMER COMPLAINS THAT INSTRUMENT CLUSTER IS HARD TO READ DURING DAYLIGHT.”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.