1996 Cadillac Seville

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CADILLAC SEVILLE STS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AND SMELLED A STRONG BURNING ODOR OF FUMES INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE ENGINE BEGAN TO OVERHEAT, CAUSING THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE TO INCREASE RAPIDLY TO HOT. THE CONTACT MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF COOLANT LEAKAGE UNDERNEATH THE DASHBOARD AND THE FRONT PASSENGER FLOOR AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 138,000.

GM HAS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE CADALLIC NORTHSTAR 4.6L HEAD GASKETS. THEY BROKE DOWN BETWEEN 70,000 AND 140,000 MILES GM WILL NOT ASSIST IN THE REPAIR OF THE HEAD GASKETS. OUR CADILLAC IS A 1996 WITH 72,000 MILES AND HAS HAD THE LEAKING SINCE 40,000 MILES. THE DEALER WAS AND IS WILLING TO REPAIR FOR APPROX. $3500.00. WE HAVE NEVER BEEN TOLD ABOUT THE LAWSUIT THAT WAS FILES AND THE DEALER HAS KNOWN ABOUT THE DEX COOLANT PROBLEM. THE DEALER WILL NOT GUARANTEE THE HEAD GASKET THEY SAID WAS NEEDED . I DID NOT KNOW THAT THERE WERE SERVICE BULLITTINS ON PUTTING INSERTS IN THE BLOCK FOR THE HEAD BOLTS. I THINK OVER 50% OF THESE ENGINES HAVE HAD THE GASKET REPLACED. THIS WAS A PROBLEM, BUT I KNOW THAT THEY LIKE THE MONEY THAT IT BRINGS IN TO THEM.

MY 1996 CADILLAC SEDAN DEVILLE CAUGHT ON FIRE ON 3-20-10 AFTER I STARTED THE ENGINE. I HAD IT TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHICH INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS AN OPEN RECALL ON THE ENGINE FUEL RAIL WHICH I WAS NOT AWARE OF. I CONTACTED GENERAL MOTORS AND INFORMED THEM OF THE DAMAGES TO MY CAR AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE STATUE OF LIMITATION HAD EXPIRED ON MY CAR. MY PROBLEM IS HOW COULD THEY HAVE FORSEEN THAT THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN UNLESS THEY KNEW THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE STATUE OF LIMITATION EXPIRED ON 2-13-02 AND THE RECALL WAS ISSUED UNTIL 4-16-04 WHICH DOES NOT MAKE SENSE UNLESS THEY KNEW THERE WAS A PROBLEM AND JUST DIDNT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. MY QUESTION IS DID I HAVE TO GET BURNT OR LOSE MY LIFE IN THAT CAR FOR GENERAL MOTORS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILTY FOR WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CAR. NOW I HAVE NO TRANSPORTATION AND GENERAL MOTORS WONT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT HAPPENED. AN EMPLOYEE FROM GERALDS TIRES HAD TO RUN AND GET A FIRE EXTINGUSHER TO PUT THE FIRE OUT BEFORE ANY OF THERE CUSTOMERS OR EMPLOYEES GOT HURT WHEN THE FIRE IGNITED. WHO IS GOING TO HOLD THESE MANUFACTURES LIABLE FOR THERE NEGLIGENCE. IF I HAD RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE I WOULD HAVE HAD THE FUEL LINE REPLACED BECAUSE THATS SOMETHING VERY SERIOUS AND DANGEROUS AND I DRIVE MY KIDS AND GRANDKIDS IN THAT CAR BECAUSE THATS MY ONLY VEHICLE AND I FEEL THAT GENERAL MOTORS SHOULD STAND UP AND TAKE RESPOSIBILITY FOR THERE NEGLIGENCE IT IS SOMETHING THAT THEY MANUFACTURED AND ALSO DANA THE MAKER OF THE FUEL LINE. *TR

NORTHSTAR ENGINE PROBLEM - THE HEAD BOLTS PULLED LOOSE CAUSING ENGINE COOLANT TO LEAK INTO THE EXHAUST. HAD INSERTS PUT IN BY LOCAL MECHANIC WHO HAD PREVIOUSLY DONE TWO SUCH REPAIRS (CADILLAC ADVISED THAT IT ONLY HAD A 60% CHANCE OF FIXING THE PROBLEM IF THEY DID THE WORK AND THE COST WOULD BE $3,000 - $4,000). CAR HAD ABOUT 70,000 MILES ON IT AT TIME OF FAILURE. CAR RAN WELL UNTIL OCTOBER 2008 WHEN COOLANT LOSS STARTED AGAIN. HAVE TRIED VARIOUS SEALANT BUT IT IS LIKELY THE HEAD BOLTS AGAIN. AN ALUMINUM BLOCK WITH ALUMINUM HEADS AND HIGH COMPRESSION APPEARS TO BE COMBINE WITH A WEAK DESIGN OF THE HEAD BOLTS. FROM WHAT I HEAR ALL NORTHSTAR'S OF THIS ERA WILL HAVE THIS PROBLEM AT SOME POINT AND THE PROBLEM WAS NOT FIXED UNTIL 2001 OR SO. IT IS SAID THAT A JEG'S MOTOR HAS ADDRESSED THIS PROBLEM BUT AT A COST OF WHAT, $3,000 PLUS INSTALLATION? I LIKE THE CAR BUT IT IS HARD TO WORK ON AND HAS ITS SHARE OF ISSUES. *TR

