Cadillac Eldorado Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data
Comparing used Cadillac Eldorado options? We analyzed 3 model years (2000–2002) using real NHTSA complaint and recall data so you can spot stronger years, avoid riskier ones, and know what to inspect before buying.
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- Accident & damage history
- Odometer rollback records
- Open recalls & title brands
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the Cadillac Eldorado has 70 owner complaints and 1 safety recall across model years 2000–2002. The most reported issue area is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING. 2000 drew the most complaints; 2002 drew the fewest.
- Make
- Cadillac
- Model
- Eldorado
- Model years analyzed
- 2000–2002 (3 years)
- Total NHTSA complaints
- 70
- Safety recall campaigns
- 1
- Crash-related complaints
- 4
- Fire-related complaints
- 0
- Worst model year (by complaints)
- 2000 (30 complaints)
- Best model year (fewest complaints)
- 2002 (16 complaints)
- Top reported issue area
- ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
- Reliability signal
- Average
By model year
Cadillac Eldorado: which years to avoid & which to buy
Based on total NHTSA owner complaints per model year. Higher complaint counts indicate a riskier year to buy used — lower counts suggest a cleaner reliability record.
These years have the most owner complaints. Inspect carefully and always run a VIN check.
These years have the fewest owner complaints on record — lower risk starting points.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA NCAP crash test ratings
New Car Assessment ProgramNCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings
What the complaint data suggests
AverageThe CADILLAC ELDORADO has 70 NHTSA complaints and 1 recalls on record. 4 complaints involve crash-related incidents. This data reflects owner-reported issues submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- 70 total complaints filed with NHTSA
- 1 federal recall campaign
- 4 crash-related complaints on record
- Review NHTSA complaint history for the most-reported components
- Check recall completion status at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Verify service records for frequently complained components
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with elevated complaint rates.
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with fewer reported issues.
- Run a VIN check on the specific vehicle you are considering
- Verify all open recalls are completed at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Request service records for the most-reported complaint components
- Have a certified mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase
Problems by model year (best vs. worst)
Source: NHTSA public complaints database. Updated: Aug 2026
Safety recalls
NHTSA safety recalls
1 recall foundSafety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2000–2002. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.
Common problems
What goes wrong most often
The vehicle systems owners complain about most, ranked from all 70 NHTSA complaints — these are the areas to inspect first on a used car.
Owner complaints
NHTSA complaint reports
70 totalThese are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CADILLAC ELDORADO. THE CONTACT STATED THE OVERHEAD EYEGLASS COMPARTMENT DETACHED AND BLOCKED THE VIEW OF THE REAR VIEW MIRROR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN THE DEALER WHO STATED THE LATCH FOR THE OVERHEAD EYE GLASS COMPARTMENT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 87,757. UPDATED 07/19/12 *BF UPDATED 07/23/12
I WAS AT DON MACKEY CADILLAC SHOWING THE SERVICE ADVISER A PROBLEM UNDER THE HOOD WHEN I NOTICED THAT THE FIREWALL HAD A HOLE IN IT. IN THE PRESENCE OF THE ADVISED I POINTED OUT THE OPENING AND WHEN I TOUCHED THE FIREWALL A PIECE OF THE PL ASTIC BROKE OFF IN MY HAND. I ASKED THE SERVICE ADVISER IF THIS WAS TYPICAL AND HE STATED THAT IT WAS NOT. HE ALSO STATED THAT TO REPLACE THE PART WOULD BE PROHIBITIVELY EXPENSIVE. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. THE FIREWALL IS SUPPOSED TO PROTECT THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE OR ACCIDENT. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CADILLAC ELDORADO. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE CONTACT HEARD A CLINKING NOISE UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VALVE SOLENOID AND TORQUE CONVERTER CAUSED THE FAILURE AND THEY MADE THE REPLACEMENT. APPROXIMATELY FOUR MONTHS LATER, WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY SHIFTING GEARS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE SWITCH ASSEMBLY AND LOWER VALVES CAUSED THE FAILURE AND THEY MADE THE REPLACEMENT. APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH LATER, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT UPSHIFT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE SPACER PLATE AND GASKET ASSEMBLY CAUSED THE FAILURE AND MADE THE REPLACEMENT. APPROXIMATELY A YEAR AND A HALF LATER, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE SOLENOID CAUSED THE FAILURE AND THEY REPLACED THE SOLENOID, VARIABLE PRESSURE SOLENOID, AND FILTERS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,215 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,500. UPDATED 12/27/07 *TR
I OWN A 2002 CADILLAC STS AND JUST HAD THE BRAKES FAIL , BUT FORTUNATELY NOT IN A WAY THAT THERE WAS A CRASH. I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE WRITER AT SAINT CLARE CADILLAC IN SANTA CLARA, CA THAT THE BRAKE LINE FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER TO THE FRONT BRAKES FAILED DUE TO A DEFECTIVE CLIP. HE STATED THAT THIS WAS THE FOURTH CAR THIS MONTH THAT HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM. THE PLASTIC CLIP COMES LOOSE AND THE BRAKE LINE RUBS AGAINST THE TRANSMISSION HOUSING AND EVENTUALLY FAILS. I WAS VERY LUCKY THAT THIS FAILURE HAPPENED IN MY DRIVEWAY AS I LIVE IN A MOUNTAIN AREA OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CA. THE BRAKE FAILED BY PUMPING FLUID OUT OF THE HOLE EVERY TIME THE BRAKE WAS DEPRESSED UNTIL THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT FLUID TO KEEP THE PEDAL FROM GOING TO THE FLOOR. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED TO ME. SHOULD NOT THIS BE AN IMMEDIATE RECALL ITEM BY GENERAL MOTORS
DT CONSUMER STATES WHEN THE BRAKES ARE PRESSED, IT DOESN'T STOP THE VEHICLE. IT HAPPENS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS MOVING SLOWLY. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAYS THEY CAN'T FIND OUT WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE BRAKES. *TT
2002 CADILLAC DEVILLE, CLICKING IN RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING. DEALING CHECKED BEARING, FOUND IT TO BE BAD, AND NOTED THAT LEFT FRONT WAS ALSO GOING BAD. REAR BEARING REPLACED, FRONT BEARING TIGHTED, DEALER SUGGESTED PERIODIC CHECKS, MAY NEED REPLACEMENT IN FUTURE. THIS CALL IS LESS THAT 3 YEARS OLD, 60K MILES, BEARING SHOULD NOT BE GOING BAD. THIS CAR WAS NOT IN AN ACCIDENT, NOR CURBS STRUCK, NOT WAS IT SETTING UN-USED FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME. THESE ARE SCENARIOS THE DEALER TRIED TO EXPLAIN TO ME WHY WHEEL BEARING WENT BAD WITH 60K MILES. I EXPLAINED THAT NEITHER OF THOSE SCENARIOS WERE EXPERIENCED BY ME/THIS CAR.L *JB
Read 14 more owner reports
CAR INTO CAR DEALERSHIP FOR THE FIFTH TIME DUE TO SAME SAFETY PROBLEM--CAR, WITHOUT WARNING GOES INTO PASSING GEAR CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL, WITH RPM'S GOING TO 6000 & SPEEDOMETER GOING TO 0-- HIGH PROBABILITY OF A CRASH. *AK
WHILE DRIVING THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR FAILED WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO TURN OFF. *PH THE DEALER REPLACED BOTH CRANK SENSORS. *NM (NAR)
WARRANTY AND SAFETY ISSUE * CADILLAC MARKET IMAGE.*MR (NAR) THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED STEERING PROBLEMS CAUSED BY FAULTY VOGUE TIRES. *CB
HEADLIGHT LOW BEAM ON THE CADILLAC CTS 2000 HAS A BLACK BAR THAT REDUCES VISION TO ABOUT 75 FT AND ON DARK COUNTRY ROADS, THIS SHORTENED VISION IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. THE HEADLIGHT SHOULD BE A RECALL BEFORE SERIOUS ACCIDENTS OCCUR AS A RESULT OF THIS CONDITION. WHAT WAS CADILLAC THINKING? CADILLAC DOESN'T SEEM TO THINK THERE IS A PROBLEM BUT OBVIOUSLY THEY DON'T EVER DRIVE THEIR PRODUCT ON DARK ROADS AT NIGHT. THIS HEADLIGHT PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED!! IT IS AWFUL! *AK
FRONT TIRES WORE OUT PREMATURELY, CAUSING THE SIDEWALL TO CRACK. DEALER RECOMMENDED TIRE REPLACEMENT. *AK
VEHICLE HIT SEVERAL OBJECTS BEFORE HITTING A TREE HEAD ON AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.*MR THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE HIT THE BACK OF A CONCRETE TRUCK, A DITCH AND A TREE. THE DEALER STATED THE CONSUMER DIDN'T HIT THE OBJECTS AT THE RIGHT ANGLE, WHICH CAUSED THE AIR BAGS NOT TO DEPLOY. *PH *JB
THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON ACCIDENT. UPON IMPACT THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *AK *NLM
THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN SEVERAL TIMES WHILE EXITING A RAMP. *AK *JB
