NHTSA Complaint #11121739 — 2009 CADILLAC CTS

AT UNDER 90,000 MILES MY 2009 CADILLAC CTS AWD STARTED TO MAKE A THUMPING NOISE WHEN I SHIFTING BETWEEN GEARS. THIS HAPPENED FOR 3 DAYS. ON THE 4TH DAY I DROVE TO MY OFFICE, PARKED IN A PARKING RAMP. WHEN I WENT TO LEAVE FOR THE DAY I GOT IN MY CAR TO GO HOME, THE CAR STARTED AND MOVED INTO GEAR, BUT AS I APPROACHED THE EXIT GATE, WHICH IS ON A HILL IT, CAR ABRUPTLY MADE A GRINDING NOISE AND WOULD NO LONGER MOVE FORWARD OR BACKWARD. THERE WERE CARS LINED UP TO EXIT THE PARKING RAMP BEHIND ME. I WAS FORTUNATE TO ACT QUICKLY AND USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO PREVENT THE CAR FROM ROLLING INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. I HAD TO GET ASSISTANCE FROM OTHER DRIVERS AND SECURITY GUARDS TO HELP PUSH THE CAR OUT OF THE RAMP EXIT LANE. WITH NO NOTICE OF THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE I COULD HAVE BEEN ON THE FREEWAY AND HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING. AS IT IS, I WAS LUCKY NOT TO HAVE ROLLED BACK INTO OTHER CARS. I CALLED THE DEALER TO REPORT THE ISSUE AND THEY SAID IT SOUNDED LIKE A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A SERVICE STATION WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACE AT A COST OF OVER $4,000.00. THERE WERE NO "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHTS REGARDING THE TRANSMISSION. THE TRANSMISSION SHOULD NOT HAVE FAILED AT MY MILEAGE AND USE RATE. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL AND THAT NO-ONE ELSE HAD EXPERIENCED THIS ISSUE. I FIND HUNDREDS OF REPORTS OF THIS ISSUE ONLINE. AT THE PRICE I PAID FOR THIS CAR IT SHOULD HAVE LASTED ANOTHER 10 YEAR. THERE WERE NO WARNINGS THAT MY TRANSMISSION WAS FAILING. A TRANSMISSION SHOULD NOT DIE AT LESS THAN 100,000 MILES. THERE ARE NUMEROUS REPORTS SHOWING THAT THIS PROBLEM IS NOT UNIQUE TO MY CAR. THIS HAS TO BE A FAULTY PART AND A RECALL SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED.