mikeal1892 Posted June 7, 2006 Report Share Posted June 7, 2006 Hello, Its me with the Seville again. I bought the car two years ago for 7 grand W/ 60k miles and I bought the car with a suspension issue. I spent about another 1 grand on fixing that replacing a strut and tries. Then there was the head gasket issue 3k grand w/ 101k miles on it at that time. From that results in the transmission needing torque converter needing replace 2 grand. Now the Abs pump motor is bad looks to be another 1 grand ( now at 106k miles). What should I do ? It seems no matter what gets fixed with this thing theres always another issue! I now stand to have 14k in this car. I just wanted to know what you guys thought but I doubt I can even consider trading this car with these issues. So, I will most likely have the work done and buy something else and leave this problem waxed up and in my garage. I just cant win this one I more than could have paid off my 96 Deville and bought another for what I have put into this SLS! I owed barely 2k on my 96 and I had a 159k miles on it.. The guy whom I sold it to just traded it for an 03 deville. When he traded my 96 it has 197k miles on it and I nor he has ever had to pour any money into it other than the 2k I paid when I got it to have the suspension replaced. I could have traded my car for a 98 Deville and I wish that would have done so. I have owned 17 cars and I have never had this much trouble with anything. Thank-you all for your advice in advance! Michael Southward Bloomington, Indiana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimD Posted June 7, 2006 Report Share Posted June 7, 2006 .... Now the Abs pump motor is bad looks to be another 1 grand ( now at 106k miles). What should I do ?.... Cutting to the chase scene.... Have you inspected the pump motor ground wire for corrosion, tightness, broken wire? Your C1242 code simply means the pump motor circuit ground is "open". That open could be inside the pump motor which would be bad news, but it could also be an open circuit in the external ground wiring. Eliminate the easy to find and repair stuff first. Jim Drive your car. Use your cell phone. CHOOSE ONE ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill K Posted June 7, 2006 Report Share Posted June 7, 2006 No matter what the brand is there is a possibility of getting a car that is just plain trouble. Sometimes you just cut your losses and peddle it. Sounds like you got a good buy when you got it. Maby a reason for the good buy??? I have always bought two to three year old cars, usually higher miles, and have never had a car that cost me as much in repairs (head gasket) as this one. My 97 Concours was a gem, untill totaled in an accident. Just have to file this car, and possibly yours, in the crap happens file. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeal1892 Posted June 7, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2006 .... Now the Abs pump motor is bad looks to be another 1 grand ( now at 106k miles). What should I do ?.... Cutting to the chase scene.... Have you inspected the pump motor ground wire for corrosion, tightness, broken wire? Your C1242 code simply means the pump motor circuit ground is "open". That open could be inside the pump motor which would be bad news, but it could also be an open circuit in the external ground wiring. Eliminate the easy to find and repair stuff first. THANK you thank you thank you Jim D it was just the ground something must have happen with it when the head gaskets were replaced ! All is well and Im not having any lights on! Thank you again , Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimD Posted June 8, 2006 Report Share Posted June 8, 2006 The credit belongs to the SAE committee groups that designed, developed, flagged, and integrated the possible failure modes into the OBD. At the driver / repair level, we are only reading and interpreting the DTCs. Jim Drive your car. Use your cell phone. CHOOSE ONE ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeal1892 Posted June 8, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2006 Have you have much trouble with your 98 Seville ? Michael - And I forgot to tell you Jim I love that pic ! you need to post it big size.. I love the pearl ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimD Posted June 8, 2006 Report Share Posted June 8, 2006 Zero 'trouble'. It has never stranded me on the side of the road. Scheduled maintenace and routine replacement parts only so far at 146,xxx not always gentle miles. Jim Drive your car. Use your cell phone. CHOOSE ONE ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeal1892 Posted June 8, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2006 Thats Awsome. I can say mines never left me sitting either ! Michael - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BodybyFisher Posted June 8, 2006 Report Share Posted June 8, 2006 Mike, as you may or may not know, one 98 owner might have all kinds of trouble whereas another 98 owner has no problems at all. Its all related to maintenance, care and mechanical competance. Personally I dont think YOU have had any big problems at all. The ABS 'problem' was related to your mechanic not fixing it before he gave the car back to you. We had discussed the ABS issue via email, I told you that your mechanic needed to fix it, as you didnt have the problem when it went in for head gaskets and they needed to move the ABS unit to drop the carriage The suspension issue was not a big deal, I helped you with it, I believe you had the problem when you bought it? The torque convertor could have been done