Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
I assume that what happened is that the car started the second time that day that you went to drive it somewhere (having started OK the first time) and that after the engine started, it died. If the key was dirty, the security system may have shut it down "thinking" that you did not have a key for the car and were stealing it. More likely, your key may have a poor electical path so the computer may not be able to always determine that the key is authorized to start the car. I woul try using the other key to see if it works better.
Since the car is to my taste and am very pleased with it when it works am trying to avoid the Cadillac repurchase or
Lemon law programs but this may in fact be going in that direction. I fully expect the batttery will go dead again very soon and hope if I have the Black and Decker charger it will work and provide an interim solution to this problem. RESPONSES BY OTHER DTS OWNERS will be appreciated
particularly if you have had electrical system issues with your car.
"Ignitition was hesitant at each crank"
Are you trying to say that the starter is cranking the engine over very slowly because the batter is weak :confuse:
in St. Thomas, Canada to begin production there. My first Deville was produced in Canada and was the most reliable of the three Caddies I've owned. Am surprised to learn of the wind noise in Avalon, always thought these were very quiet vehicles. I also agree that while the Lexus may be one of the few most reliable and quality cars, they are also priced way up there. Still feel that a good and reliable DTS is one of the best values in the Luxury market.
I took my DTS in for the power seat and B-pillar seat belt guide repairs on Thursday, 9/6, receiving a loaner car 'for the day' and was told the repairs would be done within only a few hours.
I phoned the service department at 4:45 to check for an update and was told they needed to keep the car at least overnight because some of the connectors snapped when they had to remove the power seat. No problem so far (I thought).
I received a call about 10:30 the next morning that the car was ready. Not even thinking I would need to check for damage, I took the car home even though there were dirty finger prints all over the interior as well as a lot of crumbs on the seat (I don't eat in the car at all and it had been vacuumed thoroughly since our road trip in July). This past weekend, while cleaning the interior, I noticed they put several gouges in the base of the b-pillar when removing/replacing the seat. Also, the trim plastics around the base of the seat are not aligned well any more (the passenger seat still looks great, so it's a noticeable difference).
Today, a passenger in my car tried to adjust the passenger seat and now it doesn't lift, either. We also tried to adjust the seat belts and noticed that neither of the new seat belt guides will move at all....the pieces don't even 'compress' as they should to release the catch and allow them to slide.
This has been a remarkably disappointing experience with the car. In addition to the tire wobble (yes, they were rotated once before the 10,000 rotation), I've had far too many build quality issues with this luxury car.
I will be calling the service department tomorrow. Wish me luck.
I've just reached the 10,000 mile point for my '06 Performance Model DTS. This is absolutely the most trouble free car I've ever had. I've had the oil changed and had the tires rotated. Otherwise, I have not had the car in the shop.
The magnetic suspension really makes a difference in the ride. Almost everybody who rides in my car for the first time comments on how good the ride is.
I also like the navigation system a lot and just got my first free update DVD for it. I typically use the split screen display with the maps on one side and the XM program information on the other side.
My car has every available accessory, with the exception of the adaptive cruise control, which I intentionally excluded.
My wife has a new,loaded Lincoln MKZ, and she's had it in the shop several times for warranty repairs.
- The seat belt guides on the B-pillar were installed incorrectly, which prevented any adjustment in their position. According to the service manager, they need to be installed and calibrated (?????) to ensure they are aligned properly on the B-pillar. He agreed this wasn't even checked before they sent the car home last time.
- The passenger seat was somehow locked in the up position and the service reps released it and it works fine now. There was no need to remove/replace any parts on this one.
- I pointed out the deep scratches from removing the driver's seat during the last repairs. The shop is ordering a new B-pillar cover and will call me when it arrives.
- The tire wobble is still there, and I'll need to replace the tires to resolve it (at least I hope that resolves it). I've started shopping for replacement tires and am leaning toward Michelins.
During my frustration regarding these issues I started looking at other cars.....I was nearing the end of my tolerance level. I tried a Lincoln MKX, looked at a Ford Expedition, researched a Volvo S80. As I simmered down a bit, I again realized how much I like this Cadillac. I'm still hopeful this recent comedy of errors is a fluke...I don't want to get rid of the car, but I can't keep spending so much time on repairs.
So, I can recommend Michelin. I have also had Goodyear Eagles which have been good.
While my electrical system problems have been a disappointment, they pale in comparison to the issues you have shared with us. Stay connected here as time permits and please feel free to ask for advice from other owners, some of us really care and want to be of positive assistance. Best wishes.
It seems to me that robw64's service department is taking care of the mess that they made with the seat.
It's been more than a week and still no word from the local service department whether the b-pillar replacement has arrived.
I decided to bite the bullet and bought four new Pirelli tires today. They were (of course) computer balanced and aligned, etc. at the time of purchase. The vibration is still there.....no better, no worse, no change. It still feels like the wheels are loose whenever I reach highway speeds (62 mph or higher).
I called OnStar to request a vehicle diagnostic to see if there were any error codes regarding the self-leveling suspension or anything else. There were no error codes returned, although I'm not confident in that report, either....I had signed up for the remote vehicle diagnostic e-mail updates but my car can't transmit those for some reason, so I wonder how OnStar was able to get it 'on request'.
