2003 CADILLAC CTS Complaints

MINOR TRAFFIC ACCIDENT DRIVERS SEATBELT BUCKLE EXPLODED RELEASING SEATBELT, STEERING WHEEL AIRBAG DEPLOYED FROM THE SIDE. INSURANCE COMPANY HAS THE VEHICLE. *TR

V6 ENGINE WITH COOLANT LEAKS. 3RD TIME SOMETHING DEALING WITH A LEAK REASON FOR SERVICE. THIS TIME A WATER PUMP THAT LEAD TO BROKEN,CRACK PULLEY. I CAN FIND NO ONE EVER HAVING THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE BEEN WITHOUT A CAR ALMOST 30 DAYS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CADILLAC CTS. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS ATTEMPTING TO BACK HIS VEHICLE OUT OF HIS DRIVEWAY AT A LOW SPEED, HE NOTICED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE OUTER TIE ROD HAD COMPLETELY DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE DAMAGED THE INNER TIE ROD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE INNER AND OUTER TIE RODS WERE REPLACED. THE CONTACT DID NOT NOTICE ANY DIFFERENCES BEFOREHAND. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 68,000. UPDATED 10/16/08 *BF UPDATED 10/21/08. *JB

WE HAVE WORK ON THIS TYPE OF CARS BEFORE AND IT SEEMS TO BE THAT THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH THE TAIL LIGHTS. I BELIEVE THEY WERE MADE TO WEAK. *TR

HEADLIGHT COVER ON CADILLAC CTS 2003 DEVELOPS CRACKING AND SPIDER WEBS, SUCH THAT VISIBILITY IS DIMINISHED. I HAVE NOTICED THIS ON ALL OLDER CTS VEHICLES IN THE PHOENIX AREA. IT MAY BE DUE TO THE SUN. HOWEVER, THIS PROBLEM DOES NOT APPEAR ON OTHER OLDER VEHICLE HEADLAMPS. THE DEALER WILL NOT REPAIR DESPITE EXTENDED WARRANTY. REPAIR CAN ONLY BE DONE VIA REPLACEMENT ON THE ENTIRE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY WHICH COSTS IN EXCESS OF $1,300 PLUS LABOR BY A GM DEALER. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CADILLAC CTS. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED FOR A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE, IT EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER. WHILE PULLING OUT OF THE DEALER PARKING LOT AT 20 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, BUT THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE MORE HE DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE LESS POWER THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED. THE CONTACT LET UP OFF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND SOME POWER RETURNED TO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE GRADUALLY GAINED POWER THE MORE HE RELEASED THE PEDAL. THE DEALER RESET THE FUEL INJECTOR SWITCH; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED A FEW DAYS LATER. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL AUTO PART STORE AND THEY PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE RESULTS INDICATED THAT THREE INJECTORS WERE BEING MISREAD. THE CONTACT MUST CONTINUOUSLY PUMP THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO START. THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY STILL EXHIBITS SIGNIFICANT POWER LOSS AND WILL SHUT OFF IF GIVEN TOO MUCH ACCELERATION. NO FURTHER REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,900 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 51,000. UPDATED 07/29/08 *BF UPDATED 07/29/08

PICKED UP VEHICLE FROM SHORT TERM PARKING IN APPROXIMATELY 7 DEGREE WEATHER. AFTER STARTING VEHICLE AND RUNNING FOR APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES NOTICE SEVERE POWER LOSS. WITHIN NEXT COUPLE OF MINUTES BLACK SMOKE WITH EXTREME BURNING SMELL FLOODED VEHICLE INTERIOR COMPARTMENT ALSO SMOKE STARTS TO COME FROM UNDER HOOD OF VEHICLE. PULLED INTO SAFE LOCATION FOUND HUGE OIL LEAK ON LEFT SIDE OF ENGINE AROUND VALVE COVER. COULD HAVE POSSIBLY STARTED A FIRE DUE TO HIGHLY COMBUSTIBLE OIL BEING BLOWN ON ENGINE BUT LUCKILY DID NOT CATCH ON FIRE. CHECK ON-LINE FOUND TSB 05-06-01-007A STATING GM KNOWS THIS IS A PROBLEM. "WHEN OPERATING IN EXTREMELY COLD WEATHERCONDITIONS, SOME 2003-2004 VEHICLES WITH 3.2L V6 ENGINE MAY LEAK ENGINE OIL FROM THE CAM/VALVE SEALS, ESPECIALLY FROM THE LEFT SIDE JUST BELOW THE OIL FILL HOLE IN THE CAM/VALVE COVER." THIS IS QUITE A BIT MORE THAN A LEAK SINCE APPROXIMATELY A QUART OF OIL WAS BLOWN ON THE ENGINE IN ONLY A COUPLE MINUTES. IF THE ENGINE WOULD HAVE BEEN HOTTER THERE COULD EASILY HAVE BEEN A FIRE. SINCE THIS IS A KNOW ISSUE WITH A KNOWN CAUSE SHOULDN'T THIS BE TAKEN CARE OF BY GM OR AT LEAST THE SAFETY OF THE DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED. THEY HAVE A CORRECTION LISTED IN THEIR TSB THAT LOOKS TO FAIRLY INEXPENSIVE BUT SINCE THIS IS NOT ON A RECALL LIST THE COST FOR REPAIR WILL BE MUCH LARGER DUE TO THE BLOWN OUT GASKETS. IT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE IF THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE CAUGHT FIRE. TO FIX BEFORE THIS HAPPENS TO YOU USE GM PCV HOSE KIT, P/N 55558592 AND OIL FILTER CAP, P/N 12589430. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CADILLAC CTS. THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND NOW THE ENGINE IS RUNNING HOT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT ANTIFREEZE WAS LEAKING INTO THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT THE COST OF $7,000. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY PARKED AND HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 73,076 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CADILLAC CTS. ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, THE TRUNK WOULD SLAM DOWN ON ITS OWN. THE TRUNK SLAMMED DOWN ON THE CONTACT'S HEAD AND BACK ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. SHE ALSO STATED THAT THE TRUNK WAS DIFFICULT TO LIFT. THE DEALER INFORMED HER THAT THE FAILURE WAS COMMON AMONG THAT YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD REPLACE THE COMPONENT, BUT THE CONTACT HAD TO PAY THE LABOR FEES. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 41,990 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000. UPDATED 3/4/08 *CN THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE LIFT SUPPORTS WERE DEFECTIVE. UPDATED

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT WAS STRUCK IN THE HEAD IN BOTH JULY AND OCTOBER OF 2007 BY THE TRUNK LID COMING DOWN. SHE WAS STRUCK ON THE HEAD AND BACK AND WAS SORE, BUT DID NOT NEED TO SEE A DOCTOR. SHE SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE VEHICLE TO BE INSPECTED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 7,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,000. UPDATED 12/12/2007 *BF UPDATED 12/12/07