1987 Cadillac BROUGHAM: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
6 owner complaints analyzed
5 distinct recall campaigns
91,210 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1987 model year. Data updated: . 2 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
Most common problems
Electrical System:Wiring is the most frequently named component, appearing in 2 of 6 complaints (33.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 2 | 33.3% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 16.7% |
| Steering behavior | 1 | 16.7% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System:Wiring | 2 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 1 |
| Parking Brake:Conventional | 1 |
| Steering | 1 |
| Vehicle Speed Control:Cruise Control | 1 |
Electrical System:Wiring: 2; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 1; Parking Brake:Conventional: 1; Steering: 1; Vehicle Speed Control:Cruise Control: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 1 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 0
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 4 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 3 |
| 2000 | 1 |
| 2005 | 2 |
1996: 3; 2000: 1; 2005: 2
Pattern summary
Electrical System:Wiring leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 2 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 1 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10105954 · 2005-01-07 (January 7, 2005)
THE CAR WAS RUNNING VERY ODD RIGHT BEFORE I STOPPED AT A STORE. AFTER KILLING THE IGNITION THE CAR STARTED SMOKING AFTER ANY ABOUT A MIN OR LESS THE FRONT OF THE CAR WAS FULLY INVOLVED WITH FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS DISPATCHED AND CAME AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. EVERYTHING FROM THE FIREWALL FORWARD WAS BURNT. THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 72,420 miles reported. Look up ODI 10105954 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10123822 · 2005-06-01 (June 1, 2005)
DT: WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD AT 65 MPH,AND USING THE CRUISE CONTROL THE CAR KEPT ACCELERATING, AND THE WENT UP TO 75 MPH. IT WOULDN'T SLOW DOWN , EVEN AFTER TRYING TO SHUT OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL. CONSUMER WAS STILL DRIVING TRYING TO PUT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL, THEN TRIED TO PUT THE INTO LOW. FINALLY, THE CONSUMER GOT IN THE MEDIUM AND SHUT THE ENGINE OFF, AND THE CAR DID STOP AT THAT POINT. THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT DISENGAGE. AFTER THE CAR WAS SHUT OFF THE CAR WAS STILL NOT RUNNING CORRECTLY. THE CONSUMER WAS NOT DRIVING VEHICLE BECAUS…
Owner-reported narrative. 110,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10123822 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 508569 · 1996-09-11 (September 11, 1996)
EMERGENCY BRAKE DESIGNED TO RELEASE WHENEVER SHIFTER MOVES, ALSO WHEN GEARS ARE DISENGAGED, CAUSING ACCIDENT/INJURY/FATALITY.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 508569 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 802139 · 1996-09-10 (September 10, 1996)
AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE ENGINE, CAUSED THE ENGINE TO CATCH ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. PLEASE DESCRIBE.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 802139 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 867805 · 2000-08-15 (August 15, 2000)
WHILE COMING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE VEHICLE LOST COMPLETE STEERING CONTROL. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 867805 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 977328 · 1996-01-03 (January 3, 1996)
A BOLT IN THE CYLINDER HEAD BROKE OFF, DEALER REMOVED CYLINDER HEAD TO REPLACE BOLT. TT
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 977328 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
5 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
89V102000 · Vehicle Speed Control
Reported: 1989-06-16 (June 16, 1989)
A SMALL NYLON BUSHING IN THE CRUISE CONTROL SERVO BAIL MAY SLIP OUT OF PLACE, CAUSING INTERMITTENT AND UNEXPECTED INCREASES IN ENGINE SPEED OR DIESELING (ENGINE RUN ON WITH IGNITION OFF).
Consequence: SERVO ROD ASSEMBLY COULD CATCH ON ENGINE COMPONENTS ANDRESULT IN A STUCK THROTTLE WITH POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: INSTALL A NEW BUSHING IN CRUISE CONTROL SERVO BAIL.
NHTSA campaign record ↗91V011000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Drum
Reported: 1991-01-11 (January 11, 1991)
LIMOUSINE FAILED TO MEET STOPPING DISTANCE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS 105.