I gave in and called Cadillac Customer Support today. Of course, they want to refer me back to the same dealer who hasn't been able to fix the problem. I asked them to see if there is any other dealer in Central Florida who is the "suspension center". They need to open a case file and follow all steps in the process before they can refer me elsewhere. Unfortunately, all 3 Cadillac dealers around metro Orlando are owned by the same company, so I'll need to drive at least 25 miles to get it in to a service center outside of this local market monopoly.
An interesting point: I noticed that every body panel, door, and lid (trunk and engine) has a sticker for a toll-free body shop parts service. This seems strange to me, so I purchased a Car Fax vehicle history report to see if any prior damage had been recorded for the car even though I purchased it "new".....no prior history of damage/repair on the report. Anyone out there know if there is another way to check for prior damage on a vehicle? I hope this car wasn't damaged and then re-sold as new. It only had 190-ish miles on it when the local dealer brought it up from South Florida.
As of right now, I'm ready to drive this car into the lake. I don't know what else to do with it, and apparently the service department doesn't either. I hope Cadillac is able to offer some assistance.
owned dealerships. I had to travel 65 miles each way to get a problem resolved so consider yourself lucky if you only
travel half that distance. If you suggest the idea of another separately owned dealership to Cadillac customer service I think given
the history of your problems with this car they will quickly agree. I would also have (Cadillac Customer Service) call the next dealership and explain the problem and then give you the name of the person to contact there. If Cadillac customer service acts as middle man for you in this process your chances of a good result will be much better. At this point it is important to keep Cadillac Customer Service involved as much as you can. I found a represenataive that took an interest in the problems I was having and he gave me his extension so I could get back in touch, this helped me resolve for the moment the electrical system issue I was having with my 2006 DTS. Hope my message is presented in comprehensible form, if you have further questions please present them here. And when you get the the problems resolved please post what the problems were and how you got them resolved. Best wishes.
It was my impression that this vibration problem was not always present from the time you first owned the car, but has become a problem recently, about the time you had 10,000 miles on the car. It is possible that one (or more) of the wheels is not round any more. The tire dealer (unless it was the Cadillac dealer) should have checked them, but if everyone was thinking that the OEM tires were the problem...
The Luxury II for 2007 seems to offer everything I want. I'll drive the Performance - people on the forum say that it rides better but I'll see how firm it is. From what I've seen, the '08 is virtually identical to the '07 so I'll probably get an '07. It will be less expensive anyway.
The performance model does get the magnetic shocks. The tires are performance 50 series tires, while the standard tires are 55 series, but not performance rated. The standard tires will be softer riding, but the mag shocks may soften the ride enough so that there is not much real difference. You need to try both out on a rough road.
I took the car to the local Firestone center where I had my previous vehicle serviced. I had an oil change, another rotate and balance, and an alignment. I also asked them to inspect the vehicle as if it was a used car I was considering purchasing. The service tech was there when I picked it up so I was able to speak with him directly. He sees nothing wrong with the wheels, the tires, or the alignment....everything checked out fine. His opinion is the shimmying is caused by either the transmission or the front drivetrain components, such as the bearings, bushings, etc.
Anyone have any opinions on this one? I'd like to think this is the solution.....it sounds plausible and I hope to point the Cadillac service techs in the right direction.
Thanks again to everyone who has shared their support and suggestions.....I truly appreciate the help.
I'm just wondering if reviewing the TSBs would help? Sorry if this has been discussed already. I didn't read the entire thread.
I know there are TSBs regarding vibration issues on my 04 Deville. It may be worth looking at previous model years too. I would imagine the dealer has reviewed this info. Anyway, just a suggestion. I hope the problem is resolved soon.
http://www.diyautotech.com/technical_service_bulletins/
-jasper
however this is the best one of all.
The replacement b-pillar make take some time to get. My SRX had splash guards included with the original orded, but they did not come with the vehicle. So my dealer orded them in early May (so they said), but it was early September before they came (after I called the 800 number for Cadillac to ask how come they have been back ordered so long).
You need to keep after the service department on the shimmy problem - I assume that it is now bad enough for them to agree that it is really there.
I called the service department on my way home from work and they (very graciously) agreed to allow me to bring the car in right away for a ride along. After a couple of remarks about that fact that I had replaced all four Continental tires (only one of which Cadillac had paid for), the service manager rode on the highway with me. He again declined to drive the vehicle; he has declined to drive it every time I've taken it....he rides shotgun only. I could feel the problem as plain as day, but he says he doesn't feel anything. He also states that the TSB's for the previous models don't apply to this one, and the suggestion from Firestone about drivetrain bearings/bushings/etc. doesn't make sense.
He asked me to bring the car back next Tuesday and leave it with him (after he closes out the month of September)so he can attach an electronic vibration monitor to it while he drives it himself.
Although I appreciate that he is willing to try, I'm frustrated that everyone in Central Florida can feel this driveability problem except the Cadillac service department.
