Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1981 Seville.
The 1981 Cadillac Seville carries a sparse official complaint record with just one owner-reported issue centered on vehicle speed control and two recalls logged, though the model's broader complaint history tracked from 1990 through 2004 shows the nameplate peaking at 131 complaints in 1996 before tapering to 17 by its final year. Since the 1981 model year falls outside the documented complaint window, its reliability footprint remains minimal in the data, defined more by the two early recalls and a single speed-control complaint than by any pattern that emerged in later generations. This positions the 1981 Seville as a low-volume outlier in the model's recorded history — neither benefiting from nor burdened by the complaint trajectory that would define the line a decade later.
Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.
| Overall length | 204.7 in |
| Overall width | 70.9 in |
| Overall height | 54.3 in |
| Wheelbase | 114.2 in |
| Curb weight | 4171 lb |
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.
| Year | Trim / engine | 0–60 | ¼ mile | HP | Drivetrain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Elegante Diesel Sedan 5.7L Diesel V8 | 19.70 sec | 21.50 sec | 105 hp | FWD |
| 1979 | Diesel Sedan 5.7L Diesel V8 | 16.80 sec | 21.10 sec | 120 hp | RWD |
| 1976 | Sedan 5.7L V8 | 14.00 sec | 19.00 sec | 180 hp | RWD |
| 1986 | Elegante Sedan 4.1L V8 | 11.70 sec | 18.20 sec | 130 hp | FWD |
| 1989 | STS Sedan 4.5L V8 | 8.90 sec | 16.80 sec | 180 hp | FWD |
| 1990 | STS Sedan 4.5L V8 | 9.20 sec | 17.00 sec | 180 hp | FWD |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
The 1981 Cadillac Seville has a very limited complaint profile, with only one reported issue regarding Vehicle Speed Control and zero reports of crashes or fires. A comparison to the years immediately preceding or following 1981 is not possible, as the provided federal record only contains data from 1990 to 2004. Due to this gap, no generational trend can be analyzed for the 1981 model based on the supplied dataset. The data does not specify the root cause of the single reported Vehicle Speed Control complaint. Given the absence of significant safety issues or a high volume of complaints in the available data, this is a good year to buy.
All 1 complaints on record, top 1 components.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.
Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.
THE INVOLVED VEHICLES DO NOT CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 210, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY ANCHORAGES", IN THAT THE DOOR FRAME-TO-BODY CENTER PILLAR INTERLOCK ON THE FRONT SEAT BELTS OF THESE VEHICLES… Remedy: THE DEALER WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, ALIGN THE SEAT BELT INTERLOCK ASSEMBLIES PROPERLY AT NO CHARGE TO OWNER.
THE FRONT LEFT UPPER CONTROL ARM NUTS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN SECURELY TIGHTENED. THE NUTS MAY LOOSEN AND COME OFF AND WITH CONTINUED DRIVING THE CONTROL ARM FRONT BOLT MAY WORK ITS WAY OUT OF POSITION OR BECOME DISPLACED. Remedy:
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 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.