2004 Cadillac CTS-V

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, AND WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP, THE BRAKE FAILED. THE CONTACT HAD TO ENGAGE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A COMPLETE STOP. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD SHAKE AT LOW AND HIGH SPEEDS. THE BRAKE AND ABS WARNING LIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARMS FAILED, THE BALL JOINT WAS CRACKED AND BOTH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO CENTRAL HOUSTON CADILLAC DEALER (2520 MAIN ST, HOUSTON, TX 77002, (832) 431-5697) BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED DUE TO THE DIAGNOSTIC AND REPAIR FEES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND OPENED CASE NUMBER: 84781603741. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.

I WAS TRAVELING AT NIGHT ON I-95 IN FLORIDA AT 70MPH W/CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED. VEHICLE SUDDENLY FELL OUT OF 6TH GEAR AND ENGINE OVER-REVVED TO RED-LINE CAUSING ENGINE TO SHUT OFF COMPLETELY (AS IT IS DESIGNED TO DO) - RESULTING IN SUDDEN LOSS OF VEHICLE SPEED, TOTAL LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. I MANAGED TO GUIDE VEHICLE SAFELY TO SHOULDER OF ROAD (ONLY BECAUSE TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT). I COLLECTED MY THOUGHTS AND GOT VEHICLE RE-STARTED AS NORMAL. I CONTINUED ON MY TRIP BUT WITHOUT USING CRUISE CONTROL. VEHICLE FELL OUT OF 6TH GEAR SEVERAL MORE TIMES (AND A COUNTLESS NUMBER OF TIMES SINCE THE ORIGINAL INCIDENT), BUT I WAS ABLE TO PREVENT ENGINE OVER-REV & SHUT-DOWN BY NOT USING THE CRUISE CONTROL FEATURE. THERE IS A TRANSMISSION ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE (SEE NUMEROUS INTERNET COMPLAINTS) AND, GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED ABOVE, I FEEL THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A SAFETY RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE A LONG TIME AGO. VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH A TREMEC T-56 MANUAL TRANSMISSION. SINCE FIRST INCIDENT, I HAVE TAKEN VEHICLE TO CADILLAC DEALERSHIPS. SOME REPAIRS WERE MADE, BUT NONE HAVE SOLVED THE PROBLEM. HAVE ALSO TAKEN VEHICLE TO AUTHORIZED TREMEC SERVICE DEALER - MORE REPAIRS MADE. PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS. HAVE SCHEDULED ANOTHER SERVICE REPAIR VISIT TO TREMEC DEALER. VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS 99,000 MILES ON IT. SINCE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY, I HAVE SPENT APPROXIMATELY $3,500 ON THIS PROBLEM TO DATE WITH NO RESOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. *TR