This weekend while driving 55 mph, my engine turned off, the steering wheel locked, then when I hit the brake the car spun. I was in an accident, but I feel like I cheated death. Has this happended to anyone else? And what was the outcome with your SRX?

Jon, I am sorry you first post has to be of this nature. But I am glad you are still here to post!
I am eager to see if anyone else has experienced this. Sorry to hear of your misfortune.

I have never heard of this happening on ANY car. Please tell us more about it. We need the details on what was determined to be the cause and how this could possibly happen. I'm sure that GM will have something to say as well.

Glad your alive to tell us about it.

This weekend while driving 55 mph, my engine turned off, the steering wheel locked, then when I hit the brake the car spun. I was in an accident, but I feel like I cheated death. Has this happended to anyone else? And what was the outcome with your SRX?

Hmmm. Any chance you knocked the ignition key with your knee? Sounds very unique.

No chance that I hit the key with my knee(s). The wheel just "locked" and the engine cut off.

JohnLK: Are you the original owner? If not, it might be wise to have your dealer check the VIN to see what warranty work was done on your vehicle before you purchased it.

Yes, I am the orginal owner. I have had every service-maintainance as suggested by GM on it as well. In fact, I just had the 30,000 mile check-up done two weeks ago.

I want to know if anyone else has had the same problem?

I want to know if anyone else has had the same problem?

I have been hanging around various forums for years and never ever heard of such a thing. I would be very surprised if this has happened to anyone else.

Are you going to tell us the results of investigation into the cause? How long ago did this happen? How bad was the accident/damage?

It happened on Saturday (two days ago). The car was towed to the dealer. I suspect $7-$11K of damage, but I really don't car. I will not get back into that car again.

I suspect the Engine Stopped and the Power Steering was lost or became very tight. Maybe brakes were lost if vacuum was also bled down.
Very strange indeed.

I suspect the Engine Stopped and the Power Steering was lost or became very tight. Maybe brakes were lost if vacuum was also bled down.
Very strange indeed.

That sounds more reasonable. The steering probably "feels" like it locked when it actually just became much stiffer when the engine died. Same for the brakes.

There are probably many people who have had an engine die out unexpectedly. It's been happening for a hundred years. It does indeed surprise you now days more than ever because we become so numbed by the effortless inputs required for the great handling we have now. It happened to me about 20 years ago and for a moment I panicked before I realized I still had full control.

How many miles on your car? Could you have a clogged fuel filter? I had this happen to me on a pickup once, but I retained all ability to steer and brake - albeit with more effort. I believe the column lock on the SRX is the typical mechanical style that engages / disengages with the turn of the key.

I used to own a C5 corvette (2002) and it had an electic column lock. These were known to engage while driving and a lot of folks, myself included, installed a column lock defeat to prevent the lock mechanism from ever energizing and fool the computer into thinking it was working OK. GM's fix for the problem was a circuit that cut off engine power if the column lock was ever engaged. It didn't fixed the problem of the column locking while driving, it just ensured that you lost your power and braking when the column locked.

[QUOTE=c5 rv;1331679]How many miles on your car? I believe the column lock on the SRX is the typical mechanical style that engages / disengages with the turn of the key.

I used to own a C5 corvette (2002) and it had an electic column lock. /QUOTE]


My 2006 DTS has the electric column lock. I didn't know it till the other day when my battery was dead.

Put the key in to start it....dead battery...you could "NOT" turn it off and get the key out. You could turn it back and forth from ACC to ON, but you could not turn it OFF and remove the key. After having Cadillac service come out and put a new battery on it...all was ok.

Was just wondering if maybe JonLK had some type of power failure to the switch causing the engine to die and the column to lock. This is based on the ASSumption that it is an electric column lock.

Jim from Texas

Happened to me once on my '88 Mazda 626 when it was barely a year old. It turned out to be bad gas that killed the engine. The power steering effect was immediate. The brakes initially had boost but that faded quickly. Fortunately, no accident - but that was a significantly lighter car than the SRX.

I can understand being spooked by the SRX and not wanting to get back in it. My incident never reoccurred in the many years I owned that 626.

Good luck.

Happened to me once on my '88 Mazda 626 when it was barely a year old. It turned out to be bad gas that killed the engine. The power steering effect was immediate. The brakes initially had boost but that faded quickly. Fortunately, no accident - but that was a significantly lighter car than the SRX.

