Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1982 Eldorado.
The 1982 Cadillac Eldorado carries a modest complaint record with four owner-reported issues and three recalls, its most frequent concern categorized under equipment or unspecified systems. While the broader model's documented complaint history spans 1990 through 2002 — peaking at 81 reports in 1996 and bottoming out at 13 in 1991 — the 1982 vintage falls outside that tracked window, leaving its long-term reliability trajectory largely uncharted in the available data. This gap means researchers must treat the 1982 Eldorado as a distinct early chapter, its low complaint count and recall tally offering a quiet but incomplete baseline for assessing durability.
Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.
| Overall length | 204.3 in |
| Overall width | 70.5 in |
| Overall height | 55.1 in |
| Wheelbase | 114.2 in |
| Curb weight | 3726 lb |
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.
| Year | Trim / engine | 0–60 | ¼ mile | HP | Drivetrain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Touring Coupe 4.1L V8 | 15.20 sec | 20.20 sec | 125 hp | FWD |
| 1984 | Touring Coupe 4.1L V8 | 13.10 sec | 19.30 sec | 135 hp | FWD |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
The 1982 Cadillac Eldorado recorded only four complaints—distributed across the fuel system, power train, engine cooling, and equipment—with zero reported crashes or fires. The provided federal record covers a later era from 1990 to 2002, where complaints generally trended upward to a peak of 81 in 1996 and TSBs surged from 0 to 351. Because the 1982 model falls outside this specific chronological arc, the provided data contains no figures to compare it to the years immediately before or after. The record does not specify the root causes for the 1982 complaints, but the volume is negligible compared to the later years listed. Based on this minimal record of issues, this is a good year to buy.
All 4 complaints on record, top 4 components.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.
Showing 2 of 3 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.
SOME OF THE INVOLVED VEHICLES CONTAIN INCORRECT ACCELERATOR CABLE BRACKETS. THIS COULD ALLOW THE CRUISE CONTROL SERVO ROD TO BIND ON THE ACCELERATOR CABLE BRACKET. Remedy: DEALER WILL INSTALL THE CORRECT CABLE BRACKET WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER. VEHICLES WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL WILL ALSO BE MODIFIED IN THE EVENT THAT CRUISE CONTROL IS LATER ADDED.
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.
Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.