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Why I hate my XTS VSport Platinum

25K views 49 replies 37 participants last post by  m_eaton53 
#1 ·
I'm a car guy. Over the last few years I've averaged two new cars a year between my wife and I, I just love my cars and trucks. Also, I've never owned anything other than GM, Ford and some Chryslers. I also collect motorcycles but that's another forum :)

Right now I have a 2013 Shelby GT500, 2013 F150 Ecoboost, 2013 Flex and my 2014 XTS. I bought the XTS because it was the largest and nicest car made by an american company. Call me silly, but born and raised in Detroit I still care. Or at least I did until now. This platinum edition was to be my 'nice' car, my daily driver. I've never regretted a new car purchase more than this one.

It started on the ride home. The headliner wasn't clipped in all the way and rattled over every bump. No problem, push it back in right? It would stop for a few miles then on a big bump pop loose again and start rattling. After a couple weeks of this I payed a local shop to silicon the headliner clips together as it was clear this would never stay clipped in place. Now after a few hundred more miles something inside the headliner is starting to rattle over the driver seat. I fear this will never end

This is starting to be a pattern, things working loose and rattling. Next up is the dash, which sounds like dead center has something rattling around. Then the glove box refused to open. Took it to the dealer for this one, more on that later, and now it opens but also rattles continuously as I drive down the road. Something in the rear deck is starting to rattle too, wow this car is a huge piece of $%!T. The right hand mirror blind spot indicator intermittently cuts in and out, bump here and it's out, bump there and it comes back.

Over the winter the wheels build up with ice and snow worse than any other car I've ever owned in my 38 years living in Detroit. There were times I could not operate the car over 25 miles an hour until I melted the ice trapped in the wheels. At least four times this past winter I had to park the car until it melted and drive something else.

So when things thawed this spring and I still had this horrible speed wobble plus the change oil message is on I took it to the dealer. If you've never done business with Suburban Cadillac in Troy, don't. Wife drops it off and gives them part of the list.

He told me all four wheels were bent and to call another company to straighten them. Yep, all four and take it somewhere else for repairs. In all my years driving in Detroit I've replaced a tire here and wheel there, but never all four wheels on a car. None of my other cars have any problem from driving down the same roads with the same driver at the same speeds. Go GM!! Build a car you can't drive if you live in Detroit.

So I pick it up and still have a wobbly car, but now I have three rows of new favorite radio stations and oil on the windshield. I also needed a new key as one was washed. This new key will start the car, but has no memory presets for the seats. Joy. The glove box opens but rattles really bad. Great. Given the choice I would rather have it not work than rattle like this.

The only thing that actually was fixed correctly and completely at the dealer was changing the oil but they managed to give me a few new headaches to deal with in the process.

So now I have the latest and greatest GM can build with all the squeaks and rattles you would want with a ride that would make a truck driver jealous. This is the end for you and me GM, fool me once...

Robert Sanders
Former GM owner and enthusiast
 
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#3 ·
I'm really curious about something - I've been driving cars a lot of years and live in the Philadelphia area and we have the same size potholes as anywhere else in the country and I've never damaged a tire or rim on any of my vehicles in 40 years of driving cars and motorcycles. No offense but how on earth do you damage and bend not one, not two, not three but all 4 wheels? I just find that hard to believe.
 
#5 ·
Exact same problem as my 2013 XTS Platinum.
I have the 20 inch tires which are low profile; bent the rims on the left side two months ago.
Service advisor calls and says "tell me you bought the tire and rim insurance when you leased you car?" I did and their was no out of pocket expense. Just bent the right front rim this week...
I have had numerous problems with this car and will not lease again.
Like you born in Detroit and loyal to Detroit product; however, this car has ruined my loyalty to Cadillac.
 
#6 ·
Very sorry you're having all these problems with your car, it's not the way it should be. I can't help but think of my brother, who traded in his DTS several months ago for a new XTS Platinum - the standard one, not the VSport. His car has been perfect, and he's crazy about it. No problems, no issues, no rattles, nada, zip. He also thinks it's the smoothest, quietest car he's ever owned.

Not trying to start anything here, and I believe every word RSanders wrote, but it's interesting to speculate how and why two cars that presumably came down the same line, and built by the same people, with the same equipment, and to the same standards, can be so different.

I realize this happens in every car assembly plant, and for that matter in every factory no matter what it turns out, but considering the degree of uniformity in manufacture these days, the amount of variance in the end product can be remarkable.
 
#7 ·
I agree with RSanders. I have a 2014 XTS Platinum V-Sport with 8100 miles that I purchased last December and have been impressed with the strides that GM has made in designing and building their products. I've had no serious issues with the car.

