2009 CADILLAC CTS Suspension Problems

The contact owns a 2009 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was swaying to the left or the far right without the contact moving the steering wheel. The contact stated that while driving at slower speeds, the vehicle was easier to control. The contact stated the traction control, TPMS, service brake assist, air bags, and service stabili-trak warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle had not been taken to the dealer. The contact became aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 11V089000 (Suspension) and called the NHTSA Hotline to see if the VIN was included. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 150,000.

Mileage: 150,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE HAD BEEN MULTIPLE FAILURES WITH THE VEHICLE EVER SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK AND FORTH SEVERAL TIMES TO MCELWAIN MOTOR CAR COMPANY CHEVROLET (812 BEAVER AVE, ELLWOOD CITY, PA 16117, (724) 824-1223) DUE TO THE WHEELS, WHEEL BEARINGS, AND BRAKE SYSTEM CORRODING. THE CONTACT HAD NOT UTILIZED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE OUT OF FEAR THAT IT MAY NOT WORK WHEN NEEDED. ALSO, THE SERVICE ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED THE LAST TIME THE DEALER DROPPED OFF THE VEHICLE. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT THERE WERE TWO DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES FOR THE TIMING CHAIN. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO HONOR TSB: 11340C (SPECIAL COVERAGE ADJUSTMENT TIMING WEAR) EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE HAD LESS THAN 120,000 MILES. THE MANUFACTURER INDICATED THAT THE DEALER MAY NEED TO REPLACE THE TIMING CHAIN AND TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER PROVIDED NO COVERAGE OF THE SPECIAL ADJUSTMENT CAMPAIGN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 109,000.

Mileage: 109,000

2009 CTS CADILLAC. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO REAR SUSPENSION SAFETY RECALL. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE SUSPENSION FAILED WHILE DRIVING, SPINNING THE VEHICLE TOWARDS ON COMING TRAFFIC. THE VAHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED THAT THE VEHICLE BE INSPECTED. *JS

THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR AXLE IS LOOSE AND I HAVE RESEARCHED THAT THIS IS A COOMIN PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL. EXPENSIVE FOR CONSUMER TO REPLACE THIS PART. DANGEROUS TO DRIVER IF THIS PART BREAKS. CAUSES UNCONTROLLABLE SHAKING, AND LOUD NOISE WHEN STARTING OFF. CADILLAC HAS THE BRIGHT IDEA OF SEALED HUBS AND AXLE BOOTS, MAKES DIAGNOSING THIS PROBLEM DIFFICULT:

SEVERE TIRE DAMAGE DUE TO MOVEMENT OF LOWER CONTROL ARM ANCHOR POINTS ON 2009 CTS-V RESULTING IN CONTACT OF TIRE (SIDEWALL) WITH LOWER CONTROL ARM WHILE TURNING, MERGING AND/OR ENTERING THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC. IN ADDITION TO CONTACT DAMAGE, THE MOVEMENT OF LOWER CONTROL ARM ANCHOR POINTS CAN RESULT IN MISS ALIGNMENT OF TIRES RESULTING IN EXCESSIVE AND SUDDEN WEAR OF TIRES RESULTING IN EXPOSED THREADS AND OTHER TIRE STRUCTURES. PARTICULARLY ON THE EXTREME INSIDE EDGE AND, IN THE CASE OF CONTACT WITH CONTROL ARM, INSIDE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE WHICH IS DIFFICULT FOR THE DRIVER TO DETECT AND COULD PUT THE DRIVER AND THE GENERAL DRIVING PUBLIC AT RISK OF THE TIRE "BLOWING OUT" SUDDENLY.

