CadillacEldorado1980Overview/cadillac/eldorado/1980/base/

1980 Cadillac Eldorado

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1980 Eldorado.

The 1980 Cadillac Eldorado anchors the early end of a nameplate whose documented complaint history spans the 1990 to 2002 model years. Within that later period, the Eldorado’s reliability record shows a notable spread, from a low of just 13 complaints for the 1991 edition to a high of 81 for the 1996 model. This range provides a benchmark for the nameplate’s long-term ownership experience, framing the 1980 model as a predecessor to a generation with distinctly variable dependability.

Model year200220012000199919981997199619951980

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Eldorado of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

13.1–15.2 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 13.10 sec — 1984 Touring Coupe
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1982Touring Coupe 4.1L V815.20 sec20.20 sec125 hpFWD
1984Touring Coupe 4.1L V813.10 sec19.30 sec135 hpFWD

Reliability & federal safety record

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

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
0
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
0
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

No owner complaints on record with NHTSA for this vehicle.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

80V003000Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Gear Position Indication (Prndl)Reported 15/01/1980

TWO SCREWS WHICH SECURE THE SHIFT LINKAGE BRACKET MAY LOOSEN AND FALL OUT. CONSEQUENTLY, THE GEAR POSITION INDICATED ON THE TRANSMISSION SELECTOR MAY DIFFER FROM THE ACTUAL GEAR POSITION OF THE TRANSMISSION. THIS… Remedy: DEALER WILL SECURELY TIGHTEN SCREWS ON ALL INVOLVED VEHICLES, WITHOUT CHARGE.

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 Eldorado. 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.

Reference guides

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

Frequently asked

Does the 1980 Eldorado have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.