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Brand New CTS-V Overheated and Broke Down

11K views 49 replies 31 participants last post by  Jinx 
#1 ·
I picked up my brand new CTS-V wagon yesterday. I ordered it and waited 6 weeks. I leased it. I drove the car about 23 miles from the dealership, and then the engine overheated and started smoking and several dashboard lights lit up. I pulled over and pressed the OnStar button and asked for a tow truck. The person at OnStar said that she couldn't locate a towing company, but I was in a city with at least 20 towing companies. Then she said that I was going to have to pay for the towing, which infuriated me. I talked to 3 people at OnStar, who were all useless in figuring out how to get a tow truck. I then called the dealership and they called a tow truck for me. It took more than an hour and a half from when the car broke down until the tow truck arrived. I got tired of waiting and left the car with the keys in it before the tow truck arrived. I believe that the engine was damaged from overheating and making black smoke that smelled like burning oil and plastic. I don't feel like I can trust a car that didn't make it home from the dealership. What should I do?
 
#3 ·
wow, sounds awful. did the temp gauge spike? my 2nd car did this (not 'new') but had these symptoms, turns out the hose-clamp to the bottom of the radiator had failed and the coolant drained completely out of the car - here I was staring at the temp gauge and it wasn't high at all (yeah, it takes coolant to actually register a temp).

The good news, being a lease, this is their asset - not yours - at this point. Do leases include the "Cadillac Shield" so you can get a loaner while they sort it out?

Had it been on any test drives before your 23 miles? or were you the first few dozen miles on it?

Good luck, see how it sorts itself out, the Wagon is an amazing automobile, don't give up on it yet.
 
#6 ·
Maybe it was a dealer prep issue.... Low coolant/no coolant. Maybe low oil?

Could have been an engine that just let go.

At any rate, this is NOT typical of these cars.

Maybe they will give you a new one to make up for this, seeing as the car was new.
 
#7 ·
Call Cadillac customer assistance center and setup a case with them ASAP! Have them escalate the issue all the way up the chain and ask for a replacement vehicle. Tell them you won't accept anything less and that you will consult a lemon law attorney if they don't replace it. Keep us updated. In any event, this is NOT typical for the V series line of vehicles. I have never heard of this happening.
 
#9 ·
OP, if its any consolation, I have been on this board since the beginning of this model run and can tell you that what happened to you is exceptionally rare. I am currently on a multi-thousand mile road trip with my V wagon and can tell you that these cars run like a top--they are generally dependable.

Be thankful you have a lease--it is the bank's asset so long-term you have no worries anyway. Have the dealer figure out what happened and get a Cadillac rep involved ASAP!

And WTF about no available tow through OnStar? That's unusual, too.
 
#11 ·
I don't know if this is part of Cadillac's U.S. program, but in Canada, we have a separate number for Cadillac roadside assistance. The Cadillac roadside assistance (I could be wrong) is supposed to take care of everything.

Speaking of this, I need to add that phone number to my cell just in case...
 
#14 ·
Hello spadad,

I am sorry for this experience you went through! I would be frustrated in your situation also. Please keep us informed on the situation and outcome. We can continue to interact via private message in case there is personal information that needs to be collected for me to further assist you. I understand some people have a hard time via private message, so we can interact via Email also, by contacting me at socialmedia@gm.com with ATTN LAURA in the headline.

Sincerely,

Laura M.
Cadillac Customer Service
 
#15 · (Edited)
The dealer said a hose clamp came off. The car was brand new and had 5 miles on it when I picked it up.

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@ Sardeanie Yes, it's for real.

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@ Blakester Bad call. This really happened. Call Hudson Cadillac in Poughkeespie, NY, and ask them about it. My salesman was Glenn.

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@ NYND I left the keys in it and walked away because it was 90 degrees and I was sitting in the sun and sweating. Let someone try to steal it. They wouldn't have gotten far. Also, the temp gauge spiked and the lights came on all at the same time. I was in the left lane of heavy traffic and it took about 10 seconds to get over to the shoulder and stop.
 
#29 ·
quikag said:
spadad, this is a VERY unusual failure. I've sat in 100F+ heat in park at idle for over an hour and the coolant temp gauge never even flinched.
This past weekend I was sitting in bumper to bumper crawling traffic for over an hour.. With the A/C on High.. It was a sweltering 98 degrees out!! The temperature gauge bumped up and down ever so slightly hanging around 205-210 the whole time. I was impressed. :)

Perhaps a bad thermostat and or a bad cooling fan relay?? This is not normal.. These cars have an incredible cooling system.

Please keep us posted as to what the issue was. Good luck.
 
#33 ·
There was an issue with my hose clamp long long time ago. Thankfully it wasn't bad and I noticed the fluid under the car before I headed to work. I'm paranoid. I always check my garage floor and look underneath on the pavement whenever leaving places.

I have a tow company number saved to my cell also. I trust them. I don't want some dumb guy screwing up anything pulling my car onto a flatbed. I don't mind paying the 50bux.
 
#34 ·
Not necessarily engine damage if it smoked, could have been something like a hose or electrical wire was routed too close to the engine or exhaust from the factory and fried and smoked making things look worse then they necessarily were and that could be why the car died too. Replace the wire or hose and clean off the exhaust and the car would be good as new. We need to know more facts and those should be known in time.
 
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