1996 CADILLAC ELDORADO Electrical System Problems

ON OUR WAY TO A FAMILY FUNERAL BELLS STARTED GOING OFF AND LIGHTS FLASHING. MY HUSBAND HAD PUT IN A NEW ENGINE FROM ONE STOP AUTO DON'T KNOW WHY. WHEN WE CAME BACK FROM VIRGINIA I TOOK THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC HE DIDN'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING TO IT. HE BELIEVED THE BRAIN AND THE ENGINE WASN'T COMMUNICATING. MY HUSBAND SUGGESTED WE TAKE THE CAR TO CHESAPEAKE CADILLAC IN COCKEYSVILLE WHERE HE USUALLY BUY HIS CAR FROM. WHEN WE WENT INTO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT MY HUSBAND AND THE SERVICE PERSON [XXX] NEW EACH OTHER BECAUSE HE WOULD TAKE HIS CAR THERE FOR SERVICE. WE ALSO TOLD THEM WE BELIEVED THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE CAR. MY HUSBAND ALSO TOLD HIM TO DEAL WITH ME BECAUSE THE CAR WAS GIVEN TO ME. AND WE WERE SEPARATED AND HE WAS MOVING NOT TO SEND ANYTHING TO HIS OLD ADDRESS BUT TO TALK TO ME. WHEN I WOULD CALL [XXX] TO ASK ABOUT THE VEHICLE HE MADE IT SOUND LIKE SOMETHING SUSPICIOUS WAS GOING ON WITH THE CAR. HE TOLD ME TO TELL MY HUSBAND TO CALL HIM AND I ASKED HIM TO TELL ME WHAT WAS GOING ON WAS THE CAR READY. IT WAS ONLY TAKEN THERE FOR DIAGNOSTIC SO I COULD TAKE THE CAR BACK TO WHERE THE ENGINE WAS PUT IN JUST NEEDED CONFIRMATION. [XXX] NEVER TOLD ME THE CAR WAS DONE AND I COULD PICK IT UP. THEY SEND INFORMATION TO MY HUSBAND OLD ADDRESS NOT TO ME SINCE HE DIDN'T RESPOND AND I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE [XXX] NEVER TOLD ME IT WAS READY. AND IT WAS READY NOR DID HE TELL ME THEY SEND INFO TO MY HUSBAND. THEY TOLD ME TO STORIES THEY GAVE IT TO A JUNK YARD BUT THEY WOULDN'T GIVE THEM ANYTHING BECAUSE THE CAR WAS A PIECE OF JUNK. THE OTHER WAS THAT THEY HAD FIXED IT AND I NEVER CAME TO PAY FOR IT. WHEN I CALLED AND TOLD [XXX] THAT I WAS COMING TO PICK THE CAR UP HE TOLD ME TO HOLD ON TO SEE IF THE CAR WAS ON THE LOT. HE CAME BACK AND ASKED ME IF I HAD ALREADY PICKED THE CAR UP. I TOLD THEM ABOUT THE RECALL. THEY TOOK MY CAR FROM ME. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Mileage: 1,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CADILLAC ELDORADO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, HE NOTICED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS WERE FLASHING BEFORE COMPLETELY FAILING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 61,200.

Mileage: 61,200

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CADILLAC ELDORADO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER MALFUNCTIONED. THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL IS INOPERABLE, EXCEPT FOR THE SPEEDOMETER AND ODOMETER. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER WILL GO BLANK, WHICH CAUSES A LOSS OF GAUGE FUNCTIONALITY EXCEPT FOR THE ABS, SIR, PARK BRAKE, AND SERVICE ENGINE SOON INDICATORS. THE DEALER STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 95V224000 (EQUIPMENT: ELECTRICAL). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 103,200.

Mileage: 103,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CADILLAC ELDORADO. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY STARTING HIS VEHICLE FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS. WHEN HE WAS FINALLY ABLE TO START IT, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS NOT WORKING. THE LOCAL DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT HIS VIN SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 95V224000 (EQUIPMENT: ELECTRICAL). THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WERE UNFAMILIAR WITH THIS RECALL. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 145,000 AND APPROXIMATE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 155,000.

