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1996 Cadillac DeVille

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1996 DeVille.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1996 Cadillac DeVille is a passenger‑car built on Cadillac’s B‑platform, powered by a V8 that requires 8 quarts of 5W‑30 API oil and coupled to an automatic 4‑speed transmission; EPA estimates put it at 15 mpg city, 24 mpg highway, and 18 mpg combined. With only two recalls that year, its reliability sits modestly above the low point of 94 complaints in 1990 but well below the 306 complaints peak of 1997, indicating that while the model is generally dependable, the engine and cooling system remain the most frequent points of owner concern.

Model year2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1996

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity8 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified

EPA fuel economy15/24/18 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 78 · 770 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12731179. Note the factory front wiper blades is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 78 · 770 CCAOEM · verified

Tail / brake / turnLAMPOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	12731179
Engine air filter	19259030
Fuel filter	25121468
Spark plug	19208535
Front wiper blades	25689175 discontinued
Serpentine belt	12588412 alt 19172679
Thermostat	12559807 alt 03522676

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic 4-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	15 / 24 / 18 mpg
Drivetrain	Front-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume	117 cu ft
Cargo volume	20 cu ft
Recommended fuel	Premium Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

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.

7.2 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.20 sec — 1996 Concours Sedan

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
1996	Concours Sedan 4.6L V8	7.20 sec	15.40 sec	300 hp	FWD
1995	Concours Sedan 4.6L V8	6.90 sec	15.20 sec	300 hp	FWD
1997	Concours Sedan 4.6L V8	6.60 sec	14.90 sec	300 hp	FWD
1994	Concours Sedan 4.6L V8	7.80 sec	15.80 sec	270 hp	FWD
1994	Sedan 4.9L V8	8.30 sec	16.50 sec	200 hp	FWD
1998	Concours Sedan 4.6L V8	6.90 sec	15.10 sec	300 hp	FWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 8 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-7-3-4-5-6-8. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Engine Coolant	DEX-COOL OR EQUIVALENT
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	8 qt
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	8.0 qt
Power Steering Fluid	USE GM PART NO. 1052884 OR EQUIVALENT

Engine torques

Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor Bolt(s)	7.4 ft-lbs
Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor Bolt(s)	7.4 ft-lbs
Camshaft Sprocket and/or Gear Bolt(s)	90 ft-lbs
Engine Coolant Temperature (ECT) Sensor Bolt(s)	15 ft-lbs
Oxygen (O2S) Sensor Bolt(s)	30 ft-lbs
Knock Sense (KS) Bolt(s)	14 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	7.4 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	18 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts	100 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub	107 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order	1-2-7-3-4-5-6-8
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance	5,000-8,000 ohms
Spark Plug Manufacturer	AC Delco
Spark Plug Type	AC 41-929
Spark Plug Gap	0.050 in
Spark Plug Torque	11.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Refrigerant Capacity	2.00 lbs
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Capacity	8.00 oz
Refrigerant	R134a
Refrigerant Capacity	2.00-3.00 lbs
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Type	46

Service checks

Pressure Test	15, Pressure should not exceed 20 psi.
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	170-190 °F
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)	48-55
Injector Primary Resistance	8-25 na ohms
Engine Compression	140

Brakes

Brake Application	WITH DISC
Torque Caliper to Bracket	38 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle	81 ft-lbs / 100 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness	Front: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 specification
Brake Application	WITH DISC
Rotor Max Parallel Variation	0.0005 in
Rotor Runout Limit	0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From	0.433 in / 1.276 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

37 ft. lbs., step 2: 120

37 ft. lbs

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 5 stages

1	M11 bolts	30 ft. lbs
2	M11 bolts	70 degrees
3	M11 bolts	60 degrees
4	M11 bolts	45 degrees
5	8.9

Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs — tightening sequence 1 stages

7 ft. lbs., Step 2: 35

7 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant every 100,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 100,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 mi	Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Parking Brake Cable (lubricate) · Shift Linkage (inspect) · Steering Linkage (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect)
At 15,000 mi	Throttle Cable (inspect)
Every 30,000 mi	Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap (inspect) · Throttle Cable (inspect)
Every 60,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 100,000 mi	Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Spark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 1996 model year shows a sharp increase in owner complaints to 253, up from 168 in 1995 and preceding the generation’s peak of 306 in 1997, placing it on an upward trajectory of reported issues during the mid-1990s production run. Technical Service Bulletins more than doubled from 25 in 1995 to 51 in 1996, continuing a steep climb that would reach 81 by 1997, indicating escalating service complexity even as recall counts held steady at two and investigations dipped slightly from six to five. Federal data identifies Engine & Engine Cooling and Steering as the most frequent complaint categories with 36 reports each, followed by Fuel System concerns at 31, though the data does not specify root causes; additionally, the file records 12 crash-related and 9 fire-related complaints for this year. While not at the absolute worst point of the generation’s complaint curve, 1996 represents a significant escalation in reported problems and service bulletins compared to 1994–1995, suggesting higher ownership risk than earlier years in this generation and making it a less favorable acquisition than pre-1996 examples.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

253

Owner complaints

12 involved a crash · 9 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90 ’91 ’92 ’93 ’94 ’95’96’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 253 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling36

Steering36

Fuel System, Gasoline31

Vehicle Speed Control20

Service Brakes, Hydraulic17

Electrical System14

Air Bags10

Exterior Lighting10

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

04V110000Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And FittingsReported 04/03/2004

SOME PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4.0L V8 ENGINES HAVE A CONDITION IN WHICH THE NYLON TUBING USED IN THE FUEL RAIL CONSTRUCTION MAY DEGRADE AND CRACK. ADDITIONALLY, THE 1995 MODEL YEAR USES A UNIQUE UNDERHOOD FUEL… Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE ENGINE FUEL RAIL WITH A NEW STAINLESS STEEL FUEL RAIL. DEALERS WILL ALSO INSTALL A REVISED CHASSIS FUEL RETURN LINE. THE RECALL…

95V229000Structure:Body:Hood:Hinge And AttachmentsReported 05/12/1995

THESE VEHICLES COULD HAVE BEEN PRODUCED WITH AN IMPROPERLY ADJUSTED SECONDARY HOOD LATCH. THIS DOES NOT CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 113, "HOOD LATCH SYSTEM." Remedy: DEALERS WILL ADJUST THE SECONDARY HOOD LATCH.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 51 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
PIP4723F	2022-01-14	Service Brakes, Hydraulic	This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or…
PIP4723D	2020-01-31	Electrical System	This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or…
PIC4696E	2019-11-22	Equipment	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…
17NA073	2019-09-18	Equipment	This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action…
PIC4696D	2019-09-05	Equipment	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific DeVille. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group 78 battery Vehicles taking 8 qt Engine oil filter 12731179 Engine air filter 19259030 Fuel filter 25121468 Spark plug 19208535

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Torque specifications Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1996 DeVille take?

8 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1996 DeVille have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the DeVille get?

EPA figures are 15 city / 24 highway / 18 combined mpg.