NHTSA Complaint #10899085 — 2009 CADILLAC CTS

AT 101,000 MILES MY 2009 CADILLAC CTS AWD STARTING TO "THUMP" WHEN SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE OR VICE VERSA. IT ALSO DID IT WHEN COMING TO A STOP. THIS STARTED HAPPENING ON A THURSDAY. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR SERVICE FOR THE FOLLOWING WEDNESDAY AT THE DEALER. ON MY WAY TO THE SERVICE APPOINTMENT, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED ONE MILE FROM THE DEALERSHIP ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. I MANAGED TO SAFELY GET THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD WITHOUT CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. I CALLED THE DEALER AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAD HAPPENED. THEY DIDN'T EVEN OFFER TO COME AND GET ME WHEN I COULD SEE THE BUILDING FROM WHERE I BROKE DOWN. I HAD TO CALL A WRECKER TO BRING THEM THE CAR. THEY SAID MY TRANSMISSION WAS RUINED AND IT WOULD COST ME 3995 TO REPAIR IT. NEEDLESS TO SAY, THE CAR WASN'T WORTH THE INVESTMENT. I HAD ONSTAR FOR THE ENTIRE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. I NEVER RECEIVED ANY DIAGNOSTIC WARNINGS REGARDING MY TRANSMISSION. I ALSO TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER FOR REGULAR SERVICE. NEVER WAS I INFORMED THAT MY TRANSMISSION WAS BEGINNING TO FAIL. IN FACT, THE CAR HAD BEEN TO THE DEALER AT 98000 MILES FOR SERVICE. THERE WERE NO WARNINGS AT THAT TIME THAT MY TRANSMISSION WAS FAILING. A TRANSMISSION SHOULD NOT DIE AT 101,000 MILES. THE FACT THAT THE CAR COMPLETELY DIED WHILE DRIVING ON A BUSY HIGHWAY WITHOUT ANY WARNINGS OF AN IMPENDING PROBLEM IS A SAFETY HAZARD. I'M LUCKY TO BE ALIVE. IT APPEARS THAT THIS PROBLEM IS NOT UNIQUE TO MY CAR. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN PART OF A RECALL. INSTEAD, I WAS UNEXPECTEDLY FORCED TO GET ANOTHER VEHICLE.