Recalls
| Campaign | Manufacturer | Manufacturing date | Type | # of units affected | Date Owner notified Mfg | Recall Initiated by | Manufacturers of recalled vehicles/products | Report Recieved Date | Record Creation Date | Regulation Part Number | FMVSS Number | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN - AXLE ASSEMBLY - AXLE SHAFT - SEAL | ||||||||||||||||
| 07V589000 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | from 03/01/2005 to 06/30/2005 | V (Vehicle) | 275936 | 02/08/2008 | ODI | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 12/20/2007 | 12/20/2007 | |||||||
| Defect Summary | On certain passenger vehicles, the rear axle pinion seal does not meet all of the specifications and may experience a fluid leak. | |||||||||||||||
| Consequence Summary | A rear differential failure may cause loss of motive power and possibly loss of control increasing the risk of a crash. | |||||||||||||||
| Corrective Summary | 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. | |||||||||||||||
| Notes | Gm recall no. 07204.customers may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov. | |||||||||||||||
Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | |||||
| 3277 | 10017185 | 5l40e/5l50e fluid leak from bell housing area. *sc | 10/26/2005 | ||
| 3513 | 10016543 | Intermittent block out of first gear from a stop. *tt | 09/20/2005 | ||
| 3268 | 3268B | 10014922 | Intermittent unwanted downshift, no upshift 5l40e/5l50e. *tt | 05/11/2005 | |
| 3091 | 01/01/2004 | 3091A | 10010239 | Operating characteristics of 5l40e/5l50e transmissions. *sc | 11/05/2004 |
| 3067A | 01/01/2004 | 10009601 | Unacceptable shift quality after transmission repair or software/hardware change. *tt | 10/08/2004 | |
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | |||||
| 060730020 | 09/01/2006 | 10020738 | Intermittent engine chuggle at highway speeds during light throttle load. (reprogram transmission control module (tcm)). *kb | 01/04/2007 | |
| 3392 | 3392A | 10016708 | The 5l40e and 5l50e automatic transmission may experience a condition of high tcc slip speed and or dtc p0741. *tt updated 09-26-07. *kb | 09/28/2005 | |
| 609 | 09/01/2004 | 10016209 | Operating characteristics of 5l40e/5l5oe transmissions. *sc | 09/02/2005 | |
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - CONTROL MODULE (TCM, PCM) | |||||
| 08-08-49-001 | 02/01/2008 | 10024226 | Inaccurate fuel gage readings, fuel gage reads empty when there is fuel in tank, fuel level low message in dic, dtc p2066 set (reprogram ecm). with 2.8l or 3.6l engine (vins t, 7 - rpo's lp1, ly7). *nj | 03/27/2008 | |
| 040604011 | 03/01/2004 | 10008667 | New procedural requirements for powertrain control module (pcm) replacement. *tt | 08/13/2004 | |
| POWER TRAIN - AXLE ASSEMBLY | |||||
| 3671 | 3671E | 10019195 | Rear axle pinion seal may experience a fluid leak condition. *tt updated 04-26-07. *kb | 02/16/2006 | |
| 0504114001 | 01/01/2008 | 0504114001B | 10017449 | Controlling rear axle or wheel hop on full-throttle application from a standstill and/or full-throttle 1-2 shift (install supplementary rear sub-frame bushings) *tt updated 4/14/08. *nj | 11/08/2005 |
| 040417003 | 10/01/2004 | 10012737 | Driveline vibration moan noise at highway speeds. *eh | 03/11/2005 | |
| 3051 | 3051A | 10010367 | Howl or whine noise from the rear axle on accel and/or decel. *tt | 11/17/2004 | |
| POWER TRAIN - CLUTCH ASSEMBLY | |||||
| 050731001 | 08/01/2005 | 050731001A | 10017387 | Clutch pedal does not return to up position during shifts at high engine rpms. *tt | 11/04/2005 |
| POWER TRAIN - DRIVELINE | |||||
| 3425 | 10017094 | Drive line vibration / moan noise in sixth gear. *tt | 10/24/2005 | ||
| POWER TRAIN - DRIVELINE - DRIVESHAFT | |||||
| 3168 | 10010570 | Single order propshaft speed vibration at highway speeds. *eh | 12/01/2004 | ||
| POWER TRAIN - MANUAL TRANSMISSION | |||||
| 050729003 | 05/01/2005 | 10017356 | Aisin ay6 6-speed manual transmission rpo mv1 service information. *tt | 11/03/2005 | |
| 040729003A | 12/01/2004 | 040729003B | 10010513 | Mismachined transmission countershaft snap ring groove. *tt updated *eh | 11/30/2004 |
| 020730002 | 08/01/2004 | 020730002A | 631799 | Information on 5l40e automatic transmission operating characteristics. *slc *ar | 06/20/2002 |
Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN - DRIVELINE - DIFFERENTIAL UNIT | ||||||
| EA07017 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 12/07/2007 | 07/16/2008 | REAR DRIVETRAIN COMPONENT FAILURE | ||
| In july of 2007 the office of defects investigation (odi) opened pe07-037 to investigate allegations that the rear differential may fail causing a loss of motive power, and in some instances a loss of control, in model year (my) 2004 through 2006 cadillac cts, cts-v, and sts vehicles.as a result of that investigation gm issued recall 07v-589 to correct a leaking pinion seal problem.ea07-017 was opened to investigate complaints of fractured rear differential housings or rear half shafts in high performance cadillac cts-v vehicles.according to gm, these failures resulted from the cumulative damage from multiple power hop events that can occur during very aggressive driving. in february 2008 investigators from odi met with gm representatives to conduct testing of the subject cts-v vehicles.during the testing the subject vehicles were subjected to considerable torsional forces from standing starts and while driving.power hop occurred during some of the most aggressive driving maneuvers.the testing did not result in failure of any rear drivetrain components.the engineering design and testing data supplied to odi by gm and the results of the testing conducted by odi tend to support gm's position that the differential design is not defective. complaints listed in the failure report do not include those indicative of failure of the rear pinion seal in cts-v vehicles covered by recall 07v-589. further investigation in this matter would not be an efficient allocation of agency resources.accordingly, this investigation is closed.see attached closing report for further details. | ||||||
| PE07037 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 07/17/2007 | 12/27/2007 | FAILURE OF THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL | 07V589000 | |
