2003 Cadillac CTS: engine failure

Filed Jul 28, 2018 · Engine · 193,000 miles · WA

I was driving downhill on dallas rd in west richland, wa I started to apply brakes to turn into quail springs apartment complex, idk whether it was due to the road or the way I hit the brakes but it moved my key out of the run position causing the engine to turn off, I was slowing down progressively from 55 miles an hour and heard something that sounded like my engine had fallen apart. After getting it stopped I popped the hood and noticed damage to my tensioner pulley it had came off and my serpentine belt had shredded, I called and got it towed to the nearest place I could to get it looked at. When replacing the serpentine belt they said it'd be good to check the timing belt as well just in case. Upon checking it they noticed pieces of serpentine belt had gotten inside of there somehow causing the timing belt damage. With this type of engine if timing belt gets ruined 98% valves and pistons kiss which causes bent valves on the head. I was told the car would not run anymore unless I put a brandnew engine in and they wanted to charge me 6000 for that, I looked up a used engine on ebay for 650 they still wanted 3000, I don't have that kind of money sitting around and have been suffering without my vehicle since this happened. I've missed work and am lucky me or child weren't hurt during this situation. I called the local cadillac dealership this morning and explained what happened the guy I spoke with was very rude and told me theres nothing the could do to help me, I asked about the recall again and he said I need to call corporate I dialed the number he gave me and didn't get thru to anybody. Lucky I looked up the number myself explained the situation to them they gave me a case # and said I'd be contacted within 1to 2 business days by a senior advisor. Bottom line is I'm still stuck without a working vehicle due to this recall.

Filed Aug 2, 2015 · Brakes, Driver assistance · 115,909 miles · CA

Was entering the on ramp on to a freeway and just tapped the brake and noticed and heard the left front tire grind and the steering wheel pulled to the left real hard. I was going into a blind under pass and thought that if it seized up around the blind corner I would surely be in an accident. I first thought that a stone chip was in between the brake and rotor. The car was towed away to a aaa location about 3 miles away. The service station then took it out around the block and was not able to duplicate. The put the car up and the lift and could not see anything that was wrong. Then I took them out around the block real slow and the left front brakes would grind away. They tested it and could not find anything wrong no error codes. They I said could drive the car home from san diego to south orange county not didn't make it a block away before it locked up the left front tire. Was able to limp to marvin k. Brown auto center about a mile away and it was there for two weeks and $500.00 for a steering sensor replaced. Then it continued to happen and the cts was taken to tustin cadillac and they tried to correct the problems after spending 2 days at the dealer and $1700.00 later the car continues to have not only the left front but now it is the right front. The brakes continue to activate on both the left and right front at anytime at any speed. This last time it felt like the left rear activated, the car got out of control every one around me backed off. I have been driving the car through the locking of left or right front tires and it does say ding and read " check stability system" this car it no longer save to be driven and I was told the last part to fix it is "obsolete" the only thing that might work is to disable the "stability system" by unplugging the fuses on in the trunk on up front.

Filed Nov 27, 2013 · Steering · 138,000 miles · IL

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 cadillac cts. The contact was driving approximately 10 MPH when the steering wheel malfunctioned and an abnormal cracking noise was heard. In addition, the steering wheel seized and became very difficult to turn. The vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 138,000. The VIN was not available.

Filed Jul 7, 2011 · Engine · 31,000 miles · PA

Under 33,000 miles on this car. While driving down a hill I heard a loud clank noise. Car lost all steering and brake power completely locked up. Had towed to shop and they said timing chain is broken and passenger side of engine is locked up with bent valves. No warning what so ever. Check engine light never came on. Now this car needs a new engine.

Filed Mar 10, 2011 · Suspension · 150,000 miles · MI

I have a 2003 cadillac cts. The rear axle assembly seized while driving appx 55mph causing the rear of the car to lock up and skid off of the road.... This vehicle also has a recurring "body control module" failure which renders the airbags useless....cannot be cleared by myself or dealers..

Filed Feb 16, 2009 · Engine · 30,948 miles · SD

Car engine failed at 30,000 miles - it started making a clicking sound, so my husband decided to take it to the shop. He didn't even make it to the shop - just had to tow it. The car was driven gingerly by my 80 year old grandmother for 7,000 miles, then by me (age 40 with two children in car seats) for the remaining miles. Cadillac offered to pay 1/2 the cost to rebuild, but the total cost was estimated at over $15,000. They said there weren't any new engines to drop in, but they found one used engine (with 1 mile on it) that they could use that would cost about $4,150. However, they wouldn't pay any of the cost of dropping in the used engine. We opted to replace the engine at our cost instead so we could get away with paying $4,150 instead of $7,500. I complained to gm service department, and kept being given incorrect information. One person would tell me they would pay 1/2 the cost to repair or replace the engine, the next would say they would not pay. I kept good records of all persons contacted during the long, long process. They even had me gather all my prior service records so they could be certain the car) had been properly maintained (which it had.) at one point I was even told (by the district specialist office at gm) that my grandmother had apparently purchased an extended warranty on it, and they could just use that. Later, I was told that no extended warranty existed. I was LED on and misinformed for 1 1/2 months, while my car sat at the dealership 90 miles away. I was without my vehicle for 1 1/2 months, while everyone decided what should be done, and as it ends up, it could have been done immediately if I hadn't been given the run around being told gm was going to help with the repair cost. Not a good experience - not a good car.

Filed Apr 21, 2005 · Transmission · 18,698 miles · AL

Have 2003 cadillac cts, had the differential replaced because it was howling & getting worse (this is common complaint by owners of 2003 - 2005 cts models - see cadillac users group, cts forum). Picked up car after differential was replaced. Drove approximately 2 miles from dealer when differential locked up at 50 MPH. Managed to control slide/skid and slide off four-lane road surface without hitting other vehicles, but had it happened a mile further down the road, I'd have been on I-85 in heavy interstate traffic at 70 MPH... Dealer replaced failed rear end with another new one which, thus far (500 miles or so) is trouble-free, but in view of the problems I & others have experienced with these units, I have little confidence that the basic problem has been resolved. Uncomfortable at thought of depending on vehicle from both safety & basic transport aspect - reluctant to contemplate a long distance trip for these reasons. Called cadillac & they sent a warranty rider extending coverage of the differential/carrier assembly to 2010 or 100,000 miles, which is useful. However, gm mindset seems to be that it is cheaper to replace these units as they fail with new units with the same flaw , than it is to determine why they are failing, correct the flaw & provide owners with redesigned, safe units. I may be off a bit on the actual date of the incident involving failure of differential as my dealer, classic cadillac in montgomery, al, has not as of yet provided me a copy of the paperwork documenting the incident & installation of the third differential. I called my service rep yesterday & he apologized for the "oversight" & said they'd mail me the documentation. The differential that seized is not available - I told them I wanted to see it, but was informed that they had to send it back in order to get another replacement.