2005 CADILLAC CTS Power Traindrivelinedifferential Unit Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS AND MAKING A TURN, HE WOULD NOTICE A LOUD GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE NOISE WAS DUE TO A LEAK IN THE SEAL LOCATED IN THE DIFFERENTIAL. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED FOR THE SEAL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 65,000.

I AM THE 2ND OWNER MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP IS CALLING MY PROBLEM "CATASTROPHIC FAILURE DUE TO CUSTOMER ABUSE". I OWN A 2005 CADILLAC CTS-V. MY ISSUE WAS ABOUT 10 OR 11 DAYS AGO. I LEFT WORK HEADED HOME AND ON THE ONRAMP TO HIGHWAY 240 IN ASHEVILLE, NC I HIT THIRD GEAR GOING ABOUT 45 OR 55 MPH AND MY REAR DIFFERENTIAL MADE A LOUD POP THE CAR JERKED AND THEN JUST BEGAN TO FREE ROLL. I THEN PROCEEDED TO CROSS THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC WITH NO MEANS OF ACCELERATION IN A HIGH TRAFFIC 60MPH ZONE IN ORDER TO GET TO A SAFE STOPPING ZONE. GM ROADSIDE SERVICE TOWED THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED THE CAR AT. THE NEXT DAY WHEN I CAME TO SEE WHAT THEIR VERDICT WOULD BE THEY TOLD ME THAT WARRANTY WOULDN'T COVER IT AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR...

AT 50MPH REAR DIFFERENTIAL LET LOOSE ON MY 2005 CTS CADILLAC. LOST CONTROL SPUN, HIT CURB AND MEDIAN. HAD TO BE TOWED OUT. WHEELS LOCKED. COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC HAD I WENT INTO ON COMING TRAFFIC. *TR

I WAS DRIVING ACROSS AN INTERSECTION AT THE OTHER SIDE OF THE INTERSECTION THERE WAS A SMALL DIP I SHIFTED INTO SECOND AS I WAS EXITING THE INTERSECTION AND WENT THROUGH THE DIP AND ACCELERATED OUT OF IT I HEARD A LOUD POP AND THE CAR STARTED TO SLOW DOWN I PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT WITH THE MOMENTUM THAT I HAD ANT STOPPED THERE WAS A PUDDLE OF GEAR OIL ON THE GROUND. THERE WAS A TRACK OF OIL FROM WHERE IT POPPED TO WHERE I STOPPED A PIECE OF THE DIFF HOUSING WAS LAYING IN THE STREET. I CALLED AAA AND THEY CAME AND TOWED MY 2005 CTS-V TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP. *TR

2005 CADILLAC CTS V WITH 38,000 MILES. WHILE DRIVING DOWN A CALIFORNIA FREEWAY THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL LOCKED UP. WE MANAGED TO PULL VEHICLE OFF ROAD. CAR WAS TOWED TO CADILLAC DEALERSHIP WHERE REAR DIFFERENTIAL BREAKDOWN WAS CONFIRMED. DEALERSHIP HAS DECLINED COVERING PART UNDER WARRANTY AS THEY SAY "IMPROPER DRIVING" WAS THE CAUSE. THIS IS A CRAZY STATEMENT AS THIS CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN JUST LIKE ALL OF OUR OTHER CARS. THIS PROBLEM IS HIGHLY DOCUMENTED AND VERY DANGEROUS. WE WERE LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO GET THE CAR OFF THE ROAD WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT. *TR

