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Cadillac Owners: Problems & Solutions

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Comments

  • carpetmannycarpetmanny Member Posts: 3
    dear mr. shiftright,
    my friend and i opened up the drains they are in front wheel wells.cant understand where the sound is coming from.
    thanks,
    carpetmanny
  • gserep1gserep1 Member Posts: 92
    That noise in your dash COULD be air in your cooling system. If you have had your car serviced lately, and especially if you have had the cooling system flushed and new coolant added, this is quite possible. We have a 98 STS in the family, and it has the same problem. Once we bled the system by opening a small petcock near the thermostat housing, everything has been fine.

    Thanks!
  • carpetmannycarpetmanny Member Posts: 3
    dear gserep1,

    thank you for the info i will definitely try your idea it might be very possible i just changed the upper hose a couple of weeks ago.
    thank you,
    carpetmanny
  • 92marondeville92marondeville Member Posts: 2
    I have a 92 CoupeDeville,and had the pump motor assmembly change,and the light is still on.Now I was told the ABS module is bad and that is what caused the pump to burn out.But the book and the dealer told me if the module was bad that it would shut down the power to the pump assm.Is there any truth to this pump moter burn out?
  • cherylfgrimmcherylfgrimm Member Posts: 1
    I own an 03 cts and I hate to be the barer of bad news, but I have had nothing but trouble out of this vehicle and GM has done nothing to date. It has left me stranded all over the highways and almost everything on it has tore up.

    Please rethink cadillac

    Cheryl Grimm
  • vann1vann1 Member Posts: 2
    I have a 1993 cadillac seville sts and I am looking for the third fuse box but cannot find it. I found one under the hood and the other one in the trunk but cannot find the third one. Any ideas??
  • gap2006gap2006 Member Posts: 20
    Stay away from the E class for now until they fix the electrical problems, and that probably will not be for several years. I've had a 2000 E320 which was great, then a 2003 E500 and that's when all the problems started and continue. Just check out the MB forum and you will see what I mean. Otherwise you can't beat MB ride and beauty.

    I drove the STS and really liked it but the inside is made a little cheaply. If you can live with that I think it's a contender.

    Lexus, of course, is your best bet in terms of reliability, luxury and prestige for the money.

    Also, if you like the Infinity M35 or 45 that's a great contender and in fact, that's what I'm looking at right now for myself. It just got a fantastic Consumer Reports review and they are particular.

    Good luck
  • montemayormontemayor Member Posts: 2
    hi my name is rocky, i hope you can help me. I just bought this car with the knowledge that it was heating up and would backfire and wouldnt want to turn on for a while. It had the wrong radiator on so i changed it, changed the thermostat, and took off the catalytic converter from the exhaust or at least thats what i think its called. anyway, i took care of that but it still backfires and now there is a rattling noise. whats the problem and what do i need to do to fix it. Thank you in advance.
  • lear60lear60 Member Posts: 1
    As soon as you cut the air on a bad smell comes out of the vents (musty smell), after it runs about 30 sec it goes away. Only happens when you first crank it up. Can there be anything that could be cleaned or replaced?
  • caddy97caddy97 Member Posts: 3
    when ever I start my 97 seville (4.6 ) it doesn't want to fire right away....it turns over fine, but doesn't catch for about 6 seconds...then there is a smell of fuel for a minute or so afterwards.....the fuel pressure seems fine...what could this be.
  • caddy97caddy97 Member Posts: 3
    I keep having problems with my 97 Seville...the running lights burn out often....and the headlights won't turn off at times....even in the middle of the day, while the car is parked, the headlights will come on and will not shut off. I've changed the light switch ! but it started happing again...help !!!
  • sherifftimsherifftim Member Posts: 2
    A trusted acquaintance has offered to sell me his 1997 Cadillac STS with 105,000 miles for $5,700. Claims it is in excellent condition with no known problems. Looks very clean and well cared for. Does this sound like a fair price? Also, it is a V8 and is clearly marked "Premium Fuel Only". How important is this, and what level of octane is the minimum advisable? Thanks...
  • sherifftimsherifftim Member Posts: 2
    :confuse: A trusted acquaintance has offered to sell me his 1997 Cadillac STS with 105,000 miles for $5,700. Claims it is in excellent condition with no known problems. Looks very clean and well cared for. Does this sound like a fair price? Also, it is a V8 and is clearly marked "Premium Fuel Only". How important is this, and what level of octane is the minimum advisable? Thanks... :confuse:
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    You should get in the habit of shutting off the AC about ten minutes before you reach your destination and running warm air through those vents, or at least fresh un-cooled air (outside air) through the vents to dry them out. It's mildew from moisture left in the vents. There are sprays like OZIUM which may give you relief.
  • blkhemiblkhemi Member Posts: 1,717
    1997 was the year that most Northstar equipped cars had problems with what is none as the Fuel Pressure Regulator. It prevents the engine from starting as normal when it leaks.
  • blkhemiblkhemi Member Posts: 1,717
    Premium fuel is required for the pre-2000 Northstar. If you use anything other than premium, it will knock and cough until you put the right thing in it. Trust me on this one.

