CT5-V A/C Stopped Working

[Badillac]

Damn! My A/C stopped working today on my way home from the track. My car is less than a year old, 4k miles. I rarely drive it when it's hot outside so A/C not used much but know it usually works great.

I drove pretty hard on the track today (did not use the A/C all day until I tried it after the event) & then had a couple of weird things happen. First, after starting my car to leave the track, my infotainment system was black & wouldn't work (no, it wasn't turned off). I stopped to get gas & the screen worked as good as normal on the restart. However, that's when I tried the A/C & nothing but warm air would blow out. Also felt like my "cool" ventilation seat setting not doing anything. My car was def not overheated at this point so that's not the issue. Several hours later & still all the A/C does is blow warm air. No codes/warning on the display.

Anybody have thoughts of what it could be? Not sure if it's something electrical going on considering the temporary screen glitch that coincided with this. Any input or ideas appreciated. Thanks!

 

[VBhak]

Not a direct response, but on my V3, had a similar thing happen. Dealership found it was a cooked temperature sensor due to the high ambient heat (I'm in Phoenix). Once replaced, I was good to go. Not sure how it correlated to cold air not blowing, but it did...

 

[Dalyons03]

My dads 5BW just went out this week. Hasn’t had it looked at yet.

 

[ernsteeng]

The ac in my 5BW went out a month ago. At first it was the tensioning belt that went missing. They replaced it and ran it for a half hour in the service bay and it was blowing cold. I picked it up, got on the highway, and within 25 miles it wasn't blowing cold anymore. They wound up replacing the entire ac condenser when i took it back. They had to check with Cadillac first to make sure. I haven't had any issues since I got it back.

 

[KatyTxCT5V]

@Badillac I believe there is a separate ac belt, have you looked to see if it’s still on the ac compressor? If belt is there, does the compressor clutch engage after you push ac button? If not, then possible leak occurred and no Freon thus compressor will not engage.

Cool seats nothing more than a fan in the seat, easy to check that by listening for the fan turning on in a quiet car after you turn it on.

 

[MookdocOE]

Sounds like condenser to me?

 

[Badillac]

Thanks all for your input. @KatyTxCT5V, I will take a look at that. May end up at the dealer a little later when I have time-- will follow up w/ how it all shakes out.

​

 

[Neveready]

Just some food for thought. I've had ac issues before in other vehicles and the one thing I can recommend is if it stops working do not try and run the ac. If for some reason the refrigerant leaked out you'll run it dry and then it's more parts to replace.

In your case it's under warranty but who knows if and when the parts are on backorder.

 

[Badillac]

So, it's been over a month since I've taken the car to the dealer. I wasn't waiting for it to be fixed before giving an update here but the dealer has been jerking me around!!!!! I've had bad feelings from he start, and it's only escalated to more & more BS. I'm sick to my stomach. Here's what happened:

1.)Made an appt for a Thursday morning appt a month ago. Called at end of the day-- car had not been looked at yet. I was pissed! Told them I'm not going to leave my $120k car there overnight so picked it up & said I'd make another appt. when they were actually able to look at /work on the car.

2.) Made another Thursday morning appt a couple weeks later (I'm busy!!) when they said they could look at it. Hear nothing by Friday afternoon so I called & he gave me some workaround about a service case being opened.

3.) The following MOnday afternoon he tells me the belt was broken off (should have seen that right away!!) & they discovered the supposed reason was a wobbly balancer. Said he order a new from from out of state & oit was being overnighted.

4.) That Friday there was still no word, after a supposed overnight order from Monday. My car was being left outside in the blistering sun all day just getting dirty, though, they were bringing it in at night. (I keep it temp controlled garage, barely even take it out if sunny!). I just dropped in on them & said I want to take my car home- I'll bring it back when the part is & you're ready to replace it. He tried telling me it should be there anytime..... I asked him what the servoce case was opened for, he never gave me an answer. I also asked about my ventilated cooling seats which they were supposed to also fix- he said they were doing one thing at a time. So my car sat there for a week & they didn't bother with that either.

I brought my car home - filthy! Even the inside-- I keep it 100% spotless. Dropped it off woth seat covers & protection for alcantara shifter-- both of which were thrown on the floor when I got it. I reviewed all the PDR. The guy didn't even look at it until the Monday aftyer my Thursday morning appt. So car day there all that time (again) for no reason. Every morning they were pulling it out to the lot where it sat for 10 hours in the bright ass sun. The transporters weren;t excactly driving respectfully either- ntoihing crazy, but driving way too fast in a crowded parking lot, talking on the phone, playing with my sirus XM radio, opening my middle compartment, stalling the car, ect.