MY 2005 CADILLAC CTS-V HAS BEEN SENT TO THE CADILLAC DEALERSHIP NUMEROUS TIMES CONCERNING REAR DIFFERENTIAL NOISE AND CLUNKING. AFTER CADILLAC CLAIMED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED BY REPLACING THE DRIVE SHAFT, ON THE SAME NIGHT THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL BLEW UP UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITION. THE CAR WAS SENT BACK TO CADILLAC AND WAS DENIED WARRANTY UNDER THE ACCUSATION OF HARSH DRIVING OR "HOT RODDING". THERE WAS NO IN-DEPTH INSPECTION OR A MECHANICAL AND MATERIAL ANALYSIS TO DETERMINE THE ACTUAL POINT OF FAILURE. THE TECH REPRESENTATIVE SIMPLE CONDUCTED A BIAS CONCLUSION AND ACCUSED ME OF "HOT RODDING". *TR

REAR DIFFERENTIAL FAILURE OF 2005 CADILLAC CTS. *JB I HAVE A 2005 CTS AND EXPERIENCED CLUNKING WHILE DRIVING. THE CAR WAS RETURNED TO DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES WITH COMPLAINT OF CLUNKING NOISE. ALL TIMES THE CAR WAS RETURNED AND SAID TO BE IN PROPER OPERABLE ORDER. I FINALLY DECIDED TO CONTACT CADILLAC DIRECT AND WAS TOLD BY CUSTOMER SERVICE TO BRING MY VEHICLE FOR YET ANOTHER APPOINTMENT. THEY CHANGED THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL FINALLY AND STATED THAT THERE WAS COMPLETE FAILURE DUE TO LEAK OF FLUID. [SMCH FROM E-MAIL]

(1) DRIVING CAR FROM WET GRAVEL INCLINE UP ONTO PAVEMENT. (2) LOUD NOISE FROM REAR, CAR BEGAN TO ROLL BACK DOWN HILL. WOULD NOT MOVE FURTHER. (3) TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, REAR DIFFERENTIAL AND DRIVESHAFT DAMAGED. DEALER REFUSED TO FIX UNDER WARRANTY. ONLY OWNED CAR 2 WEEKS & BOUGHT EXTENDED WARRANTY. *JB

I HAVE HAD 3 REAR DIFFERENTIALS REPLACED IN THE TWO YEARS OF OWNERSHIP FOR MY 2005 CADILLAC CTS-V. THEY WERE EVALUATED BY MY DEALERSHIP TO BE FAULTY AND WERE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. CURRENTLY, MY 4TH DIFFERENTIAL IS NOT GIVING ME A PROBLEM BUT I AM CONFIDENT IT IS SIMPLY A MATTER OF TIME. *JB

- DEGRADATION OF THE REAR CARRIER ASSEMBLY (E.E. REAR DIFFERENTIAL). - REPLACEMENT OF REAR CARRIER ASSEMBLY 3 TIMES (ON 4TH DIFFERENTIAL BY 45K MILES) - NO CATASTROPHIC FAILURES, BUT ON ALL OCCASIONS CARRIER ASSEMBLY BECAME SO NOISY THAT IT COULD BE HEARD WITH THE WINDOWS DOWN AT SPEED WITH THE RADIO ON. HAD IT REPLACED BEFORE A FAILURE, AS THE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY. ON THE 3RD DIFFERENTIAL, THE PINION SEAL BEGAN TO LEAK ALSO. *JB

I HAVE A 2005 CADILLAC CTS-V MY FIRST ISSUE WAS BACK IN 05/05 8,200 MILES ON CAR WHILE DRIVING CAR WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO SHIFT OR CHANGE GEARS THE CAR STALLED AND ROLLED TO A STOP. I CALLED FOR ROAD SERVICE 2 HOURS FROM HOME THEY TOWED CAR TO AN AREA DEALER WHO LATER CALLED TO INFORM ME THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL FAILED AND GM HAD REFUSED TO PAY FOR SERVICE. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO MY LOCAL DEALER AT MY EXPENSE, AT MY DEALERS REQUEST. THEY INFORMED ME THAT GM SAID THE CAR HAD EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR AND DAMAGE WAS CAUSED BY DRIVER ABUSE OR AGGRESSIVE DRIVING I WAS FORCED TO HIRE AN ATTORNEY AND PAY FOR A VEHICLE I COULDN'T DRIVE FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. LATE IN AUGUST 05 CADILLAC AGREED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. 01/07 27,000 MILES I WAS DRIVING THE CTS-V CHANGED GEARS FROM 2ND...

