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Cadillac Eldorado VIN Check

NHTSA holds 160 owner complaints on the Cadillac Eldorado from 117 production runs; the worst run has 4, the typical one 1.4.

NHTSA complaint records · 160 complaints · 117 runs · 1988–2002 · Updated Nov 4, 2026
Quick answer

The most-reported Eldorado run is 1G6EL12Y0VU (1997 builds) with 4 complaints, 2.9× the typical run. Fuel system problems make up 19% of reports; 1996 is the worst model year at 1.6 complaints per run; NHTSA lists 26 recall campaigns for Eldorado model years 1981–2000.

Which build runs owners report most

A production run is the first 11 characters of the VIN: plant, model year, body and engine. The Cadillac Eldorado has 117 of them on record. The five runs at the top of this table hold 11% of every Eldorado complaint on file.

FIG.01·Cadillac Eldorado — complaints by production run
Production run (VIN 1–11)YearComplaintsInvolved a crashFire
1G6EL12Y0VU••••••19974——
1G6EL12Y4SU••••••19954—1
1G6EL12Y9SU••••••19954——
1G6EL12Y0TU••••••19963—1
1G6EL12Y7VU••••••19973—3
1G6ET1295TU••••••19963——
1G6EL12Y6TU••••••19963——
1G6EL12Y9TU••••••19963——
1G6ET1299VU••••••19973——
1G6EL12YXTU••••••19962——
1G6ET1292TU••••••19962——
1G6EL12Y2TU••••••19962——
ROWS 12·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records, grouped by VIN prefix

Each of the other 105 Eldorado runs has 2 complaints or fewer.

Which model years to check twice

Complaints per production run, so a year that simply sold more does not top the list. On the Cadillac Eldorado the gap between build years is 1.6×: a 1996 car draws 1.6 complaints per run, a 1993 one 1.

FIG.02·Cadillac Eldorado — complaint rate by model year
YearPer runComplaintsRunsCrashes
20021881
20011.41511—
20001.418131
19991.3108—
19981.213111
19971.526172
19961.62817—
19951.62214—
19941.265—
1993144—
19921.343—
ROWS 11·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records

Heaviest year here is 1996 at 1.6 complaints per run; lightest is 1993 at 1.

What to inspect on this car

One system accounts for 19% of everything Cadillac Eldorado owners report: Fuel System, 37 of 160 complaints. Start the pre-purchase inspection there.

FIG.03·Cadillac Eldorado — most-reported systems
SystemComplaintsInvolved a crashFire
Fuel System37—6
Gasoline36—6
Engine And Engine Cooling30—1
Electrical System26—5
Service Brakes231—
Hydraulic21——
Engine10—1
Vehicle Speed Control7——
ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records

Recalls to check against your VIN

NHTSA has 26 recall campaigns on the Cadillac Eldorado; the 6 below cover build years 1984 to 1997. These are for the model and year; whether one is still open on a given car, only that VIN can tell.

FIG.04·Cadillac Eldorado — recall campaigns
CampaignComponentModel years
06E043000Fuel System, Gasoline1986–1989
04V110000Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings1995–1997
94V158000Equipment:appliance:air Conditioner1993–1994
95V110000Seat Belts:front:webbing1990–1991
87V047000Exterior Lighting:headlights:switch1986–1987
89V102000Vehicle Speed Control1984–1985
ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA recall campaigns

The Eldorado against its rivals

The Eldorado draws 1.4 complaints per production run; the Jaguar Vanden Plas 1.1. That is the highest rate of the 2.

FIG.05·Cadillac Eldorado VIN check vs rivals
ModelComplaintsRunsPer runInvolved a crash
Cadillac Eldorado1601171.43.1%
Jaguar Vanden Plas38341.110.5%
ROWS 2·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records

How serious were they

Of the 160 reports on the Cadillac Eldorado, 3.1% involved a crash against 5.8% across all vehicles, below the norm.

FIG.06·Cadillac Eldorado — complaint severity
OutcomeCadillac EldoradoAll vehicles
Complaints filed1601,116,631
Involved a crash5 (3.1%)64,221 (5.8%)
Involved a fire14 (8.8%)26,977 (2.4%)
Injuries reported958,047
Deaths reported02,728
ROWS 5·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records

Crash-related reports run 47% below the all-vehicle rate.

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How this check works

The file behind this page holds 1,116,631 complaints filed with NHTSA between 1981 and 2026, across 299,142 production runs. The Cadillac Eldorado share of that is 160 complaints over 117 runs, 0.01% of everything on record.

Everything on the Cadillac Eldorado
Recalls40 campaignsFuel economy21 mpg bestReliability4.0/5Common problems622 complaintsDimensionsSize, weight, generationsCargo space15 cu ftUsed prices176 listingsWhat yours is worthValue by year & mileageWindow stickerOriginal Monroney labelDecode a VINWhat each character meansAbout this car1981–2002

Frequently asked questions

How do I check a Cadillac Eldorado VIN for free?

Enter the 17 characters above. ForCar matches the first eleven, the production run, against 160 NHTSA complaints from 117 Eldorado runs and 26 recall campaigns. No account, no card.

Which Eldorado production run has the most complaints?

1G6EL12Y0VU, a 1997 build, with 4 complaints. The typical Eldorado run has 1.4.

Which Eldorado years have the most complaints?

Per production run, 1996 is heaviest at 1.6 complaints per run and 1993 lightest at 1.

Does the Eldorado get more complaints than the Jaguar Vanden Plas?

Yes: 1.4 complaints per production run for the Eldorado against 1.1 for the Jaguar Vanden Plas.

How many Eldorado complaints involve a crash?

3.1% of 160 reports, against 5.8% across all vehicles; 14 involved a fire.

Complaint and recall records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Per-run rates computed by ForCar. Federal data covers safety only — title, odometer and insurance history are not included. Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by , founder of ForCar.
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