| Odi evaluated two different alleged defects involving rear drivetrain components during this preliminary evaluation.gm is conducting a recall to address one of the defect conditions and odi has opened an engineering analysis to continue its investigation of the other alleged defect. on december 19, 2007, gm submitted a defect information report to nhtsa concerning defective rear axle pinion seals in approximately 275,936 model year (my) 2005-07 cadillac cts, sts and srx vehicles as well as my 2006-07 pontiac solstice and my 2007 saturn sky vehicles (recall 07v-589).on sts and srx vehicles with all wheel drive, the front axle pinion seal also does not meet all of gm's specifications and may experience a fluid leak.gm indicated that the seal supplier made an unauthorized change to the pinion seal material.leaking pinion seals could result in loss of rear differential lubrication which could result in rear wheel lock-up and loss of vehicle control. on december 7, 2007, odi opened an engineering analysis (ea07-017) to investigate complaints of rear drivetrain component failure (e.g., fractured rear differential carrier housing or rear axle half shafts) while driving in approximately 7,600 my 2004 through 2006 cadillac cts-v vehicles.this condition may result in a loss of motive power and vehicle disablement and is not addressed by recall 07v-589.odi identified 35 complaints (16 to odi and 19 to gm) and 128 warranty claims potentially related to this condition (see ea07-017 opening resume).these complaints are not included in the failure report summary of this closing resume. the complaints and warranty figures given in this resume are limited to those that (a) are most likely caused by a leaking rear pinion seal; and (b) resulted in an allegation of a rear differential failure while driving.the data do not include all reports of seal leakage. | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | |||
| 07/17/2012 | 120000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2005 cadillac cts. the contact stated that the vehicle would not respond when in reverse. the contact was able to drive the vehicle forward. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer for inspection where they stated that the transmission needed to be repaired. the vehicle was not repaired because the dealer advised the contact that the part was unavailable. the manufacturer was notified and advised the same thing. the failure mileage was 120,000. | |||
| 07/17/2012 | 120000 | ||
| Tl -the contact owns a 2005 cadillac cts. the contact stated that the vehicle would not respond when in reverse. the contact was able to drive the vehicle forward. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer for inspection where they stated that the transmission needed to be repaired. the vehicle was not repaired because the dealer advised the contact that the part was unavailable. the manufacturer was notified and advised the same thing. the failure mileage was 120,000. kmj | |||
| 07/17/2012 | 120000 | ||
| Tl -the contact owns a 2005 cadillac cts. the contact stated that he tried to put the vehicle in reverse but the vehicle would not move. the contact was able to drive the vehicle forward. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer for inspection and they stated that the transmission needed to be repaired. the vehicle was not repaired because the dealer stated that the part was unavailable. the manufacturer was notified and they stated the same thing. the failure mileage was 120,000. ap | |||
| 06/04/2012 | 73000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2005 cadillac cts. the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle jerked to the right and nearly caused a crash. the failure recurred several times. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer on numerous occasions and the contact was informed of possible underground wire defects. the vehicle was repaired and the dealer offered no further assistance. the failure continued. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 73,000 and the current mileage was 74,000. sm. | |||
| 06/04/2012 | 73000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2005 cadillac cts. the contact stated that while driving at different speed the vehicle jerks to the right side which almost caused a crash. the failure was going on for several times. the vehicle was taken to the dealer several times for the failure and was diagnosed the first time with a possible underground wires defects, the dealer stated that the vehicle was repaired and offered no other assistance. then later on the vehicle continued with the failure. the manufacture was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was approximate 73,000 and the current mileage was 74,000. lg | |||
| 05/19/2012 | 112000 | ||
| While driving on the highway under normal operating conditions, my properly maintained and unmodified 2005 cadillac cts caught fire. the fire caused significant damage to the drive train and fuel tank with the plastic fuel tank seconds away from being totally breached by flames and likely significant injuries including death. the fire burned for 30-40 minutes until the responding firefighters were able to jack up the vehicle and extinguish the fire with water from underneath. fortunately, the firefighters were able to extinguish the vehicle fire prior to the fuel tank breach with no apparent related injuries. pursuant to an expert analysis and report, the following manufacturing and/or design defects sequentially caused said fire: 1. while driving, the rear carrier pinion bearing failed; 2. failed carrier pinion caused excessive play in the pinion gear; 3. excessive play in the pinion gear caused failure of the pinion gear seal in the ring and pinion housing; 4. failed pinion gear seal allowed the rear carrier lubricant to leak; 5. with vehicle in motion, rear carrier lubricant contacted rotating driveshaft assembly; 6. rotating driveshaft and pinion yoke sprayed lubricant in the rear axle housing area including onto exhaust, plastic fuel tank, rubber driveshaft coupler and floor pan; 7. heat from exhaust or pinion gear ignited lubricant & subsequent fire quickly spread across the bottom of the vehicle. expert report concluded that manufacturing and / or design defects were previously well-documented by nhsa 2005 cadillac cts nhsa owner complaints and said fire could have been prevented by vehicle manufacturer through recall notices and use of non-combustible materials. | |||
| 04/06/2011 | 62000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2005 cadillac cts. the contact stated the rear axle pinion seal leaked. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated his vin was not included in the recall and that it would cost $315 to be repaired. nhtsa recall campaign id number: 07v589000, power train: axle assembly: axle shaft: seal was related to the failure. the manufacturer was contacted and stated his vin was not included in the recall and offered no assistance. the failure mileage was 62,000. | |||
