1995 caddy concours 1st time owner!!!

[ADC3232]

Hello cadillac forums,

I'm a first time owner looking for some start off advice. I bought a well maintained 95 caddy concours with 133800 miles about a month ago. Everything works except heated seats. I ran diagnostic codes and took it to a mechanic the same week. He told me everything looked in order but recommended a new FPR and new rear shocks and compressor. I'm not sure of his pedigree with northstars but there's no signs that he specializes with them. That being said, my question to the cadillac experts is what all should I have checked, cleaned, replaced, changed, etc., other than what DTC codes tell me, in order to have car running top of the line, avoid the TRAGIC head gasket failure and/or other internal engine problems, and keep it on the road for many more miles. I really like the car, it's my 1st bought car, and I want it to run efficiently as long as possible. Thanx

Here's a list of codes and such:

-Lights on: service engine soon, brake, ABS

-DTC Codes:

P039

P097

I027

T031

T037

S010

S011

S012

S017

S020

S022

S027

S032

S035

S060

S061

Thanx again. Swift response would be greatly appreciated!!!!

[Cadillac Jim]

I don't have *all* the codes you report. Here's what I do have:

P039 (E039) Torque Converter Clutch/Viscous Converter Clutch Engagement Problem
P097 (E097) High RPM P/N to D/R Shift
I027 PRND321 switch failure
T031 RR Wheel Speed Sensor Fault
T037 LR Wheel Speed Sensor Continuity Fault
S010 Left Front Damper Solenoid Valve Short to B+
S011 Left Front Damper Solenoid Valve Short to Ground/Open
S012
S017
S020 Left Rear Damper Solenoid Valve Short to B+
S022
S027 Right Rear Solenoid open circuit
S032
S035 Electronic Level Control Compressor Short to B+
S060 Left Front Position Sensor Fault
S061 Right Front Position Sensor Fault

It looks like someone has disconnected most or all of your electronic suspension, including the ride height sensors, the wheel speed sensors, and the electronic shocks and struts. This probably includes the leveling system for the rear, which includes air bags on the rear shocks, wheel height sensors on the rear, and the compressor referenced in S035. The P097 means that someone shifted from Park or Neutral to Drive or Reverse while the engine was above idle speed. The P039 means that the TCC isn't engaging, which you can ignore for now. You want to fix it eventually because without the TCC your transmission will run hotter and you will lose about 1 MPG but around town it won't make any real difference.

There is a remote possibility that some or all these codes are from temporary short circuits from power-washing the car underneath. Some car lots do that when preparing cars for the lot, and the codes are set when they drive the car out of the wash bay. Clear the codes and see if they come back.

[rockfangd]

just my opinion. I find the Deville seat heater elements to be a poor design

This is only for the 60/40 setup. I have taken apart several and found burnt elements. I installed eldo seats in my Deville and havent had a problem since.

I have buckets in all 3 of my caddys and all 6 seats work fine.

I think some pics would be nice for a fine Cadillac

[Cadillac Jim]

In the 90's the Seville was the top-of-the-line and the Eldorado was the same car with two doors and a six-inch-shorter wheelbase, all of it taken out of the rear seat legroom. I would think that the same components were used in the Devilles and Sevilles after a certain point, perhaps 1998 and later model years.

In any case, I think that the use of resistive heating for the seat warmer is something that can be expected to be troublesome in older cars. I just looked in the 2011 FSM for the heated seat circuitry in my car and it isn't clear whether the heating elements are resistive or thermoelectric, but they are not part of the fabric that flexes with the surface, which *should* make them more reliable when they get old.