NHTSA Complaint #10149481 — 2004 CADILLAC CTS

I OWN A 2004 CADILLAC CTS-V. AFTER OWNING THE VEHICLE FOR A FEW MONTHS, WITH APPROXIMATELY 6,000 MILES ON THE CAR, I BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE AN EXTREME WHINING NOISE FROM THE REAR-END OF THE CAR. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THE NOISE WAS NORMAL FOR MY VEHICLE. I CONTINUED DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND ABOUT 5 WEEKS AGO I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR EXCESSIVE NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF MY CAR. THE DEALERSHIP FOUND THAT THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL UNIT HAD EXCESSIVE PLAY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. THIS CONCERNED ME SO I DID SOME RESEARCH. MY RESEARCH FOUND THAT MANY, MANY CTS-V OWNERS ARE HAVING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AND THAT MY PROBLEM WAS IN NO WAY ISOLATED. I ALSO FOUND THAT THE DIFFERENTIAL UNIT USED IN THE CTS-V IS UNDERRATED AND IS NOT DESIGNED TO HANDLE THE POWER PRODUCED BY THE ENGINE FROM THE FACTORY. I AM CONCERNED THAT A FAILURE IN THE NEAR FUTURE WILL CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY TO SOMEONE IF NO ACTION IS TAKEN. *JB