| 04/06/2011 | 62000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2005 cadillac cts. the contact stated the rear axle pinion seal has a leak. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated his vin was not included in the recall and there would be a cost of $315 for the repairs. there was a recall nhtsa campaign id number: 07v589000. component: power train: axle assembly: axle shaft: seal. the manufacturer was contacted and stated his vin was not included in the recall and offered no other assistance. the failure mileage was 62,000....mw | |||
| 12/09/2010 | 89000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2005 cadillac cts. the vehicle was being serviced at an authorized dealer for an unrelated issue when he was advised that the rear differential pinion seal was leaking. the rear differential pinion seals were replaced. the contact located a recall in regards to the failure under nhtsa campaign id number: 07v589000 (power train:axle assembly:axle shaft:seal) but was advised by the manufacturer that his vin was not part of the recall. the vehicle was repaired at the contacts expense. the failure mileage was 89,000 and the current mileage was 95,000. | |||
| 12/09/2010 | 89000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2005 cadillac cts. while the vehicle was being serviced at an authorized dealer he was advised that the rear differential pinion seal was leaking. he stated the mechanic and the dealership replaced the rear differential pinion seal. the contact stated he paid for the repairs. the contact also referenced recall nhtsa campaign id number: 07v589000, component: power train:axle assembly:axle shaft:seal and was advised by the manufacturer that his vin was not part of the recall. the vehicle was repaired. the failure mileage was 89,000 and the current mileage was 95,000. vwb | |||
| 08/09/2010 | 52800 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2005 cadillac cts. while the vehicle was being service he was advised that the rear differential was out of lubricant. he stated the differential was leaking oil. he reference recall 07v589000, power train:axle assembly:axle shaft:seal and was advised by the manufacture that his vehicle was not part of the recall. the vehicle has been repaired at the owners expense. the failure mileage was 52,800 and the current mileage was 54,500. vwb | |||
| 08/20/2009 | 80000 | 1 | |
| I own a 2005 cadillac cts with a 3.7 liter engine, and automatic transmission. i am the second owner, and purchased this vehicle when it had 55,978 miles on it. after driving the car for less then 2 years, it developed a noise coming from the back (rear end). i brought the car to my local cadillac dealer. after a road test and inspection, the dealer determined that the problem was the rear differential, and it would need to be replaced at a cost of about $1700.00. i've owned many used cars over the past 30 years, some with over 100,000 miles on them, and i've never, never needed a new rear differential on any vehicle that i've ever owned! i understand that this is a common problem with this model. the dealer stated that the seals were good, and that all of the fluids were at the correct levels in the differential, and that the earlier cts models had experienced problems with differentials, but that the problem was rectified with the 2005 model. apparently it would seem that there are also problems with the 2005 model differential as well! *tr | |||
| 10/01/2008 | 19000 | 1 | |
| I have a 2005 cadillac cts and have taken into the cadillac dealership for rear end loss of control and bouncing of rear end. i know there was a recall on some type of rear end issues. i am tired of arguing with the ed morse dealership in tampa,fl about the recall and defect with the car. please advise me as to what to do. *tr | |||
| 04/25/2007 | 4 | 04/25/2007 | |
| Car shutters when driving up a grade. has been in for service 4 times this month and still not fixed. *tr | |||
| 06/14/2005 | 400 | 10 | |
| Events leading to failure: no abuse, no tire burning. vehicle used for commuting and job related purposes. problems & resolutions: 7/11/2005 7/18/2005 problem shifting - dealer could not verify sunroof rattling - dealer could not verify right-rear sail panel broken - warranty repaired pixels burn on nav screen - nav unit replaced wheels scratched - dealer paid for repair front panel loose - replaced loose panel 7/25/2005 7/27/2005 left-rear panel broken - warranty repaired competition mode not working - warranty repaired dash panel loose - warranty repaired 8/22/2005 8/24/2005 wheel hop - service bulletin warranty repair hard to put in reverse - dealer says normal grinding when shifting - aligned exhaust system sunroof rattle - dealer could not verify sunroof material loose - warranty repaired 10/19/2005 10/23/2005 fuel gauge malfunction - warranty repaired 11/21/2005 11/23/2005 sunroof rattle - dealer could not verify drivetrain rough - dealer could not verify clunk when shifting - dealer could not verify car pulls to the right - tires bald @ 9000 miles battery failure - warranty repaired grinding in 5th gear - dealer could not verify 11/29/2005 12/1/2005 rattle from rear - warranty repair suspension right-rear panel broken - warranty repair; dealer warned this would not be covered under warranty anymore as someone is braking the panels on purpose 2/6/2006 2/8/2006 clunk from rear - dealer replaced differential/drivetrain unit under warranty. 5th gear sometimes hits reverse - could not verify grinding noise in reverse - dealer forgot to check unit won't play cds - replaced navigation/radio 2/15/2005 2/17/2006 grinding noise in reverse - dealer replaced transmission under warranty; area rep advised they will not replace future failures. competition mode not working - warranty repaired. *nm | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | |||
| 09/06/2005 | 3105 | 2 | 07/01/2005 |
| Dt: the contact stated new vehicle did not have any transmission fluid in it when he bought it. the transmission failed and it was in the shop being rebuilt. the bolts on the wheels were all torqued over specifications, and had a flat tire, and that was the reason he took vehicle to the dealer. the vehicle seized as he was driving into the parking lot. the bolts broke off in the wheel as they were trying to remove the tire. this occurred on 9-6-05.*ak | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - CONTROL MODULE (TCM, PCM) | |||
