Cadillac›Seville›1999›Overview/cadillac/seville/1999/base/

1999 Cadillac Seville

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1999 Seville.

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1999 Cadillac Seville entered its model year backed by a four-speed automatic transmission and an EPA-rated 15 mpg city / 24 mpg highway / 18 mpg combined figure, with its 8-quart oil sump calling for 5W-30 API lubricant. Across the Seville's recorded complaint history from 1990 to 2004, this version accumulated 75 owner reports—a clear step down from the 131 logged in the 1996 high-water mark, though still well above the 17 recorded for 2004—with engine and engine cooling the most frequently cited trouble area and a single recall attached. That middle position makes the 1999 a useful reference point for researchers tracing the nameplate's trajectory from its early-decade problem years toward the markedly lower complaint counts that defined its later production run.

Model year2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 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 79 · 800 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12731179. Note the factory fuel filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 79 · 800 CCAOEM · verified

Tail / brake / turnLAMPSOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	12731179
Engine air filter	19166106
Fuel filter	25121293 discontinued · alt 25335945
Spark plug	19208535
Front wiper blades	15214346 alt 25670415
Serpentine belt	12588412 alt 12569505
Thermostat	12559807 alt 03522676
Cabin air filter	52455790 alt 52482840

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	201.2 in
Overall width	74.8 in
Overall height	55.5 in
Wheelbase	112.2 in
Curb weight	3971 lb
Track (front / rear)	61.4 / 61.4 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	61/39

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	15 / 24 / 18 mpg
Drivetrain	Front-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume	104 cu ft
Cargo volume	15 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 Seville of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

6.4–9.2 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 6.40 sec — 1996 STS Sedan

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
1998	STS Sedan 4.6L V8	6.60 sec	15.00 sec	300 hp	FWD
1998	STS Sedan 4.6L V8	6.80 sec	15.30 sec	300 hp	FWD
1998	STS Sedan 4.6L V8	6.80 sec	15.10 sec	300 hp	FWD
1996	STS Sedan 4.6L V8	6.40 sec	14.70 sec	300 hp	FWD
1995	STS Sedan 4.6L V8	6.40 sec	14.70 sec	300 hp	FWD
1995	STS Sedan 4.6L V8	6.60 sec	15.10 sec	300 hp	FWD
1995	SLS Sedan 4.6L V8	7.30 sec	15.40 sec	275 hp	FWD
1992	STS Sedan 4.9L V8	8.60 sec	16.80 sec	200 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 oil drain plug to 15.0 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
Power Steering Fluid	USE GM PART NO. 1052884 OR EQUIVALENT

Engine torques

Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	7.4 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	18 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	15.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	15.0 ft-lbs
Engine Valve Cover Bolts	8.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts	100 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub	118 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	2.00-2.45 lbs
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Type	46
Oil Capacity	7.00-8.00 oz
Refrigerant	R134a
Refrigerant Capacity	2.00 lbs
Oil Group	PAG

Service checks

Pressure Test	15; Do not exceed 20 psi.
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	188-206 °F
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)	41-47
Injector Primary Resistance	8-25 na ohms
Engine Compression	140

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket	20 ft-lbs / 137 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle	94 ft-lbs / 100 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness	Front: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 specification
Rotor Max Parallel Variation	0.0005 in
Rotor Runout Limit	0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From	1.267 in / 0.433 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To	1.267 in / 0.433 in
Rotor Minimum Machining	1.224 in / 0.404 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

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 at 150,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 150,000 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	Brake System (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Parking Brake Cable (lubricate) · Shift Linkage (inspect) · Steering Linkage (inspect)
Every 15,000 mi	Cabin Air Filter (replace)
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	Spark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 150,000 mi	Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

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 1999 Cadillac Seville recorded 75 federal complaints, a modest rebound from the 66 complaints in 1998 but well below the peak of 131 complaints seen in 1996, placing it in the mid‑range of the generation’s complaint curve. Recall activity fell to a single recall in 1999, the lowest level since 1991, while investigations remained steady at one, suggesting fewer systemic safety actions than the earlier 1990s surge. Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) continued an upward trend, reaching 87 in 1999—just above the 85 issued in 1998 and far higher than the double‑digit figures of the early‑1990s—indicating growing service‑level attention despite fewer formal recalls. The top complaint areas (engine cooling, electrical system, suspension, and airbags) and the low numbers of crash (1) and fire (2) reports imply that most issues are routine maintenance rather than catastrophic failures. **Takeaway:** 1999 sits in a relatively stable part of the model’s history with low recall risk and manageable complaint levels, making it a reasonably sound year to consider for purchase, provided the buyer verifies that any TSB‑related fixes have been performed.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

1 involved a crash · 2 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

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 75 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling17

Electrical System8

Suspension7

Air Bags6

Service Brakes, Hydraulic5

Steering5

Electrical System,Engine2

Exterior Lighting2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

99V070000Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/RegulatorReported 12/04/1999

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CAN DEVELOP IN THE GENERATOR, EVEN WHEN THE ENGINE IS OFF. Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE GENERATOR.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 87 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
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…
17NA073	2019-02-15	Equipment	This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action…

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 Seville. 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 79 battery Vehicles taking 8 qt Engine oil filter 12731179 Engine air filter 19166106 Fuel filter 25121293 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 1999 Seville take?

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

Does the 1999 Seville have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the Seville get?

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