Steering complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Cadillac Deville. While making a right turn at approximately 10 MPH, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver without warning. As a result, the contact lost control of the vehicle, drove over a curb, and into a field. There were no injuries nor was a police report filed. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 170,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Cadillac Deville. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 25 MPH and attempted to make a turn, the steering wheel locked. No warning indicators illuminated. The contact mentioned that the failure progressed. The contact had to shut the vehicle off and restart in order to make the turn. The dealer or an independent mechanic did not diagnose the vehicle. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 105,000.
The contact owns a 2004 Cadillac Deville. The contact stated that while driving on a mountain at a slow speed, the steering wheel became difficult to turn. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer but was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 102,331.
I was accelerating onto main hi-way when steering wheel locked up and could not turn steering wheel and was almost hit by a motor home as my car went straight across hi way instead of turning which I was trying to do. Took a few tries to get vehicle safely off road as steering wheel could not be turned.called my son who brought tools to take steering column apart.when I inspected the cause, the steering wheel lock button would not disengage so had to remove steering wheel lock button from steering column. Since then the vehicle has no steering wheel lock so car can be shifted without pressing the brake at the same time but by simply moving the gear shift lever when key is in run or accessory position!
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Cadillac Deville. While driving 35 MPH, the vehicle shook violently and the brake pedal stiffened. In addition, the steering wheel seized and the vehicle crashed into a steel dumpster. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was not filed. The driver was injured and required medical attention. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign number: 14V355000 (electrical system), but the part was not available. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 109,000.
Fuel level sensor stopped working , also after I gotten my transmission rebuilt and my front motor mount placed in the car no longer cranks like normal . Takes a while to turn over, key slides out , steering wheel is hard to turn while during and steering wheel jerks in the other direction while turning . The power steering has a leak and also the air ride suspension has stopped working lowered the car and shocks have lowered . NHTSA campaign id: 14V355000 NHTSA campaign id: 03V238
Wild traveling far right lane 45 mile-an-hour 5 lane major road in michigan hit pothole lost all control of the vehicle beard left into oncoming traffic struggled car back to the right took over 1 miles to finally come to an abrupt stop at a four foot concrete barrier in front of a car dealership airbags did not deploy loss of control brakes steering very hard
A 2002 Cadillac Deville dhs 4-door sedan was originally parked head-first into a parking space. When the driver started the ignition, stepped on the brake and then put the vehicle into the reverse gear "r", slowly and partially releasing the brake, the vehicle moved back normally as expected. After about 15 feet, the driver turned the steering wheel to the right to maneuver the vehicle into position to leave the parking lot. At that moment, the engine unexpectedly revved up, the brakes failed, the vehicle accelerated in the reverse direction, the steering mechanism failed (driver's actions on the steering wheel had no impacts on the actual motions of the front wheels), and a significant "clanking" noise (as if some major components in and around the engine compartment area had been broken) was clearly noticeable. …
Related recalls (1)
Steering › Gear box (other than rack and pinion)
Certain passenger vehicles were built with missing or under-torqued steering gear attachment bolts. If a bolt is missing, the driver May notice uneven steering response or unusual noises during turns.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the vehicles for presence and proper torque of both steering gear bolts. Owner notification began April 5, 2002.
NHTSA investigations
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…
Frequently asked questions
Which Cadillac Deville years have steering problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1996 (43), 2004 (36), 2005 (29), 2000 (25) and 1997 (22) model years. Steering complaints make up 20% of all complaints for the 1996.
Is there a recall for Cadillac Deville steering problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 02V-067 (gear box (other than rack and pinion), Mar 6, 2002). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Cadillac Deville steering problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 78,000 miles; 28% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the hydraulic power assist system (33 mentions), followed by the hydraulic power assist › pump (21).
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.