| 08/26/2005 | 9400 | 4 | 05/28/2005 |
| On aug. 26, 2005 our three month old cadillac cts's transmission would not shift out of first gear after going through a busy toll booth. car had to be towed to dealer for 8 day repair of computer and replacement of transmission. few days later car had to go back to dealer due to transmission not shifting properly, out of commission for days again. after picking vehicle up, car would not start in garage and had to be towed to dealership again, picked up car a couple of days later, next day would not start again and had to be towed. at dealership for 6 more days. when picked up dealership refused to give us a service ticket showing the problem and what they did. service manager stated that he would not give us ammunition to give to a lemon law attorney. dealership tried to lay entire blame on the car's aftermarket sirius radio addition which had been in place and worked perfectly since car was new. | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AXLE ASSEMBLY | |||
| 08/22/2009 | 82000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2005 cadillac cts. the contact stated that upon routine inspection, a technician noticed that the rear axle pinion seal was leaking. a rear differential failure may cause loss of motor power and control which could increase the risk of a crash. the vehicle was repaired. the failure and current mileages were 82,000. | |||
| 01/31/2006 | 15000 | 2 | 04/25/2005 |
| August 2005, 4 months after purchasing car, both rear tires worn out from the inside out with 4000 miles on the car, took car in for warranty on tires and rear end, gm denied claim. had to purchase 2 new tires and have the frame aligned. january 2006, car slightly hits curb and right rear causing no damage to tire and scrap to wheel, rear differently broken and axle, again gm denies claim. *jb | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AXLE ASSEMBLY - AXLE SHAFT | |||
| 11/08/2007 | 29000 | 1 | 06/04/2007 |
| Bad wheel hop under light loads dealership replaced some parts but did not help. *tr | |||
| 10/28/2005 | 11550 | 1 | 08/03/2004 |
| I was simply driving normally and a clunk was heard from the rear of the car. the vehicle was not drivable. it had to be put on a flat bed truck and taken to the dealer. the right hand half shaft broke it two pieces and destroyed the differential in the process. *nm | |||
| 04/08/2005 | 8350 | 2 | 12/18/2004 |
| Shifting the vehicle from 1st gear to second gear and upon releasing the clutch there is a loud bang. half shaft broken. this is the second time the rar end of one of my cts-v's has broken. *ak | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AXLE ASSEMBLY - AXLE SHAFT - SEAL | |||
| 05/10/2009 | 1 | ||
| I have an rear differential leak on my 2005 cts cadillac and the dealership stated that my cadillac do not fall under the nhtsa campaign number: 07v589000 or 06v020000. i have that leak at the moment and the cadillac's trying to charge for this recall. *tr | |||
| 05/28/2008 | 70000 | 1 | 08/01/2005 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2005 cadillac cts. the contact periodically noticed oil on the floor of his garage. the dealer stated that there was a recall for his vehicle, nhtsa campaign id number 07v589000 (power train:axle assembly:axle shaft:seal). once he arrived at the dealer, the contact was informed that his vin was not included in the recall; therefore, the repair was made at the contact's expense. the cost of the repair was $243.68 the current and failure mileages were 70,000. updated 10/14/08 *bf updated 10/23/08. *jb | |||
| 05/01/2005 | 27000 | 2 | 10/19/2004 |
| I have a 2005 cadillac cts-v my first issue was back in 05/05 8,200 miles on car while driving car would not allow me to shift or change gears the car stalled and rolled to a stop. i called for road service 2 hours from home they towed car to an area dealer who later called to inform me the rear differential failed and gm had refused to pay for service. i had the car towed to my local dealer at my expense, at my dealers request. they informed me that gm said the car had excessive tire wear and damage was caused by driver abuse or aggressive driving i was forced to hire an attorney and pay for a vehicle i couldn't drive for several months. late in august 05 cadillac agreed to pay for the repair. 01/07 27,000 miles i was driving the cts-v changed gears from 2nd to 3rd approx 30 mph heard a clunk and rear end started to whine i parked the car, called road side service ,they towed the car to the dealer. customer service rep called a few days later he said the rear end has failed again and needs complete replacement the hangar baring is bent, the main bolt is broke in two pieces and is recommending a complete new rear end he also said gm refused to pay for service to his surprise. here we go again. my local dealer has the car it has not been repaired as of yet, so yes the old parts are available. the cadillac cts-v rear differential is weak and may break causing this car to skid or suddenly stop, causing an accident, injury,or death. cadillac knows of problem and has provided some customers with warranty repair, offered 100,000 mile extended warranties for others and yet denied repair for customers with similar problems. this rear differential is under rated for this cars horse power and was designed for use in the standard cts version of this car the rear tires have also been a problem showing early signs of wear. i had to replace my first set front and rear at 8,500 miles, these tires are worst rated tire by consumers at www.tirerack.com and cadillacfaq.com *jb | |||
| POWER TRAIN - CLUTCH ASSEMBLY | |||
| 02/16/2006 | 17800 | 1 | |
| I have a 2005 cadillac cts-v with 17800 miles. it has developed a whine in the rear differential. upon investigating further, i found this has not been unusual for this model. (gm has used the same differential in this car as they put in the base cts model, which has significantly less torque) upon taking the car to the gm dealer, they said they would have to replace the differential, but would have to await parts to do so. they are to call me when they get the parts in stock. they also said the clutch has been updated and have ordered a new clutch also. *jb | |||
| POWER TRAIN - DRIVELINE | |||
| 08/20/2009 | 80000 | 1 | |