2005 CTS V . . . NOTICED HOWLING WHINING NOISE COMING FROM REAR END. CADILLAC HAS REPLACED TWO REAR DIFFERENTIALS IN MY CAR AND ATTEMPTED TO FIX THE WHINING NOISE THREE OTHER TIME AND I STILL HAVE THE NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR END. MY CAR ONLY HAS 12,000 MILES AND NEEDS A THIRD REAR DIFFERENTIAL.

THE DIFFERENTIAL ASSEMBLY IN MY 2005 CADILLAC CTS-V WAS WHINING AFTER ONLY 5,000 MILES AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. *NM

SEVERAL REAR END DIFFERENTIAL FAILURES. 1 AT 4000 MILES, THE SECOND AT 8000 MILES. AND THE THIRD IS LOUD AND MAKES NOISES FROM THE DAY I GOT IT BACK. GM TRIED TO VOID AND NOT COVER THE REAR END SO I HAD TO TAKE IT TO ANOTHER STATE FOR THEM TO FIX IT FOR ME. THEY JUST START OUT QUIET AND THEN GET LOUDER AND LOUDER AND LOUDER. THE LAST ONE DIED WITH MY FAMILY IN THE VEHICLE AT 40 MPH DURRING REGULAR DRIVING. REAR LOCKED UP THEN BROKE UP IN HALF. IT KILLED THE DRIVESHAFT AND SEVERAL OTHER PARTS WHEN IT LOCKED UP. I HAVE HAD 20+ GM CARS IN MY LIFETIME AND THIS ONE IS THE WORST BUILT REAR END EVER. IF I TRIED, I BET I COULD KILL IT IN ONE FULL THROTTLE LAUNCH. BUT, OF COARSE WONT TRY THAT CAUSE IT WILL BREAK.... ALSO, NEEDED A...

CTS-V REAR DIFFERENTIAL WHINNING AT 35-40 MPH GM DID REPLACE IT. I HAD A 2003 CTS AND THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH AND SKIDDED ABOUT 20 FEET. GM REPLACED IT 3 TIMES AND FINALLY BOUGHT THE CAR BACK. ONE YEAR LATER WE BOUGHT THE 2005 CTS-V AND ITS DOING THE SAME THING, GM NEEDS TO FIGURE THIS OUT BEFORE SOMEONE DIES.... *NM

DIFFERENTIAL BEGAN WHINING AT 500 MILES. WAS TOLD THE NOISE WAS NORMAL BY THE CADILLAC DEALER. REAR DIFFERENTIAL FAILED AT 7500 MILES WITH THE DEALER INFORMING ME I HAD ABUSED THE CAR. *JB

REAR END WHINING NOISE (NOW BROKEN), AND CLUTCH/DRIVE TRAIN NOISE. *JB

REAR END LEAKING AND WINING REPLACED REAR DIFF. *NM

REAR DIFFERENTIAL MAKES WHINING NOISE WHICH IS GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. CAR ONLY HAS 4,000 MILES. *JB