when the engine was out and you could have saved a bundle. Did you get the torque convertor replaced? The head gaskets were related to poor maintenance. These are complex cars, you either need to be mechanically inclined, willing to learn or you need deep pockets. You know nothing about how your car was maintained before your purchased. We have had these discussions before, if you decide to purchase a new caddy, you will be much more experienced to make a good purchase decision. You need to find a one owner that has all of the maintenance records on a car that was well maintained. Not have that info and its a risky decision. Personally if I were you, I would unload this car ASAP since it was NOT timeserted, trade it for a GM Certified vehicle with a warranty and you will be happier. At 101K miles be prepared for continuous repairs, remember there is NO free lunch, you are either going to have a new car payment or repairs, once the repairs level exceeds a new car payment its time to unload the car. Pre-1995 - DTC codes OBD1 >> 1996 and newer - DTC codes OBD2 >> https://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/gm/obd_codes.htm How to check for codes Caddyinfo How To Technical Archive >> http://www.caddyinfo.com/wordpress/cadillac-how-to-faq/ Cadillac History & Specifications Year by Year http://www.motorera.com/cadillac/index.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimD Posted June 8, 2006 Report Share Posted June 8, 2006 .... And I forgot to tell you Jim I love that pic ! you need to post it big size.. I love the pearl ! I'm flattered. Try this. http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i101/Jim...et/DSC01758.jpg Jim Drive your car. Use your cell phone. CHOOSE ONE ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill K Posted June 8, 2006 Report Share Posted June 8, 2006 Mike, Your list of causes for mechanical problems leaves out the human error of assembly/design at the manufacturing level. Sometimes a owner can do nothing wrong and still have a looser. Everyone makes mistakes. And I disagree that Michaels maint. or lack of should or did cause the head gasket failure. It seems that no matter how religious you are at the maint. of the auto some head gaskets are going to fail on certin year northstars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeal1892 Posted June 8, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2006 My car was fairly well taken care of I have almost all the records on the car it was bought for a local Dr's wife off the showroom floor believe it or not. This car was ran out to the dealership for every little thing ! And they know the car well.. the car had 34 service orders in the system from paint to trim ! I have a binder I keep on every little thing on her. the first oil change was 5/22/98 at 3,715 ! Jim , that photo is this the nice a** section ! Love it ! Michael- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BodybyFisher Posted June 8, 2006 Report Share Posted June 8, 2006 Mike, Your list of causes for mechanical problems leaves out the human error of assembly/design at the manufacturing level. Sometimes a owner can do nothing wrong and still have a looser. Everyone makes mistakes. And I disagree that Michaels maint. or lack of should or did cause the head gasket failure. It seems that no matter how religious you are at the maint. of the auto some head gaskets are going to fail on certin year northstars. That may be true, but we did determine that Mikes coolant was older than 5 years, I think we determined that it was 8 years old. You are free to disagree with me, but its hard to disagree with the facts. As we all know, coolant that is older than 5 years looses it's corrosion protection: Antifreeze/Coolant, Larry Carley, Counterman, May 1997 Antifreeze is what protects the engine from overheating, the coolant from freezing, and engine and cooling system components from corrosion. To provide these three benefits, the antifreeze must be used in the proper concentration and be in good condition. Most vehicle manufacturers recommend using a 50/50 mixture of antifreeze and water in the cooling system for year-round driving. At this level of concentration, most antifreezes will provide freezing protection down to -34 degrees Fahrenheit and boilover protection up to 265 degrees depending on the pressure rating of the system (the higher the pressure rating, the greater the boilover protection). Higher concentrations of antifreeze can be used to extend both the freezing and boilover protection. At a maximum concentration of 70 percent antifreeze and 30 percent water, most antifreeze will provide freezing protection down to -84 degrees and boilover protection to 276 degrees (at maximum pressure rating). Under no circumstances should a higher concentration of antifreeze be used in the cooling system. Antifreeze does not carry heat quite as efficiently as water, so increasing the concentration of antifreeze beyond a maximum concentration of 70 percent can reduce the cooling capacity of the system and increase the danger of overheating. What's more, straight antifreeze will not provide as much freezing protection as a mixture of antifreeze and water. Straight antifreeze freezes at -8 degrees F! Nor should straight water ever be used in a cooling system. Straight water freezes at 32 degrees, boils at 212 degrees (which is close to the normal operating temperature of many engines today!), and provides no corrosion protection whatsoever. Most antifreezes are ethylene glycol, which provides the freezing and boilover protection needed by all cooling systems. But