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87K views 252 replies 57 participants last post by  derone 
#1 ·
2001 STS 34,000 miles

My 2001 STS has been back to dealer nine times for this 60-75 MPH Shake/Shimmy. Cadillac zone rep drove the car and said it is OK. This problem comes and goes. after having a tire store balance the tires it lasted 300 miles. Now time to balance again, this game is getting old. Went 300 miles without any problem, now Shake/Shimmy again.


Owned 92 STS and it drove perfect, no shake/shimmy. Also owned a 1997 Concourse, drove perfect too. What did Cadillac do to their front wheel drive. They have replaced the tires (1.5) sets, 6 balancings, front control bushings replaced. Cadillac customer care offered free tires and oil changes for two year. I said "No thanks I just want my car fixed. They said they would continue to work on it. I think Cadillac dealers need special hotels for owners of this Shimmy/Shake problem. They can balance at night while we sleep. The dealers are getting tired of seeing me as they have no solution.

How many thousand Cadillacs are out there that have a Shake/Shimmy problem.

Frank in Dallas texas
 
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#78 ·
Glad someone finally checked their mounts.....

The cradle mounts have a solid inner tube....so you can only tighten the mounts so much.

Just FYI....

With the washers flipped.....and the sockets caught between the cradle and body.....it will make some 'pop' sounds now and then. So that is just a temporary 'test' situation.

I think I have figured out a cheap, solid mount design. But I cannot get the lower rubber to come off the cradle.....it is like its bonded onto the cradle.....

Logan Diagnostic
www.ledfix.com
www.airbagcrash.com
www.logandieselusa.com
 
#82 ·
The 1998 Seville/STS, and the 2000 and later Deville/DTS, do not use a upper strut brace. That idea has also crossed my mind....

Earlier E/K cars did use a upper strut brace.

As for the cradle mounts, focus on the upper cradle mounts as being the weak area. Cradle dancing....also the upper strut bushings appear to be very loose.....

Best posting is this:

"OK, I put my 98 Seville up on my lift last night and checked the play in the cradle mounts....and I found exactly what Logandiagnostic is describing.....there is lots of "WIGGLE" . It would wiggle everything...including the tires....this has got to be the problem...."

Tires, wheels, control arms, steering rack, struts, engine and trans all are mounted to the cradle.....



Logan Diagnostic
www.ledfix.com
www.airbagcrash.com
www.logandieselusa.com
 
#83 ·
Hey Logan,

I wonder if this problem has been since the car was new...I would expect that Cadillac would not sell a car with this problem...so it must only be after the cradle mounts have worn or softened. From what I can tell on GM parts direct, new ones are not too expensive....Do you think replacing them would bring it back to what it should be like? My car has 108K on it and I bought it with 100k on it...so I am don't know what it rode like when it was new.

If you come up with a solution, let me know you can PM me and I will send you my email address.

I will work with you on my end to also help resolve this issue.
 
#86 ·
Since I have owned my Seville, I have been hearing about the possibilty of the front motor mount being the cause of the vibration. So I kept my eyes open on Ebay for a new mount. I got it today (only paid $24.00), and installed it. What a major m-fing PITA. That may just be the hardest I have ever worked on a car (probably not). All that I have to finish up on, is hose down the car (anti-freeze everywhere), and install the splash shield, and the radiator cover. I will take it for a ride tomorrow, and keep my fingers crossed.

I started with looking at the cradle mounts. I put the car on jackstands, and tried to move the cradle. I cannot be 100% sure, but I do not believe it moved. If the engine mount does no good, then I will buy the new insulators for the cradle (will run about $80.00 for all 12). It doesn't appear that it would be too difficult to do them.

Check it out. Yesterday I was googing for some aftermarket cradle mounts. What I found was that the 1994 Eldorado had polyurethane mounts. Now, will these mounts fit our newer cars? I may have to check this out at the dealer. But, I will need a VIN for a '94 Eldo. My dealer is very helpful, but without a VIN, they seem to be lost. Can anyone help here?

Don
 
#87 ·
I took the car for a drive a little while ago, and it seems that the engine mount has helped. I will not know how much, until Monday, when I travel to and from work. The road I traveled, was the road that I used when I bought my car, and brought it home. The car was vibrating when I drove it home from the dealer about 15 months ago. While driving today, it seems like there was almost no vibration at all. On Monday when I use the NJTP, I will see how it handles. But, so far, so good.

Don
 
#89 ·
agood1 said:
Dadillac:

Here are a couple of VINs for 1994 Eldorados...can you see about the poly mounts and if they will work with the later models?
Thanks, if I have time on Monday, I will stop by the dealer, and see what i come up with. I may have to order a few parts, to see what the differences are, but as long as it isn't too much $, I am willing to do the research.

Don
 
#90 ·
I just discovered that the upper mounts have been superceded with new part #'s. The old number/new number are as follows

25660042 / 25757176

25609339 / 25757175

I am picking up new upper mounts, if for nothing else, just to see what the difference is. I will let you know.

Don
 
#92 ·
Logandiagnostic said:
Wow......here is some news you can use!!!!!!
Stopped by Cadillac dealer today (Sunday). The 2006 Deville cradle mounts have changed. They are a very near solid mount design. Very little rubber.
But, will they work in our cars? I am assuming that with the restyle (although mild), that there is a new cradle design.

Don
 
#93 ·
No, I am sure they will not work on our cars. The cradle design DID change some, but the new mounts are much tighter then the 2000-2005 design. Like 10 times tighter than the old style mounts.......

This helps support the wiggly cradle theory as the problem.

I already have a simple, cheap, solid mount design ready to go. It's been a bit cold out to swap them.....

Also, trying to figure out how to remove the lower rubber from the cradle.


Logan Diagnostic
www.logandieselusa.com
www.ledfix.com
www.airbagcrash.com
 
#94 ·
Ok.....went back to the Caddy dealer with camera.....

DCadillac.....I looked at a used 1998/99 era Seville on the lot. We both have the same cradle mounts.

I looked at 2 used cars....one Seville and one Deville.

Using just my index finger.....I could move the upper rubber mounts on both used cars. The upper rubber has shrunk....

I attached a picture of the 1998-2004 Seville and 2000-2005 Deville style mount.
 
#96 ·
Holy Cow!!!!. Obviuously Cadillac has realized the poor design of the older cradel mounts. The sad part is they left their old custmers with no good resolution....typical of the GENERAL....probably why the inports are killing them.....
Well, we can come up with something.....we will just have to work at it.
 
#99 ·
agood1.....you have seen how the cradle can vibrate.....wiggle...

I think the complete virbration cycle can be blamed on the cruddy mounts.

I went to the Caddy dealer.....expecting that they would continue using the same design....Hell...new solid mounts 2006! Total change.....We are on to it...

Go look at a Saturn VUE....the craddle is mounted directly to the body...no rubber at all.

Logan Diagnostic
www.logandieselusa.com
www.airbagcrash.com
www.ledfix.com
 
#100 ·
IT's certianly worth a try. You are right...I replaced a bent subframe on a 97 Saturn SL about a year ago...and it was mounted directly to the frame....but that car not designed to have the ride of the cadillac.

Are you going to give your fabricated mounts a try? If so, let me know what happens. It will be very interesting.
 
#101 ·
They may have changed the mounts to eliminate the donut shaped cradle insulators mainly because they don't do much. The lower insulators butt up against the cupped washer, so you can ride around without the donut and not really notice the difference. There was a bulletin on the 93 Allante for cowl shake and the bulletin said to eliminate the donut and make sure the lower mount was seated in the cradle.
 
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