    As for your potential STS purchase, I'd want to see his service records on the car as these cars can be expensive to maintain if the preventive maintenance hasn't been performed yet. And since it is an STS, make sure that the "SERVICE SUSPENSION SOON" message is not on the dash. Theses cars have huge problems with that IF the suspension has not been services properly. Other than that these cars offer noteworthy performance for a good value. Enjoy

    P.S- As for the price, $5000 seems more appropiate, given the mileage.
  • caddy97caddy97 Member Posts: 3
    Update on my problem with headlights not turning off. I tried everything, I even unplugged the light switch...the only way I can get my headlights off is to pull out the 2 fuses under the hood....this is crazy ! Help ! :confuse:
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Sounds like stuck relay that works the delay sequence.
  • hagen03hagen03 Member Posts: 4
    I'm new to posting on this forum so I read all of the complaints first. Some of my problems have been mentioned but I didn't read any solutions. My 2000 DHS has 91000 miles on it. First thing to quit working was the gas gauge, then I kept getting air bag messages, and now service stability system. The air bag one has been gone for some time but the service stability system is constant. As for the gas gauge I'm sure it needs a sending unit, so I just reset the gal used feature and watch it. It also uses about a quart of oil to 800 miles, the heated seat on the passenger side quit working, the heated seat on the right rear only works for back only (can't turn that off) I've had to turn brake rotors and replace rotors several times for brake pulsating, I've learned not to let tire stores touch the lug nuts. I just take the rims in and then put them back on myself and torque them properly. I'm very disappointed in this car. It is my second Caddie. I had a 96 deville which had a lot of the same problems, guess I should have learned from that. Guess I'll read the forum on the new Chrysler 300C and see what folks have to say about that.
  • hagen03hagen03 Member Posts: 4
    I forgot to mention in my previous message that the "Security" light stays on and the "DIC" reads "Service theft system". I have to shut the engine off and open and close the drivers door then restart and usually it is ok again. Is it possible replacing the main computer would solve all of these problems?
  • bigmike5bigmike5 Member Posts: 960
    My.02. Get a can of Lysol spray and run the A/C while at the same time spraying the Lysol into the exterior air intake area which is probably a grilled area near the windshield wipers. Run the A/C and spray until the smell of the Lysol has worked through the system and can be smelled in the cabin area. Once that occurs stop the spraying. The Lysol aroma will dissipate after the system runs for a while. If you have any musty spores, etc. in the system that are causing the bad odor the Lysol should get rid of them in short order. I used to have to do this a couple of times a year with a couple of different cars. I think the problem develops from condensation being left in the system when the car is shut off in hot weather. Shifty would probably know more on this than I do, but I have had good luck with the Lysol, which was recommended to me by a Buick service manager. :shades:
  • bigmike5bigmike5 Member Posts: 960
    Reference oil change. Have you had the oil changed since you got the car in the summmer? If yes, then the break-in oil/period should be all taken care of. I like to put new oil/filter in a new car after 1K miles. I would stay at a normal 3K mile change/filter interval irrespective of any longer period recommended by someone else or the book. Speaking of which, if you read the owner's manual on this subject it may make a recommendation. I previously lived at Fort Sheridan, IL, and saw -19 degree temps for two weeks straight one time. Irrespective of that, I never had to make a special oil change as I was running 5W30 weight in the cars. I would think 5W30 could handle the cold weather without a problem, but check your owner's manual to see what they recommend. Oil is the lifeblood of the engine, which is why I do a change and new filter every 3K miles. :shades:
  • jerrymcshane1jerrymcshane1 Member Posts: 195
    Pricing a NEW 05' STS V-8, sticker $50,340. Dealer price $41,500. Any comments would be appreciated.
  • 06caddy06caddy Member Posts: 1
    I have a 99 sls. Lately I have been experiencing the car cutting off while driving. The dash lights go out and all I can hear is the fan. It starts back up after a few seconds. When I start up it also has a rough idle for about two minutes. I was told it was the battery.can anyone offer any help ?