I've put out price quote requests for a Lincoln MKX and a Chrysler Pacifica. Anyone want to buy a 2006 DTS Lux III with 17,000 miles on it?
MY POINT is that you need to STRONGLY consider taking the car to a different owned dealership. Sounds to me as if the one you are working with is just jerking you around. When the fellow rides "shotgun" only and then has the nerve to say he doesn't feel the problem it is time for you to change dealerships. Be sure to report this "SHOTGUN" business to Cadillac customer service as some strong communication is necessary between them and the offending dealership. The dealers can be pressured by Cadillac Corporate by withholding dealership incentives from dealerships that behave in this fashion.
I dropped off the car this morning (Tues 10/2) as requested and received a brand-new 2007 DTS as a loaner. The new one has no vibration at highway speed at all, but it only had 42 miles on it.
During the write up, the service advisor told me the replacement b-pillar cover was in stock and they would install it while the car was in their shop today.
Mid-afternoon, they called to tell me there is nothing detectable with my car and the torque force evaluation showed vibration within acceptable GM specs. Therefore, they are closing my case with Cadillac corporate. They also told me the b-pillar cover had been replaced.
At 5:00 pm I went to pick up the car. The service techs replaced the wrong b-pillar cover and somehow managed to screw up the seat belt guide on the driver's side (the same way it was screwed up 2 weeks ago when they replaced it.....wouldn't move up or down and the seat belt wouldn't extend). The service advisor was understandably flustered and went back in to check the service records. I was furious. I got in the car to just leave and couldn't even get the seat belt buckled. I turned the car around and the service advisor was running out to get me to talk with the service manager (the one who wouldn't drive the vehicle with me). He poked around the seat belt for a few minutes and determined he couldn't fix it on the spot so he asked me to leave the car with him overnight. I had already returned the loaner, so he went in to get the keys back for me.
At this point, the salesman who originally closed the deal came out to see what was going on. Rather than explain it, I told him I was just trying to get some interior work fixed.
The service manager was extremely apologetic and told me over and over how he appreciated my patience. I told him I just need him to make the car presentable enough to trade it in tomorrow. Although the car has depreciated horribly (trade in is now at only $28,500), I don't think I can take this much longer.
This has been an absolutely frustrating mess of an experience. But here's the comical note to all of this: the service advisor had the nerve to ask me to watch for the Cadillac Customer Service survey and make sure to give them the best possible ratings.
I don't believe the dealership you've been working with is likely to resolve your problems particularly regarding the vibration. I think you will probably need to take your car to another dealership. Have Cadillac corporate call the second dealership to introduce you and describe your problem. After you have been introduced by Cadillac corporate you can call directly to arrange an appointment with them. Hope this helps, I want to stress again that you need another dealership to render a second opinion and hopefully fix the problem(s). Best wishes.
I would agree that you should fill out any evaluation survey and give them what they deserve. This service department does seem less than competent.
Have you had an independent tire dealer check out the vibration? And did they agree there is some vibration that shouldn't be there? At least you are now aware that a device exists to measure vibration (unless that was just a story). If I were you, I would want to see the results on a new car (the one you had as a loaner) and your car.
I think the next step should be to talk with the Cadillac Satifaction 800 number and move on to another dealer. Perhaps an independent tire dealer should evaluate the car for vibration before traveling a long distance to another Cadillac dealer, to determine if someone with no real interest in the problem agrees there is a problem. The lemon law will require some independent evaluation of the car if there is a dispute over whether there is a problem.
The quickest (and most expensive) solution is to just trade the car for something else. However, there is no guarantee that the next car won't develop some new vexing problem with no solution. :sick:
I picked it up on Thursday afternoon. The correct b-pillar cover had been replaced, but they again stated there is nothing wrong with the ride on the vehicle and they are closing the case with Cadillac. The service advisor then walked me over to the customer service survey chart (again) to explain to me that any response other than "outstanding" is comparable to a zero in Cadillac's eyes. I guess they'll be getting a zero, then.
Fortunately, the Cadillac rep I had been dealing with called and left me a voice mail that evening. I returned the call to state that the issue still exists and I am not satisfied with the resolution. We spoke again on Fridy evening and the rep advised me that Cadillac is willing to escalate to a regional service rep if I'll take the car back to the dealership. I flatly refused to take the car back to the same service center, so Cadillac agreed to let me take it to the dealership 22 miles north of here. I gave them a complete description of the vehicle inspection results at my local Firestone dealer, as well as a detailed description of my service experience at my local dealership.
I still like the vehicle.....it has most bells and whistles I've ever wanted or needed, except a sunroof because it takes up too much headroom. My first choice is to get it fixed and keep it for a long time. I'm not confident this will happen, though.
I am continuing to have problems with my electrical system but not serious enough to spend more hours, days and weeks to resolve unless they get a lot worse. Sad to say this in all likelihood will be my last Cadillac. When the car works it's really a great car but I have had more problems with this car than my last five cars combined and it is the only car I ever bought new. The issue is not so much the attractiveness and performance of the car as it is Cadillacs inability to resolve problems quickly and efficiently when they occur and are reported. Responses from other DTS owners only will be appreciated.