NHTSA Complaint #10233397 — 2006 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV. WHILE THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND WAS DRIVING 65 MPH, A SMALL TRUCK MOVED INTO HIS LANE. HE ATTEMPTED TO MOVE INTO THE LEFT LANE AND TAPPED THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN. THE TRANSMISSION DROPPED INTO FIRST OR SECOND GEAR ON ITS OWN AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SEVERELY SWERVE ACROSS THE FREEWAY AT 180 DEGREES. THE VEHICLE STOPPED AND WAS FACING ONCOMING TRAFFIC. TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT; THEREFORE, OTHER VEHICLES WERE ABLE TO STOP WITHOUT A CRASH OCCURRING. HER HUSBAND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND EXITED THE HIGHWAY. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGE INDICATED HOT TRANSMISSION FLUID AND THE FLUID SMELLED BURNT. HER HUSBAND CONTINUED DRIVING, BUT AN UNFAMILIAR NOISE WAS HEARD. THE FOLLOWING DAY, AFTER CALLING THE MANUFACTURER, A TECHNICIAN CAME OUT AND STATED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS POSSIBLY THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 36,500. THE DEALER STATED IT APPEARED AS THOUGH THE TRANSMISSION SUFFERED A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. UPDATED 10/01/08. *JB