FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS HUBS REPLACEMENT ON 2004 SEVILLE

[Matt CLC#18621]

BOTH FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS HUBS REPLACED ON 2004 SEVILLE 

Does it make sense that both front wheel bearing hubs had to be replaced on 2004 Seville SLS? SLS has 58,000 and is driven as a commuter car. Noise started last week during severe rain storm driving through puddles and after five days the noise was unbearable. Cadillac service manager indicated that the hubs are not serviceable and replacement at this mileage is not unheard of but normal replacement occurs at about 100,000. Car is 41/2 years-young and out-of bumber2bumber warranty but carefully driven.

When the SLS was under warranty, Cadillac had to replace both front coils at 33,000 as the front-end appeared to be low and was constantly scrapping pavement at low speeds into driveways, etc.

Any thoughts on recourse with GM’s “after warranty” repairs?

Thanks,

Matt CLC #18621

[john estes]

Seems to me you knew the warranty was 4 years 50,000 miles when you bought the car.How long do you think a car maker should warranty your car? I don't mean to offend anyone,just what I think.

  John
                                                                                           

[35-709]

I wouldn't expect to have to change out both front wheel bearing hubs at 58,000 miles either, but I am sure it can happen.  You might request a meeting with the Cadillac Service Rep., if anyone still has the guts to take on that job.  Back in the day the Service Rep. would often try to "make things right" if a customer thought the service history on his car was not what it should be.

Well, Johnny, for someone who doesn't "mean to offend anyone" you're off to really bad start on your very first post here.  Your remarks are strongly reminiscent of another Johnny we don't miss at these forums.

[Roger Zimmermann]

Well, Johnny, for someone who doesn't "mean to offend anyone" you're off to really bad start on your very first post here. 

Well, Geoff, I will act as the layer of Johnny...I was a DSM for GM. The cars had a 3 years/100'000 km warranty in Europe. It's incredible what I had to hear from the customers after the warranty expired! For many people, a vehicle should have a warranty during its whole life.

[Dave Shepherd]

Warranty or not, any way you look at it it is not unreasonable to to assume 58k on wheel bearings constitues a premature failure, when I was a SM for Cadillac and had self auth. for out of warranty repairs, I would have given some consideration to this owner.

[35-709]

Roger,
I have no doubt about what you are saying about those that feel they deserve a forever warranty, I was directly involved with our family's Cadillac/Pontiac dealership for several years from the mid-60s until about '73 or so.  Should have seen some of the stuff Pontiac agreed to pay for after the GTO came out.

But ------

I wholeheartedly agree with Dave Shepard.

Geoff

[John Paul]

Warranty or not any way you look at it it is not unreasonable to to assume 58k on wheel bearing sconstitues a premature failure, when I was a SM for Cadillac and had self auth. for out of warranty repairs, I would have given some consideration to this owner.

But back in the day when the parts came from the U.S. not some third world country... thats the problem with parts today..Everything you get is made in mexico, china. it's all crap I say.. I've had to rebuild transmissions with less than 20,000 on the clock... todays cars are disposable POS..

I have a hard time selling people Timkin bearings why?? they can go to autozone and get a cheap one from china

[john estes]

I have seen many hub bearings fail after an impact with a pot hole.
Now GM is not responsible for the pot holes are they?
John

[TJ Hopland]

Rough roads are certainly a possible cause and hard to prove either way.  Only way I think you could have a shot of getting something back is if there was a lack of lube in the bearing.  Since they are factory lubed lack of lube would be a defect that caused the failure. The QC on things like lube seems to be pretty poor now days.  You may have just got a few bearings that came down the line while there were some bubbles in the grease gun and the QC robot was on its coffee break at the time.

[Matt CLC#18621]

BOTH FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS HUBS REPLACED ON 2004 SEVILLE 

Any thoughts on recourse with GM’s “after warranty” repairs?

Thanks,

Matt CLC #18621

Cadillac Service manager was successful in getting GM to cover 100% of the cost of the repair as the stated parts were determined to be defective (emphasis added).

Regards,

Matt
CLC #18621

[Jim Thomas]

MATT,I assume you purchased the car new ,too bad you didn't purchased ,you could have gotton a 100,000 m,ile warrenty and 5 years. I had a 1971 Cadillac and the warrenty had expired ,one day I had it in to the dealer for an engine problem qand thee SM noticed that the door glass was worned and they were replaced.  Jim

[Guidematic]

Matt,

Kudos on getting the repair covered.

During my tenure at the dealer, some out of warranty issues were covered as part of "Good Will". There were some factors that were taken into consideration for this. First was the service history. If you had all your service work done at the dealer. Then it was past customer history, are you a repeat customer and how many cars have you purchased.

If indeed the failed part was defective, and there has been a history of a particular part failing, then all this would be taken into consideration.

Often, though, if you did not get any service work done, bought the car at another dealer and were an irate customer, you'd be told to walk.

Mike

[35-709]

Congrats, Matt.  Never hurts to talk to someone about it, worst they can do is say no.  Sounds like you handled it just right!
Geoff N.