[Skier-24]

Been looking at my maintenance records. The list is growing and I am really
getting tired of working on this thing. Routine maintenance does not bother
me, but the problems common to these and other GM vehicles do irritate me.

For instance:

Broken exhaust manifold bolts- fixed one. Can't get to the other two.
Rusted brake lines-two blew out. Left with no brakes. Replaced with "OEM"
plastic coated lines. OEM's were not plastic coated.
Rusted leaking fuel pump-Leaking past gasket with a full tank.
Gauges with bad stepper motors-Speedometer and oil pressure. Not fixed yet.
Torque convertor shudder-changed fluid, helped for awhile. Changed filter,
seems worse.
Massive rust, brake rotor dust shields gone, underside of truck, rust bubbles
just above Cadillac emblem on tailgate, and under hood around the latch.
The ESV has always been in Virginia.
Oil cooler lines are leaking.

I have also replaced:

Parking brake cable
One brake rotor
Left front hub and sensor
Rear brake pads

Then yesterday the check engine light came on, P0451

 

[the cadillac man]

The p0451 code is evaporative emission control system pressure sensor range/performance

It's likely a bad sensor

I can't say about the rest of the issues

 

[Silent_Assasin]

Been looking at my maintenance records. The list is growing and I am really
getting tired of working on this thing. Routine maintenance does not bother
me, but the problems common to these and other GM vehicles do irritate me.

For instance:

Broken exhaust manifold bolts- fixed one. Can't get to the other two.
Rusted brake lines-two blew out. Left with no brakes. Replaced with "OEM"
plastic coated lines. OEM's were not plastic coated.
Rusted leaking fuel pump-Leaking past gasket with a full tank.
Gauges with bad stepper motors-Speedometer and oil pressure. Not fixed yet.
Torque convertor shudder-changed fluid, helped for awhile. Changed filter,
seems worse.
Massive rust, brake rotor dust shields gone, underside of truck, rust bubbles
just above Cadillac emblem on tailgate, and under hood around the latch.
The ESV has always been in Virginia.
Oil cooler lines are leaking.

I have also replaced:

Parking brake cable
One brake rotor
Left front hub and sensor
Rear brake pads

Then yesterday the check engine light came on, P0451

Sorry to hear about your luck! ....But same goes for everything! Unfortunately there is always a bad apple!

 

[Skier-24]

This is my second Cadillac. I bought the first one with 20,000 miles. At 40,000 the water pump started leaking,
the fuel tank leaked when full, and one climate control issue after another. And that is why I drove Ford products
for the next twenty years. On the other hand my little Mercury Tracer has been almost problem free for the
last seven years. Also just sold my Mustang after 14 years that gave me very little trouble. Replaced it with
an Equinox.

 

[Twinkillac]

Hi Skier, I hear what ur saying. I am rather new to Caddy's, although I own 2 now. Was always a Buick or Gm guy though. I bought my '06 esv with 136k? on it and not even a year later had to get the trans replaced. Had new trans in for 16k and it went out again, thankfully under warranty. Also have fixed and replaced many parts since I bought it, helps to do it myself and save labor costs.I have heard of brake lines rusting out on these trucks and I haven't ckd mine yet. Also have ck eng light on. Will have to fix that as I have emissions this year. There are other problems I know of and prolly some I don't know. I love my baby though and my girlfriend hates mini vans and small vehicles. So I will keep fixing things as I go and hope nothing major goes or I'm screwed. Good luck

 

[Skier-24]

I would call a transmission "major". What did your transmission do? I think mine has torque converter shudder,
I am not sure. My check engine light came on, erased the code and hasn't come back yet. I love mine too
when it's not messing up.

 

[Twinkillac]

Oh believe me the trans is major and expensive. I've bought and driven cars for years for much less than I paid for the trans. It was hard shifting out of first unless we feathered the gas then wouldn't shift into 4th. Wouldn't shift out of first at all with overdrive button off. Same thing happened with new trans. Guy said a band broke and front pump was leaking I guess. I have little knowledge of auto transmissions so not real sure about any of that. We r just hoping engine, tcase and front and rear axles hold out for at least a couple years and then we'll trade it in. Where was the brake lines bad on yours, along the frame ? Also doesn't the truck store the trouble codes even if their cleared ?

 

[the cadillac man]

The codes are not stored if they are cleared

 

[Twinkillac]

Just wondering because I need an emissions test this year and I thought the code would still show up if it's cleared out. Going to try and fix it, from what I've found it's some evap plug under rear spare.

----------

Thanks Tcm, the code is po449 evap system vent control circuit low. I've searched that and found out I have to replace plug under spare tire apparently. So I'll try that and see what happens. Does the light go off when fixed or do I have to reset it ?

 

[wesyder]

Its faster to clear it, when the criteria of drive cycles are met for the pcm to run that test, if it passes the light will go out

 

[Skier-24]

In Northern Virginia, if they connect a computer for the emissions test, it has to have
been driven about 100 miles since the check engine light has been turned off. Some stations
only look to make sure the light is off. You also get a "waiver"if you spend $700 attempting to
fix the problems. Just another racket.