  • daryll44daryll44 Member Posts: 307
    A good friend of mine has an '03 Seville SLS that has been garage kept and driven lightly. It's exactly 37 months old and has 43000 miles. His true cost was about $40,000. It's now worth $15,500 according to Edmunds and KBB trade-in value. My friend is a loyal Cadillac owner in his late 50s....their perfect customer. I don't blame him, however, for being outraged at the horrendous depreciation. He wants a new one, but I am pointing out that Lexus etc doesn't evaporate value like this. What's going on here? Is there some hidden GM program to keep their loyal customers?
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    What's going on is supply and demand at work and there's not much one can do about it. Probably if he advertised aggressively and sold on his own he could get a little bit more for it, but around $16K is the sweet spot, that's true.
  • doczuckdoczuck Member Posts: 11
    My heated and cooled seats do not work when i start the car remotely also the heated steering wheel doesn't work . has anybody had this problem thanks for any input
    the service dept and the caddy rep have no clue why
  • daryll44daryll44 Member Posts: 307
    OK, so my friend took a test drive in a new STS as a possible successor to his '03 Seville. He found that the STS is shorter, narrower, much smaller trunk and has a mere 6 cylinder as the base engine. Heated seats, a must here in Pittsburgh, require purchasing an expensive package of stuff he doesn't want (or want to pay for). All this to experience a meltdown in value to 1/3 of the orignal price in merely 3 years!!!! What is GM doing? And asking $50,000 for a midsized 6 cylinder car disgused as a full size? My friend is on his 6th Cadillac in about 20 years. He is VERY close to going Japanese as he sees how well they hold their values...but doesn't want to. If GM loses him (and the thousands of customers that he represents), it's all over. Really.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Well GM isn't in direct control of used car prices, the used car buyers are.
  • daryll44daryll44 Member Posts: 307
    True. But GM should and could recognize the problem and give special incentives to returning customers. Even if it costs them this time to keep that lifetime buyer. I can see from this experience that GM is gonna end up Chapter 11.
  • taximom3taximom3 Member Posts: 4
    New to posting...really need HELP. since oct.05 we have put 5 thousand dollars in repairs into our 99 Seville with all the whistles and bells beautiful car in diamond white (its a girl thing). With each repair a new problem presented itself the same day. We have a major oil leak on the driver side towards the front. The dealer will repair for 26 hundred. We decided to trade it in with 73 thousand miles on it,no dings no accidents, interior in great shape......My husbands jaw dropped at the bargaining table when he heard the dealers offer of 4 thousand dollars for the trade in. DEAL OFF. Got them to 6 as long as when they put it on the rack that it didn't have a OIL leak that they guess is common with these cars. No Thanks bye,bye......My husband wants to go ahead and repair,I'm wondering what can of worms will that open up.....Any opinions out there would be greatly appreciated.
  • hagen03hagen03 Member Posts: 4
    Getting it repaired would depend on how much oil it is leaking. Is it leaking enough to show up on the back of the car? Does it leave puddles larger than a softball after parking it for a couple of hours? Personally I would add oil and drive it. It will still be worth $4000 to somebody a couple of years from now regardless of the miles. If you have it repaired, most mechanics don't put things back like they find them. Everything is made of plastic and they break holders and locking devices for wires and everything is left dangling, and for that you paid $3000.
  • neilc8rneilc8r Member Posts: 1
    hey, my 1994 4.9 sedan deville is doing the same thing. i can't locate its source 'cause it only does it when i'm out on the road. when your dealer did that clean out, how long before it came back?
  • len11len11 Member Posts: 4
    Have a 95 cadillac seville. Blower motor stopped working. Since the motor has voltage at all times between the red and black wire how does one check if the motor is the problem(bad) or the control on the dash? Thanks
  • tinydog1tinydog1 Member Posts: 83
    Have your friend check out the Hyundai Azera, it's packed with features, has excellent build quality, is smooth and pretty much Lexus quiet all at great price.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Let's stay on topic please. This discussion is for Cadillacs.

    thanks!