I HAVE A 2005 CADILLAC CTSV WITH A FAULTY REAR UNDER-ENGINEERED REAR CARRIER UNIT THAT SUPPORTS THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL. IT IS LEAKING. CADILLAC HAS REPLACED THESE UNITS WITH THE SAME FAULTY UNDER-ENGINEERED UNITS MANUFACTURED BY GETRAG WITH 2006 UNITS. THIS SOLUTION HAS BEEN NOTHING MORE THAN A BAND-AID AND THE RESULT OF THE LEAKING IS FAULTY ENGINEERING AS DETERMINED BY SEVERAL HIGHLY RESPECTED ENGINEERING COMPANIES SUCH AS LINGENFELTER AND KATECH THAT GM DOES THERE ACTUAL OUTSOURCING TO. I AM VERY CONCERNED TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE OUT OF FEAR THAT THE REAR END WILL FAIL AND CAUSE ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CAUSE PROPERTY DAMAGE AND POSSIBLE FATAL BODILY INJURY. RATHER THAN CADILLAC ISSUING A RECALL TO REPLACE THIS UNIT WITH A PROPERLY ENGINEERED UNIT TO SUPPORT THE REAR WHEEL TORQUE THAT IS GENERATED BY THIS VEHICLE; THEY HAVE INSTEAD HID BEHIND A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN AND HANDLE...

1-WHINE IN REAR END BETWEEN 44 AND 47 MPH 2-NOISE GOT LOUDER AS TIME WENT ON (AT 6700 MILES) 3-REAR END WAS REPLACED. *JB

AUGUST 2005, 4 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING CAR, BOTH REAR TIRES WORN OUT FROM THE INSIDE OUT WITH 4000 MILES ON THE CAR, TOOK CAR IN FOR WARRANTY ON TIRES AND REAR END, GM DENIED CLAIM. HAD TO PURCHASE 2 NEW TIRES AND HAVE THE FRAME ALIGNED. JANUARY 2006, CAR SLIGHTLY HITS CURB AND RIGHT REAR CAUSING NO DAMAGE TO TIRE AND SCRAP TO WHEEL, REAR DIFFERENTLY BROKEN AND AXLE, AGAIN GM DENIES CLAIM. *JB

FAILED REAR DIFFERENTIAL: CASE CRACKED, SPILLING DIFFERENTIAL OIL ONTO THE REAR OF MY CAR, REAR WHEELS, STREET. CAR BEGAN TO GRIND, HAD TO LIMP TO DEALER, STILL IN SHOP AFTER 1 WEEK WITH NO WORD ON WHEN IT WILL BE FIXED. *JB THANKFULLY NO INJURIES, BUT 2 QUARTS OF OIL DUMPED ONTO THE EXHAUST, TIRES AND STREET COULD HAVE BEEN A MAJOR PROBLEM.

REAR WHINE IN TRANSMISSION, DEALER STATES IS NORMAL. *JB

I HAVE A 2005 CADILLAC CTS-V WITH 17800 MILES. IT HAS DEVELOPED A WHINE IN THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL. UPON INVESTIGATING FURTHER, I FOUND THIS HAS NOT BEEN UNUSUAL FOR THIS MODEL. (GM HAS USED THE SAME DIFFERENTIAL IN THIS CAR AS THEY PUT IN THE BASE CTS MODEL, WHICH HAS SIGNIFICANTLY LESS TORQUE) UPON TAKING THE CAR TO THE GM DEALER, THEY SAID THEY WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE DIFFERENTIAL, BUT WOULD HAVE TO AWAIT PARTS TO DO SO. THEY ARE TO CALL ME WHEN THEY GET THE PARTS IN STOCK. THEY ALSO SAID THE CLUTCH HAS BEEN UPDATED AND HAVE ORDERED A NEW CLUTCH ALSO. *JB

