Problems with 2005 Cadillac CTS POWER TRAIN

Vehicle dealer refused to perform open recalls. i replaced front brake hoses myself at my own cost. they stated very high mileage 184000 miles and you did not buy the car here.

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.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 cadillac cts. while the vehicle was stationary, the "service stability system" and the "stability system off" messages displayed without warning. upon acceleration, the front wheels seized. an unknown local cadillac dealer of las vegas, nevada was made aware of the failure and stated that there was no recall on the vehicle. the manufacturer was made aware of the issue. the failure mileage was 70,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 cadillac cts. the contact stated that the differential leaked and the vehicle became inoperable without warning. there was an abnormal sound that came from the differential. cole buick gmc confirmed that the vin was excluded from nhtsa campaign number: 07v589000 (power train). the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

I was traveling approximately 65 mph on a 3 lane highway, while mainitaning a constant speed. suddenly all power to the vehicle cut off including my power steering and braking. in a panic as i as coasting i was fortune enough to weave my way across 2 lanes to the side of the highway and roll to a complete start. after gathering myself i turned the ignition from the run position to off. i looked up and noticed there was smoke coming out from under the hood. i jumped out, lifted the hood, and heard popping and steam/smoke rising up from underneath the engine by the firewall. i pulled the oil dipstick and i was about a quart low, and it looked normal. i waited about 30 min and checked the level again with the same result. i then tried to start the vehicle and there was not response at all. i was unable to roll up my windows, and there was no power to display any information on dash. when my wife arrived i hooked up jumper cables and after a while i was able to turn the key forward to see the instrument panel. it said my battery was at the correct volts, and there were no warning lights on my dash. when i turned the ignition to start. my dash flickered rapidly and there was a clicking noise but the engine made no sound as if it was trying to turn over. so i called tow truck and got towed to my house. the vehicle was purchased by me in 09 with 32k miles. it had an issue where it was eating up to 4 quarts of oil every 1k-3k miles. i had purchase an extended warranty so bye 50k miles they tore apart engine replacing pretty much the entire engine. the car currently has less then 20k miles since warranty rebuild and i am at a loss. i put a new battery in it and that has done nothing to help. still just makes a strange clicking noise. i have no idea what to do now. it is a 2005 cts 3.6l base automatic transmission

After a routine oil change at brogan cadillac service in totowa, nj, the recommended service (approx cost $1200) was the rear diff bushing was worn and the rear axle seals are leaking fluid. an internet search uncovered gm recall# 07204 for this make and model that states "the rear axle pinion seal does not meet all of the specifications and may experience a fluid leak." when i called gm to inquire about this issue i was told that although there was a recall for this particular problem for cars sold in new jersey, it was specific to certain vin numbers and my vehicle was not included in this group. however, the customer service agent made 2 follow up calls to me and the supervisor offered to look into my situation and would contact me once she spoke with the dealer. please note: for the past two or three years the service stability system alert warning indicator light comes on every time i start the car and inquiry at the dealer led to me have the struts and shocks replaced but the alert has never reset and the warning still comes on. additionally, the internet search uncovered gm recall #09149 for the service brake systems which the alert has been on for a few years as well. the brake system has been serviced several times to replace pads and rotors and the warning is still persistent. i had been told it was the sensor that needs to be replace and not to worryabout it. now i wonder if this too was "vin specific" and did not include my vehicle but leaves me unsafely at risk. i realize that enormous expense is connected to recalls, however my safety as well as the safety of everyone who places confidence in car manufacturers to do what is right is at stake. we drive these vehicles and do not realize the gamble we take when serious issues are not dealt with consideration for safety first! will you please save my life and get gm to fix my car?

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 cadillac cts. while driving at 10 mph, there was an abnormal noise coming from the rear of the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the rear axle pinion seal needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 60,000.

The traction control turned off when i was driving at about 45mph. i have loss of motive power and traction control will not turn back on. i know there was a recall for this same years powertrain seal going bad and think that this is a defective model that wasn't recalled. please let me know what can be done about this serious issue??? *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 cadillac cts. the contact stated that the vehicle jerked backward and would not accelerate. the contact shut off the vehicle and once restarted, the failure recurred. the vehicle was towed to a repair shop where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. additionally, the contact stated that the key would become stuck in the ignition switch or would be difficult to remove. the power windows also failed and would open and close independently, as well as the radio becoming inoperable. the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer, who diagnosed that the transmission and the ignition switch needed to be replaced. the ignition switch was replaced but not the transmission. the contact later discovered that the vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign id number: 14v394000 (electrical system) the manufacturer was notified of the failures. the approximate failure mileage was 119,000.

