Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1984 DeVille.
The 1984 Cadillac DeVille requires 4.5 quarts of engine oil, with recommended viscosities of 20W-20, 15W-40, or 10W-30. Its reliability record is notably sparse, totaling just six owner complaints—primarily concerning vehicle speed control—and a single recall. When viewed against the model’s complaint history from 1990 to 2005, where annual totals ranged from 94 to 306, this model year sits as an exceptionally trouble-free entry in the DeVille lineage.
Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.
0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.
Independent road tests for the DeVille of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.
| Year | Trim / engine | 0–60 | ¼ mile | HP | Drivetrain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | d'Elegance Sedan 6.0L V8 | 11.60 sec | 18.40 sec | 145 hp | RWD |
| 1978 | Coupe 7.0L V8 | 10.60 sec | 18.20 sec | 195 hp | RWD |
Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.
This engine holds 4.5 qt of 20W-20 / 15W-40 / 10W-30 engine oil, 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid.
| Brake Fluid | DOT 3 |
| Differential Gear Oil | 80W-90 · GL-5 |
| Differential Gear Oil Capacity | 4.3 qt |
| Engine Coolant | ETHYLENE GLYCOL |
| Engine Oil | 20W-20 · 15W-40 · 10W-30 |
| Engine Oil Capacity | 4.5 qt |
| Engine Oil | API · 15W-30 · 10W-30 |
| Engine Oil Capacity | 7 qt |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
The 1984 Cadillac DeVille shows only six total complaints in the federal record across four categories — Vehicle Speed Control (2), Engine & Engine Cooling (2), Fuel System, Gasoline (1), and Electrical System (1) — with zero reported crashes or fires. The provided year-by-year federal record begins in 1990, six model years after the 1984 target, and reflects a subsequent generation (1990–2005) where complaints range from 94 to 306 annually and TSBs climb from 5 to 548, making direct trend comparison impossible. Because the data for 1984 is limited to these few complaint counts and lacks recall, investigation, or TSB figures, the overall reliability picture is incomplete; the low complaint volume may reflect age-related reporting gaps rather than inherent quality. The data does not specify root causes for the listed complaint areas. Given the sparse but clean federal record for this specific year, the 1984 DeVille presents no documented red flags, though buyers should prioritize thorough mechanical inspection given the absence of comprehensive federal data.
All 6 complaints on record, top 4 components.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.
Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.
THE FUEL FILTERS WERE PRODUCED WITH AN INCORRECT THREADED FITTING. THE INCORRECT FITTING IS SIMILIAR ENOUGH IN SIZE THAT THE FUEL FILTER MAY APPEAR TO BE CORRECTLY THREADED ONTO THE FUEL LINE. Remedy: THE IMPROPER THREADING COULD CAUSE A GASOLINE LEAK WHICH MAY RESULT IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE WHEN EXPOSED TO A SOURCE OF IGNITION.
The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.
Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.
Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.
Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.
4.5 qt of ABOVE 40 degrees F: 30, ABOVE 20 degrees F: 20W-20, ABOVE 10 degrees F: 15W-40, ABOVE 0 degrees F: 10W-30,, per the factory manual.
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.