WHINING FROM REAR END. REAR DIFFERENTIAL REPLACED. *NM

WITH ONLY ABOUT 3370 MILES ON A BRAND NEW CAR, MY REAR DIFFERENTIAL INTERNALS WERE DESTROYED AND THE HOUSING CRACKED DUE TO THE FOLLOWING 2 REASONS: 1. EXCESSIVE WHEEL HOP DUE TO A POORLY DESIGNED REAR SUSPENSION 2. THE DIFFERENTIAL THAT COMES STOCK IN EVERY 2004-2005 CTS-V CADILLAC IS NOT RATED TO HANDLE AS MUCH HORSEPOWER AND TORQUE AS THE CAR PUTS OUT. GM CUT CORNERS AND PUT IN A DIFFERENTIAL THAT WAS MEANT FOR THEIR V6 BASE MODEL CTS THAT MAKES ABOUT HALF THE POWER. WHEN THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL BLEW UP, IT ALSO DESTROYED MY DRIVESHAFT. I NOTICED THE DIFFERENTIAL OVER TIME STARTED TO WHINE AND CLUNK MORE AND MORE AND BECOME LOUDER AND LOUDER UNTIL ALL OF A SUDDEN WHILE DRIVING I HEARD A LOUD BOOM AND A BUNCH OF CLUNKING AND METAL GRINDING. THE CAR WAS IMMEDIATELY UNDRIVEABLE. MY DEALERSHIP REPLACED MY DRIVESHAFT AND THE DIFFERENTIAL WITH...

VEHICLE HAS MODERATE TO SEVERE WHEEL HOP DURING ACCELERATION OR WHEN ROADS ARE WET OR SLICK, CAUSING SOME LOSE OF CONTROL. REAR DIFFERENTIAL HAD LOUD WHINE AND IS PRONE TO CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. *JB

1-REAR END WINE HIGH PITCH 2-REAR DIFFERENTIAL DEFECT 3-REPLACED WITH AN 06 DIFFERENTIAL & THREE WEEKS LATTER LEAKING OIL. *JB

THE DIFFERENTIAL IN MY CAR HAS STARTED TO WHINE AFTER ~11K MILES DESPITE, PERHAPS, THE LEAST ABUSIVE DRIVING THAT IS REASONABLY POSSIBLE, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THAT THIS CAR IS A CTS-V. TO SAY I AM DISAPPOINTED WOULD BE AN UNDERSTATEMENT. AFTER A LITTLE BIT OF INVESTIGATION, IT APPEARS THAT GM HAS USED AN UNDER-ENGINEERED PART FOR ITS DIFFERENTIAL FOR REASONS I'M NOT REAL CERTAIN OF. MULTIPLE FAILURES ARE BEING REPORTED ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY, MANY WITH SIMILAR DRIVING HABITS THAT I HAVE. THE CTS-V DIFFERENTIAL IS A LIMITED SLIP 3.73 APPLICATION AND REQUIRES ~ 7% FRICTION MODIFIED OIL. SUCH FLUID WAS CHANGED SEVERAL THOUSAND MILES AGO AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE AND THE PROPER OIL WAS ADDED. I PLAN ON TAKING MY CAR IN FOR EVALUATION/SERVICE IN THE NEAR FUTURE, BUT I BELIEVE THAT GMS DECISION TO INSTALL A CLEARLY KNOWN "BAD" PART IS WHOLLY EGREGIOUS. *JB

TOOK DELIVERY MAY, 2005. IN LESS THAN THREE MONTHS, WITH APPROXIMATELY 1,500 MILES, DIFFERENTIAL BEGAN TO WHINE AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 45 AND 50 MPH, ONCE UP TO NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE. VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS ~5,200 MILES. DIFFERENTIAL NOW WHINES BETWEEN 40 AND 55 MPH. THERE SEEMS TO BE A CONSENSUS AMONG MANY CTS OWNERS THAT THIS CONDITION IS A PRECURSOR TO COMPLETE, AND SOMETIMES SUDDEN, DIFFERENTIAL FAILURE. *JB

WHEN DRIVING IN RAIN / POOR WEATHER, THE CAR DURING TAKE-OFF VIOLENTLY SHAKES WHEN THE REAR WHEELS SPIN. THIS SHAKING HAS THROWN OFF MY REAR ALIGNMENT, AIDED IN PREMATURE TIRE WEAR, AND MAY HAVE CAUSED SIGNIFICANT REAR-END DAMAGE. *JB

REAR-END DIFFERENTIAL FAILURE, TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *JB