My previous vehicle, a 2007 Mercedes Benz S600, was a superbly designed car but a somewhat unreliable one. I broke two 20 inch rims while I owned the vehicle ($1300 / rim). When the second rim broke, the dealer noticed a coolant leak coming from the engine. The turbo seals had failed and the only way to repair them was to pull the engine. "Happens to all the v-12s" the service advisor told me. When the engine was placed back in the car, the starter and the passenger side coil pack failed. Two months and $8000+ (no, I'm not exaggerating!) after I brought the car in for a cracked rim, I received the car back from the dealer. At least they didn't have to crate up the car and send it back to Germany to be fixed.

There were also other issues with the S600 such as the radar cruise control failing while I was driving. This wasn't what I expected from a car that cost $150k new.

I'm not saying this to minimize the troubles that you're experiencing. From your description, it sounds like additional customer service on the part of the dealer will help. Perhaps the corporate customer representatives that support this site can "help" the dealer in this regard.

As for me, I took a chance on Cadillac after two MB cars with quality issues. Only time will tell whether that decision was correct.
 
#8 · (Edited by Moderator)
RSanders is spot on! I have a 2014 VSport with 11k miles on it and have the same headliner rattle and have had to have the rims straightened several times. In fact, I have had to replace 3 rims at my own cost because the tire warranty company (Allstate) said they were good enough even though the car shook like crazy! I live in Westchester County NY and commute into Manhattan each day and am not driving on the Silverado test track just normal crappy NYS roads (Saw Mill Parkway). Great car for hypothetical road or a track but absolutely not for real world driving conditions. Dealership was happy to take my money (purchased both the XTS and a 2014 Escalade Platinum) but couldn't care less now that I am having these problems.
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Good afternoon - Your CF account is activated. Please use the Profile and Settings tabs to update your profile to show correct birth date, approximate location, car owned and time zone - or do you really live in London - GMT ? YOU have to populate your profile - the site simply sets a bunch of defaults.
 
#10 ·
In my opinion, 20" wheels on a car of this size/weight leave too small of a sidewall to protect against pot holes. My STS-V had 20" HRE wheels on it, and I bent one on a pothole. The only problem on the XTS, is the smaller wheels look funny. I saw an XTS with the livery package which included 17" wheels and a nice tall old school sidewall tire. Looked horrible, but probably rode super smooth.
 
#11 ·
Hi RSanders,

If it is any comfort, your XTS rattle issues are not just limited to the 2014 model. I have a 2013 XTS and the rattle issues have been present in my car from about a month after I leased it. Been to 2 different dealers, numerous times trying to fix it. The first one I noticed was on the front, passenger side dash.

It has apparently invited some friends over and now my car has developed a rattle/squeaking noise in the back seat area.

To put it nicely, I cannot wait for my lease to be over.
 
#14 ·
I have a 2014 XTS Platinum w/ the 21" Aluminum wheels. I went through 5 rims this winter here in the Detroit Metro area. Had one tire & rim replaced in January and then had to have all 4 replaced in March/April. There's something fundamentally wrong with a car that cost close to $70k to have these type of problems.

I also had my headliner rattling from time to time. Had that rattle as soon as I drove off the dealer driveway.

GM support doesn't want to acknowledge the problems. They better get wise because all the news right now is centered around the recalls and their willingness to hide the truth.

I've been reading a lot of issues on the XTS Rims now that I believe we have a legitimate problem here and that it should be escalated to the highest level at GM. If these problems continue, I can guarantee you I'll be moving both my vehicles to another manufacturer.

Regards,
Eric
 
#17 ·
The headliner rattle on our 13 Platinum is actually coming from the sunroof. I just had this fixed at the dealer and they told me GM is about to issue a TSB. There's a design flaw where the sunroof "floats" between the seals and the body. The gaskets need to be cleaned and lubed. The grease is on back order. Our dealer advised this needs to happen every other oil change at the moment. They kept the car overnight, as they need to remove the sunroof to get it all cleaned and lubed. I wasn't thrilled with the sunroof coming out so often. The dealer told me that it wasn't a long term fix. They'll be a redesign soon that'll get it all fixed.
 
#18 ·
why would you take a new 75000 car wich is under warranty to "another"garage,to glue a headliner?do you think that the bent rim problem in a bankrupt city that probably has zero road repair is a problem with every fancy aluminum rim made?ill bet it is.if you are being sold pothole insurance you probably need it.
 
