Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 1998 Cadillac Deville
NHTSA data on file today
The 1998 Cadillac Deville has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns and 236 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #00V217000 GM/SIDE IMPACT SENSOR MODULE NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #97V232000 GM/FMVSS 219 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #97V183000 GM/EVAPORATIVE EMISSIONS HARNESS NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Exterior Lighting 43 complaints
- Air Bags 34 complaints
- Engine and Engine Cooling 33 complaints
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic 30 complaints
- Electrical System 18 complaints
- Steering 15 complaints
Of the 236 complaints on file, 14 report a crash and 1 a fire; across all 236 complaints, owners report 17 injuries and 2 deaths (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $8,500–$12,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 1998 Cadillac DeVille has notable issues with air bag deployment and frequent complaints related to exterior lighting and brakes. These concerns alongside recalls suggest high repair risks.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| air bags | 70,000–110,000 miles | $300–$800 | very common |
| exterior lighting | 60,000–100,000 miles | $100–$400 | very common |
| brake system | 50,000–90,000 miles | $200–$600 | common |
| engine cooling | 40,000–80,000 miles | $150–$500 | common |
| steering | 80,000–120,000 miles | $250–$700 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil and filter change every 5,000 miles
- Transmission fluid replacement at 50,000 miles
- Brake fluid replacement every 20,000 miles
- Coolant system flush every 40,000 miles
- Inspect timing belt at 60,000 miles
- Check tires every 10,000 miles
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Air bag warning lights
- Erratic exterior lighting behavior
- Brake responsiveness issues
- Engine overheating
- Unusual steering wheel vibrations
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 1998 Cadillac Deville at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.