Most common 1997 Cadillac Seville problems
Share of the 95 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Cadillac Seville complaints by model year
Best Seville years: 2004, 2003, 2002. Years to avoid: 1996, 1997, 1999. Compare all years →
1997 Cadillac Seville 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 3 possible defects involving the 1997 Cadillac Seville:
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…
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.
What 1997 Cadillac Seville owners say
Engine & cooling all 21 →
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Cadillac Seville. The contact stated that the vehicle was driving roughly. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was flickering on and off. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who referred the contact to an authorized dealer. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 89,007.
I bought a used car with an extended warranty. A week later the fuel switch went out. I had to spend $80 to get that fixed at the same dealership. After a few weeks the turing switch started smoking so I took it to different dealership to get check out and they fixed it for $100 (co pay) while my car was being fixed they found a major oil leak and asked me if I would like to see if my warranty would fix it. The warrenty people came out and said no we are not going to pay the $1,500 -$2,500 to fix it. The car needs to go back to where you bought it so they can fix the car because the leak was preexisting . At that time I went and talked to one of the owners. He said he would look into it and advised me to go and let the service manager take a look at the car. …
Fuel & propulsion system
Tl contact owns a 1997 Cadillac Seville. The contact was informed that his vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign id number 04V110000; however, the dealer stated that the recall had expired. The dealer did not want to make any repairs. Less than 72 hours later, the vehicle caught fire upon starting. Flames appeared under the hood and were extinguished with a fire extinguisher. The dealer stated that they would not touch the vehicle due to the fire. A claim was filed with the manufacturer, which was escalated to higher authorities. The contact is awaiting a call back. The vehicle has not been repaired. The VIN was unknown. The current and failure mileages were less than 144,000.
I bought a used car with an extended warranty. A week later the fuel switch went out. I had to spend $80 to get that fixed at the same dealership. After a few weeks the turing switch started smoking so I took it to different dealership to get check out and they fixed it for $100 (co pay) while my car was being fixed they found a major oil leak and asked me if I would like to see if my warranty would fix it. The warrenty people came out and said no we are not going to pay the $1,500 -$2,500 to fix it. The car needs to go back to where you bought it so they can fix the car because the leak was preexisting . At that time I went and talked to one of the owners. He said he would look into it and advised me to go and let the service manager take a look at the car. …
Brakes
I was on the highway driving at 60 to 65 miles an hour, the distance before the malfunction began was approximately 5 miles before my brakes automatically were applied during a non braking application. The Cadillac sts slowed down into a car that hit my rear bumper. I tried to recover from the bump. As an result, the momentum sent me into a rocky but grassy ditched area on the side of the highway. As a result of the ebtcm failing while driving on the highway, my bumper was damaged, front bumper was damaged, along with my steering and struts. I contacted GM about the issue with this defective ebtcm and the remedy has been that a inspector will evaluate the car then next(....) I will be notified whether or not it will repaired. The car has been parked majority of the time since my incident. I'm waiting for the inspector to call and schedule an date to view vehicle. …
Tl contact owns a 1997 Cadillac Seville. While driving various speeds, the antilock brake and traction lights illuminate simultaneously during non-ABS applications. The issue has been occurring for the past three weeks. The contact was informed that his vehicle was not affected by NHTSA campaign id number 97V064000 (service brakes, hydraulic:antilock), although the failures were identical. The failure mileage was 138,000 and current mileage is 139,000. Updated 6/22/09 the horn, fan blower and stabilizer link were replaced. Updated 06/25/09.
1997 Cadillac Seville engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.6L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 15 / 24 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1997 Cadillac Seville a good car?
Based on 95 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1997 Seville rates use caution: 1.8× as many complaints as a typical year of the Seville at the same age. It is one of the Seville 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 Seville?
The engine & cooling — 21 complaints, 22% of all complaints for this model year, most often about engine › gasoline. Next are the fuel & propulsion system (19) and brakes (16).
How many recalls does the 1997 Cadillac Seville have?
There are 2 recalls for the 1997 Cadillac Seville, 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 Seville?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2004, 2003 and 2002. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1996, 1997 and 1999. See the full Cadillac Seville years comparison.
At what mileage do 1997 Cadillac Seville problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 93,000 miles; 3% 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.