#19 ·
Hello All:
I also have a 2014 xts4 v-sport and have been having a horrible time with the wheels and tires. The wheels are not supported enough on the backside and as such, bend very easily and further, the rims cannot withstand the pressures of driving (front end) and as such, the beads break causing the tires to leak air. In fact, I lose some 15lbs of air just from my home to my office. I have had the car back to the dealership so many times that I'm now giving up. They had the car as late as last week from Tuesday until I picked it up Saturday only to find the same problem again on Monday. In fact, I had to turn around and go back home as by the time I got back to my driveway, I only had 18lbs of air left. I travel 61 miles each way to work and back on the Pa Turnpike....not off roading. This car in functionally obsolescent and I would have had a lot less problems buying a volkswagon. I have spoken with Detroit several times and they tell me its not their issue, its the wheel manufacturer however, I did NOT buy the car from the wheel manufacturer nor did Cadillac warn me of this problem BEFORE signing on the dotted line for a 62,000 price tag. I am disgusted. I purchased the wheel warranty which allows them to either straighten or replace the bending aluminum wheels which by all accounts, should NEVER be straightened. Doing so only weakens the aluminum and could pose a severe safety hazard. Detroit called me back advising that they DO NOT recommend straightening them now either! THIS CAR IS NOT SAFE NOR IS IT BUILT FOR ITS INTENDED PURPOSE.....DRIVING! The car is being picked up at my house yet again, this time the last. I told the dealership to e-mail my service records to me which I am now forwarding to a LEMON LAW, LAW FIRM in Philadelphia and for them to keep it. I have been a long time Cadillac owner and in fact, still own my 2008 DTS which I just installed a new motor for 8,500.00 Its a shame that Detroit (Cadillac) will not stand behind their products. Telling me that its the wheel manufacturer's problem is NOT the right answer and they should (had a duty to) notify buyers of this issue BEFORE selling me the car instead of putting my and my family's safety at risk for their almighty dollar!
 
#21 ·
I drive mine like I stole it and can conquer that they lose pressure even with the 19" wheels. I lost about 16 pounds in 2 weeks, lol....yes, I drive fast as hell and corner this thing to it's limits;) Fun but it's getting annoying....my CTS dealt with me perfectly but my XTS seems to want an older driver:D
 
#22 ·
Good Evening Robert:

My name is John and I have been having the same issues with my 2014 xts4 v-sport. The wheels bend and the front tires just wont stay seated and despite the dealer glueing them over and over again, they keep leaking. Today, I was driving to work with my son and had to turn around because I wouldn't have made it to work. By the time I got back to my house, I only had 18 lbs of air left. Now, when you take into account that I had this same issue just last Tuesday and that the dealer had the car (for what seems like the 20th time in less than two years), until Saturday. Yes, I just picked it up Saturday only to have this problem again on Monday! I'm just so sick of it. I spent close to 65,000 on this piece of ____T and I would have had less issues with a Volkswagon. This is NOT right. The Manufacturer told me that its the wheel manufacturer's problem whereupon I stated, no, I bought the car from YOU and I did NOT contract with them, you did.
Despite purchasing the vehicle in June of 2014, and as you can see from earlier posts, they FAILED TO DISCLOSE this issue! BTW, because the wheels are aluminum, you CANNOT straighten them without damaging the integrity of the wheel and possibly making them more likely to crack. Imagine that when your doing 70 with your wife and kids in the car on the turnpike. NICE!
Cadillac called me to advise that they now DO NOT recommend straightening them wheels....OMG...Took them long enough and I had to advise them of what their vendor was doing before they came to that realization. I'm in the insurance business and we also defend claims on a national level. I cannot believe this is allowed to persist and that someone at Cadillac is NOT man enough to step forward and accept responsibility for this functional obsolescence issue.

I have been a Cadillac owner for years and still have my 08 DTS (which I love). I am so sad to see what has become of Cadillac and that they are hiding on this life safety issue. I was wondering what you did in order to resolve your issue as I am about to engage counsel.
 
#26 ·
20" rims are on the hig perf XTS. Last winter the Northeast, upper Midwest got huge pothole problem. The bent rim issue on low profile rims is not new. A friend (who drives modestly) bent numerous rims (9) on a 3 series BMW. Only when he bought FORGED rims did that stop. Any car with tire aspect ratio equal or less than 45 series is prone to rim trouble, also wide rims. I wish Cad used forged rims on the cars with low profile tires. Also wish the Feds and States would actually spend money on their roads.
 
#31 ·
Personally, I don't follow these forums to learn how someone loves this and someone loves that or that this feature is better than sex. I can learn all that from the salesman. I want to hear about the pitfalls and glitches that people are experiencing. You can weed out the onesies and twosies and easily determine if it's really something to worry about. So bitch on as far as I'm concerned.
 
#33 ·
So much depends on the dealer! That and understanding what a performance wheel/tire package with low aspect tires and a congress that is not spending money on roads does to your car. I see you know performance. Had a friend that had a 3 series and despite relatively tame driving bent 8 rims. He found out that BMW had forged rims and bought them. No more rim trouble. Too bad Cadillac doesn't use forged rims on their performance cars. The rest? I have a completely trouble free XTS VSPORT which I drive fairly hard. Not a rattle or a creak. The only issue is that the trans will misbehave for a fraction if I jump on the gas right after a hard slow down. Gets better gas mileage than is predecessor CTS DI. You need a new dealer! GM needs to send you to a zone problem solver and give you a loaner.
 
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