Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit.
Owners have filed 174 complaints with NHTSA about the 2004 Cadillac DeVille, and it carries 1 recall. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 32 | 18% |
| Steering | 31 | 18% |
| Visibility | 23 | 13% |
| Air bags | 17 | 10% |
| Engine | 11 | 6% |
| Unknown or other | 5 | 3% |
| Power train | 4 | 2% |
| Electrical system | 4 | 2% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 4 | 2% |
| Tires | 3 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
The contact owns a 2004 Cadillac Deville. The contact stated while driving at 35 MPH, the vehicle jerked. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the failure occurred during the warm weather season. T
NHTSA complaint: Power train
The contact owns a 2004 Cadillac Deville. The contact stated that while driving on a mountain at a slow speed, the steering wheel became difficult to turn. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to
NHTSA complaint: Steering
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CADILLAC DEVILLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDISCLOSED SPEED, THE SUN ROOF GLASS SEPARATED FROM THE METAL FRAME AND DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ROTH
NHTSA complaint: Visibility
CAR WILL NOT START WHEN I TURN THE KEY CHECKED THE FUSES ALL GOOD CHECK THE BATTERY GOOD. THEN IT STARTED NEXT DAY DROVE HOME FROM WORK AND POWER TURNED OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET POWER STEERING STARTED TO LOCK AS I
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
2004 CADILLAC DEVILLE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VARIOUS DEFECTS ON VEHICLE. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE MIRROR ADJUSTERS DID NOT WORK PROPERLY, THE FRONT CONSOLE FELL OUT AND WAS HANGNING BY WIRES, THE REAR WINDO
NHTSA complaint: Visibility
THE REGULATORS ON ALL FOUR POWER WINDOWS BROKE, ALL WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHER SPEED ROADS (MAIN THOROUGHFARES OR HIGHWAYS), THREE OUT OF FOUR ON OCCASIONS WITH INCLEMENT PRECIPITOUS WEATHER AND/OR EXTREME COLD. THIS WAS N
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
I WAS DRIVING THE CAR IT WAS DOING JUST FINE ONCE I PARKED THE CAR CAME BACK TO START THE CAR THE ENGINE WOULD TURN OVER BUT IT WOULD NOT START ONCE I HAD TRIED ABOUT 12 TIMES IT DECIDED TO START AND THERE WAS SOMETHING
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
"TAKATA RECALL" MY 2004 CADILLAC DEVILLE VIN# [XXX]. I WAS GETTING INTO MY STATIONARY VEHICLE AT AROUND 11:30PM. I WAS LOCATED IN LYNNFIELD, MA WHEN THE EVENT OCCURRED. THE SECOND I TURNED THE ENGINE OVER AND HIT THE
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2004 Cadillac DeVille. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
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 certai
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
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.
| Reliability raw | 77 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 74 | good |
| Maintenance | 64 | average |
| Depreciation | 52 | average |
| Performance | 63 | average |
| Efficiency | 36 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other midsize & large cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 174 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and electrical system is the most reported area with 32 of them (18%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 77/100 (good) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 74/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2004 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: be careful, because the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit. Its overall ownership score is 65/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.