Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1984 Seville.
The 1984 Cadillac Seville is a luxury sedan whose service schedule calls for 4.5 quarts of engine oil, with manufacturer-recommended viscosities of 20W-20, 15W-40, or 10W-30 depending on operating conditions. Looking at owner feedback, this model year registered just a single complaint — concentrated in the wheels category — alongside one recall, while the broader nameplate's tracked complaint history (1990–2004) peaked at 131 in 1996 and bottomed at 17 in 2004. That single-complaint footprint, set against the much louder middle of the 1990s, makes the 1984 Seville an unusually clean reference point for anyone comparing reliability behavior across the model's later production years.
Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.
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 | 3803 lb |
| Weight distribution (front / rear) | 59/41 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Elegante Sedan 4.1L V8 | 11.70 sec | 18.20 sec | 130 hp | FWD |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 1976 | Sedan 5.7L V8 | 14.00 sec | 19.00 sec | 180 hp | RWD |
| 1992 | STS Sedan 4.9L V8 | 8.60 sec | 16.80 sec | 200 hp | FWD |
Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.
This engine holds 4.5 qt of 20W-20 / 15W-40 / 10W-30 engine oil, 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid.
| Brake Fluid | DOT 3 |
| Differential Gear Oil | 80W-90 · GL-5 |
| Differential Gear Oil Capacity | 4.3 qt |
| Engine Coolant | ETHYLENE GLYCOL |
| Engine Oil | 20W-20 · 15W-40 · 10W-30 |
| Engine Oil Capacity | 4.5 qt |
| Engine Oil | API · 15W-30 · 10W-30 |
| Engine Oil Capacity | 7 qt |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
The federal record begins in 1990, showing complaints climbing from 23 that year to a peak of 131 in 1996 before falling back to the high‑40s by 2004, while recalls hover between 0‑3 and investigations remain sparse. Service Bulletins (TSBs) follow a different arc, accelerating dramatically after 1997 and reaching a sustained high of over 450 by the early 2000s. By contrast, the 1984 Cadillac Seville registers only a single wheel‑related complaint and no crash or fire complaints, suggesting it sits well before the later surge in reported problems. This early‑generation data implies that the 1984 model experienced far fewer documented issues than the mid‑1990s and later years. Consequently, 1984 is a comparatively low‑risk year to consider for a used purchase.
All 1 complaints on record, top 1 components.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.
Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.
A SMALL NYLON BUSHING IN THE CRUISE CONTROL SERVO BAIL MAY SLIP OUT OF PLACE, CAUSING INTERMITTENT AND UNEXPECTED INCREASES IN ENGINE SPEED OR DIESELING (ENGINE RUN ON WITH IGNITION OFF). Remedy: INSTALL A NEW BUSHING IN CRUISE CONTROL SERVO BAIL.
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.
Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.
Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.
4.5 qt of ABOVE 40 degrees F: 30, ABOVE 20 degrees F: 20W-20, ABOVE 10 degrees F: 15W-40, ABOVE 0 degrees F: 10W-30,, per the factory manual.
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.