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2002 Cadillac Deville Recalls, Problems & Maintenance

The 2002 Cadillac Deville has no open NHTSA recalls. Owners report 8 recurring issue clusters, led by “Recall 14V355000 repair parts unavailable.” Cadillac uses the GM Oil Life System: an algorithm watches engine revolutions, temperature, and load, then lights the change-oil message — typically around 7,500 miles in mixed driving, capped at 12 months, with dexos-approved oil. Turbo fours in ATS, CT4, XT4, and XT5 are harder on oil than the indicator suggests in short-trip driving. Northstar-era V8s (DeVille, Seville, Eldorado) live and die by their cooling system — coolant condition checks are not optional on those cars. Escalade shares its 6.2L V8 and 10-speed with GM's trucks and follows the same fluid schedule.

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No open recalls on file. NHTSA lists no unrepaired safety recalls for this year, make and model. A recall can be issued at any time, and a specific car can still have one open — check yours by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Known issues & problems for this vehicle

What drivers and federal regulators have officially reported about the 2002 Cadillac Deville.

Reported to NHTSA

Recall 14V355000 repair parts unavailable

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

13 NHTSA complaints · 2014-08 → 2015-01

“THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V355000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10676983
“THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V355000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10640458
“ON FOUR OCCASIONS THE CAR CUTS OUT.THIS MORNING DOING 35MPG THE CAR WENT DEAD.NO STEERING---REALLY SCARY. THIS IS THE FIFTH TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED.CAD. ADMITS THE PROBLEM BUT DOES NOT HAVE THE PART”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10631244

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Power window regulator failure

VISIBILITY

9 NHTSA complaints · 2005-09 → 2013-12

“THE CONTACT STATED THAT AS THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WAS ENGAGED, THE WINDOW OPENED WITH A LOUD POP. THE WINDOW THEN ABNORMALLY FELL INTO THE DOOR PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THE WINDOW REGULATOR FAILED”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10396933
“I HAVE REPLACED ALL 4 WINDOW REGULATORS ON THE CAR. THEY FAIL AND THE WINDOW FALLS DOWN! WHEN THIS HAPPENS IT IS VERY LOUD AND DISTRACTING. IN A DRIVING RAIN IT ALMOST LED TO AN ACCIDENT! THE CAR HAS 56,000 MILE ON IT. *NM”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10170641
“WHILE DRIVING THERE WAS A VERY LOUD NOISE AND THE WINDOW DROPPED INTO THE DOOR PANEL. I HAD THE REGULATORS REPLACED AT A COST OF $350 EACH. *JB”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10182810

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Tire sidewall bulge, tread separation and blowout

TIRES

8 NHTSA complaints · 2002-07 → 2010-09

“TIRE TREADS SEPARATED FROM TIRE WHILE DRIVING. TIRE SIZE P225/60R16. *AK *SC”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10097453
“FOUND SIDEWALL BULGING OF ALL FOUR TIRES ON MY 2002 CADILLAC DEVILLE, THESE ARE MICHELIN P225/60R16 SYMETRY. 22,340 MILES.ON VEHICLE.*AK”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10064174
“THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE GOING 70 MPH THE VEHICLE STARTED TO WOBBLE AND A NOISE COULD BE HEARD COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED INTO A REST AREA. THE CONTACT GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE TO CHECK THE TIRES AND NOTICED A KNOT ON THE LEFT REAR TIRE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10151292

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Battery leak corroding floor pan under rear seat

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

3 NHTSA complaints · 2006-04 → 2012-05

“2002 CADILLAC DEVILLE, BATTERY LEAKED AND ATE A HOLE IN THE FLOOR. SERVICE BULLETIN ISSUED BUT NO NOTICE SENT TO OWNERS. A RUBBER OR PLASTIC TRAY SHOULD HAVE BEEN INSTALLED THROUGH A RECALL”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10360202
“THE CONTACT STATED THAT DURING A ROUTINE INSPECTION, A HOLE WAS DISCOVERED IN THE FLOOR PAN DUE TO A LEAK COMING FROM THE BATTERY, WHICH WAS LOCATED UNDER THE REAR SEAT OF THE VEHICLE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10458308
“LTR FM CONSUMER (FL) RE HIS 2002 DTS CADILLAC DEVILLE, BATTERY LEAKED AND ATE A HOLE IN THE FLOOR, FEEL LEAKING BATTERIES SHOULD BE RECALLED. *TS THE BATTERY IN THIS MODEL AND YEAR AUTOMOBILE IS LOCATED UNDER THE REAR SEAT AND IS NOT ACCESSIBLE FOR CHECKING BY THE OWNER. *NM”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10156238

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Ignition switch or key cylinder failure with stalling