Mileage: 60,000

DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY GOING ABOUT 65 - 69 MPH, THE RIGHT WHEEL TIRE STARTED SHAKING VIOLENTLY, AND SQUEALING THEN, IT STARTED WOBBLING BUT I WAS ABLE TO GET IT TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AFTER IT SPUN AROUND A FEW CIRCLES. I GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND NOTICED THAT THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL WAS STICKING OUT AND CROOKED. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP RIGHT AFTER THAT, AND THEY REPLACED THE KNUCKLE, LINK, BOLT AND TIRE ROD. THE SUSPENSION GOT EXTREMELY MESSED UP THAT I'VE STILL BEEN UNABLE TO GET THE SUSPENSION BACK TO SOMEWHAT NORMAL. THIS COSTED ME 948.01. *TR

Mileage: 81,372

CLANKING NOISE AND STEERING DIFFICULTY WHEN HITTING SMALL BUMPS OR CHUCK HOLES IN THE STREET. REAR END SHIFTS BACK AND FORTH ON SLIGHTLY ROUGH ROADS AT EVEN LOW SPEEDS. *TR

Mileage: 84,569

AT FIRST, THE CAR WASN'T RUNNING STRAIGHT. WHEN I DROVE STRAIGHT ON AN INTERSTATE, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS ABOUT FIVE DEGREES CLOCKWISE. THEREFORE, I WENT TO THE LOCAL CADILLAC DEALER, [XXX], FOR A WHEEL ALIGNMENT. AFTER THE ALIGNMENT, THE CAR RAN PRETTY GOOD, UNTIL IT RAN OVER A SMALL BUMP ON THE ROAD. WHEN I RAN OVER THE BUMP, THE CAR SUDDENLY RAN TOWARD THE RIGHT. I TRIED TO TURN LEFT, BUT IT DIDN'T WORK FOR ABOUT HALF A SECOND. AFTER HALF A SECOND, I CONTROLLED THE CAR, AND IT WORKED FINE. I MADE AN U TURN, AND WENT TO THAT PLACE AGAIN, AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN. I WENT HOME, GRAB MY METER AND MY THERMOMETER, AND WENT BACK TO THAT PLACE. THE ROAD TEMPERATURE WAS 33.1 DEGREES, AND THERE WAS NO ICE ON THE ROAD. THE BUMP WAS ABOUT 4 INCHES OVER THE ROAD. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER NEXT DAY, AND THEY CHECKED ALMOST EVERYTHING. HOWEVER, THEY'RE UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Mileage: 34,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE HEARD A SQUEAKING NOISE WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE CONTROL ARM WAS CAUSING THE SQUEAKING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH LATER WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD BANGING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER AND THE CONTACT NOTICED THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE WAS FLAT. THE CONTACT BEGAN EXAMINING THE WHEEL AND NOTICED THERE WERE TWO HOLES IN THE RIM. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THE HOLES MOST LIKELY RESULTED FROM DEBRIS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,188 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 47,288.

Mileage: 47,188

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT WAS ENTERING A RESIDENTIAL DRIVEWAY 2 MPH WHEN THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO LOWER AND DRAG TOWARD THE GROUND. THE FAILURE RECURRED ONLY WHEN ENTERING AND EXITING A DRIVEWAY OR WHEN DRIVING ON ROAD SURFACES WITH FIVE TO SIX INCHES OF SNOW. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS FUNCTIONING AS DESIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 10. UPDATED 05/03/11*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE SITS TOO LOW TO THE GROUND, WHICH CAUSED THE FRONT END TO DRAG. UPDATED 11/16/11

Mileage: 10

VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEEL, FLOOR AND SEATS. ALSO A THUMPING SOUND COMING FROM TIRES DURING THE FIRST FEW MILES OF DRIVING. AT TIMES THE VIBRATION IS SO BAD YOU CAN SEE THE STEERING WHEEL SHIMMY FROM SIDE TO SIDE. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED TWO OF THE OEM MICHELIN TIRES WHICH DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. THEN THEY FORCE ROAD BALANCED THE TIRES A COUPLE OF TIMES, AGAIN DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. DEALERSHIP NOW STATING THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *TR

Mileage: 5,000