Selling an old or junk Cadillac Cimarron
NHTSA's complaint file holds just 13 owner complaints on the Cimarron, spread over five model years. That small record belongs to a car Wikipedia says is "routinely cited as the nadir of GM's product planning." If yours has been parked since the last century, you don't need to revive it first. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, and pickup is free anywhere in the US.
- Model years in EPA data
- 1984-1988
- Complaints to NHTSA, all years
- 13
- Most complaints
- 1985 and 1986 (4 each)
- Recall campaigns
- 4
- Engines
- 1,841 cc and 1,991 cc fours; 2,837 cc V6 (1985-1988)
- Platform
- GM J-body, front-wheel drive
- Built in
- Janesville, Wis.
A Cadillac on the J-body
GM built the Cimarron from 1981 to 1988 at its Janesville, Wisconsin, plant. It sat on the front-wheel-drive J-body platform, and Wikipedia lists the Opel Ascona as a relative. EPA data covers the 1984-1988 model years, all gasoline compact cars. Oldsmobile's J-car, the Firenza, was dropped the same year as the Cimarron.
Wikipedia gives three engines: a 1,841 cc L46 four, a 1,991 cc LQ5 four, and a 2,837 cc LB6 V6 offered from 1985 to 1988. It lists a 4-speed Muncie M17 manual.
Recalls, 1984-1988
There is one generation in these years, so the useful split is by recall.
1984: the driver's seat anchor. Recall 87V079 says the metal floor pan anchor bar could fatigue and break around the driver's seat front adjuster stud. The fix was a reinforcement bracket. The campaign counts 1,136,407 vehicles, a whole-campaign total that may cover other GM models, not Cimarrons alone. The single 1984 complaint names the structure and records a fire.
1985: a fire risk under the hood. Under recall 86V073, a plastic cover trimming the air cleaner might drop off and land on the hot exhaust manifold. NHTSA lists the remedy as removing and discarding that cover. That campaign lists 87,174 vehicles, which may include other models. Owners filed four complaints on the 1985, one with a crash, naming speed control, suspension and power train.
1986: headlight switches, twice. Two campaigns, 86V056 (93,317 vehicles) and 86V131 (106,111 vehicles), replaced push-pull headlight switches whose contacts could make the lights flicker or suddenly go out. Both counts may cover other models. Four complaints on the 1986 name the fuel system, structure and seat belts.
1987-1988: no recalls. Two complaints each year. Both years name the electrical system, and one 1988 complaint records an injury.
Complaints and recalls by model year
These tallies reflect what owners had filed with NHTSA by October 10, 2026. A recent car gets fewer filings partly because it is young. A Cimarron has had close to forty years, and owners still logged only 13.
| Year | Complaints | Crashes / fires / injuries | Recall campaigns | Components named |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 1 | 0 / 1 / 0 | 1 | Structure |
| 1985 | 4 | 1 / 0 / 0 | 1 | Speed control, suspension, power train |
| 1986 | 4 | 0 / 0 / 0 | 2 | Fuel system, structure, seat belts |
| 1987 | 2 | 0 / 0 / 0 | 0 | Steering, electrical |
| 1988 | 2 | 0 / 0 / 1 | 0 | Electrical, seats |
| All | 13 | 1 / 1 / 1 | 4 |
Restore it or let it go?
Your Cimarron is 38 to 42 years old. Start with these checks.
- Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall site to see whether the seat, trim cover or headlight switch work was ever done.
- Sat for years? The sitting for years guide covers what to check before you try to start it.
- Thinking of a restoration? Get a written quote, then read old project car and repairs cost more than it is worth before you spend.
Selling it whole
- Write down three things: the VIN, the miles shown, and the Cimarron's faults.
- Get an offer online, or call (877) 421-6008.
- Say where it sits. A barn, a backyard or a garage all work. Mention whether it rolls on its own tires, and the truck meets the car there.
- Don't strip it. If a part such as the radio or a wheel is gone already, mention it.
- Find the title and bring a photo ID to pickup. Lost title? See selling with no title. After you sell covers plates and insurance by state.
Other Cadillacs from these years: the Seville, Eldorado and DeVille, or every Cadillac we cover.
Questions people ask
- How many NHTSA complaints does the Cadillac Cimarron have?
- Thirteen in total for 1984 through 1988, per NHTSA's file on October 10, 2026. Four each went to the 1985 and 1986, two each to the 1987 and 1988, and one to the 1984. These are reports owners chose to file, not a reliability rating.
- What were the Cimarron recalls?
- Four campaigns. On the 1984, the anchor bar beneath the driver's seat could crack from fatigue. On the 1985, a plastic air cleaner trim cover could fall onto the exhaust manifold. On the 1986, two separate campaigns replaced push-pull headlight switches that could let the headlights flicker or go out.
- Will you take a Cimarron that hasn't run in decades?
- Yes. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, and pickup is free anywhere in the US. When you ask about your Cimarron, mention any flat tires or locked-up brakes.
- I can't find the title for my Cimarron. Can I still sell it?
- Often. Rules vary by state, and the no-title guide walks through the usual paths, such as ordering a duplicate.
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from one of these. Checked October 11, 2026.
- EPA fuel economy data: Cadillac Cimarron, model years 1984-1988 fueleconomy.gov
- NHTSA complaints flat file (FLAT_CMPL.zip), downloaded October 10, 2026 nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA: Check for recalls by VIN nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 87V079: driver's seat floor pan anchor bar, 1984 nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 86V073: air cleaner trim cover, 1985 nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 86V056: headlight switch, 1986 nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 86V131: headlight switch, 1986 nhtsa.gov
- Wikipedia: Cadillac Cimarron (production, plant, platform, engines, market history) en.wikipedia.org