Problems · NHTSA complaints

1996 Cadillac Seville problems

Owners filed 122 complaints about the 1996 Cadillac Seville with NHTSA between Nov 1996 and Dec 2022. The most-cited component is electrical system (24).

Complaints
122
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
8
Reported by owners
Fires
7
Reported by owners
Injuries
8
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Electrical system24
  2. Engine and engine cooling24
  3. Fuel system, gasoline19
  4. Steering15
  5. Air bags10
  6. Equipment10
  7. Visibility7
  8. Power train5
  9. Structure4
  10. Vehicle speed control4
  11. Exterior lighting4
  12. Seats3
  13. Engine2
  14. Suspension2

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
19961
199734
19986
199911
200011
20014
200210
20036
200412
20057
20061
20074
20081
20093
20101
20112
20123
20130
20141
20150
20162
20171
20180
20190
20200
20210
20221

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

24 reports1 crash1 fire
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CADILLAC SEVILLE. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS SUDDENLY DEPLOYED WITHOUT IMPACT OR WARNING. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN NOTICED WATER LEAKING FROM THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT INTO THE AIR BAG COMPUTER SYSTEM, WHICH CAUSED THE AIR BAGS TO FAIL. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE AIR BAGS AND OTHER UNKNOWN PARTS RELATED TO THE COMPUTER SYSTEM AND AIR CONDITIONING UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 183,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 6, 2017Electrical system, Air bagsODI 10940061

Engine and engine cooling

24 reports2 fires
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CADILLAC SEVILLE STS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AND SMELLED A STRONG BURNING ODOR OF FUMES INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE ENGINE BEGAN TO OVERHEAT, CAUSING THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE TO INCREASE RAPIDLY TO HOT. THE CONTACT MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF COOLANT LEAKAGE UNDERNEATH THE DASHBOARD AND THE FRONT PASSENGER FLOOR AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 138,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 5, 2011Engine and engine coolingFire reportedODI 10438577

Fuel system, gasoline

19 reports1 crash2 fires1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CADILLAC SEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V110000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS) FOR A FUEL LEAK BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING GASOLINE ONTO THE GROUND FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, WHICH THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED COULD POSSIBLY CAUSE A FIRE. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 150,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 27, 2012Fuel system, gasolineODI 10449459

Steering

15 reports2 crashes
“WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STALLS UNEXPECTEDLY WITH LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. MAY CAUSE OR BE CAUSE OF ACCIDENT. HAVE BEEN TO DLR 2X IN PAST BUT UNABLE TO DUPLICATE AND FIND CAUSE OF PROBLEM.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 15, 1999Steering, Engine and engine coolingODI 713385

Air bags

10 reports3 crashes1 fire
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CADILLAC SEVILLE. WHILE APPROACHING A STOP, THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED INDEPENDENTLY AND WITHOUT IMPACT. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED ABRASIONS TO THE RIGHT ARM, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A BODY SHOP. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 156,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 6, 2016Air bagsODI 10872819

Equipment

10 reports1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CADILLAC SEVILLE STS. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL FAILED. HIS VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS EXCLUDED FROM RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 95V224000 (EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL). HE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AT HIS EXPENSE. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE IN THE PAST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 94000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 18, 2009EquipmentODI 10296367
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.