1996 Cadillac Fleetwood Recalls, Complaints & Specs
2 safety recalls list the 1996 Cadillac Fleetwood, and owners have filed 17 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
2 safety recalls for the 1996 Cadillac Fleetwood
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Lugs/nuts/bolts/studs (wheels)
The wheel lug nuts were not tightened to the proper specification during assembly.
Remedy: Dealers will tighten the vehicle's wheel lug nuts to the proper specification.
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Suspension: lower ball joint
Defective lower control arm ball joint attachment nuts were not properly torqued and can loosen.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect both front lower control arm ball joint attachment nuts for proper torque. If the ball joint has loosened, both the ball joint and the knuckle will be replaced.
17 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 1996 Cadillac Fleetwood have filed 17 complaints with NHTSA; 2 describe a crash. Reports cite 5 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 99,667 miles. Complaints peaked in 1997 with 5 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“Car had a flat tire on the highway - left rear. Had jacked it up, and changed tire. Was letting jack down when it collapsed. Scissors type jack. One of the captive nuts that the main bolt runs through”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, April 13, 2018 · Unknown or other
“Tl*the contact owns a 1996 cadillac fleetwood. While driving 65 MPH, the vehicle abnormally accelerated without warning. In order to stop the acceleration, the contact placed the vehicle into neutral”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, March 12, 2010 · Vehicle speed control
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 1996 Cadillac Fleetwood. Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 18 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 15 / 24 |
| Fuel | Regular |
| EPA class | Large Cars |
| Engine | 8 cyl, 5.7 L |
| Transmission | Automatic 4-spd |
Compare Cadillac Fleetwood model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Cadillac Fleetwood model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 Cadillac Fleetwood | 1 | 0 |
| 1972 Cadillac Fleetwood | 1 | 1 |
| 1977 Cadillac Fleetwood | 1 | 0 |
| 1978 Cadillac Fleetwood | 2 | 1 |
| 1979 Cadillac Fleetwood | 1 | 0 |
| 1981 Cadillac Fleetwood | 0 | 1 |
| 1983 Cadillac Fleetwood | 1 | 1 |
| 1984 Cadillac Fleetwood | 1 | 1 |
| 1985 Cadillac Fleetwood | 2 | 6 |
| 1986 Cadillac Fleetwood | 4 | 7 |
| 1987 Cadillac Fleetwood | 3 | 7 |
| 1988 Cadillac Fleetwood | 2 | 3 |
| 1989 Cadillac Fleetwood | 1 | 15 |
| 1990 Cadillac Fleetwood | 0 | 21 |
| 1991 Cadillac Fleetwood | 2 | 14 |
| 1992 Cadillac Fleetwood | 1 | 8 |
| 1993 Cadillac Fleetwood | 2 | 32 |
| 1994 Cadillac Fleetwood | 5 | 16 |
| 1995 Cadillac Fleetwood | 5 | 18 |
| 1996 Cadillac Fleetwood | 2 | 17 |
| 1998 Cadillac Fleetwood | 0 | 4 |
Checking a specific 1996 Cadillac Fleetwood
How do I know if my 1996 Cadillac Fleetwood has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 2 campaigns currently list the 1996 Cadillac Fleetwood; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Cadillac dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 96V018000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Cadillac models
- SRX3,262 complaints
- Deville2,725 complaints
- CTS2,217 complaints
- Escalade1,713 complaints
- Seville801 complaints
- Escalade ESV533 complaints
- DTS527 complaints
- Catera468 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.