| I own a 2005 cadillac cts with a 3.7 liter engine, and automatic transmission. i am the second owner, and purchased this vehicle when it had 55,978 miles on it. after driving the car for less then 2 years, it developed a noise coming from the back (rear end). i brought the car to my local cadillac dealer. after a road test and inspection, the dealer determined that the problem was the rear differential, and it would need to be replaced at a cost of about $1700.00. i've owned many used cars over the past 30 years, some with over 100,000 miles on them, and i've never, never needed a new rear differential on any vehicle that i've ever owned! i understand that this is a common problem with this model. the dealer stated that the seals were good, and that all of the fluids were at the correct levels in the differential, and that the earlier cts models had experienced problems with differentials, but that the problem was rectified with the 2005 model. apparently it would seem that there are also problems with the 2005 model differential as well! *tr | |||
| 06/07/2008 | 33400 | 1 | |
| I own a 2005 cadillac cts-v i currently have 33k miles on my vehicle i have suffered through three catastrophic rear differential failures, the half shaft was also completely severed from the hub, possible due to a rear differential failure and main bolt failure from a prior repair to rear diff 3000 miles prior .gm has refused service warranty repair every time stating damage must be caused by driver abuse now $9000+ spent in repairs i again have found a rear diff. seal leak and humming from rear end it seams as though i will be once again forced to fix this rear end at my expense approx $3200 again for the forth time with no option for an improved part or compensation for repair or loss of vehicle this car has been in the shop several times for months each time and the last time was over 5 months, oddly i discovered after calling several dealers about warranty help that no repairs or service completed on my vehicle shows up on any of the dealers service records for my vehicle except for a radio replacement and a clutch repair at 50 miles that occurred before i bought the vehicle. i have the rear differential from the second replacement and pictures of the half shafts. i hope that all should be made aware of possible dangers with this vehicle. it is possible if driven at speed a broken half shaft or axle could catapult the car or a wheel could separate injuring driver passengers and others on the roadway. this car is unsafe to drive . the rear differential and axle is faulty and someone is bound to get hurt seriously it is only a matter of time. i have complete records for repairs made and all expenses to date i want to sell the car but do not want to feel responsible for putting someone else in danger so selling the car private party is out. i have tried to sell the car back to the dealer but there offers have been grossly under value and payoff. *tr | |||
| 04/01/2005 | 1000 | 1 | 01/01/2005 |
| Purchased my new 2005 cts in jan. 2005. wonderful car. wine began in the rear end of the car almost immediately. the dealer replaced the pinion gear, seals etc . noise persisted. had the dealer check for the noise again about may .'05 , they could not hear any noise. it continues to get louder especially under light acceleration in the 40 to 50 kilometer range. it is unnerving and i fear it is going to fail . not a nice thing for such a great car !the dealer is less than interested in resolving the matter. *jb | |||
| 07/12/2006 | 17200 | 7 | 03/30/2005 |
| Dt*: the contact stated there are several things wrong with the vehicle. the check coolant light and the check engine light illuminated on the dashboard. the dealership determined the radiator was damage and attempted to repair the radiator four times. the first three repairs performed by the dealer in an attempt to repair the radiator were unavailable. the fourth time, the dealership determined the problem was with the water pump and the water pump was replaced. the fuel pump was also found to be defective and was replaced. the check engine light illuminated on the dashboard prior to the fuel pump problems. the drive shaft was defective causing the vehicle to become inoperative. the crs light illuminated in the vehicle. there was an unknown part replaced to repair the crs light. the driver's power window worked intermittently making a grinding noise and the dealer repaired the window. the wiring was in backwards on the passenger seat causing only half of the seat to move. the dealership corrected the wiring to repair the seat. | |||
| POWER TRAIN - DRIVELINE - DIFFERENTIAL UNIT | |||
| 12/03/2007 | |||
| I am the 2nd owner my local dealership is calling my problem catastrophic failure due to customer abuse. i own a 2005 cadillac cts-v. my issue was about 10 or 11 days ago. i left work headed home and on the onramp to highway 240 in asheville, nc i hit third gear going about 45 or 55 mph and my rear differential made a loud pop the car jerked and then just began to free roll. i then proceeded to cross three lanes of traffic with no means of acceleration in a high traffic 60mph zone in order to get to a safe stopping zone. gm roadside service towed the car to the dealership i purchased the car at. the next day when i came to see what their verdict would be they told me that warranty wouldn't cover it and i would have to pay out of pocket for a new differential and labor amounting to around 2800 dollars. i had came to the same dealership three times prior to the incident and reported a popping in the rear end when shifting but there was no action taken at any of the complaints and to my knowledge none of my complaints were filed, they only told me that it was the clutch and i would just have to learn how to properly shift the car. i then called cadillac customer service to make a complaint and to see if there was any way to have the warranty cover the cost. customer service called me back and told me that they contacted the service manager at the dealership and he told them it appeared to be catastrophic failure due to customer abuse. this is where i am stuck and the car is still at the dealership in their holding area where it will stay until, a: somehow by miracle they send the local cadillac rep. and he oks the warranty repair or, b: i magically come up with the cost of repair. i was shifting to third, yes there were many close calls while getting the car off the road i had three lanes to cross at night in a 60mph zone on a busy night | |||