5.)I hear nothing the next week so I inquired on that Wednesday only for him to say the part is there (why didn't he call to tell me?!). He says I can't get an appt. until the following Wed. I said I've been waiting almost a month, I'd like sooner. He offered me Tuesday, one day sooner.

6.) This past Tiuesday morning, I called to make sure that if I bring it in as scheduled, the job will be done- he said yes. After working my fourth 176 hour shift in a row through the night with no sleep, I brought my car in. That afternoon I was notified my car will be there overnight again. I tracked it on my Caddillac app all day an know it sat in the same parking spot outside the entire day- they didn't even touch it! Today, Wednesday, at 3:30pm I inquired about an update. That's when he tells me there was a problem with the new balancer they got. WTF?! Why didn he call to tell me?! And what dopes he mean "spot"? I made him explain & he said a tiny little thing at the seal....but they have anew one coming in tomorrow, magically they found one even the the forst one was supposedly o hard to source.


I've been sick to my stomach throughout all of this with no faith. I know they're busy and I get that. But I've been very clear that I'll bring my car in when it can be looked at- but they've been BSing me all along, no clear ansswers & treating the car like a $40k caddy- not the special thing it is. Def not respecting my time or my baby. Not to mention, they didn't ofer me a loaner car or anything for all the days my car has been there unnecessarily (only a small part of the time it was there was waiting for parts-- the rest was waiting to be looked at).

Now I'm thinking they fucked something up. My bddy who works on cars tell me it's a pretty simple job to replace the balancers. He also told me the balancer itself doesn't have a seal!!! He said it's possible they damaged the front facing seal (which IS a complicated job) when pulling the balancer out.

I'm calling Caddy customer service in the morning & going up there to speak to the manager. I may end up having it flad bedded to another dealer. I will NEVER go to this dealer again!!!!

CADILLAC WALNUT CREEK, CA--- shame on you!!!!! Zero stars! And this is coming from a pretty laid back, reasonable and understanding person.


Will update again soon.

 

[ernsteeng]

When my AC went out they found the tensioner belt was missing. They ordered the part and I got it back the next day. When it stopped working on the way home I set up another appointment for later in the week. They looked at the new belt they had installed and saw it was shredded. They set up a case with Cadillac that morning and got a response the same day to replace the entire ac system. The part was ordered and a couple of days later I had it. Heritage Cadillac service was good about calling me and keeping me informed during the whole process. Very sorry that you are going through this.

 

[Badillac]

Sorry for the previous long winded response...it's just there's so much to this story it's unbelievable!!!

Long story short:
I got my car back yesterday. AC works...but there's a freaking paint chip on the front right side!!!!!!! OMG!!!!! I even have PPF. It was def not there before! I have PDR video of the tech buffing the area & looking at it from diff angles, trying to make it less visible. Unbelievable.

I keep this car meticulous. I washed & polished for 2 hours before bringing it in. I see every millimeter of service area on this thing & I baby it like no other (expect on the track & freeway). No way that chip was there before.



Here's the long version:
Thursday morning I called Caddy Customer Service. The lady was super kind & reassuring. Felt goo to have someone else concerned & looking out for me. She said she never heard of a dealer having that ma ny problems & that my case was being escalated (which means response in 4 business days . hahah).

I went to the dealer to speak with the GM but first I found another dealer willing & able to do the job the next day & had a flat bed on standby ready to tow it there as I was expecting the worse. The GM hooked me up w/ the Service Manager who was a nice, calming guy, seemed trustworthy. He genuinely wanted to make it right, he heard my concerns & we talked to the tech together along side my car that was up on the lift. he reassured me nothing was damged pulling off the old balancer & that in fact the new balancer they revived had a crack in it. Was told car would be ready Friday. Left there on a good note. Friday I go to pick uop the car, the manager meets me, tells me everyone there now knows about me & my car & how imprtant it is & that it will be well taken care of in the future. he pulled the car up for me-- it now had plastic wheel, shifter & seat covering. Hahah. That was a nice gesture & I appreciated his efforts (I certaintly not trying to hjave my ass kissed, but for crying out loud, please respect me & my car!).

Pakred the baby in the garage. First cahnce I could, i pulled it out to wash it. that's when i discovered the damage. freaking A! I ahve an appt. for MOnday to have it looked at . will likely need paint correction, and be re-PPF';d & ceramic coated. $$$ and more of my time dealing with this.

I'm more exhausted than I am angry now. All this unncessary dilemma. I feel for ervyoe on here who has shared their dealer horror stories. I 100% get it now.

Sent an e0mail to the GM w/ all the video & pic evidence. Hoepfully they don't make me fight to have them pay for it. I am in no way ever letting them touvh my car! EVER!