GM HAS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE CADALLIC NORTHSTAR 4.6L HEAD GASKETS. THEY BROKE DOWN BETWEEN 70,000 AND 140,000 MILES GM WILL NOT ASSIST IN THE REPAIR OF THE HEAD GASKETS. AT THE DEALER BY MY HOUSE THERE WERE 3 OF THESE VEHICLES IN THE SHOP IN THE LAST WEEK THEY CLAIMED THAT THEY DID 2 A MONTH. THIS WAS ONLY ONE DEALER YES THIS COULD BE ON A CAR THAT WAS A 1994 OR UP THAT I KNOW OFF. THIS WAS A $3500-$6500 REPAIR THEY WILL NOT GUARANTEE THE REPALACMENT OF JUST THE HEAD GASKET THEY SAID WAS NEEDED . I KNOW THAT THERE WERE SERVICE BULLITTINS ON PUTTING INSERTS IN THE BLOCK FOR THE HEAD BOLTS. I THINK OVER 50% OF THESE ENGINES HAVE HAD THE GASKET REPLACED OR A NEW ENGINE PUT IN FROM THE LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH I HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO DO, AND THE DEALER HAVE CALLED A FEW . THIS WAS A PROBLEM, BUT I KNOW THAT THEY LIKE THE MONEY THAT IT BRINGS IN TO THEM. I THINK SOME ONE NEEDS TO INVESTAGE THIS, AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO GO. I HOPE YOU CAN HELP WITH ALL THE TALK OF PEOPLE BUYING OVERSEAS CARS I DO NOT WANT TO BUY ONE MYSELF BUT WITH THE INPUT FROM GM ON THIS THEY ARE FORCING PEOPLE TO DO THIS. *AK

CAR WAS PURCHASED (LEASED) ON 2/22/00. CAR KEPT STALLING WHILE DRIVING OR WOULDN'T START AT ALL. HAD IT TOWED TO DEALER ON 2/29/00. THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM ON 6/8/00. THEY REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP AND I HAD CAR TOWED TO DEALER. DASH BOARD PANEL WOULD READ BATTERY, NO CHARGE WHEN IT WOULD RAIN HAD BELT REPLACED. HAD SEVERAL STIFF SPOTS WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL ON 11/1/01. RACK AND PINION AND WATER PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED WITH ONLY 45654 MILES. ON 1/30/01 DEALER PERFORMED "PROTECT INJECTOR SERVICE" AT 49481 MILES. 2/20/02 RETURNED CAR TO DEALER, GAS PEDAL WAS STICKING. THEY CLEANED DEPOSIT IS FROM THROTTLE BLADES AT 49533 MILES. CAR BEGAN STALLING AGAIN. 10/29/01 EGR VALVE REPLACED WITH 60324 MILES. 12/12/01 SPARK PLUGS HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO POOR PERFORMANCE WITH 60324 MILES. WE HAVE REPLACED THE TIRES, FRONT AND BACK BRAKES. THE AIR CONDITIONING WENT OUT MAY, 2002. HAD IT REPAIRED ON 7/9/02 REPLACED R&R COMPRESSOR ASSEMBLY, EXPANSION TUBE ASSEMBLY, A/C RECHARGE, FREON, DYE KIT, A/C OIL AND ORIFICE TUBE WITH AN ODOMETER READING OF 69860!! RIDICULOUS ISN'T IT?? NOT DONE YET 7/11/02 - A/C IS OUT AGAIN. THIS TIME HAD TO REPLACE THE A/C SENSOR, A/C SWITCH, ACM MODULE, R&R SWITCH COMPRESSOR CUT-OFF, R&R SENSOR SUNLOAD (ATC), R&R MODULE CLIMATE CONTROL. TODAY, IT STILL DOESN'T WORK. I'M TIRED OF PUMPING $$ INTO SOMETHING THAT IS A LEASE. WE CONTACTED CADILLAC ON HELPING US GET OUT OF THIS LEASE AND INTO A DIFFERENT GM LEASE, THEY WOULDN'T HELP. THIS CAR HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT TROUBLE SINCE DAY 3. WHEN PARKING THE CAR AND TRYING TO REMOVE KEYS IS ANOTHER PROBLEM. WE HAVE TO HIT THE TOP OF THE SHIFTER TO GET THE KEYS TO RELEASE. THE SHIFTER STICKS AND WON'T RELEASE THE KEYS. CURRENTLY, THE PROBLEM WE HAVE IS THE BANGING UNDER THE CAR, WHICH WE FOUND ARE THE STRUTS. THEY DON'T EVEN MAKE AFTER MARKET ONES YET! LET US KNOW IF ANY OF THESE THINGS ARE "RECALLED". CADDY CRAP!! THANK YOU. DT