| 12/17/2007 | 26700 | 1 | 01/15/2005 |
| At 50mph rear differential let loose on my 2005 cts cadillac. lost control spun, hit curb and median. had to be towed out. wheels locked. could have been catastrophic had i went into on coming traffic. *tr | |||
| 11/28/2007 | 36500 | 1 | 11/17/2007 |
| I was driving across an intersection at the other side of the intersection there was a small dip i shifted into second as i was exiting the intersection and went through the dip and accelerated out of it i heard a loud pop and the car started to slow down i pulled into a parking lot with the momentum that i had ant stopped there was a puddle of gear oil on the ground. there was a track of oil from where it popped to where i stopped a piece of the diff housing was laying in the street. i called aaa and they came and towed my 2005 cts-v to the nearest dealership. *tr | |||
| 10/23/2007 | 38000 | 1 | 09/03/2007 |
| 2005 cadillac cts v with 38,000 miles. while driving down a california freeway the rear differential locked up. we managed to pull vehicle off road. car was towed to cadillac dealership where rear differential breakdown was confirmed. dealership has declined covering part under warranty as they say improper driving was the cause. this is a crazy statement as this car has been driven just like all of our other cars. this problem is highly documented and very dangerous. we were lucky to be able to get the car off the road without an accident. *tr | |||
| 10/22/2007 | 43000 | 1 | 11/13/2006 |
| My 2005 cadillac cts-v has been sent to the cadillac dealership numerous times concerning rear differential noise and clunking. after cadillac claimed that the problem was fixed by replacing the drive shaft, on the same night the rear differential blew up under normal driving condition. the car was sent back to cadillac and was denied warranty under the accusation of harsh driving or hot rodding. there was no in-depth inspection or a mechanical and material analysis to determine the actual point of failure. the tech representative simple conducted a bias conclusion and accused me of hot rodding. *tr | |||
| 04/01/2007 | 1500 | 3 | 10/29/2004 |
| Rear differential failure of 2005 cadillac cts. *jb i have a 2005 cts and experienced clunking while driving. the car was returned to dealer multiple times with complaint of clunking noise. all times the car was returned and said to be in proper operable order. i finally decided to contact cadillac direct and was told by customer service to bring my vehicle for yet another appointment. they changed the rear differential finally and stated that there was complete failure due to leak of fluid. [smch from e-mail] | |||
| 08/11/2007 | 31000 | 1 | 07/26/2007 |
| (1) driving car from wet gravel incline up onto pavement. (2) loud noise from rear, car began to roll back down hill. would not move further. (3) towed to dealership, rear differential and driveshaft damaged. dealer refused to fix under warranty. only owned car 2 weeks & bought extended warranty. *jb | |||
| 06/01/2007 | 4000 | 3 | 07/15/2005 |
| I have had 3 rear differentials replaced in the two years of ownership for my 2005 cadillac cts-v. they were evaluated by my dealership to be faulty and were replaced under warranty. currently, my 4th differential is not giving me a problem but i am confident it is simply a matter of time. *jb | |||
| 09/20/2005 | 16000 | 3 | 01/20/2005 |
| - degradation of the rear carrier assembly (e.e. rear differential). - replacement of rear carrier assembly 3 times (on 4th differential by 45k miles) - no catastrophic failures, but on all occasions carrier assembly became so noisy that it could be heard with the windows down at speed with the radio on. had it replaced before a failure, as the car was under warranty. on the 3rd differential, the pinion seal began to leak also. *jb | |||
| 05/01/2005 | 27000 | 2 | 10/19/2004 |
| I have a 2005 cadillac cts-v my first issue was back in 05/05 8,200 miles on car while driving car would not allow me to shift or change gears the car stalled and rolled to a stop. i called for road service 2 hours from home they towed car to an area dealer who later called to inform me the rear differential failed and gm had refused to pay for service. i had the car towed to my local dealer at my expense, at my dealers request. they informed me that gm said the car had excessive tire wear and damage was caused by driver abuse or aggressive driving i was forced to hire an attorney and pay for a vehicle i couldn't drive for several months. late in august 05 cadillac agreed to pay for the repair. 01/07 27,000 miles i was driving the cts-v changed gears from 2nd to 3rd approx 30 mph heard a clunk and rear end started to whine i parked the car, called road side service ,they towed the car to the dealer. customer service rep called a few days later he said the rear end has failed again and needs complete replacement the hangar baring is bent, the main bolt is broke in two pieces and is recommending a complete new rear end he also said gm refused to pay for service to his surprise. here we go again. my local dealer has the car it has not been repaired as of yet, so yes the old parts are available. the cadillac cts-v rear differential is weak and may break causing this car to skid or suddenly stop, causing an accident, injury,or death. cadillac knows of problem and has provided some customers with warranty repair, offered 100,000 mile extended warranties for others and yet denied repair for customers with similar problems. this rear differential is under rated for this cars horse power and was designed for use in the standard cts version of this car the rear tires have also been a problem showing early signs of wear. i had to replace my first set front and rear at 8,500 miles, these tires are worst rated tire by consumers at www.tirerack.com and cadillacfaq.com *jb | |||
| 10/06/2006 | 1 | ||
| 2005 cts v . . . noticed howling whining noise coming from rear end. cadillac has replaced two rear differentials in my car and attempted to fix the whining noise three other time and i still have the noise coming from the rear end. my car only has 12,000 miles and needs a third rear differential. | |||
| 09/20/2006 | 5400 | 1 | 12/12/2004 |
| The differential assembly in my 2005 cadillac cts-v was whining after only 5,000 miles and had to be replaced. *nm | |||
| 03/31/2006 | 8000 | 3 | 01/17/2005 |
