1986 Cadillac Brougham problems

General information about Cadillac-Brougham
Overview of popular issues
Analysis of common problems
Сomplaints list
Recalls list

The Cadillac Brougham is a line of full-size luxury cars manufactured by the Cadillac Motor Car Division of General Motors from the 1987 through 1992 model years and was marketed from 1977 to 1986 as the Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham. The optional "d'Elegance" trim package that was introduced during the Fleetwood era remained available. The model received a facelift in 1990 and was replaced by the 1993 rear wheel drive D-body Cadillac Fleetwood.

History

Originally used for a single horse drawn enclosed carriage for 2-4 people, the “Brougham” owes its name to British statesman, Henry Brougham. Cadillac first used the name in 1916 to designate an enclosed 5-7 passenger sedan body style. In the thirties, the name was given to a formal body style with an open chauffeur compartment and enclosed rear quarters, metal roof and often "razor-edged" styling. When Cadillac started offering Fleetwood bodies on some of its cars in 1925, the Brougham body style was Fleetwood bodied every year with the exception of 1926. After 1937, the Brougham name was not applied to any Cadillac for the remainder of the pre-World War II period.

The Brougham name would eventually reappear on the 1955 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham show car which preceded the 4-door Eldorado Brougham hardtops of the 1957 to 1960 model years. The 1957 Cadillac Series 70 Eldorado Brougham joined the Sixty Special and the Series 75 as the only Cadillac models with Fleetwood bodies although Fleetwood script or crests did not appear anywhere on the exterior of the car, and so this would also mark the first time in 20 years that a Fleetwood bodied car was paired with the Brougham name.

After a five-year absence, the Brougham name reappeared as an option package on the 1965 Cadillac Sixty Special. The following year the Brougham moved up to becoming a subseries of the Fleetwood Sixty Special. This continued through 1970. Starting in 1971 the Sixty Special was only available as the well equipped Fleetwood Sixty Special Brougham. When the Sixty Special Series was retired in 1977, the Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham took its place as Cadillac's largest owner-driven sedan model through 1986.

The single name "Brougham" began to be used as specific Cadillac model in 1987, when the term "Fleetwood" was dropped from the former Fleetwood Brougham. It was otherwise the same as the 1986 model. The reason for the change was that Cadillac had introduced a new front-wheel drive model in 1985 and named it simply the Fleetwood. Compounding the confusion, the optional "d'Elegance" package (introduced in the upscale Fleetwood trim line in the 1970s, offering even more luxurious appointments, including button-tufted seating and rear-seat reading lamps), was available on and appended to the names of both models, resulting in a traditional body-on-frame/rear-wheel drive "Fleetwood Brougham d' Elegance" and a unibody/transverse engined "Fleetwood d' Elegance". The solution was dropping the term "Fleetwood" from the rear-wheel drive model, leaving just the "Brougham". Since it was body-on-frame, it was popular among coachbuilders who manufactured stretched limousines, along with the similar but somewhat smaller Lincoln Town Car, as well as traditional Cadillac buyers who preferred the familiar combination of exterior size, heft, and rear-wheel drive. This was the last Cadillac to be produced without airbags.

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Common 1986 Cadillac Brougham problems

The 1986 Cadillac Brougham is known to have several common problems, primarily related to its brakes, equipment, and transmission.

Firstly, the brakes are a significant issue in the 1986 Cadillac Brougham, with 29 recalls related to brakes. The problem can be diagnosed by removing the hose from the brake booster and plugging it. If the car runs fine after this, the brake booster or the hose needs to be replaced.

Secondly, the equipment is another area where the 1986 Cadillac Brougham has several issues, with 12 recalls related to equipment.

Lastly, the transmission is also a problem area in the 1986 Cadillac Brougham, with one recall related to transmission. This issue can be caused by a faulty head gasket, which can result in the engine not getting enough fuel or air.

In summary, the 1986 Cadillac Brougham has several common problems related to its brakes, equipment, and transmission. These issues can be expensive to fix and can result in the car being unsafe to drive. It is essential to address these problems promptly to ensure the safety and reliability of the vehicle.

1986 Cadillac Brougham car problems categorized by type of issue

After analyzing all complaints sent to the NHTSA and researching popular Cadillac Brougham problems, we found that the most common problems with these 2023 model year vehicles are:

Engine and engine cooling problems
Electrical system problems

The graph below shows statistics for all 1986 Cadillac Brougham vehicle components and the number of complaints received.

Date Of Incident: 1994-07-12
VIN: 1FABP3932GG
Components: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Summary: CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILED.

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1986 Cadillac Brougham recalls

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued 2 recalls for different components of the 1986 Cadillac Brougham.

1992-10-20

Manufacturer: NATIONAL COACH ENGINEERIN
Components: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM:WHEEL CYLINDERS
Summary: 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.

1989-06-16

Manufacturer: GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
Components: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Summary: 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.