ethylene glycol by itself does nothing to prevent corrosion inside the cooling system. For that job, corrosion inhibiting chemicals are added to antifreeze. In conventional antifreeze, silicates, phosphates and/or borates are used in various combinations to form a protective coating on cooling system surfaces. This coating does an excellent job of preventing corrosion as long as it is intact. But eventually heat and the combined effects of dissolved oxygen and minerals in the coolant deplete the inhibitors. And once the protection is gone, electrolytic corrosion begins to accelerate very quickly. Aluminum parts such as radiators, cylinder heads, water pump and thermostat housings can be damaged by electrolytic attack, as can the soldered joints and seams in copper/brass radiators and heater cores. Even rubber hoses can come under attack and fail from the inside out because of electrolysis. To protect the cooling system against this kind of damage, the coolant must be changed periodically. Most vehicle manufacturers recommend changing conventional antifreeze every two years or 24,000 to 30,000 miles for preventative maintenance. Extended life antifreezes are now available that contain special additive packages capable of extending coolant life up to five years or 100,000 miles between changes. These products can be used in any vehicle application, old or new, where long term protection is desired. Many new vehicles now come factory-filled with extended life antifreeze to reduce maintenance requirements. If coolant is needed, the same type of extended life product should be added to the system to maintain the same level of protection. Adding ordinary antifreeze will dilute the special corrosion inhibitors in the extended life antifreeze and reduce the coolant's corrosion longevity to that of ordinary antifreeze. Many motorists realize they should change their antifreeze periodically, but may not understand why. The main ingredient in antifreeze (ethylene glycol) does not wear out so the amount of freezing and boilover protection remains unchanged regardless of the coolant's age - provided the same concentration of antifreeze is maintained in the coolant. If straight water is added to a system that is low on coolant, it will dilute the concentration of antifreeze and reduce the freezing and boilover protection. For this reason, a 50/50 mixture of antifreeze and water (distilled is preferred because it contains no dissolved minerals) should always be added to the system anytime additional coolant is required. The reason why the antifreeze needs to be changed is to replenish depleted corrosion inhibitors, and to remove contaminants such as sediment and rust from the system. This can only be accomplished by changing the coolant. Pre-1995 - DTC codes OBD1 >> 1996 and newer - DTC codes OBD2 >> https://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/gm/obd_codes.htm How to check for codes Caddyinfo How To Technical Archive >> http://www.caddyinfo.com/wordpress/cadillac-how-to-faq/ Cadillac History & Specifications Year by Year http://www.motorera.com/cadillac/index.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeal1892 Posted June 8, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2006 GOOD stuff ! I think it could have been older than 8 years the woman whom owned my car though has owned several caddys and the service dept couldnt find any record of it being chaged. But they couldnt believe it went without being changed . I have no proof that it was serviced so.. Wasnt it MB that was big on bullet proof windows in the S Class for some time in the 1990's ? Michael- Mike, Your list of causes for mechanical problems leaves out the human error of assembly/design at the manufacturing level. Sometimes a owner can do nothing wrong and still have a looser. Everyone makes mistakes. And I disagree that Michaels maint. or lack of should or did cause the head gasket failure. It seems that no matter how religious you are at the maint. of the auto some head gaskets are going to fail on certin year northstars. That may be true, but we did determine that Mikes coolant was older than 5 years, I think we determined that it was 8 years old. You are free to disagree with me, but its hard to disagree with the facts. As we all know, coolant that is older than 5 years looses it's corrosion protection: Antifreeze/Coolant, Larry Carley, Counterman, May 1997 Antifreeze is what protects the engine from overheating, the coolant from freezing, and engine and cooling system components from corrosion. To provide these three benefits, the antifreeze must be used in the proper concentration and be in good condition. Most vehicle manufacturers recommend using a 50/50 mixture of antifreeze and water in the cooling system for year-round driving. At this level of concentration, most antifreezes will provide freezing protection down to -34 degrees Fahrenheit and boilover protection up to 265 degrees depending on the pressure rating of the system (the higher the pressure rating, the greater the boilover protection). Higher concentrations of antifreeze can be used to extend both the freezing and boilover protection. At a maximum concentration of 70 percent antifreeze and 30 percent water, most antifreeze will provide freezing protection down to -84 degrees and boilover protection to 276 degrees (at maximum pressure rating). Under no circumstances should a higher concentration of antifreeze be used in the cooling system. Antifreeze does not carry heat quite as efficiently as water, so increasing the concentration of antifreeze beyond a maximum concentration of 70 