| Several rear end differential failures. 1 at 4000 miles, the second at 8000 miles. and the third is loud and makes noises from the day i got it back. gm tried to void and not cover the rear end so i had to take it to another state for them to fix it for me. they just start out quiet and then get louder and louder and louder. the last one died with my family in the vehicle at 40 mph durring regular driving. rear locked up then broke up in half. it killed the driveshaft and several other parts when it locked up. i have had 20+ gm cars in my lifetime and this one is the worst built rear end ever. if i tried, i bet i could kill it in one full throttle launch. but, of coarse wont try that cause it will break.... also, needed a wheel alignment, clutch update, and several other things done. the radio acts funny and paint on one button is comming off, and my head liner lights dont work. also i have had to replace all 4 tires 2 times already with factory replacements and i only have 10,000 miles on mine??? | |||
| 04/18/2006 | 17500 | 2 | |
| Cts-v rear differential whinning at 35-40 mph gm did replace it. i had a 2003 cts and the rear differential locked up while driving 35 mph and skidded about 20 feet. gm replaced it 3 times and finally bought the car back. one year later we bought the 2005 cts-v and its doing the same thing, gm needs to figure this out before someone dies.... *nm | |||
| 05/07/2006 | 7300 | 1 | 11/08/2004 |
| Differential began whining at 500 miles. was told the noise was normal by the cadillac dealer. rear differential failed at 7500 miles with the dealer informing me i had abused the car. *jb | |||
| 04/27/2006 | 12000 | 3 | 08/29/2005 |
| Rear end whining noise (now broken), and clutch/drive train noise. *jb | |||
| 04/04/2005 | 30909 | 1 | 03/03/2005 |
| Rear end leaking and wining replaced rear diff. *nm | |||
| 03/13/2006 | 3000 | 1 | 05/17/2005 |
| Rear differential makes whining noise which is getting progressively worse. car only has 4,000 miles. *jb | |||
| 02/15/2006 | 4500 | 1 | 06/11/2005 |
| 1-whine in rear end between 44 and 47 mph 2-noise got louder as time went on (at 6700 miles) 3-rear end was replaced. *jb | |||
| 10/05/2005 | 750 | 1 | 08/01/2005 |
| I have a 2005 cadillac ctsv with a faulty rear under-engineered rear carrier unit that supports the rear differential. it is leaking. cadillac has replaced these units with the same faulty under-engineered units manufactured by getrag with 2006 units. this solution has been nothing more than a band-aid and the result of the leaking is faulty engineering as determined by several highly respected engineering companies such as lingenfelter and katech that gm does there actual outsourcing to. i am very concerned to drive this vehicle out of fear that the rear end will fail and cause me to lose control of the vehicle and cause property damage and possible fatal bodily injury. rather than cadillac issuing a recall to replace this unit with a properly engineered unit to support the rear wheel torque that is generated by this vehicle; they have instead hid behind a technical service bulletin and handle these cases on a case by case basis. i remain hopeful that you will take action before we are dealing with another firestone tire issue as cadillac was made aware by getrag that this rear carrier differential was not up to par with the engine that they installed in the 2004 and 2005 cadillac ctsv. *jb | |||
| 01/31/2006 | 15000 | 2 | 04/25/2005 |
| August 2005, 4 months after purchasing car, both rear tires worn out from the inside out with 4000 miles on the car, took car in for warranty on tires and rear end, gm denied claim. had to purchase 2 new tires and have the frame aligned. january 2006, car slightly hits curb and right rear causing no damage to tire and scrap to wheel, rear differently broken and axle, again gm denies claim. *jb | |||
| 02/10/2006 | 18500 | 1 | 07/03/2004 |
| Failed rear differential: case cracked, spilling differential oil onto the rear of my car, rear wheels, street. car began to grind, had to limp to dealer, still in shop after 1 week with no word on when it will be fixed. *jb thankfully no injuries, but 2 quarts of oil dumped onto the exhaust, tires and street could have been a major problem. | |||
| 02/16/2006 | 17800 | 1 | |
| I have a 2005 cadillac cts-v with 17800 miles. it has developed a whine in the rear differential. upon investigating further, i found this has not been unusual for this model. (gm has used the same differential in this car as they put in the base cts model, which has significantly less torque) upon taking the car to the gm dealer, they said they would have to replace the differential, but would have to await parts to do so. they are to call me when they get the parts in stock. they also said the clutch has been updated and have ordered a new clutch also. *jb | |||
| 05/01/2005 | 1 | 05/10/2004 | |
| Rear whine in transmission, dealer states is normal. *jb | |||
| 09/15/2005 | 2734 | 1 | 07/23/2005 |
| Whining from rear end. rear differential replaced. *nm | |||
| 02/03/2006 | 11200 | 1 | 07/23/2005 |
| The differential in my car has started to whine after ~11k miles despite, perhaps, the least abusive driving that is reasonably possible, especially considering that this car is a cts-v. to say i am disappointed would be an understatement. after a little bit of investigation, it appears that gm has used an under-engineered part for its differential for reasons i'm not real certain of. multiple failures are being reported all across the country, many with similar driving habits that i have. the cts-v differential is a limited slip 3.73 application and requires ~ 7% friction modified oil. such fluid was changed several thousand miles ago as a precautionary measure and the proper oil was added. i plan on taking my car in for evaluation/service in the near future, but i believe that gms decision to install a clearly known bad part is wholly egregious. *jb | |||
| 07/21/2005 | 1 | 05/09/2005 | |
| Took delivery may, 2005. in less than three months, with approximately 1,500 miles, differential began to whine at speeds between 45 and 50 mph, once up to normal operating temperature. vehicle currently has ~5,200 miles. differential now whines between 40 and 55 mph. there seems to be a consensus among many cts owners that this condition is a precursor to complete, and sometimes sudden, differential failure. *jb | |||
| 01/09/2006 | 5375 | 1 | 06/10/2005 |
| 1-rear end wine high pitch 2-rear differential defect 3-replaced with an 06 differential & three weeks latter leaking oil. *jb | |||
| 01/17/2006 | 8871 | 1 | 10/18/2005 |
