Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1997 Cadillac Deville owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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.
Upon starting the car first thing in the morning, the engine backfired through the induction system starting an engine fire. By the time the fire was extinguished it had caused enough damage that the car had to be junked.
I January 2004 I took my 97 Cadillac Deville to be serviced due to an indicator light on to check the coolant system. I was told that I would need a new engine due to the engineering design of the cadillacs since 1992 of mounting steel bolts in alluminum motor mount which was designed to last only up to 100,000 miles. The options I was giver were to replace the engine or have the mounts rebuilt but the later no longer came with a warranty option since a family opted for that at which time their engine fell out in the middle of the road on their way to california. GM informed me that they would give no assistance for any source of repair with openly admitting they were aware of the defect but were not planning to make any changes to the engine design much less recall the vehicles. …
My 1997 Cadillac Deville stalled while driving. This has happened at steady speed on the freeway, while exiting on a clover leaf ramp at highway speeds, while driving on a country road, while approaching a stop sign. The dealer service dept. Says it shows codes that car stalled but no reason. Therefore, even though the car is under Cadillac extended warranty, they will not attempt to diagnose the problem unless the car stalls while they are driving it or if the stall leaves a code stating the cause. I feel the car is unsafe for my family to be driving and am frustrated that they won't try to fix the problem. I've called Cadillac customer care, the dealer's gmgr, the svc. Mgr. And they all say they won't do anything till it acts up for them. …
Dt: the gas gauge did not work properly. The consumer took the vehicle to a mechanic. The mechanic said there was a recall with the fuel rail . He told the consumer to go to the dealership because vehicle had a transmission and oil leak. The vehicle was taken to the dealer they did the recall and gave them a copy of what mechanic had given the consumer. They replaced the water pump, and said there was a bad oil leak. This wasn't consistent with what the mechanic said. Felt like the vehicle was a safety hazard due to the north star engine. The consumer was told the vehicle needed a new crackcase seal due to an oil leak, the water pump was leaking and there was no transmission leak.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Cadillac Deville. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, he smelled a burning odor. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the contact was informed that the oil pan seal was leaking oil. As a result, the oil was leaking onto the engine manifold. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, but offered no assistance. The contact expressed extreme concern over a potential fire hazard. The failure mileage was 65,000. Updated 04/18/12 updated 04/23/12.
Tl contact owns a 1997 Cadillac Deville. The vehicle will not start up after the key is turned in the ignition. The contact makes at least five attempts to get the vehicle to start. When the vehicle finally starts, the muffler produces a large amount of smoke and the engine light flashes on and off. The vehicle has been inspected by a mechanic a few times and the starter and alternator have been replaced; however, the failure persists. The current mileage was 182,895 and failure mileage was 161,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Cadillac Deville. The contact was driving approximately 40 MPH when the vehicle began to overheat followed by stalling. The A/C warning indicator was illuminated following the failure. The vehicle was not inspected by a dealer nor repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted to report the failure. The failure and current mileage was approximately 100,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Tl contact owns a 1997 Cadillac Deville. While driving at an unknown speed, the contact noticed a signal on the instrument panel that indicated to turn off the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated that the head gasket had blown. The contact did not notice any differences beforehand. The current and failure mileages were 116,000. Updated 10/16/08. Updated 10/17/08.
Engine complaints in other Deville years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 1997 Cadillac Deville?
NHTSA has 48 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 1997 Cadillac Deville, 18% of the model year's 269 complaints. The component named most often is engine › gasoline (15 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1997 Cadillac Deville engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 1997 Cadillac Deville, though it has 2 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1997 Cadillac Deville engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 100,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 3 fires and 0 injuries to engine & cooling problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.