DIFFERENTIAL FAILURE. *JB

4/11/05 - 8,367 MILES - 1 DAY OUT OF SERVICE REAR END FAILURE 4/28/05 - 9,664 MILES - 5 DAYS OUT OF SERVICE REAR BUSHING FAILURE. *JB REAR END FAILURE 5/5/05 - 9,720 MILES - 1 DAY OUT OF SERVICE REAR END FAILURE WHEEL DELIVERED FROM FACTORY WILL NOT BALANCE - NO SIGN OF DAMAGE 7/25/05 - 15,732 MILES - 4 DAYS OUT OF SERVICE PCM RECALL #05544 - DEALER UNABLE TO REPROGRAM REAR END HOPS WILDLY IN RAINY OR SLICK ROADS WHEN ACCELERATING HARD SHIFTING INTO 1ST GEAR REAR END WHINE DRIVE LINE CLUNK PARKING BRAKE GOES TO FLOOR AND WON'T STOP CAR REAR END FAILURE - DEALER REPLACED REAR DIFFERENTIAL AND DID NOT ADD FRICTION MODIFIER, CLAIMED CTS-V'S DO NOT NEED - LATER DETERMINED THIS WAS INCORRECT 8/29/05 - 17,372 MILES - 22 DAYS OUT OF SERVICE REAR END GRINDING FRICTION MODIFIER ADDED TRANSMISSION REBUILT REPLACED PRESSURE PLATE...

NOTICED OIL SPOTTING ON FLOOR AND INSPECTION REVEALED REAR END DIFFERENTIAL UNIT WAS LEAKING FLUID. DEALER FOUND HAIRLINE CRACK AND REPLACED DIFFERENTIAL. *NM

EXCESSIVE WHEEL HOP FREQUENTLY UNDER MILD TO HEAVY ACCELERATION EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR, TIRES NEED TO BE REPLACED AFTER 4000 TO 6000 MILES REAR END DIFFERENTIAL IS VERY WEAK AND MAY BREAK CAUSING INJURY OR DEATH CADILLAC KNOWS OF PROBLEM PROVIDING SOME CUSTOMERS WITH EXTENDED WARRANTIES HAD A 2004 CTSV AND IT WAS LEMON LAWED IN JULY 2005 FOR THE REAR DIFF BREAKING 3 TIMES WITHIN 1 YEAR. *NM

PURCHASED IN JULY 2004. REAR END AND DIFFERNETIAL FAILED AT 2700 MILES.REPLACED REAR-END. REPLACED REAR-END AGIAN AT LESS THAT 7000 MILES, REPLACED TIRES AT 13500MILES, REAR-END CONTINUED TO LOCK AND SLIDE TIRES. HAVE HAD CAR IN DEALER 5 TIMES AND TOMORROW, THE 3RD REAR-END WILL BE PUT IN!!! CADILLAC REFUSES TO BUY CAR BACK BUT HAS EXTENDED DRIVE TRAIN WARRANTY TO 100K MILES.

2005, CADILLAC CTS-V, WHEEL HOP FROM REAR DIFFERENTIAL, VERY COMMON IN THIS VEHICLE. CADILLAC HAS ACKNOWLEDGED ISSUE BY PROVIDING EXTENDED WARRANTIES TO "SOME" OWNERS OF VEHICLES, BUT NOT TO ALL OWNERS, REAR DIFFERENTIAL IS VERY WEAK AND MAY BREAK APART, CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH, WHEEL HOP IS EXPERIENCED IN MY VEHICLE ON A DAILY BASIS, ORIGINAL TIRES LASTED LESS THAN 6,000 MILES, AND PROVIDED A SAFETY/HAZARD PROBELM AS MANUFACTURER DID NOT ADVISE CONSUMERS THAT TIRES WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED IN THIS TIME FRAME, 6,000 MILES WAS A PERIOD THAT MOST CONSUMERS WOULD NOT CONSIDER ENOUGH MILEAGE FOR A TIRE ROTATION. *AK