| Vehicle has moderate to severe wheel hop during acceleration or when roads are wet or slick, causing some lose of control. rear differential had loud whine and is prone to catastrophic failure. *jb | |||
| 11/20/2005 | 3373 | 1 | |
| With only about 3370 miles on a brand new car, my rear differential internals were destroyed and the housing cracked due to the following 2 reasons: 1. excessive wheel hop due to a poorly designed rear suspension 2. the differential that comes stock in every 2004-2005 cts-v cadillac is not rated to handle as much horsepower and torque as the car puts out. gm cut corners and put in a differential that was meant for their v6 base model cts that makes about half the power. when the rear differential blew up, it also destroyed my driveshaft. i noticed the differential over time started to whine and clunk more and more and become louder and louder until all of a sudden while driving i heard a loud boom and a bunch of clunking and metal grinding. the car was immediately undriveable. my dealership replaced my driveshaft and the differential with a 2006 cts-v differential which is a beefier piece. i have 2500 miles on the new differential which is already starting to whine and clunk. wheel hop is still atrocious and it is only a matter of time before this differential breaks as well. my dealership denied knowledge of any issues with cts-v rear ends, and tried to place the blame on me by stating that my rear tires were very worn for only 3370 miles, so i must have been abusing that car. that is not the case, and these tires are notorious for having the worst tread wear of any tire on the market, and every cts-v owner complains about how long they last. in fact, consumers gave the tires on this car the worst rating of any tire listed on the tire rack. see here: http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tiremake=goodyear&tiremodel=eagle+f1+supercar+emt consumers rate the tire wear as a 2.6/10. what a joke, and cadillac dealerships place the blame for the tire wear on me the owner. *nm | |||
| 04/11/2005 | 27171 | 6 | 12/16/2004 |
| 4/11/05 - 8,367 miles - 1 day out of service rear end failure 4/28/05 - 9,664 miles - 5 days out of service rear bushing failure. *jb rear end failure 5/5/05 - 9,720 miles - 1 day out of service rear end failure wheel delivered from factory will not balance - no sign of damage 7/25/05 - 15,732 miles - 4 days out of service pcm recall #05544 - dealer unable to reprogram rear end hops wildly in rainy or slick roads when accelerating hard shifting into 1st gear rear end whine drive line clunk parking brake goes to floor and won't stop car rear end failure - dealer replaced rear differential and did not add friction modifier, claimed cts-v's do not need - later determined this was incorrect 8/29/05 - 17,372 miles - 22 days out of service rear end grinding friction modifier added transmission rebuilt replaced pressure plate replaced clutch - tsb 05-07-31-001 rear end bushings installed to reduce wheel hop tsb 05-04-114-001a navigation system replaced after all buttons were peeling parking brake goes to floor and won't stop car pcm recall performed 10/6/05 - 18,990 miles- 0 day out of service navigation system not programmed properly by dealership - returned for repair 11/5/05 - 22,151 miles - 0 day out of service replace all center caps on wheels - peeling 1/2/05 - 27,171 miles - 10 days out of service rear end failure radiator failure tsb 05-06-02-005a sun visor replaced due to peeling 1/19/06 - 27,538 miles - 6 hours out of service pcm removed and replaced at gordon histed's request 1/26/06 - 28,000 miles - 2 hours out of service navigation system removed and replaced 2/2/06 - 28,500 miles - ? transmission failed again - won't shift into reverse 10 service visits in the last 9 months 44 days of out of service in the last 9 months. *jb | |||
| 01/29/2006 | 2980 | 1 | 07/01/2005 |
| Differential failure. *jb | |||
| 08/05/2005 | 3000 | 2 | 05/13/2005 |
| Rear-end differential failure, transmission failure. *jb | |||
| 12/20/2005 | 3 | 06/28/2004 | |
| When driving in rain / poor weather, the car during take-off violently shakes when the rear wheels spin. this shaking has thrown off my rear alignment, aided in premature tire wear, and may have caused significant rear-end damage. *jb | |||
| 09/02/2005 | 7184 | 1 | 10/24/2004 |
| Noticed oil spotting on floor and inspection revealed rear end differential unit was leaking fluid. dealer found hairline crack and replaced differential. *nm | |||
| 12/24/2005 | 5500 | 1 | 07/30/2005 |
| Excessive wheel hop frequently under mild to heavy acceleration excessive tire wear, tires need to be replaced after 4000 to 6000 miles rear end differential is very weak and may break causing injury or death cadillac knows of problem providing some customers with extended warranties had a 2004 ctsv and it was lemon lawed in july 2005 for the rear diff breaking 3 times within 1 year. *nm | |||
| 08/15/2004 | 2700 | 5 | 07/10/2004 |
| Purchased in july 2004. rear end and differnetial failed at 2700 miles.replaced rear-end. replaced rear-end agian at less that 7000 miles, replaced tires at 13500miles, rear-end continued to lock and slide tires. have had car in dealer 5 times and tomorrow, the 3rd rear-end will be put in!!! cadillac refuses to buy car back but has extended drive train warranty to 100k miles. | |||
| 08/19/2004 | 40 | 08/13/2004 | |
| 2005, cadillac cts-v, wheel hop from rear differential, very common in this vehicle. cadillac has acknowledged issue by providing extended warranties to some owners of vehicles, but not to all owners, rear differential is very weak and may break apart, causing serious injury or death, wheel hop is experienced in my vehicle on a daily basis, original tires lasted less than 6,000 miles, and provided a safety/hazard probelm as manufacturer did not advise consumers that tires would have to be replaced in this time frame, 6,000 miles was a period that most consumers would not consider enough mileage for a tire rotation. *ak | |||
| POWER TRAIN - DRIVELINE - DRIVESHAFT | |||
| 08/11/2007 | 31000 | 1 | 07/26/2007 |
| (1) driving car from wet gravel incline up onto pavement. (2) loud noise from rear, car began to roll back down hill. would not move further. (3) towed to dealership, rear differential and driveshaft damaged. dealer refused to fix under warranty. only owned car 2 weeks & bought extended warranty. *jb | |||
| POWER TRAIN - MANUAL TRANSMISSION | |||
| 08/05/2005 | 3000 | 2 | 05/13/2005 |
| Rear-end differential failure, transmission failure. *jb | |||