Complaint Review: Cadillac - Internet Internet

It is with interest that I read this post and feel almost obligated to respond. First off let me assure you that I to have a degree in machanical techknowlogy. I am also ASE certified in Automomiles as well as heavy duty trucks. I am also licenced with the state as a "Journeyman Mechanic" I have taught and still teach Mech Tech on the collage level so I do have some expertise in this area. Now that said, yes most cars/trucks will go well over 100,000 miles if properly maintained. Having one fail at 83,000 is unfortunete but certainly not un-heard off. What needs to be addressed most of all is driving conditions. Was the car driven in a dusty location? If so the maintenance schedule is much shorter. Was the car driven mostly on the highway or short jaunts around town? It is much harder on an engine to continually make short runs then it is if it is driven a million miles. How about the weather in your area? Due you live in a cold climate? If so simply starting your car and driving away without warming the engine up can also be very hard on it. Was the radiator/cooling system ever flushed? That is one area that most people do not even consider. Most people think that simply having water and/or coolent in it means it is fine. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Now as far as GM changing their parts and making them better, that is a common practice with all car manufactures. Not just GM. It is called business. A business (any business) has to constantly update simply to stay in business. How many times do you suppose GM has updated their parts since the first one was built? Don't get me wrong. I am not finding fault with anyone. Chances are that if you maintained your Cadilac in mint condition something will still wear out. That is simply the nature of any moving parts. As I once told one of my students, (in a rather stern way :) ) Parts do not wear in with use. They wear out with use. I do have one suggestion however, write down the vin number of your car and then do an internet search for factory recalls. Check and see if any recalls are outstanding on your car. If so the dealership has to fix it no matter what the age or milage is.

First of all I am NOT employed by General Motors, and have nothing to do with "monitoring" this forum. I only took the "opposing side" of the facts you state because they are NOT accurate. Furthermore, my intention was to inform you that proper and timely maintence of any machine is cost effective and would likley save money and headaches. As a "graduate engineer" in ONLY architecture and planning, you truly speak OUT of your realm of expertise. It would be less embarrasing to YOU if the words and insinuations used were chosen with a bit more care. No person that I know of would ever consider consulting an architect about machinery/auto repair and maintence. If my television ever fails, I'll be sure to call a "degreed" botanist to cure the problem. The facts are as follows: I am degreed as well, in automotive engineering, aerodynamics, hold an Airframe and Powerplant cerification (30 years) from the FAA, plus the Master Auto Technician from ASE for the last 25 years. I currently work in both fields. Sadly, as "ONLY a technician" I realize that some people never take responsibilty for actions they have or have not taken. They never "own" or maintain products they have purchased. The additude seems to be that the product should last forever regardless of neglect of maintence schedules. With automoblies there is no legal requirement to do so. STOP complaing about a 12 year old car that YOU have owned and driven for "only" 83,000 miles while "allegedly" maintaining to factory recommendations. The vehicle belongs to YOU now, not the factory. Nuff said, Your 12 year old vehicle DOES belong to YOU. If you care to insult me or question my credentials EVER again, feel free....

TJR, your effort to discredit the complaint only proves you are employed by GM to monitor this forum, because who else on a complaint forum would take the opposing side of the facts/truth. TJR, you admittedly are ONLY a technition where I am a graduate Engineer, Architect and Planner. And I believe that even others with less engineering knowledge reading and posting about how their Cadillacs have failed them, are not fooled into believing that and kind of maintance will solve the failure of poorly designed GM motors and specifically their head gaskets. The solution is for the GM/Cadillac to not charge the consumer for replacement of the head gaskets with the new ones now available which they claim will not fail. TJR, Cadillac by the fact they have improved gaskets are admitting the original ones are faulty and poorly designed.....Chuck ________________________ PS: Now the Cadillac dealership is telling us the reason the oil preasure light goes is on at idle is because the oil pump has failed and needs replaced at low millage. The dealership maintains our car and the oil is changed every 3000 miles. So here is another design failure and of course TJR you will fabricate some story it is due to lack of maintence. The solution again is for GM to replace the oil pump at no charge since the new pumps are of different design for a reason.....Don't buy a GM/Cadillac untill GM take responsibility for poor engineering design.

There are some folks out there that feel once a vehicle is purchased, it is only necessary to fuel and drive it. Most "drivers" have NEVER even looked at the owner's manual which does include a service schedule. Chuck complains of two Cadillacs he has owned. Both had major problems at around 70 to 80 thousand miles, and several YEARS of use. Furthermore he states that the oil had been changed in both cars every 3000 miles. That is good, however oil is NOT the only liquid in a vehicle that has a service interval. Aluminum engines (which is the standard material these days in ALL cars) will not withstand cooling system neglect. Coolant/antifreeze becomes acidic after about 24-30 months of use. Aluminum, or ANY metal does not cope with acid very well. I'll bet that Chuck NEVER changed the coolant in his now TWELVE YEAR OLD 1992 Cadillac, or at least not as often as recommended. I have owned 11 various GM products so far, FIVE were Cadillacs and EVERY one of them went at least 150,000 miles without major failure. These vehicles were only replaced for the desire to update model year. My 19 year old son (who is not easy on cars)continues to drive one of them trouble free at 196,000 miles!! Chuck's statement of "NO LUXURY CAR SHOULD BE WORN OUT WITH THESE DEFECTS AT ONLY 83,00 MILES REGARDLESS OF THE MAINTENCE PROVIDED" sadly clarifies his ignorance of machinery. I suppose we should all be thankful that Chuck has not yet made the luxury purchase of a Grunman Gulfstream bizjet, or a Boeing 767. Maintenance in those cases is LEGALLY enforced. Regards; T.J.R. Master ASE Technican of 25 years Airframe and Powerplant Technician Aircraft owner and muti thousand hour pilot since 1969.