2006 Cadillac Sts

ON THURSDAY 18 MAY 2017, WHILE DRIVING NORTH ON INTERSTATE 405 IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AT NORMAL SPEEDS, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO MISS OUT; AND THE BRAKES LOST POWER ASSIST. THE PROBLEMS PERSISTED AND WORSENED, SO I EXITED THE FREEWAY TO SURFACE STREETS AND BEGAN THE TRIP BACK SOUTH ON INTERSTATE 405 TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR. WHEN STOPPED ON SURFACE STREETS (AND ON THE FREEWAY), IT WAS NECESSARY TO SHIFT TO NEUTRAL AND ADD FUEL TO THE ENGINE TO KEEP IT RUNNING. ALSO, IT WAS NECESSARY TO APPLY EXTRA STRONG PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF POWER ASSIST. AFTER ARRIVING AT THE DEALER AND SHUTTING OFF THE ENGINE, THE MECHANIC COULD NOT GET THE ENGINE TO RESTART. AFTER EXTENSIVE EXPOSURE OF ENGINE INTERNAL PARTS, DEALER DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT A ROCKER ARM HAD BROKEN AT ONE OF THE CYLINDERS, RESULTING IN DEBRIS FALLING THROUGH THE VALVE OPENING INTO THE CYLINDER AND SCORING THE VALVE SEAT AND THE PISTON. THE DEALER RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE ENGINE. -- AT THAT TIME, THE VEHICLE HAD ACCUMULATED 83,000 MILES OF MODERATE DRIVING, AND WAS ONLY A LITTLE OVER 11 YEARS OLD. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW FROM THE DEALER IN DECEMBER 2005, AND HAD BEEN MAINTAINED EXCLUSIVELY BY THAT DEALER SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. SUBSEQUENTLY, A NEW (REMANUFACTURED) ENGINE WAS PURCHASED FROM AND INSTALLED BY THE DEALER AT A COST OF $12,678.25. THE VEHICLE WAS WITH THE DEALER FOR A TOTAL OF SIX WEEKS TO COMPLETE THE REPAIR AND INSTALLATION. -- CLEARLY, HAD THE ENGINE COMPLETELY FAILED WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, INTENSIVE ACTION WOULD HAVE BEEN REQUIRED TO SAFELY EXIT THE FREEWAY AND TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP (ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF LOSS OF POWER ASSIST ON THE BRAKES). THIS WOULD HAVE PLACED MY PASSENGERS IN VERY HIGH DANGER AND PERSONAL RISK.

WHEN MAKING RIGHT HAND TURNS, THE CAR STALLS TEMPORARILY NOT ALLOWING ME TO ACCELERATE OR ACCLIMATE TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. WHILE THIS IS HAPPENING, THE TRACTION ACTIVE SYMBOL IS DISPLAYED ON THE DASHBOARD. WITHIN A FEW SECONDS IT SEEMS TO ALL WORK AGAIN, HOWEVER IT SEEMS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE AS OTHER CARS ARE EITHER ASSUMING I WILL BE AT THEIR SPEED, OR ASSUME I AM ALLOWING THEM TO GO WHEN IN FACT I AM STUCK. I HAVE 3 CHILDREN IN THE CAR AND I AM BECOMING SCARED THAT THIS MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT AND IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN.

FRONT PASSENGER DOOR DOES NOT ALWAYS OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE WHILE STATIONARY, AND/OR IN PARK, OR WHETHER THE ENGINE IS RUNNING OR OFF. IF THIS CAR IS EVER IN AN ACCIDENT, EMERGENCY WORKERS WOULD HAVE TO TAKE EXTRA STEPS, AND VALUABLE TIME, TO TRY TO SUCCESSFULLY EXTRACT ANY VICTIM FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE. I SEE IT HAS BEEN REPORTED BEFORE!

INVOLVED IN HEAD-ON COLLISION ON JULY 31, 2016 WHEN A VEHICLE PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF ME ON A CLEAR, DRY, DAY ON PAVEMENT I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 30 MPH AND TRIED TO SWERVE TO MISS THE OTHER VEHICLE, BUT MY VEHICLE MADE CONTACT ON THE LEFT FRONT QUARTER PANEL OF MY CAR HITTING THE OTHER VEHICLE AT THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. MY AIR BAG DID NOT GO OFF NOR DID THE SEAT BELT STOP ME FROM HITTING THE STEERING WHEEL. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE WARNING PANEL READ "SERVICE AIR BAG". THE OTHER DRIVER WAS TICKETED FOR FAILURE TO YIELD.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CADILLAC STS. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CADILLAC STS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED AN ABNORMAL NOISE FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE ALSO EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED AFTER BEING SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AUTO START WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60,000.