FRONT GLASS BLOW OUT AT 75MPH. *AK
WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION BURNED UP, AND WHEN PUTTING VEHICLE INTO ANY GEAR, IT WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER REPLACED TRANSMISSION. *AK CADILLAC DTS 2002 *YH
AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CADILLAC ELDORADO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT HAD TO MANEUVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. AFTER A COUPLE OF MINUTES, THE VEHICLE STARTED NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000. UPDATED 04/22/2016*LJ
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CADILLAC ELDORADO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE STABILIZATION ENGAGE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE DECELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER HOWEVER, THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED HER BACK TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 160,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CADILLAC ELDORADO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHERE THE MECHANIC COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.
Showing 20 of 70 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
Check the exact car
Before you buy, check the exact Cadillac Eldorado
These pages show model-year patterns across 3 years. Enter a VIN to verify the exact vehicle's accident history, title brands, odometer records, and open recall status before purchase.
The basics
How to read this data
Complaints, recalls, investigations — here’s what each number actually tells you about a used Cadillac Eldorado, in plain English.
What is an NHTSA Complaint?
An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is — but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The Cadillac Eldorado has 70 complaints on record across 3 model years.
What is a Safety Recall?
A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The Cadillac Eldorado has 1 recall campaign in the NHTSA database.
What Are Crash Complaints?
Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 4 of the Cadillac Eldorado's 70 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions — a key safety signal beyond general reliability.
How Is the Reliability Verdict Calculated?
The reliability verdict (Average) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. This verdict gives buyers a quick interpretation before they review year-level details and VIN-level history. It should be treated as one decision input, not a substitute for a VIN-specific report.
Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?
Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable — simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.
Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN
Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all Cadillac Eldorado vehicles on the road — not any specific car. Two Cadillac Eldorado vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.
What Are NHTSA Investigations?
When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage — NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The Cadillac Eldorado has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.
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By state
Check a Cadillac Eldorado by state
Title-branding rules, flood-damage exposure, and salvage laws vary by state. Run a free VIN check or explore state-specific vehicle history guidance before buying a used Cadillac Eldorado.
Research more
Keep researching before you buy
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Cadillac Eldorado reliability — frequently asked questions
Is the Cadillac Eldorado reliable?
Average. The Cadillac Eldorado has 70 NHTSA owner complaints and 1 recall campaign across model years. A commonly reported issue area is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING. Use year-level data as a pattern guide, then verify the exact car with a VIN check before purchase.
Which Cadillac Eldorado years to avoid?
Years with the most NHTSA complaints: 2000 (30 complaints), 2001 (24 complaints), 2002 (16 complaints). Use these years as a shortlist for deeper inspection, and always run a VIN check on the exact vehicle before purchase.
What are the most common Cadillac Eldorado problems?
Top reported issues: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING (17 complaints); SERVICE BRAKES (10 complaints); HYDRAULIC (9 complaints).
Does the Cadillac Eldorado have recalls?
Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign have been issued for the Cadillac Eldorado. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.