Most common 2002 Cadillac Seville problems
Share of the 45 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 →
2002 Cadillac Seville recalls (2)
Fuel system, gasoline › Storage › Tank assembly
On certain Cadillac deville and seville passenger vehicles, funeral coaches, and limousines equipped with a v8 (4.6l) engine, Oldsmobile aurora passenger vehicles equipped with a v8 (4.0l ) engine, and Pontiac bonneville ssei passenger vehicles equipped with a supercharged v6 (3.8l) engine, the fuel tank pressure sensors are…
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel tank pressure sensor. Owner notification began on October 17, 2003. Owners should contact Cadillac at 1-866-982-2339; Oldsmobile at 1-800-630-6537; or Pontiac at 1-800-620-7668.
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.
What 2002 Cadillac Seville owners say
Suspension
Drive train cradle has weakened significantly from rust. While driving there is a looseness of the suspension felt and a shifting evident when accelerating and decelerating. I reside in minnesota and the d.o.t. Uses salt on the roads during the winter season and this has significantly accelerated corrosion of vehicles and their exposed components. Materials used for critical components on vehicles must withstand this factor or lives May be lost due to this corrosion, failure of the sub-frame cradle will be catastrophic loss of vehicle control . Help... The manufacturer should recall these vehicles and replace such a major component with a resistant component. Vehicle has been parked now since 2008 when this issue had been discovered. Beautiful car and I'd like the sub=frame replaced, only that component needed to enable roadability. Photo/s of degradation upon request.
Engine cradle/frame is severely degrading structurally due to the northern states practices of salting/sanding roads during the winter months. The integrity of the sub-frame steel structure is such that normal use of the vehicle, its suspension, steering and drive train stability has been compromised. The manufactures use of substandard metals in its sub-frames is the reason for this vehicles instability issues. The vehicle has now been parked for the last 4 years for fear of a potential hazardous outcome, related to the drive-train frame instability, which May cause injury to not only the occupants of the vehicle but also anyone else sharing the road.
Engine & cooling
While stopped behind 3 vehicles at a stoplight I florida a female who said she was unfamiliar with driving her husbands stick shift vehicle stalled out. Two vehicles in front of me pulled around her when the light changed, this left about twenty feet between my car and hers. She accidentally put the car in reverse and backed into mine at about 15 miles per hour. When I started to get out of the car she pulled forward fifteen to twenty feet before the engine of her car quit. As I watched to see what she was doing she got the car started and put it in reverse again hitting my car again. She did this three times before getting it in a forward gear and moving forward without the car engine stalling. At no time did during this did the airbags in the Seville deploy.
Tl contact owns a 2002 Cadillac Seville. While driving approximately 60 MPH the vehicle stalled without warning. She restarted the vehicle and within a few minutes it began to function normally. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic five times who was unable to duplicate the failure. The failure occurred intermittently. The failure had been ongoing for more than a year while driving various speeds. The approximate failure mileage was 90,000 and the current mileage was 92,416. Updated 10/05/10 updated 10/07/10
Steering
Engine cradle/frame is severely degrading structurally due to the northern states practices of salting/sanding roads during the winter months. The integrity of the sub-frame steel structure is such that normal use of the vehicle, its suspension, steering and drive train stability has been compromised. The manufactures use of substandard metals in its sub-frames is the reason for this vehicles instability issues. The vehicle has now been parked for the last 4 years for fear of a potential hazardous outcome, related to the drive-train frame instability, which May cause injury to not only the occupants of the vehicle but also anyone else sharing the road.
Car snakes extremely bad around 45 to 70 MPH so bad it shakes the entire car like my wheels are loose or bent and so I bought 4 new wheels and got alignment no help did research and learned that it is due to type of torque converter in the car is a bad brand that messes up a lot and that GM hasn't acknowledged the issue which is such a shame and a sham that I hate they are doing because it is an expensive fix and I have to foot the bill plus bushing are low grade in front end and you would think be high end vehicle should be high end parts happened first on highway and has progressively gotten worse
2002 Cadillac Seville engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.6L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 16 / 25 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2002 Cadillac Seville a good car?
Based on 45 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2002 Seville rates average: 39% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Seville at the same age. It is one of the best Seville years by this measure. 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 2002 Cadillac Seville?
The suspension — 12 complaints, 27% of all complaints for this model year, most often about front. Next are the engine & cooling (10) and steering (7).
How many recalls does the 2002 Cadillac Seville have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2002 Cadillac Seville, the most recent from July 1, 2003 (tank assembly). 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 2002 Cadillac Seville problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 90,000 miles; 25% 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.