I can understand being spooked by the SRX and not wanting to get back in it. My incident never reoccurred in the many years I owned that 626.

Good luck.

Engines dying out while cruising on a road are very rare. And when it does happen, it's most often a problem with fuel.

I just don't get why the brakes would make you loose control?


I had this happen to me on the autoX course a few times and it was fuel pick up issues, but the one time the engine died and the car wanted to come around was infact me hitting the key and shuting the car off and the ABS stopped working so the back wanted to rotate but I was turning and braking.

I had the misfortune of getting the key out its possition while driving. I used to have this key chain wit a strap and one time i pulled on it with my knee. It was scary becouse you tend to panick when all the dash lights come on and you loose the power steering.
I could use my breaks though, I think.

[QUOTE=c5 rv;1331679]How many miles on your car? I believe the column lock on the SRX is the typical mechanical style that engages / disengages with the turn of the key.

I used to own a C5 corvette (2002) and it had an electic column lock. /QUOTE]


My 2006 DTS has the electric column lock. I didn't know it till the other day when my battery was dead.

Put the key in to start it....dead battery...you could "NOT" turn it off and get the key out. You could turn it back and forth from ACC to ON, but you could not turn it OFF and remove the key. After having Cadillac service come out and put a new battery on it...all was ok.

Was just wondering if maybe JonLK had some type of power failure to the switch causing the engine to die and the column to lock. This is based on the ASSumption that it is an electric column lock.

Jim from Texas

On the 06 as well as other manufacturers, there is a detent on the shifter surround at the 1:00 o'clock position. This allows the key to be removed.

[QUOTE=david1;1333598

On the 06 as well as other manufacturers, there is a detent on the shifter surround at the 1:00 o'clock position. This allows the key to be removed.[/QUOTE]


David,

Just went out and looked at the steering column. I remember seeing what you are talking about on other cars, but "THIS" steering column is completely smooth :) other than....

On the left side at 8 o'clock is the 4 way tilt / telescope button. On the right side at 3 o'clock is a 1 1/4 inch rubber filler for where the column shifter would go. I have buckets and console shift. (I have a DTS Performance Sedan)

If it is there, I am too stupid to find it. :) :) :)

Jim from Texas

I am talking about the chrome shifter surround on the floor console. Now that my brain woke up, that may only release the shifter from park.

UPDATE....Today the insurance adjustor came to evaluate my car. The car started, but everyone noticed that there was no steering. None. No power steering. No non-power steering either. No matter how far you turned the wheel the tires did not move. There was also no signal on the dashboard indicating this issue.

Wonder if the Steering Arm broke as the result of the accident. Or the input shaft to the power steering valve broke. More diagnostic info is needed.

I don't know anything more yet....but it had no steering before the car was hit......that's (one of the) causes of the accident.

UPDATE....Today the insurance adjustor came to evaluate my car. ... No matter how far you turned the wheel the tires did not move....

This is a different condition than you described in your initial post where you said the steering locked. Something probably broke due to the accident.

c5 rv posted a link today about a rear end recall that's to avoid rear end lock -up that has caused accidents. See "CADILLAC AWARE OF REAR END WHINE" Is it possible that the rear end locked up, stalled the engine causing the chain of events you survived?

WASHINGTON (AP) - December 21, 2007 -- General Motors Corp. said Friday it was recalling about 313,000 passenger cars and crossover vehicles to fix a fluid leak that could lead to the driver losing control of the vehicle.

The recall involves 275,936 vehicles in the United States, including the 2005-2007 Cadillac CTS and STS sedans, 2005-2007 Cadillac SRX crossovers, and 2006-2007 Pontiac Solstice and the 2007 Saturn Sky convertibles. About 38,000 additional vehicles are under recall in Mexico, Canada, the Middle East and Asia, GM said.
GM said the seal on the rear axle pinion, which provides power to the wheels, does not meet all specifications and could leak fluid. GM spokeswoman Carolyn Markey said the leak could lead to the drivewheel jamming up and locking while the vehicle is being driven, possibly causing the driver to lose control.

I have had repeated electrical problems with my 2002 DHS including periodic spontaneous loss of power. I have not has catastrophic loss of steering but the power steering goes at the same time and the steering becomes very heavy