Cadillac Owners Forum banner

Impact of Re-Org on Recalls

1K views 4 replies 4 participants last post by  guardian 
#1 ·
Guys two questions, please, if I may. I used to post to this forum fairly frequently, but I have not posted recently. Most of my prior posts pre-date the GM collapse and re-org of circa 2008-2009.

This is regarding the timing belt recall. Before the re-org, GM (i.e., Cadillac) would honor that recall notice for any Cat that had never had the belt change performed. This was true even many years later, many years after the recall notice originally went out.

Does the "new" Cadillac still honor those old, pre-re-org recall notices?

Changing out a Cat timing belt is costly and I have to believe the "new" GM (the "new" Cadillac) might today just say: "Sorry, no more free belt changes. That was a different company, they're out of business, and you're out of luck." Or something to that effect.

Has anyone gotten a free belt change from the "new" Cadillac operation?

Along similar lines, my second question:

Before the re-org you could walk in to any Cadillac dealer service operation with your Cat VIN and they would cheerfully provide you your service history, especially as regards recall service. Does this continue to be true with the "new" post re-org Cadillac? Do they still have access to those old service records and are they willing to provide them for free upon request?
 
See less See more
#2 ·
I can give you the definitive answer because I kept a copy of the original recall notice from 2002. The recall was for a 1997 or 1998 Catera within 7 years or 100,000 miles. So, No for the "old: Cadillac or the "new" Cadillac.

As for records, there is a good chance the dealer will still have them. My Catera records were in the dealer's database as of this year.
 
#4 ·
Hello All: I feel for anyone trying to get any cooperation from a Cadillac dealer. When i bought my 97 I was fortunate (or not) to get the original build docs and manuals (not shop) that came with it new, including the original buyer's name. I went to the originating dealer that serviced it for the first 8 years. Even after working my way up to the Service Manager (Wheaton Cadillac) I could not get any info regarding the changing of the timing belt. His argument was privacy laws that supposedly prevented him from releasing the service records. With the recent history of my car I'm considering another Caddy. Guess where I won't buy it. But talking about parts from dealers and the prices (at least here in Canada) reminds me that GM sold all the parts to a third party and charge their prices. For that reason I buy most of my genuine GM/Bosch parts from eBay. Regards, Brian
 
#5 ·
Thank, fellows. I appreciate all the responses and, quite frankly, they all make sense to me. In fact, I think you guys were being overly polite . . something I did not deserve:

I was nuts to think there could be any possibility today's Cadillac would change out a Cat timing belt for free. Duhhhh. What planet am I living on!! Stuff like that does not happen.

As for the service records part, I hope here in the USA the information continues to be made available. That's pivotal stuff for wannabe Catera buyers. Years ago I posted, right here on this forum, the toll-free number for Cadillac customer support. Went back and found my old post, dusted it off, and may give them a try instead of the dealer . . . . if for no other reason just to gauge their attitude about Catera matters in general.

There's no question in my mind, though, that today's new Cadillac establishment is gonna run frightened and screaming from any mention of the word "Catera". Heck, the bunch responsible for the car did that even prior to the re-org!!

At Cadillac, yesterday and (especially) today, the Catera is a red-headed stepchild.:)
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top