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

22 NHTSA complaints · 2014-04 → 2025-04

“WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE KEY WAS JAMMED IN THE IGNITION AND COULD NOT BE MOVED TO START THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY REFUSED TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR DUE TO INSUFFICIENT PARTS”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10887554
“ENGINE STALLS SUDDENLY WHILE DRIVING/IN MOTION. RESTARTS WITH IGNITION SWITCH RESTART. APPEARS TO BE IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11088654
“WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF AND THE BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS FORCED TO DRIVE INTO A CURB IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. ALSO, THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10649795

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Engine stalling while driving

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

21 NHTSA complaints · 2002-06 → 2014-12

“WHILE DRIVING ON A VILLAGE STREET, THE ENGINE JUST STOPS. IT HAS DONE THIS THREE OR FOUR TIMES. I HAD MY MECHANIC CHECK THE CAR DIAGNOSTIC COMPUTER. IT SHOWED NO FAULTS. GLAD IT HAPPENS AT 20MPH IN TOWN, AND NOT AT 70 WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10620696
“1. NO WARNING 2. ENGINE WILL STALL FOR NO REASON AT ANY SPEED. COULD CAUSE VEHICLE TO WRECK RESULTING IN DEATH. HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES WITH THE LOSS OF ALL POWER HAS RESULTED IN RUNNING THROUGH STOPLIGHTS AND SIGNS BECAUSE COULD NOT BRAKE PROPERLY. 3”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10217771
“THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN FOR INSPECTION OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 32,000”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10575982

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Air bag warning light illuminated

AIR BAGS

6 NHTSA complaints · 2002-08 → 2015-02

“THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER RESET THE AIR BAG SENSOR, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,000”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10638697
“AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ILUMMINATED, THE FVEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DAEALER WHO ORDER A NEW AIR BAG MODULE, THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN OUT OF SERVICE FOR 56 DAYS BECAUSE THE MODULE HAS NOT ARRIVED AT THE DEALER A D THE CONSUMER IS AFRAID TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. *AK *YH”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #8017244
“UPON START UP 2002 DEVILLE COMPUTER CHECK OF THE AIR BAG SYSTEM DOES NOT CLEAR. *TS *JB”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10161549

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Unintended acceleration and stuck throttle

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

7 NHTSA complaints · 2003-10 → 2015-02

“2002 CADILLAC DEVILLE, DRIVING IN CRUISE CONTROL AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I TOUCHED THE BRAKE TO SLOW FOR TRAFFIC. WHEN I PUT THE CRUISE CONTROL IN "RESUME" THE THROTTLE STUCK COMPLETELY OPEN. I WAS NOT ABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR, OTHER THAN (EVENTUALLY) TURN OFF THE IGNITION. *TR”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10195069
“WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY. THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND PULLED OVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10101602
“ACCELERATOR ON CAR WAS STUCK AT HIGH RPM. HITTING THE GAS PEDAL RESULTED IN IT BEING STUCK AT A HIGHER RPM RATE. TURNED OFF THE CAR AND RESTARTED. PROBLEM STILL EXISTED. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION. DEALER REPLACED DEFECTIVE IDLE AIR CONTROL VALUE. *LA”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10043012

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Issues on other model years

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Complaint data refreshed Sep 20, 2026. Investigation data refreshed Sep 20, 2026.

We display NHTSA's record with attribution; we don't editorialize on what these complaints mean for any specific vehicle.

Raw data + downloads for this vehicle →

Essential maintenance

Critical for safety and preventing major damage

Engine Oil & Filter (Oil Life System)

Every 7,500 mi

Change when the Oil Life System calls it — typically around 7,500 miles, never beyond 12 months. dexos1 full synthetic on modern engines; Blackwing and supercharged V-Series run hotter and should not stretch the indicator. Northstar V8s: watch for consumption and leaks at the rear main and oil-pan perimeter.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$120–$160

Shop

~$85–$115

DIY

~$25–$55

Full synthetic costs more than conventional. 5-quart 0W-20 + filter is the typical bill.

Tire Rotation

Every 7,500 mi

Rotate every 7,500 miles with the oil change — GM pairs the two. Staggered-fitment V-Series cars can't rotate front-to-rear; budget rear tires accordingly.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Often free at the shop where you bought the tires — worth asking before paying.

Brake Inspection

Every 7,500 mi

Inspect pads, rotors, and lines at every service. Brembo-equipped V-Series wear faster than the base cars; magnetic-ride models should also get a look at shock condition while it's on the lift.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Most shops do this free as a courtesy with any service. Don't pay separately if you can avoid it.