My bad brake lines: Right front but it blew where it was routed behind the left front wheel.
The smaller leak went to one of the rear wheels and blew under the driver's seat.
I think the two short lines over the rear axle had been replaced already.
So yes, they both blew where they run along the frame on the driver's side.

 

[the cadillac man]

In Northern Virginia, if they connect a computer for the emissions test, it has to have been driven about 100 miles since the check engine light has been turned off. Some stations only look to make sure the light is off. You also get a "waiver"if you spend $700 attempting to fix the problems. Just another racket. My bad brake lines: Right front but it blew where it was routed behind the left front wheel. The smaller leak went to one of the rear wheels and blew under the driver's seat. I think the two short lines over the rear axle had been replaced already. So yes, they both blew where they run along the frame on the driver's side.

Emissions testing is a good thing really but some states don't have them(like here in Tennessee) and you have nuts running around in vehicles that looks like they are about to fall apart(literally)

Though I suppose some would disagree with me on that

Kentucky has those tests and from what I have heard you have to wait till the vehicle is ready to get the test but no history codes are not retained once cleared

 

[djais1801]

my 04 EXT has a weird whining/rubbing sound from steering only when turning the steering wheel left, and the ac intermittently will blow scolding hot, no issue with Freon, tech says the control module deep inside the dash ($$$$ repair). My parking brake cable needs replacing too. I bought the truck 3 years ago, and had it checked out prior...found that it had a replacement GM trans, that was recent. I almost traded the truck in, however they ain't worth jack...I have 128k on her, and there's a few things I want to do...not sure because it's just throwing money away.
BUT...
I want to add an ipod hook up the nav is inop and intermittently the cd player will stop and say "cd error".
and add dvd in the headrests for my kids so I don't have to hold my iphone the entire ride lol!

The intake manifold bolts also cracked...this was a design flaw from whomever made them (metallurgy) was bad. I found out about that on a thread from
hear actually...my buddy is a Cadillac tech, and he checked mine...Yup they were all cracked. I was lucky, he was able to pull them out, if he couldn't the heads would have to come off.
I replaced mine with LS1 stud kit from summit.

 

[the cadillac man]

my 04 EXT has a weird whining/rubbing sound from steering only when turning the steering wheel left, and the ac intermittently will blow scolding hot, no issue with Freon, tech says the control module deep inside the dash ($$$$ repair). My parking brake cable needs replacing too. I bought the truck 3 years ago, and had it checked out prior...found that it had a replacement GM trans, that was recent. I almost traded the truck in, however they ain't worth jack...I have 128k on her, and there's a few things I want to do...not sure because it's just throwing money away. BUT... I want to add an ipod hook up the nav is inop and intermittently the cd player will stop and say "cd error". and add dvd in the headrests for my kids so I don't have to hold my iphone the entire ride lol!

Once you hit 100k miles the value drops like a brick(same applies to cars)

The radio likely needs a new disc drive

You can get a media gateway for the factory radio if you plan staying with the stock radio

Any aftermarket DVD player system will work for the kids

 

[djais1801]

Once you hit 100k miles the value drops like a brick(same applies to cars)

The radio likely needs a new disc drive

You can get a media gateway for the factory radio if you plan staying with the stock radio

Any aftermarket DVD player system will work for the kids

how can I replace the disc drive...send the radio out to get refurbished?

 

[the cadillac man]

how can I replace the disc drive...send the radio out to get refurbished?

Yes it has to be sent out to a repair shop

Really most people replace the whole radio when this happens

 

[djais1801]

Yes it has to be sent out to a repair shop

Really most people replace the whole radio when this happens

I wonder if that is also causing the nav to be inop...I try ejecting the cd and it won't work, and the random 6 disc will just stop playing saying "cd error".
I will look on ebag for one!

 

[the cadillac man]

I wonder if that is also causing the nav to be inop...I try ejecting the cd and it won't work, and the random 6 disc will just stop playing saying "cd error". I will look on ebag for one!

I would find one on eBay as if both the radio and cd changer are doing this then they both likely need replacing

 

[SFX Group]

What you originally listed, most of mine had been replaced, all brake rotors, suspension pump, my drivers seat is playing up, my drivers door mirror (as of today) wont move (it will however fold in which interestingly is MUST fold down before it will do that, if its iced up and cant move the mirror down, it wont fold it).

Drivers door has dropped (have the parts to fix this), my rear door handle (passenger) snapped (corroded at the pivot point). My oil cooler lines need replacing (this year), i will also do the powersteering pump and linkage system.

For the price of the trucks there not built that well, as someone pointed out, 60-70k and you get plastic door handles, not good really.

I needed the carrying capacity so went for the ESV, to be honest not sure what car i would buy for snow (it doest driver well in the snow), however all the parts listed once there replaced, they shouldnt need replacing again.

----------

Yes it has to be sent out to a repair shop

Really most people replace the whole radio when this happens

I had a quote for the 6 disc changer, was cheaper to actually buy a new one (prices like $300+ to repair it)....

 

[the cadillac man]

True on the cd changer and radio

Btw I had over 10inches of snow(over two storms)with 3 inches of ice under that and my 03 with the all wheel drive did great just had to turn off the traction control as it would kill any momentum I had once one wheel broke free

After that I was one of the three who could get anywhere in my area for almost the whole month of February (two wheel drives couldn't go no where)