percent can reduce the cooling capacity of the system and increase the danger of overheating. What's more, straight antifreeze will not provide as much freezing protection as a mixture of antifreeze and water. Straight antifreeze freezes at -8 degrees F! Nor should straight water ever be used in a cooling system. Straight water freezes at 32 degrees, boils at 212 degrees (which is close to the normal operating temperature of many engines today!), and provides no corrosion protection whatsoever. Most antifreezes are ethylene glycol, which provides the freezing and boilover protection needed by all cooling systems. But ethylene glycol by itself does nothing to prevent corrosion inside the cooling system. For that job, corrosion inhibiting chemicals are added to antifreeze. In conventional antifreeze, silicates, phosphates and/or borates are used in various combinations to form a protective coating on cooling system surfaces. This coating does an excellent job of preventing corrosion as long as it is intact. But eventually heat and the combined effects of dissolved oxygen and minerals in the coolant deplete the inhibitors. And once the protection is gone, electrolytic corrosion begins to accelerate very quickly. Aluminum parts such as radiators, cylinder heads, water pump and thermostat housings can be damaged by electrolytic attack, as can the soldered joints and seams in copper/brass radiators and heater cores. Even rubber hoses can come under attack and fail from the inside out because of electrolysis. To protect the cooling system against this kind of damage, the coolant must be changed periodically. Most vehicle manufacturers recommend changing conventional antifreeze every two years or 24,000 to 30,000 miles for preventative maintenance. Extended life antifreezes are now available that contain special additive packages capable of extending coolant life up to five years or 100,000 miles between changes. These products can be used in any vehicle application, old or new, where long term protection is desired. Many new vehicles now come factory-filled with extended life antifreeze to reduce maintenance requirements. If coolant is needed, the same type of extended life product should be added to the system to maintain the same level of protection. Adding ordinary antifreeze will dilute the special corrosion inhibitors in the extended life antifreeze and reduce the coolant's corrosion longevity to that of ordinary antifreeze. Many motorists realize they should change their antifreeze periodically, but may not understand why. The main ingredient in antifreeze (ethylene glycol) does not wear out so the amount of freezing and boilover protection remains unchanged regardless of the coolant's age - provided the same concentration of antifreeze is maintained in the coolant. If straight water is added to a system that is low on coolant, it will dilute the concentration of antifreeze and reduce the freezing and boilover protection. For this reason, a 50/50 mixture of antifreeze and water (distilled is preferred because it contains no dissolved minerals) should always be added to the system anytime additional coolant is required. The reason why the antifreeze needs to be changed is to replenish depleted corrosion inhibitors, and to remove contaminants such as sediment and rust from the system. This can only be accomplished by changing the coolant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blb Posted June 8, 2006 Report Share Posted June 8, 2006 There are plenty of documented cases where Northstar headgaskets fail before the first scheduled coolant change (5yr / 100K miles). The folks that keep repeating that the headgasket issue is purely related to lack of maintenance are full of wishful thinking. Get to know a long time dealership mechanic or two and after talking to them, you'll find that the integrity of the Northstar headgaskets varies greatly from car to car....and a great degree of variation on a critical part or system, is the very definition of poor quality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeal1892 Posted June 8, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2006 I know the service manager fairly well at my local deal, and I can believe what your saying. Its all per the car.... And right now it seems theres several threads that are on going (current) with peoples having issues must be do to warmer weather.... Michael - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BodybyFisher Posted June 9, 2006 Report Share Posted June 9, 2006 I know the service manager fairly well at my local deal, and I can believe what your saying. Its all per the car.... And right now it seems theres several threads that are on going (current) with peoples having issues must be do to warmer weather.... Michael - Mike having been around here for about 7 years, its pretty typical that once the warm weather starts members have problems with overheating and AC. Just like when the cold weather comes heater problems become the topic of conversation.. Pre-1995 - DTC codes OBD1 >> 1996 and newer - DTC codes OBD2 >> https://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/gm/obd_codes.htm How to check for codes Caddyinfo How To Technical Archive >> http://www.caddyinfo.com/wordpress/cadillac-how-to-faq/ Cadillac History & Specifications Year by Year http://www.motorera.com/cadillac/index.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeal1892 Posted June 9, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2006 Yeah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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