    MrShiftright
    Host
  • day9day9 Member Posts: 57
    One thing I am wondering is why he wanted to get rid of the car? Seems to me it is in perfect condition and a keeper. :confuse:
  • ldysportsbuffldysportsbuff Member Posts: 1
    My problem started this morning, I went out, started my car, went to put in in gear (1989 Seville, automatic) and the shifter would not move.
    The button that you push to move into a new gear will not depress. It is solid and stuck.
    I did try to rock the car a little to perhaps move something. I warmed the car for a long period (it was 1 degree here today) and nothing. Any suggestions as to where I should start?
    Thanks
    Donna :sick:
  • hofiehofie Member Posts: 1
    AFTER RECEIVING A 'SUSPENSION SERVICE NEEDED' MESSAGE ON MY DASH, I TOOK MY '01 DEVILLE TO BE SERVICED AND WAS TOLD THAT "...DUE TO UPDATING THE COMPUTER, I WOULD NEED TO REPLACE SENSOR #'s 1288 & 1295 (1295 WOULD REQUIRE ME TO ALSO REPLACE MY THIRD BRAKELIGHT )!! SOUNDS LIKE AN ENGINEERING BOO-BOO TO ME ! ANY KNOWN SIMILAR RECALLS I MIGHT HAVE MISSED ?? HOW CAN I CHECK ?
  • daryll44daryll44 Member Posts: 307
    Why does he want to get rid of the car? Because he uses it for business and likes to drive a "new" car. You can argue that it's a perfectly good Cadillac...so why get rid of it...but that doesn't negate the fact that it depreciated down to about 1/3 of the original price in a mere 3 years. Thus calling into question: "Why throw good money after bad and reward GM with another sale, when Lexus holds it's value MUCH better and costs MUCH less dollar per mile?".
  • ruffoloruffolo Member Posts: 3
    I have a 1999 STS , battery goes dead once in a while cant find problem ,just does it at night when sitting, please send help >
    Doug
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Is it an original battery (seven years old?) If so, it's life is about up.

    If it's a newer battery, you could do a simple test for battery drain with a voltmeter or have someone do this. There may be some normal milliamp drain from some accessory or LED but not very much.

    Also if you use the car infrequently, you may need to attach a maintenance charger when it's in the garage for any length of time.

    But first, check the age of the battery and if it's factory original, I'd swap it out.
  • ruffoloruffolo Member Posts: 3
    Thanks for thr reply the battery is new and the car dosent do this all the time , but more often than it should I will start with getting someone to check milliamps, also the car @ one time had on star I dont know if this has to be un hooked @ the dealer ?? It has a phone also but we dont use it anymore,Ive tried all the regular stuff even had my best friend sit in the trunk to make sure the light went out!!! appreciate anything else you can throw my way.

    Ruff
  • carguy8532carguy8532 Member Posts: 7
    Hi, Maybe someone can help me. I have a 98 Seville SLS with 89000 miles. About 5ooo miles ago the car started taking off in second gear and the traction control light came on. I paid $500 for a new traction control/ABS module and had it installed at a later date. Well the car is stil taking off in second and the traction light is still on. Cadillac and an independent mechanic can't seem to figure it out. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
  • sandyrinvasandyrinva Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1999 Cadillac Deville Concours. I am hearing a thumping noise coming from underneath or the rear of the car. The tires appear to be fine (new) and I checked the trunk to make sure that there was nothing bumping around in there. This just started today. Does anyone know what this noise could be? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks. :confuse:
  • clairevonclairevon Member Posts: 1
    This has been the best car I ever owned. Up until a few months ago I was getting 16/25 MPG. The car was running like a top. I let my battery go dead & had to replace it & ever since then I have had nothing but problems. I had a major tune-up (plugs, wires, cap, fuel injector cleaning) & the car is now getting 11/14 MPG. I accelerate & get very little power. It backfires occasionally & is "missing". Everyone tells me, "give it up, it just got old & died". But the body is still in beautiful shape & the dealer only offered me $200 for it to trade on a newer model. Even to sell it privately at even close to Kelly Blue Book Value ($1500), I feel I need to fix it. Any suggestions? I just put $900 into the car over the course of 3 months, & hate to keep throwing money in if I still come out with $200 to sell it.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    that's a lot of miles....the car has really done its job and its natural (statistical) life is over. I'd let it go and maybe some mechanic with free labor on his side can sort it out. Sounds like bad injectors but who can say without computer diagnosis?

    If you like these cars, buy a used one with low miles.
  • pcollinspcollins Member Posts: 1
    I need info on how to check what code is causing this light to come on.
  • orma69orma69 Member Posts: 1
    The same thing happened to me,The Phone in the arm rest drained the battery in minutes when the power was activated and the car was off, I never use the Phone it would go on if I checked the CD changer. I have a 98 Sts dont know if the same option is in yours. I got rid of the phone never had that problem again. I hope I helped
    Chris
  • ron631ron631 Member Posts: 1
    Recently purchased a 1995 DeVille, with no owner's manual. Can anyone tell me where the heat gage in this vehicle is to keep an eye on whether it's overheating?
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