2003 Cadillac Deville Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Deville years
- Fewer complaints than other years 9th of 11 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 145 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Cadillac Deville. That ranks 9th out of 11 Deville model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (52 complaints, 36%), typically at around 64,539 miles. Complaints mention 15 crashes, 15 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 145owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 15complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 Cadillac Deville problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System problems | 52 | 36% | 64,539 | “ignition switch” (19%) | — |
| Air Bags | 25 | 17% | 104,128 | — | — |
| Engine | 16 | 11% | 79,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 14 | 10% | 75,800 | — | — |
| Steering | 12 | 8% | 110,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 10 | 7% | 7,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 10 | 7% | 57,577 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 8 | 6% | 8,957 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 7 | 5% | 76,650 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 7 | 5% | 111,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 6 | 4% | 135,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 6 | 4% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 5 | 3% | 76,504 | — | — |
| Equipment | 3 | 2% | 11,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 3 | 2% | 94,300 | — | — |
| Suspension | 3 | 2% | 18,200 | — | — |
| Tires | 3 | 2% | 43,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 2 | 1% | 106,500 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 2 | 1% | 2,000 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 2 | 1% | 31,500 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 1% | 137,250 | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 1% | 94,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 1% | 75,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 1% | 40,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Cadillac Deville recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Electrical system:ignition
Problem: This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Buick LaCrosse, 2006-2011 Buick Lucerne, 2000-2005 Cadillac DeVille, 2006-2011 Cadillac DTS, 2006-2014 Chevrolet Impala, and 2006-2007 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the weight on the key ring and road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.
Risk: If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, a key knocked out of the run position will cause loss of engine power, power steering, and power braking, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on September 23, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), and 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet). GM's number for this recall is 14299.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly
Problem: On certain cadillac deville and seville passenger vehicles, funeral coaches, and limousines equipped with a v8 (4.6l) engine, oldsmobile aurora passenger vehicles equipped with a v8 (4.0l ) engine, and pontiac bonneville ssei passenger vehicles equipped with a supercharged v6 (3.8l) engine, the fuel tank pressure sensors are unusually susceptible to malfunctions. If the sensor malfunctions, excessive vacuum can be applied during self-diagnostic testing.
Risk: Fuel system components can be damaged and fuel can leak from the vehicle when it is refueled. Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source can result in a fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace the fuel tank pressure sensor. Owner notification began on october 17, 2003. Owners should contact cadillac at 1-866-982-2339; oldsmobile at 1-800-630-6537; or pontiac at 1-800-620-7668.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Problem: On certain mini vans, passenger and sport utility vehicles, some of these vehicles have a driver's side air bag that may not deploy as designed. In addition, the air bag inflator could rupture.
Risk: This could result in reduced capability of the air bag to protect the driver. Also if the air bag inflator ruptured, pieces of the inflator could strike and injure the vehicle occupants.
Fix: Dealers will inspect, and if necessary, install a new driver's air bag. Owner notification began on march 11, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact buick at 1-800-521-7300, cadillac at 1-800-458-8006, chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, gmc at 1-800-462-8782, or pontiac at 1-800-762-2737.
Air bags:frontal
Problem: Certain passenger, mini vans, and sport utility vehicles have an air bag inflator on the driver's side that could fracture at a weld during a deployment.
Risk: Pieces of the inflator could strike and injure vehicle occupants and the air bag cushion would not inflate fully, reducing the capability of the bag to protect the driver.
Fix: Dealers will inspect, and replace, if necessary, the air bag module assembly on the driver's side. Owner notification began august 15, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact buick at 1-800-521-7300, cadillac at 1-800-458-8006, chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, gmc at 1-800-462-8782, oldsmobile at 1-800-442-6537, or pontiac at 1-800-762-2737.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2003 Cadillac Deville. The contact stated that the ignition switch seized. Occasionally, the contact was able to wiggle the switch for the ignition to operate. The contact stated that the ignition switch failed to turn or operate as needed. The vehicle was taken to an independent…
The contact owns a 2003 Cadillac DeVille. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The power steering was inoperable. In addition, the contact stated that the message that the key was not detected was displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle was…
I tried to explain to the dealership that unaware of the recall my cars breaks had failed and crashed my vehicle. They said the only thing that was affected was the key. I had told her that the result of my crash was from my breaks not working due to the recall. She told me no that that wasnt…
When i got the car the car wasn't painted good at all and the ignition coil was bad. *tr
The abs & traction control indicators come up on the screen along with check as i'm driving. When this happens my brakes make a weird sound like a sprung spring and the brakes feel like they're gone but they're not. It's scary be sure i feel i may not be able to stop which to me is a safety hazard…
Other Cadillac Deville years
← 2002 Deville · 2004 Deville →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 Deville | 95 | 1 |
| 2004 Deville | 167 | 1 |
| 2003 | 145 | 4 |
| 2002 Deville | 176 | 5 |
| 2001 Deville | 175 | 4 |
| 2000 Deville | 225 | 5 |
| 1999 Deville | 187 | 1 |
| 1998 Deville | 237 | 3 |
| 1997 Deville | 269 | 2 |
| 1996 Deville | 218 | 2 |
| 1995 Deville | 129 | 2 |
See all Cadillac Deville problems by year, every Cadillac model, or the Cadillac VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Cadillac Deville?
Owners most often report electrical system, air bags, engine problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 52 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Cadillac Deville?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 Cadillac Deville a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Deville model years, the 2003 has fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.