Important maintenance

Keeps your vehicle running smoothly and efficiently

Automatic Transmission Fluid

Every 45,000 mi

GM lists roughly 45,000 miles under severe service (which includes most city commuting) for the 6/8/10-speed automatics. Older 4T80-E units behind Northstars respond well to a simple drain-and-fill — avoid pressure flushes on high-mile cars.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$330–$500

Shop

~$235–$355

DIY

~$60–$180

Some sealed transmissions have no dipstick — fill is precise and best left to a shop. Many drivers can still DIY drain-and-fill.

Spark Plugs

Every 60,000 mi

Turbo fours (ATS 2.0T, CT4, XT4): roughly every 60,000 miles. Naturally-aspirated V6s and V8s carry iridium plugs rated to 97,500–100,000 miles — check the manual for your engine.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$390

Shop

~$200–$275

DIY

~$25–$100

Iridium plugs cost more but last 100k+ miles. V6/V8 access varies wildly — some are tough.

Engine Air Filter

Every 45,000 mi

GM schedules replacement around 45,000 miles; inspect at oil changes in dusty regions.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

5-minute job on most cars; the airbox lid usually has clips, no tools needed.

Brake Fluid

Every 45,000 mi

GM recommends fluid replacement about every 45,000 miles or 3 years. Magnetic-ride and V-Series cars driven hard should err toward the 2-year mark.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$180–$200

Shop

~$125–$140

DIY

~$10–$25

DOT 3 or 4 — match the cap. Vacuum bleeders make this a one-person DIY.

Serpentine Belt

Every 60,000 mi

Inspect from 60,000 miles; replace on cracking or glazing. Supercharged V-Series engines have a second, dedicated blower belt — inspect both.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$195–$235

Shop

~$135–$165

DIY

~$20–$50

DIY-friendly if you can reach the tensioner. Inspect for cracks rather than swap on a strict mileage interval.

Recommended maintenance

Extends the life of your vehicle and improves comfort

Cabin Air Filter

Every 22,500 mi

Replace roughly every 22,500 miles per GM's schedule — sooner if the climate fan has lost its punch.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

Usually behind the glovebox. Shops charge labor for a 10-minute job — easy DIY win.

Coolant Replacement (Dex-Cool)

Every 150,000 mi

Dex-Cool is rated 5 years / 150,000 miles. On Northstar V8s this is the schedule that decides the engine's fate — low or contaminated coolant is how head-gasket trouble starts. Check level and condition at every oil change on those cars.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$330

Shop

~$200–$235

DIY

~$25–$60

Use the manufacturer-specified coolant — wrong color/chemistry can damage the cooling system.

Battery Test & Service

Every 25,000 mi

Test annually after year 3. Stop-start-equipped models and anything with Super Cruise use AGM batteries — replace like-for-like, and expect shorter life from the electrical load these cars carry parked.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$225–$390

Shop

~$160–$280

DIY

~$130–$250

Most auto-parts stores test and install batteries free with purchase. Skip the dealer markup.

Fatal crash history & reported problems

Occupant deaths in fatal crashes (FARS)

133 crashes 1990–2024

How the 133 occupant deaths break down

90

driver deaths

42

passenger deaths

1

not recorded by seat

133

occupant deaths

Crash years covered: 1990–2024 This model year first appears in 2001 crashes. Older models have had more years on the road to appear in these crashes, so a higher count here does not by itself mean a vehicle is less safe.

FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road. How to read this number

FARS 2024 data is an annual report file. NHTSA revises these records when the final file is published, so this count can change.

Why we show driver deaths too

Every vehicle has exactly one driver seat, so driver deaths line up fairly when you compare one model to another. Occupant deaths include passengers, so a three row SUV can show a higher number than a two seat car simply because it carries more people.

Both figures are plain counts, not rates. A rate would need to know how many of each vehicle are on the road, and that registration data is not public, so we do not publish rates or scores of any kind.

IIHS publishes driver death rates using this same driver only idea, paired with a registered vehicle years denominator we do not have. Their rates and these counts answer different questions, so do not read either number here as a safety rating.

Owner-reported problem signals

Separate from the federal fatality data above: complaints owners filed with NHTSA about this year and model. These are reports of problems, unverified, and are counted here only as signals.

20

complaints mentioning a crash

2

complaints mentioning a fire

Reviewed known issues for this vehicle

Typical U.S. ranges. Actual quotes vary by shop, parts choice, and vehicle condition.

How we estimate: Dealer = OEM parts × 1.4 + labor × $165/hr. Shop = parts + labor × $115/hr. DIY = parts only.

This maintenance schedule for the 2002 Cadillac Deville reflects Cadillac's published service intervals and the GM Oil Life System system. Your actual service needs may vary based on driving conditions, climate, and vehicle usage. Always consult your owner's manual for model-specific recommendations.

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