2009 Cadillac Escalade complaints

MY WIFE WAS GOING TO A DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT WITH OUR 1 YEAR OLD CHILD. WHEN SHE ARRIVES SHE NOTICED THE POWER-ASSISTED STEP DID NOT UNFOLD WHEN SHE OPENED HER DOOR, AS IT NORMALLY DOES. WHEN SHE RETURNED FROM HER APPOINTMENT AND GOT IN THE CAR IT THE POWER-ASSISTED STEP OPENED NORMALLY. AFTER MAKING HER FIRST TURN OUT OF THE STREET SHE HAD PARKED ON, THE NAVIGATION CD STARTED EJECTING AND INSERTING ITSELF AUTOMATICALLY, ALL OF DOORS WERE LOCKING AND UNLOCKING, THE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND CENTER CONSOLE WERE FLICKERING, POWER STEERING WAS LOST, AND THE CAR STALLED. SHE MANAGED TO VEER OVER, TURN THE KEY OFF, AND CALLED ME. I TOLD HER TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND TRY TO RESTART. IT STARTED FINE AND SHE CAREFULLY DROVE BACK HOME. I DROPPED THE CAR OFF AT MY LOCAL MECHANIC AND THEY STATED THERE WERE MULTIPLE WELL-DOCUMENTED BULLETINS ON THIS ELECTRICAL FAILURE HAPPENING AND THAT THE DEALERSHIP WOULD BE BEST SUITED TO REPAIR THE ISSUE. I THEN TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY STATED THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE TERMINAL CABLES TO THE BATTERY. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A MUCH WORSE SITUATION IN WHICH MY WIFE OR CHILD WAS PERMANENTLY INJURED OR KILLED. IMAGINE IF THIS HAD OCCURRED ON A HIGHWAY - CAR STALLING AND LOSING POWER STEERING. THIS MATTER NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AS IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON THEME FOR THIS MAKE AND MODEL. DO NOT WAIT FOR A FATALITY TO OCCUR. *TR

THE HEATED SEAT HAD STOPPED WORKING. THE HEATED/COOLED SEAT MODULE LOCATED UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT HAD A BURNT CONNECTOR. IT LOOKED LIKE IT COULD HAVE EASILY STARTED A FIRE. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM AS THE TECHNICIAN AT THE DEALER SAID HE HAS SEEN THIS SAME PROBLEM MANY TIMES. *TR

CAR SHUT OFF ON ME TWICE WHILE DRIVING. THE CAR HAS A LOUD SQUEAKING, SQUEALING, ROUGH NOISE. WHEN THAT HAPPENS MY RPMS LOCK UP AND WON'T TAKE IT OUT OF GEAR. TRANSMISSION SLIPS AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, IT IS SAID TO BELIEVE AT AN UP/DOWN SHIFT AND A DOWN/UP SHIFT. SUSPENSION AND OTHER PARTS UNDER VEHICLE ARE LEAKING. *TR

PULSE WIDTH MODULATED L.E.D. AUTOMOTIVE LIGHTS SUCH AS ARE CURRENTLY BEING USED ON A FEW UPSCALE LUXURY CARS, NEED TO HAVE THEIR MINIMUM PULSEWIDTH INCREASED OR STANDARDIZED. THEY PRODUCE A DISTRACTING AND OFTEN IRRITATING STROBING EFFECT WHEN VIEWED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CADILLAC ESCALADE EQUIPPED WITH BRIDGESTONE DUELER H/L ALENZA TIRES. THE TIRE SIZE WAS 285/45/22. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY BETWEEN 55-60 MPH, THE DRIVER SIDE REAR TIRE SUDDENLY EXPLODED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE DEFECTIVE TIRE WAS REPLACED WITH THE SPARE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THEY OFFERED TO REPLACE THE TIRE. THE CONTACT REFUSED TO HAVE THE TIRE REPLACED DUE TO THE TIRE MANUFACTURER SAFETY ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,500. THE DOT NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 02/07/11 *BF UPDATED 02/11/11

ON GENERAL MOTORS CARS THAT LIGHT THE BACKUP LIGHTS WHILE PARKED AND REMOTE LOCK AND UNLOCK ARE ACTIVATED. PEDESTRIANS AND DRIVERS STOP AS IF THE VEHICLE MAY BACK UP WHICH SHOULD BE A PROPER REACTION. I HAVE EVEN TAUGHT MY CHILDREN THIS, PEOPLE NOW HAVE A TENDENCY TO IGNORE THE BACKUP LAMPS ON VEHICLES IN PARKING LOTS AS WELL AS CREATING INCONVENIENT SITUATIONS AS CARS AND PEDESTRIANS STOP FOR UNOCCUPIED VEHICLES. I HAVE FOUND MYSELF DRIVING PAST THESE VEHICLES WHEN THEY ARE ATTEMPTING TO BACKUP CREATING A CLOSE CALL. I KNOW THIS SEEMS TRIVIAL BUT I SEE POTENTIAL PROBLEMS AND IT SEEMS TO ME A SIMPLE COMPUTER REFLASH COULD SOLVE THIS DISTURBING TREND. IN THE VEHICLE DESCRIPTION I CHOSE CADILLAC ESCALADE THOUGH IT SEEMS TO BE MOST GM PRODUCTS. *TR

HEADLIGHT INSTALLED HEIGHT ON TALLER VEHICLES SUCH AS CATEGORY 1 AND 2 TRUCKS (COMMONLY CALLED SUV, CROSSOVER, VAN, PICKUP TRUCK, ETC.) IS OF SUCH A DESIGN THAT IT COMMONLY (PERHAPS UNAVOIDABLY) ENDS UP BLINDING DRIVERS IN PASSENGER CARS AT LOWER HEIGHTS BY DIRECTING THE 'HOT SPOT' OF HEADLIGHT LOW BEAMS DIRECTLY INTO THE EYES OF PASSENGER CAR DRIVERS. IN ADDITION, BUMPER HEIGHT ON THESE SAME VEHICLES IS NOT DESIGNED TO MEET BUMPERS ON OTHER VEHICLES, RESULTING IN HIGHER THAN NECESSARY INJURY AND FATALITY RATES. PLEASE HAVE SOMEONE CONTACT ME TO DISCUSS WAYS TO DEVELOP SAFER VEHICLE DESIGNS AND REGULATIONS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CADILLAC ESCALADE HYBRID (NA). WHILE DRIVING AT LEAST 5 MPH, THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT HAD TO STAND ON THE BRAKE PEDAL IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE BRAKE LINE SHUT DOWN AND THE BRAKES LOST ALL POWER. WHEN THE CONTACT TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, THE BRAKE POWER RETURNED. HE CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED TO BRING IN THE VEHICLE FOR INSPECTION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,400.