1985 Cadillac Deville problems & reliability
19 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1985 Cadillac Deville. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
1 complaint report injuries (1 injured, 1 deaths reported).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 6 | 32% |
| Steering | 5 | 26% |
| Electrical System | 1 | 5% |
| Power Train | 1 | 5% |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 5% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 5% |
| Structure | 1 | 5% |
| Unknown OR Other | 1 | 5% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 5% |
| Wheels | 1 | 5% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“- rack and pinion steering - stuck in certain positions and when cold - dangerous! - rear load leveling sys. Doesn't seem to work on any cadillacs of this era. I can't put a single bag of groceries in the trunk without the rear bottoming - why haven't they been recalled? - headliner came loose and hangs down. -…”
Steering · filed May 8, 2002
“While attempting to turn right at any degree greater than a lane change, the steering gives the consumer high resistance, especially during a cold start. *slc”
Steering · filed Jan 23, 2001
“Stopped to open the gate. Restarted the car and the engine began to race uncontrollablly (as though one had their foot on the brake and gas at the same time). Had my foot the brake and shifted back into park, it still raced until I shut it off. Started the car again to see if we could get home. Proceeded down the road…”
Vehicle Speed Control · filed Nov 3, 1999
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- SUDDEN ACCELERATION
Engineering Analysis EA88031 · opened Apr 22, 1988 · closed Oct 23, 1989
- HYDRO BOOST
Engineering Analysis EA88019 · opened Jan 28, 1988 · closed Oct 31, 1990
- HYDROBOOST FAILURE
Preliminary Evaluation PE87038 · opened Jul 9, 1987 · closed Jan 28, 1988
- WINDSHIELD WIPERS
Engineering Analysis EA86025 · opened Aug 25, 1986 · closed Mar 2, 1988
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1985 Cadillac Deville in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1985 Cadillac Deville?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.