1997 Cadillac Seville problems & reliability
95 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1997 Cadillac Seville, alongside 1 safety recall campaign. 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.
4 complaints report injuries (4 injured, 2 deaths reported).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 1997 Cadillac Seville vehicles were involved in 2 fatal crashes with 1 occupant death. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 19 | 20% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 17 | 18% |
| Steering | 16 | 17% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 15 | 16% |
| Electrical System | 11 | 12% |
| Exterior Lighting | 7 | 7% |
| Air Bags | 6 | 6% |
| Suspension | 6 | 6% |
| Visibility | 5 | 5% |
| Wheels | 4 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 91,204 miles (middle 50% between 81,500 and 121,855 miles), based on 38 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“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…”
Engine · filed Apr 15, 2021
“Tl* the contact owns a 1997 cadillac seville. While the vehicle was parked in a residential driveway, it caught fire. The fire department extinguished the flames and indicated that there may have been an electrical short associated with the front passenger seat. A police report was not filed. The interior of the…”
Electrical System · filed Apr 24, 2017
“Tl* the contact owns a 1997 cadillac seville. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was maneuvered to the side of the road. The contact was able to restart the vehicle however, the failure occurred fifteen times within an hour. The vehicle was not taken…”
Engine · filed Jun 6, 2014
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- FUEL RAIL LEAKS
Engineering Analysis EA04003 · opened Feb 3, 2004 · closed Apr 23, 2004 · led to recall 04V110000
- FUEL RAIL LEAKAGE
Preliminary Evaluation PE03050 · opened Oct 30, 2003 · closed Feb 3, 2004
- POWER RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILURE
Recall Query RQ03001 · opened Jan 2, 2003 · closed Sep 15, 2003
Technical service bulletins
62 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1997 Cadillac Seville. The 10 most recent:
This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8…
PIP4723F · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 14, 2022
This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8…
PIP4723D · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 31, 2020
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco TheftLock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. Technician will need to…
PIC4696E · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 22, 2019
This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action courtesy transportation policy.
17NA073 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 18, 2019
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco TheftLock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. Technician will need to…
PIC4696D · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 5, 2019
This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action courtesy transportation policy.
17NA073 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 15, 2019
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco Theft Lock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. Technician will need to…
PIC4696C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 31, 2018
This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8…
PIP4723C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 20, 2017
This warranty administration bulletin provides policy information with the field action courtesy transportation policy.
17-NA-073 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 15, 2017
This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8…
PIP4723B · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 22, 2017
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 1997 Cadillac Seville has 1 NHTSA recall campaign — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
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 1997 Cadillac Seville?
- · 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.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 91,204 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.