NHTSA Complaint #11174637 — 2008 CADILLAC DTS

THE CHECK ENGINE CODE SHOWED THE INTERNAL POWER MODULE FAILURE CAUSED THE ENGINE TO SHUT DOWN WHILE TRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. THIS WAS WITHOUT WARNING AND MADE THE CAR'S POWER BRAKES AND STEERING TO BECOME ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER AND BRAKE THE CAR BY MY WIFE. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER WHO TOLD ME WITH THE CHECK ENGINE OFF THEY SAID I HAD TO DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. WHILE DRIVING THE CAR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE I WAS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND AGAIN AN ACCIDENT WAS NARROWLY AVOIDED. THE DEALER DID A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK AND REPLACED THE MODULE PLUS THE COMPUTER AT A COST OF $750. THIS IS THE NINTH CADILLAC I HAVE OWNED SINCE 1980 WHEN I PURCHASED A SEVILLE WITH A DIESEL ENGINE AND THIS IS THE FIRST THAT HAD A DEFECTIVE POWER MODULE AND COMPUTER. THIS WAS A SAFETY HAZARD AND BOTH CADILLAC AND I WERE LUCKY THAT THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT WITH INJURIES. NOW WITH THE PROBLEM CORRECTED MY WIFE IS HESITANT ABOUT DRIVING AFTER THE CLOSE CALL SHE HAS EXPERIENCED. SHE ALWAYS INSISTED ON DRIVING A CADILLAC BECAUSE OF THEIR SAFETY RATING AND BECAUSE THEY WON THE MALCULAM BALDRIDGE QUALITY AWARD BACK IN THE 1980'S. I THINK A RECALL TO REPLACE THOSE MODULES AFTER HIGH MILEAGE OF AT LEAST 65K MILES. MY 2008 CADILLAC DTS MILEAGE INDICATOR SHOWS 84,000 MILES.