Most common 1997 Cadillac Deville problems
Share of the 269 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Cadillac Deville complaints by model year
Best Deville years: 2005, 2003, 2004. Years to avoid: 1997, 1998, 1996, 2000. Compare all years →
1997 Cadillac Deville recalls (2)
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Some passenger vehicles equipped with 4.0l v8 engines have a condition in which the nylon tubing used in the fuel rail construction May degrade and crack. Additionally, the 1995 model year uses a unique underhood fuel return line that May crack.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the engine fuel rail with a new stainless steel fuel rail. Dealers will also install a revised chassis fuel return line.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
The electronic brake control module or the electronic brake and traction control module can cause the antilock brake system (ABS) to cycle during a non-ABS brake application.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the electronic brake control module or the electronic brake and traction control module.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 5 possible defects involving the 1997 Cadillac Deville:
Power rack and pinion steering failure
GM conducted a safety recall (NHTSA # 02V286) to address a steering defect pertaining to a lower pinion bearing (lpb) within the rack and pinion steering gear (r&p). The recall covered 1,159,156 model year 1997-1998 Pontiac grand prix vehicles built between March 1, 1996 and October 31, 1997, 1996-1998 Pontiac trans sport, Chevrolet lumina apv, Chevrolet venture, Oldsmobile silhouette minivans, and Chevrolet…
Erratic turn signal operation
Fuel rail leakage
The fuel rail assemblies used in the subject vehicles were manufactured by dana.the fuel rail jumper tubes were made of monolayer nylon 12 (pa12).in model year (my) 1998, the jumper tube material was changed from pa12 to m-bond (a multi-layer ptfe/pa12).in addition, all service parts produced since the end of production 1997 use the m-bond jumper tubes.
Fuel rail leaks
On March 3, 2004, general motors notified odi that it was recalling approximately 94,000 my 1995-97 Oldsmobile aurora vehicles equipped with 4.0l v8 engines (rpo l47 - vin8 c) to address concerns with underhood fuel leakage from cracked fuel rails and, in some of the vehicles, cracked fuel return lines.
Inadvertent of side impact air bag
There is no summary currently available
What 1997 Cadillac Deville owners say
Brakes all 62 →
Tl contact owns a 1997 Cadillac Deville. After the vehicle had been driven for approximately 20 minutes, the contact parked and noticed smoke and small flames under the hood. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated that the tracking control and ABS control module burned. The failure is identical to NHTSA campaign id number 97V064000 (service brakes, hydraulic:antilock). The vehicle has not been repaired. The current and failure mileages were 58,000. Updated 07/08/08. Updated
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Cadillac Deville. When attempting to stop the vehicle, there was an increase in stopping distance. The contact mentioned that the vehicle went into anti lock braking mode. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was determined that the electronic brake control module or the electronic brake and traction control modules needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 55,000.
Engine & cooling all 48 →
At about 12:30 - 1:00 am in the morning the car was parked at my home in the driveway directly in front of the garage. [redacted] the owner gets up to get something to eat when he looked outside the patio, he saw his car smoldering and than immediately burst into flames at the engine area. Called the fire department immediately and in the meantime tried to suppress the fire but not successful.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Cadillac Deville. The contact stated the vehicle overheated and the head gaskets were blown. The contact stated a few prior to the failure, the vehicle caught on fire due to the vehicle being under recall (NHTSA campaign id number: 04V110000-fuel system, gasoline: delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings) but could not determine if the failure was directly associated. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileages were 120,000.
Fuel & propulsion system all 40 →
[ ] I had purchased my car used. I found that there was a recall on this model. I went online and ran the vin # and confirmed that. I called the dealership and explained they looked it up and confirmed it needed to have the original plastic fuel rail replaced with a new stainless steel fuel rail. They informed me that they had to order the parts from Michigan an it would be 2 weeks for the parts to get here and then we could set up an appointment to bring the car in. over 2 weeks later they called and we set up the appointment I had started the car the morning of the appointment for it to go to the dealership. I needed to grab something from in the house so I turned it off to go back in my house. I was answering a text on my phone and as I looked up to get out of the car there were flames coming out from between the fender and the hood. …
I have a 1997 Cadillac Deville. During hot weather after the car has been driven long enough to reach operating temp and then shut off, raw gasoline flows out of the charcoal filter vent (mounted above the rear axle) and onto the ground and saturates an area of 8-10 feet in diameter under the car. It has been to the dealer twice and to date 2 oxygen sensors have been replaced, the map sensor, the purge valve solenoid, the purge valve switch, and the charcoal filter have also been replaced. None of which has solved the problem. No one at the dealer(s) I've contacted seem to know anything about what components inside the fuel tank or fuel system could cause excessive pressure or heat in the fuel tank causing it to be pumped or vented out through the charcoal filter and on to the ground. …
1997 Cadillac Deville engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.6L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 15 / 24 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: Large car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1997 Cadillac Deville a good car?
Based on 269 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1997 Deville rates avoid: 2.1× as many complaints as a typical year of the Deville at the same age. It is one of the Deville years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1997 Cadillac Deville?
The brakes — 62 complaints, 23% of all complaints for this model year, most often about antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip. Next are the engine & cooling (48) and fuel & propulsion system (40).
How many recalls does the 1997 Cadillac Deville have?
There are 2 recalls for the 1997 Cadillac Deville, the most recent from March 4, 2004 (hoses, lines/piping, and fittings). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Cadillac Deville?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2005, 2003 and 2004. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1997, 1998, 1996 and 2000. See the full Cadillac Deville years comparison.
At what mileage do 1997 Cadillac Deville problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 82,000 miles; 16% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.