NHTSA Complaint #10281551 — 2005 CADILLAC CTS

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