Consequence: INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT;VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS 105.
Remedy: REPLACE ORIGINAL REAR WHEEL BRAKE CYLINDER WITH A LARGER CYLINDER.
NHTSA campaign record ↗91V096000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Drum:Wheel Cylinders
Reported: 1991-06-14 (June 14, 1991)
REAR WHEEL BRAKE CYLINDERS ARE TOO SMALL TO ALLOW FOR PROPER BRAKING.
Consequence: STOPPING DISTANCE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS 105 ARE NOT METWITH POWER BRAKING ASSIST UNIT INOPERATIVE.
Remedy: REPLACE ORIGINAL 1" REAR WHEEL BRAKE CYLINDER WITH A 1 1/16" CYLINDER.
NHTSA campaign record ↗91V101000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Drum:Wheel Cylinders
Reported: 1991-06-14 (June 14, 1991)
Consequence: STOPPING DISTANCE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS 105 ARE NOT METWITH POWER BRAKING ASSIST UNIT INOPERATIVE.
Remedy: REPLACE ORIGINAL 1" REAR WHEEL BRAKE CYLINDER WITH A 1 1/16" CYLINDER.
NHTSA campaign record ↗92V152000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Drum:Wheel Cylinders
Reported: 1992-10-20 (October 20, 1992)
THE INCREASED WEIGHT OF THE STRETCH CONVERSION LIMOUSINES REQUIRES LARGER DIAMETER REAR WHEEL BRAKE CYLINDERS THAN THOSE INSTALLED IN THE FACTORY.
Consequence: THE VEHICLES DO NOT MEET THE STOPPING DISTANCEREQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS 105, "HYDRAULIC BRAKE SYSTEMS".
Remedy: REPLACE THE EXISTING REAR WHEEL BRAKE CYLINDERS WITH LARGER DIAMETER BRAKE CYLINDERS.
NHTSA campaign record ↗Vehicle analysis explorer
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
6 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.
Problems by model year
Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.
| Component | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 1100.0%ODI 982552AT 44,000 MILES THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED AND AT 8,000 MILES THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED. PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 110.0%ODI 808331WAS BURNING OIL EVERY 200 MILES, TOOK INTO DEALER WHO SAID ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 133.3%ODI 753130I AM SENDING YOU A COPY OF THIS LETTER AND COPIES OF MY REPAIRS. CURRENTLY, I DRIVE A 1993 CADILLAC FLEETWOOD BROUGHAM, AND I HAVE HAD MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR. I HAVE WRITTEN A LETTER TO THE GENERAL MOTORS CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT ON NOV. 14, 1999 AND RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. RECENTLY, ANOTHER SAFETY PROBLEM OCCURRED WITH THE CAR. HERE IS A LIST OF SAFETY PROBLEMS I'VE HAD WITH THE CAR SINCE JUNE 1999: *AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 330.0%ODI 962037BOTH SHOLDRER/LAP BELTS ARE FASTENED TO SAME TONGUE; ONE CAN GET INTO/OUT OF VEHICLE WHEN DOOR IS OPEN/OPENED, IN AN ACCIDENT, ONE COULD BE EJECTEDFROM CAR. *A | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 220.0%ODI 974256ABS: BRAKES LOCKED UP, CAUSED AN ACCIDENT, HIT GUARDRAIL DURING RAINY WEATHER. TT *JB | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 125.0%ODI 819797BRAKES GRAB, MOSTLY ON THE LEFT SIDE. OWNER ALSO NOTES THAT CRACKS WERE FOUND IN BRAKE PADS. LEFT FRONT WHEEL LOCKS UP AND TEARS RUBBER OF TIRES. *AK |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 350.0%ODI 800797VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE, HAD FOOT ON BRAKE PEDAL, VEHICLE WENT INTO OPEN THROTTLE POSITION SPEED UNKNOW IMPACT 6:00 POSITION. *AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Wheels | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 150.0%ODI 825199THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL IS CRACKING, CAUSE UKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 133.3%ODI 753130I AM SENDING YOU A COPY OF THIS LETTER AND COPIES OF MY REPAIRS. CURRENTLY, I DRIVE A 1993 CADILLAC FLEETWOOD BROUGHAM, AND I HAVE HAD MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR. I HAVE WRITTEN A LETTER TO THE GENERAL MOTORS CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT ON NOV. 14, 1999 AND RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. RECENTLY, ANOTHER SAFETY PROBLEM OCCURRED WITH THE CAR. HERE IS A LIST OF SAFETY PROBLEMS I'VE HAD WITH THE CAR SINCE JUNE 1999: *AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 133.3% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Electrical System:Wiring | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 233.3%ODI 10105954 · 72,420 miTHE CAR WAS RUNNING VERY ODD RIGHT BEFORE I STOPPED AT A STORE. AFTER KILLING THE IGNITION THE CAR STARTED SMOKING AFTER ANY ABOUT A MIN OR LESS THE FRONT OF THE CAR WAS FULLY INVOLVED WITH FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS DISPATCHED AND CAME AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. EVERYTHING FROM THE FIREWALL FORWARD WAS BURNT. THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS.*AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 1100.0% | 116.7%ODI 977328A BOLT IN THE CYLINDER HEAD BROKE OFF, DEALER REMOVED CYLINDER HEAD TO REPLACE BOLT. TT | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Interior Lighting | 0UnavailableNo examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 150.0% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 133.3% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.
Failure mileage by component
Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.
| Component | Mileage range (25th–75th percentile) | Median | Usable records | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System:Wiring | Too few reports for a range | 72,420 mi | 1 (sparse) | ODI 10105954 · 72,420 miTHE CAR WAS RUNNING VERY ODD RIGHT BEFORE I STOPPED AT A STORE. AFTER KILLING THE IGNITION THE CAR STARTED SMOKING AFTER ANY ABOUT A MIN OR LESS THE FRONT OF THE CAR WAS FULLY INVOLVED WITH FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS DISPATCHED AND CAME AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. EVERYTHING FROM THE FIREWALL FORWARD WAS BURNT. THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS.*AK |
| Vehicle Speed Control:Cruise Control | Too few reports for a range | 110,000 mi | 1 (sparse) | ODI 10123822 · 110,000 miDT: WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD AT 65 MPH,AND USING THE CRUISE CONTROL THE CAR KEPT ACCELERATING, AND THE WENT UP TO 75 MPH. IT WOULDN'T SLOW DOWN , EVEN AFTER TRYING TO SHUT OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL. CONSUMER WAS STILL DRIVING TRYING TO PUT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL, THEN TRIED TO PUT THE INTO LOW. FINALLY, THE CONSUMER GOT IN THE MEDIUM AND SHUT THE ENGINE OFF, AND THE CAR DID STOP AT THAT POINT. THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT DISENGAGE. AFTER THE CAR WAS SHUT OFF THE CAR WAS STILL NOT RUNNING CORRECTLY. THE CONSUMER WAS NOT DRIVING VEHICLE BECAUS… |
Complaint and recall timeline
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.
Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
| Month | Complaints | Campaigns announced | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2024-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-10 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-10 (partial) | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
Emerging complaint spikes
Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.
This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.
No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.
Equal-age model-year comparison
Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.
1995: 2 complaints · 1996: 2 complaints
| Model year | Through age 0 | Through age 1 | Through age 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 1996 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
Date coverage across each selected cohort
| Year | Incident dates used | Filing date fallbacks | Excluded dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 1996 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.
Components reported together
Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.
| Component | Electrical System:Wiring | Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | Parking Brake:Conventional | Steering | Vehicle Speed Control:Cruise Control |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System:Wiring | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Parking Brake:Conventional | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 |
| Vehicle Speed Control:Cruise Control | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.
Recurring narrative patterns
Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.
0 patterns with matching reports.
No narratives match the published patterns.