NHTSA Complaint #10810993 — 2008 CADILLAC CTS

ON THE MORNING OF OCTOBER 19TH, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY THREE MILES FROM MY HOME, AN INCREDIBLY LOUD BANGING SOUND SHOCKED ME INTO STOPPING THE CAR ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. IT FELT AS IF SOMETHING WAS GOING TO COME THROUGH THE FLOOR AND INTO THE INTERIOR CONSOLE OF THE CAR. PANIC-STRICKEN, I DIDN'T WANT TO MOVE THE CAR AGAIN. WHEN I CALLED MY HUSBAND, HE INSTRUCTED ME TO DRIVE EXTREMELY SLOWLY TO THE VERY SHORT DISTANCE OF A LOCAL MECHANIC'S GARAGE.UPON INSPECTION THE MECHANIC FOUND THAT THE BOLTS ON THE DRIVESHAFT CONNECTED TO THE TRANSMISSION WERE NEVER TORQUED WHEN THE CAR WAS BUILT AT THE GM PLANT. MY MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT THE BOLTS UNSCREWED AND FELL INTO HIS HAND WITHOUT USING A WRENCH AND SEVERAL OF THE BOLTS WERE SHEARED OFF, CAUSING THE DRIVESHAFT TO COME AWAY FROM THE TRANSMISSION AND ALMOST PENETRATE THE FLOOR OF THE CAR. NEEDLESS TO SAY THE ENTIRE DRIVESHAFT HAD TO BE REPLACED WITH A NEW DRIVESHAFT. WHEN THIS OCCURRED THE MILEAGE WAS ONLY 70,751 MILES. THIS SERVICE WAS PERFORMED BY BLESSING'S SERVICE LLC, 19 WEST SHORE TRAIL, SPARTA, NJ 07871 AT A COST OF $1,024.39. ALL OTHER SERVICE PERFORMED ON THIS CAR PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT WAS PERFORMED BY MECHANICS AT MY DEALERSHIP, BROGAN CADILLAC LOCATED IN TOTOWA, NEW JERSEY.