Shifting gears was accompanied by clunking in rear differential. this occurred when shifting or when letting off the accelerator. in march of 2014 a whining also accompanied driving at speeds of 50 - 70 mph. my cadillac dealer replaced the differential with a new one under a private warranty program. within 2 weeks the differential was again making the same noises. dealer said that cadillac would not do anything about the problem. note: servicing mechanic noted after changing the differential fluid, that the fluid taken from the newly installed differential was burnt black. *tr

Clunking sound and feel from rear axle when shifting gears . appears to be getting worse. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 cadillac cts. the contact stated that while driving 35 mph, the vehicle stalled. the vehicle was towed to the dealer where the technician diagnosed that the radiator failed and caused coolant to leak into the transmission. as a result, the radiator and transmission both needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 82,000 and the current mileage was 86,000.

I was traveling on the interstate when it felt like someone had hit us from behind except there was no one there. i saw smoke coming from the back end of car and it smelled like something was burning. i pulled off to the side and stopped my vehicle. after stopping the car it i could no longer get it to move forward. it acted like it was not able to go into gear. had a tow truck haul it home from el centro, calif to yuma, az. the car had to literally be dragged onto the tow truck cause the rear wheels were frozen in place. luckily the wheels didn't cease while we were still moving. after removal of differential we discovered it was bone dry. i had replace a bushing not to long ago but saw no sign of leaks. i purchased the 2005 cts new from a dealer in yuma and never received any notice of a recall for the seals. or for anything. *tr

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.

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.

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.

I was hit front end never had a chance to react. 110 mph impact. engine transmission brackets that are designed to shear off to keep engine from going into driver compartment did not . everything came forward causing extensive damage, horrible injuries. *tr

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.

2005 cadillac cts-v rear differential whine. the rear differential on my cadillac cts-v went out. metal shavings were found in the diff fluid. i took the cts-v into the dealership to get a warranty repair done. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2005 cadillac cts. the contact stated that while driving at low speeds and making a turn, he would notice a loud grinding noise coming from the vehicle. the vehicle was inspected by a dealer who informed the contact that the noise was due to a leak in the seal located in the differential. the vehicle had not been repaired for the seal. the failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

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.

I have a 2005 cadillac cts with 67,000 miles. since about 65,000 miles car has been making a rattling sound under the hood during acceleration. i have given the car a tune up, oil change and the car has other fluids are at level. once my car has accelerated and the gears have changed (i.e, second gear) the rattling sounds stops..the noise is continuous and only happens at acceleration, not while idling. in addition every now and again when a front seat passenger gets in the car the airbag sensor/light comes on the dashboard. this problem doesn't happen often but it happens every once in a while. upon doing my research for both these issues i find that i am not the only one having this problem...hopefully something will be done so that gm can address these serious issues without having the consumer/owners having to pay an arm and a leg. *tr

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 that the differential was also leaking oil. he reference recall 07v589000, power train:axle assembly:axle shaft:seal and was advised by the manufacturer that his vehicle was not a part of the recall. the vehicle was repaired at the owners expense. the failure mileage was 52,800 and the current mileage was 54,500.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 cadillac cts. the contact was advised by an independent mechanic that the rear pinion seal was leaking and was a potential safety hazard. the mechanic advised taking the vehicle to an authorized dealer immediately. the dealer verified that the pinion seal would need to be replaced. the contact was able to locate a recall pertaining to the failure (nhtsa campaign id number: 07v589000, power train: axle assembly: axle shaft: seal) but was informed by the dealer that his vin was not included in the recall. the vehicle was left with the dealer where the contact was awaiting repairs. the failure and current mileages were 80,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 cadillac cts. while having the vehicle serviced at the dealer, the contact was informed that the rear axle pinion seal was leaking and the front and rear brake pads would need to be replaced. the contact inquired with the manufacturer in relation to nhtsa campaign id number 07v589000 (power train: axle assembly: axle shaft: seal) but was informed that her vin was not included in the recall. the vehicle was not serviced for the failure. the current and failure mileages were 70,000. updated 8/25/10 *cn updated 08/27/10 updated 08/30/10*jb

Rear differential of my cadillac cts-v has begun to whine at 70,000 miles, dealer says the only option to fix it is to replace. *tr

I just bought the car on december 18th, 2009 from a small dealer. it snowed over the weekend in delaware. i have been noticing a loud noise coming from the rear axles as i would try to navigate through the snow. it sounds like the rear is hopping up and down radically. this is happening from the point of take off when trying to drive through the snow at low speeds of 5 mph. i took the car to pep boys in philadelphia, pa to get an oil change and the mechanic's informed me that they heard the rear bouncing up and down when they were trying to transport the car from the parking space to the car lift. *tr

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bad wheel hop under light loads dealership replaced some parts but did not help. *tr

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

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

(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

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

Car shutters when driving up a grade. has been in for service 4 times this month and still not fixed. *tr

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]

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.

The differential assembly in my 2005 cadillac cts-v was whining after only 5,000 miles and had to be replaced. *nm

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.

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

Rear end whining noise (now broken), and clutch/drive train noise. *jb

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

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???