I quickly scanned all 86 (!) entries on the CTS (currently tied with the Smart for most blogged--though our former Fit Sport holds the record with 96), and found not one praising the CTS for the nifty pop-up touch screen. I love that its top edge is useful even when the screen is mostly retracted into the dash. Presets and audio controls are still accessed simply by touching the mini-screen. Cool. The problem is that the audio system gremlins persist.
Here's what one might expect the settings to reflect for normal listening. As both Josh and Dan noted in previous entries, the front/rear fade settings (and now the tone adjustments)seem to have a mind of their own. Here's how I had to set them for a tolerable (though still not optimal) listening experience...
Anything less than MAX treble sounded flat and anything less than nearly-MAX rear fade sounded like only the front speakers were working. I tried to "re-boot" the system, but the issues persisted all weekend.
Oh, and the turn signal issue has yet to be resolved, a year later.
Chris Walton, Chief Road Test Editor @ 27,563 miles
joefrompa says:
07:28 AM, 04/13/09
Have you guys taken it in to a dealership for either of these issues? The audio system sounds like a reflash or something is needed.
hondacura4 says:
08:24 AM, 04/13/09
Other than the electronic/software glitches this car seems to have, I like how Cadillac uses the screen at all times vs hiding it completely like some manfacturers do with their nav/infotainments setups.
When not in full use the screen still displays useful information and when in full use it displays even more valuable information. Clever!
dougtheeng says:
08:34 AM, 04/13/09
R8 has 103?
stingray454 says:
09:05 AM, 04/13/09
Has this car EVER been to the dealer to have these little nits fixed? It seems to be the same little annoyances mentioned over and over again, but the car is never brought in to have them fixed. Guys, the car isn't going to fix itself.
The BMW X5 had creaking seats like the CTS has, along with a few other minor problems similar to the CTS. Yet the X5's issues were brought to the dealer and immediately fixed under warranty, while the Cadillac is never brought to the dealer for repairs, giving the appearance of persistent problems that keep coming back, when they were never fixed in the first place. I don't get it.
kimosen says:
09:19 AM, 04/13/09
Hey guys, there's a Navigation recall out that addresses and solves pretty much all the issues you guys are having.
Like stingray says, take the car the the dealer and have them fix it. There's a recall, so it should be a pretty fast and painless process.
hondacura4 says:
09:30 AM, 04/13/09
"Like stingray says, take the car the the dealer and have them fix it. There's a recall, so it should be a pretty fast and painless process."
I was thinking the car had already been to the dealer for this issue...no? If not, then shame on Edmunds for not taking it in.
stovt001 says:
10:04 AM, 04/13/09
Saying these issues have not be resolved one year in can be a very misleading statement. Has the dealer or GM been unable to resolve them, or have you not given them the chance to resolve them?
With any other car, if a problem is encountered Edmunds posts once about the problem, then takes it immediately to the dealership and posts about what happened there. With domestic cars, they'll post about the same problem 20 times before taking it in, and once they do take it in they'll take it to the most incompetent dealer they know and will refuse to go to a more highly-rated dealer.
esoterica says:
10:31 AM, 04/13/09
I'll pile on for Edmunds carping about the same issues over and over without even attempting to get them fixed, but are you sure this is actually an issue? The CTS stores different sound settings for each source (i.e. AM/FM/XM/CD/USB/HD) so you have to manually change the settings for each source.
I like this system because I always want different EQ settings for high-quality sources (CDs, high-quality MP3s) than for low-quality sources (XM).
cwalton1 says:
10:48 AM, 04/13/09
To set things straight, I just confirmed what I suspected. Here's this morning's email exchange with Mike Magrath RE: the ongoing issues with the CTS:
CW: Hey, have the audio system and turn signal issues ever been brought to the attention of the service dept at Cadillac? (see link)
http://blogs.edmunds.com/roadtests/2009/04/2008-cadillac-cts-audio-slave.html
MM: Yes. There is no recall and they couldn’t get it to repeat so they didn’t do jack.
There. Please stop with the, "Have you guys even taken the car to the dealership... You keep carping...If it were any other car, you would've..." and so on.
esoterica says:
10:59 AM, 04/13/09
cwalton1, then make sure stuff like that gets reported to this blog like it is with every other car, and immediately find a new dealer, because there's a technical service bulletin on the turn signal issue dating from 12/07:
Make : CADILLAC Model : CTS Year : 2008
Manufacturer : GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
Service Bulletin Number : 4751 Date of Bulletin : DEC 01, 2007
NHTSA Item Number : 10023998
Component : EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL
Summary :
RIGHT LANE CHANGE SIGNAL INOPERATIVE. VEHICLES BUILT PRIOR TO 1/15/08. *NJ
FYI, you can search for TSBs on any vehicle by going here:
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/tsb/tsbsearch.cfm
1487 says:
11:14 AM, 04/13/09
sounds like IL needs a new dealer. Bottom line is if these problems were significant they would've been addressed due to persistence by the staff. One visit and one rejection by a service manager means that this wasn't high on the priority list. If there is a TSB then there is no excuse for not getting it fixed. It would take less time to search the nhtsa site then it would to leave numerous posts about this issue claiming that it can't be resolved.
boxermike says:
11:28 AM, 04/13/09
!!!Edit on CW's post!!!
The turn signal required a part but it will be fixed, though. I read his original email too quickly. My bad.
The radio, however, will not be fixed. We have the most recent updates and they can't get the issue to repeat.
-mm
1487 says:
12:30 PM, 04/13/09
thank you Mike. That makes more sense.
carfreak8394 says:
05:37 PM, 04/13/09
"R8 has 103?"
'02 M3 has 108?
dougtheeng says:
07:29 AM, 04/14/09
"'02 M3 has 108?"
haha touche!