Mileage: 145,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CADILLAC ELDORADO. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 30-65 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS AND INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS MALFUNCTIONED. THE LIGHTS FUNCTIONED NORMALLY TWO MINUTES AFTER THE FAILURES. THE FAILURES ONLY OCCURRED IN THE WINTER. THE DEALER REPLACED THE MODULE (PART NUMBER 16214848) AND THE BATTERY; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 95V224000 (EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 31,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 125,000.

Mileage: 31,000

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AND THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHICH REPAIRED THE ANALOG INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER TO FIX THE STARTING FAILURE. THE DASH LIGHT FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING 35MPH AND AT NIGHT. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 95V224000. THE VEHICLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.

Mileage: 94,500

DT:THE CONTACT COMPLAINED ABOUT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. THERE WAS NHTSA RECALL 95V224000. CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, AND THEY STATED THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED TWICE. ON BOTH OCCASIONS THE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN. THE INDICATOR LIGHTS CAME ON STATING SECURITY SYSTEM DEFAULT. THE VEHICLE RAN FINE UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. IT WOULD NOT RESTART. THE INDICATOR LIGHTS CAME BACK ON "STATING SYSTEM DISABLED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT COST ON THE FIRST OCCASION IN 2003. NOW IT HAS TO BE REPAIRED AGAIN. *AK

Mileage: 60,000

THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHT FAILED TO COME ON. THE LIGHTS WOULD COME ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO CONTACT THE DEALER. RECALL 95V224000 CONCERNING INTERIOR SYSTEMS INSTRUMENT PANEL ELECTRONIC MESSAGE WAS ISSUED. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. CONSUMER HAD TO PAY FOR PARTS AND LABOR. *AK

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED. RECALL 95V224000 WAS ISSUED. *AK

AFTER SITTING IN A PARKING LOT WHILE I WENT INTO THE BANK FOR 15-20 MIN. I GOT INTO MY CAR AND STARTED THE ENGINE. I HEARD A "POP", PULLED FORWARD ABOUT 10 TO 15 FEET WHEN I STARTED TO SMELL SOMETHING BURNING. I LOOKED DOWN AT THE GAUGES AND EVERYTHING LOOKED OFF. WHEN I LOOKED BACK UP I SAW BLACK SMOKE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. I THEN TURNED TO MY DAUGHTER AND TOLD HER TO GET OUT OF THE CAR AND GET AWAY FROM IT. BY THAT TIME FLAMES WERE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WE BOTH GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND CALLED 911. BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED THE FIRE HAD GOTTEN IN SIDE THE CAR AND CRACKED ALL THE WINDOWS. THE FIREMAN SMASHED THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW TO GET TO THE HOOD RELEASE BUT THE CABLE HAD ALREADY BEEN BURNED AND THE RELEASE DID NOT WORK. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD TO PRY THE HOOD OF THE CAR OFF. BY THIS TIME THE CAR WAS IN FLAMES FROM THE DOORS FORWARD. THE CAR IS NOW A TOTAL LOSS. MY HUSBAND SUSPECT A FUEL SUPPLY LINE HAD DISCONNECTED. *JB

Mileage: 77,848

THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WENT BLANK WHILE DRIVING. *JB

Mileage: 4,000

ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FLICKERED ON AND OFF.*JB

Mileage: 50,000

THE ENGINE DOES NOT START DUE TO BATTERY CABLE CONNECTOR CORROSION. YH

STARTER MOTOR FAILED. YH

BATTERY FAILED. YH

INSTRUMENT LIGHTS WOULD GO COMPLETELY OUT. ON TWO OCCASIONS, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS GOING THROUGH A CAR WASH, ALARM SYSTEM ACTIVATE.D DEALER NOTIFIED, AND WAS UNABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. ALSO SMOKE WAS COMING FROM VEHICLE, AND FUSE FOR ENGINE FAN WAS MISSING. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

COMPUTER UNIT FAILED.

IGNITION MODULE FAILED.

COMPUTER SWITCH FAILED.

SPARK PLUGS FAILED.

BATTERY FAILED TWICE.

AN ELECTRICAL SHORT, IN THE TRUNK AREA BEHIND THE REAR SEAT WHERE ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS ARE HOUSED, CAUSED A FIRE AND BURNED THE VEHICLE. DRIVER SUFFERED SMKOE INHALATION AND THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS.

OWNER STATES THAT HE COULD NOT BLOW THE HORN AND THAT DEALERS HAD TO REPLACE CONTACTS, BUT THE PROBLEM CAME BACK. OWNER IS CONCERNED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. *AK