I purchased this vehicle is certified preowned Cadillac and during the warranty time I had a transmission issue that was causing the transmission to jerk when shifting from 1st to 2nd gear and at highway speeds, it would start jerking nonstop. I took it to the dealer and as per a service bulletin, they flushed the transmission fluid and replaced the transmission fluid. This was only a temporary fix because 30,000 miles later the same issues started occurring again and have gotten worse to the point that you can smell the transmission clutches burning and the transmission overheating, possibly causing the number four piston rings to come apart, resulting in an engine replacement as well. I’ve had to replace engine as possible result, but the transmission problem is still there and it has also caused the check engine light to come on intermediately. This could result in a complete transmission failure, causing a vehicle to lose propulsion leading to a possible accident and injuries. This issue needs to be investigated and repairs or replacement made at the manufacturers expense.. This is a four-cylinder turbo engine and an eight speed automatic transmission. In my opinion, the transmission issue caused my engine failure. There should be investigated and an immediate recall issued.
Cadillac CTS jerking problems
41 of the 2,220 owner complaints about the Cadillac CTS describe jerking or lurching, most of them for the 2003 model year.
- owner complaints
- 41
- worst model year
- 2003
- typical mileage
- 42,000
By model year
Often reported together
Hesitation 5Stalling 4Loss of power 3Shudder 2Fuel gauge 2Knocking 2Adaptive cruise 2Transmission failure 1
What owners say
The car constantly makes a noise. Even when it's parked you can still smell gas. It jerks all the time. Been having problem with it since day one I got it.
Torque converter shudders and jerks abruptly. There’s trouble slowing down at times and it has a difficult time shifting up or shifting down i gears.
The vehicle hard shifts in low gear and at low speeds. The hard shifting makes the car hard to handle in slow speed situations such as parking lots. Because the car lurches forward unexpectedly, it poses a safety concern toward nearby pedestrians.
My oil keeps running low every 2 months and makes a loud clicking sound. Was told that my oil is burning and that they don't know why. Vehicle is in motion when it starts to jerk and starts kicking back and make knocking noise in the engine
I was driving my 2018 cadillac cts between 50-60mph and I lightly tapped on the gas and the car started shaking and vibrating. Felt like it could be a transmission or a engine misfire. My cars transmission also shifts very very rough kindly jerky which creates a unsafe environment while in motion. This is a consistent issue and with my car and only having 12,000 miles on it I find really concerning. This vibration only happens between 50-60mph and the rough transmission shifting happens as I drive it along with vibrations are coming from the engine which shake my entire car. All services are up to date. Cadillac and gm are both not sure of what the issue can be even though there is a pending class action lawsuit for the same issue
While accelerating from a stop, my vehicle loses all power temporarily. Throttle modulation does not increase RPM. At times the vehicle will jerk forward and back as if power is being put down then stopped abruptly. One time I had this happen, my lights, gauges, power steering, and engine power all went away. It fixed itself after about 15 minutes of trying to figure out what was happening. Very dangerous and scary experience when this happens on the road.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 cadillac cts. The contact stated that when the vehicle shifted into gear, the vehicle jerked without warning. The vehicle was taken to lynch cadillac of auburn (154 w creek pkwy, auburn, al 36830) where it was diagnosed that the rear axle pinion seal failed and needed to be replaced. Leaks were seen by the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired and the failure recurred. The contact referenced the federal safety agency campaign number: 07v589000 (power train) as a possible solution to the failure however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that there was no recall on the VIN. The failure mileage was approximately 98,090.
Car has locked in 2nd or 3rd gear two different times, both after long drives (2+ hours at highway speeds) and would not downshift into 1st to stop movement. The first time was a stop light and almost caused an accident, the second time was in my driveway and almost hit the house. Good brakes are the only thing that saved me. Both times, the vehicle shifted to 1st with a loud bang. Transmission also jerks the car forward from the stopped position when engine starts at a stop sign or light (when auto-start./stop is enabled).
There's a very hard jerking coming from some where in the rear area while driving. When this happens there is a lost of power. Also the engine oil is going some where ,I keep having to put oil in it , about two to three quarts a week. When the oil gets real low the engine shakes and runs like crap and acts like it wants to cut off.
Related recalls
Power train: automatic transmission
- What is wrong
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Cadillac ATS vehicles manufactured April 23, 2012, to March 20, 2014, and 2014 Cadillac CTS vehicles manufactured June 10, 2013, to March 20, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the transmission shift cable may detach from either the bracket on the transmission shifter or the bracket on the transmission.
- Risk
- If the transmission shift cable detaches while the vehicle is being driven, the transmission gear selection may not match the indicated gear and the vehicle may move in an unintended or unexpected direction, increasing the risk of a crash. Furthermore, when the driver goes to stop and park the vehicle, despite selecting the 'PARK' position, the transmission may not be in 'PARK.' If the vehicle is not in the 'PARK' position there is a risk the vehicle will roll away as the driver and other occupants exit the vehicle or anytime thereafter. A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of injury to exiting occupants and bystanders.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles to make sure the cable is properly seated at the transmission and shifter brackets, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in early August 2014. Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1‑800‑458‑8006. GM's number for this recall is 14179.
Recall number 14V338000 · Recall details
Power train: axle assembly: axle shaft: seal
- What is wrong
- On certain passenger vehicles, the rear axle pinion seal does not meet all of the specifications and may experience a fluid leak.
- Risk
- A rear differential failure may cause loss of motive power and possibly loss of control increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the pinion seal free of charge. The recall began on february 1, 2008. Owners may contact cadillac at 1‑800‑458‑8006 or http://www.cadillac.com; pontiac at 1‑800‑620‑7668 or http://www.pontiac.com; and saturn at 1‑800‑972‑8876 or http://www.saturn.com.
Recall number 07V589000 · Recall details
Questions about the Cadillac CTS jerking
Which Cadillac CTS years have jerking or lurching problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2003 (7 complaints), 2005 (7 complaints) and 2006 (5 complaints).
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