NHTSA Complaint #10670659 — 2008 CADILLAC CTS

ATTEMPTED TO START THE CAR WHILE IT WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE, BUT IT WOULD NOT CRANK AND THE DASHBOARD DISPLAY INDICATED A PROBLEM WITH THE STABILIZER. ALSO, THE SEATS COULD NOT BE MOVED, COULD NOT PLACE THE TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL, THE DOOR WOULD AUTOMATICALLY LOCK, AND THE LIGHTS WOULD FLICKER OFF AND ON. I ATTEMPTED TO USE BRAND NEW BOOSTER CABLES (POSITIVE TO POSITIVE/NEGATIVE TO NEGATIVE) AT THE REMOTE TERMINALS BUT STOPPED TRYING TO CONNECT FROM THE CHARGED BATTERY DUE TO SPARKING AS THOUGH I WAS REVERSING MY POLAR CONNECTIONS; AT ONE POINT, I SAW A FLICKER OF FLAMES AND I NEVER STARTED THE BOOSTER VEHICLE (12 VOLT). I HAD A WRECKER ATTENDANT TO TRY MY BOOSTER CABLES AND HE ATTEMPTED TO CHARGE WITH THE CONNECTION DIRECTLY TO THE BATTERY AND WITH THE BOOSTER CAR STARTED WHICH CREATED SMOKE AND OVER HEATED CABLES. AT THE DEALERSHIP, WHERE THE CAR WAS TAKEN, I WAS TOLD THE POSITIVE CABLE WAS USELESS AND THE BATTERY HAD A DEAD CELL. THIS WAS VERY COSTLY. I RETRIEVED MY CAR AFTER ABOUT 11 DAYS AND PARKED IT DIRECTLY IN THE GARAGE. THE NEXT DAY, I ATTEMPTED TO START THE CAR AND THE SAME ISSUE SURFACED. HAD IT MOVED BY WRECKER AGAIN, AND I AM BEING TOLD THAT THEY JUMPED THE BATTERY AND STARTED THE CAR, BUT HAD NOT DETERMINE THE DRAIN ON THE BATTERY. *TR