So...while taking a nice topless drive...

[AL_Jazz]

...decided to take a nice drive through the State Park on my way home. Well, the DTC lied I did not have 43 miles to empty....and I ran out of gas halfway through my nice drive. A State Ranger was nice and got a gas can and took me to a station outside the Park where I got 4 gallons of gas. He drove me back, and I poured it into my baby. I got in, turned on the accessory to allow the fuel pump to prime and then attempted to crank her up. She sputtered and stuttered and died....repeatably. She would crank...ish and stumble along and then die after 20-30 seconds of "running." Finally she got to where she would not crank at all...just spin over. No engine lights or codes.

Now she is sitting on the side of the road locked in the State Park by herself and it's started to rain. Fortunately, I was rescued by my girlfriend. I have a wrecker scheduled to pick her up in the AM...

So, did I burn up my fuel pump? I love my baby, but I am thinking eBay is in her future...(not really, I am just frusterated)

 

[graytoad]

...decided to take a nice drive through the State Park on my way home. Well, the DTC lied I did not have 43 miles to empty....and I ran out of gas halfway through my nice drive. A State Ranger was nice and got a gas can and took me to a station outside the Park where I got 4 gallons of gas. He drove me back, and I poured it into my baby. I got in, turned on the accessory to allow the fuel pump to prime and then attempted to crank her up. She sputtered and stuttered and died....repeatably. She would crank...ish and stumble along and then die after 20-30 seconds of "running." Finally she got to where she would not crank at all...just spin over. No engine lights or codes.

Now she is sitting on the side of the road locked in the State Park by herself and it's started to rain. Fortunately, I was rescued by my girlfriend. I have a wrecker scheduled to pick her up in the AM...

So, did I burn up my fuel pump? I love my baby, but I am thinking eBay is in her future...(not really, I am just frusterated)

DANG.....

 

[Phil105]

...decided to take a nice drive through the State Park on my way home. Well, the DTC lied I did not have 43 miles to empty....and I ran out of gas halfway through my nice drive. A State Ranger was nice and got a gas can and took me to a station outside the Park where I got 4 gallons of gas. He drove me back, and I poured it into my baby. I got in, turned on the accessory to allow the fuel pump to prime and then attempted to crank her up. She sputtered and stuttered and died....repeatably. She would crank...ish and stumble along and then die after 20-30 seconds of "running." Finally she got to where she would not crank at all...just spin over. No engine lights or codes.

Now she is sitting on the side of the road locked in the State Park by herself and it's started to rain. Fortunately, I was rescued by my girlfriend. I have a wrecker scheduled to pick her up in the AM...

So, did I burn up my fuel pump? I love my baby, but I am thinking eBay is in her future...(not really, I am just frusterated)

Was the top still down in the rain? May be more to worry about than the fuel pump. HOPE NOT

 

[pure zen]

been there,,,,done that, but not with the XLR

Al, I feel your pain. Happened to us with our hot rod.....our car club was on a 2-day cruise to do the AZ Devil's Highway run. 82 miles from home, everyone was stopping for gas,,I didn't need fuel but topped off anyway. Vehicle would crank but not start > fuel pump internal problem inside the gas tank. Small town on a weekend = no help. Towed the 82 miles back home, probably a $600 to $700 bill (the tow driver had to return the 82 miles) ,, that the insurance company picked up the total cost....lucky me!

Good luck with your problem,,,I know it isn't fun being sidelined

p z

 

[Crimson Pearl]

I have been told that modern fuel-injected vehicles do NOT react well to running out of fuel. I drive a Chevrolet Tahoe daily for work and understand that the fuel pump is in the gas tank and kept cool by being immersed in fuel.

As a result, I just don't take the chance and let any of my vehicles, old or new, get low on fuel.

Hope your issue isn't serious!

 

[AL_Jazz]

I will know soon...had her towed to the dealership today. Fortunately they have a couple certified XLR mechanics and perform service on quite a few so are very familiar with them. I will keep everyone posted on the outcome...

 

[05 GRAND DADDY]

Was the top down during that time when you quoted it started to rain?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Dan & Wendy
"05 GRAND DADDY"

 

[AL_Jazz]

Was the top down during that time when you quoted it started to rain?

Oh no...I don't let her out of my sight without putting the top back up. I had the top up before going to get gas with the Ranger.

 

[AL_Jazz]

So... my saga continues...

I had her towed in on Sat and spent quite a while explaining to the Service Manager what had happened and why I thought it was the fuel pump. Explained I was a bodyshop owner and asked him to please have the tech check the pressure on the fuel rail first. Well, I received a call yesterday morning from the SAME Service Writer asking about my gauge cluster, my aftermarket radio, and if I had replaced those before or after it stopped running. I again explained to him I was playing golf on Friday when it appeared to run out of gas. I added more gas and it would not start. I had it towed directly to the dealership. I asked him if there was pressure on the fuel rail. He did not know but would call me back once they performed more diagnostics.

I called him back this AM early. He stated they were still working on it, but he could confirm there was fuel pressure on the rail and they were looking at other potentials as to why it could be stalling out on me. I once again explained I do not have a "stalling out" problem. I have a ran out of gas and will not restart problem. He calls me back a few hours later with the diagnosis. Bad fuel pump, and there is no pressure on the fuel rail and cost to replace the fuel pump is going to be $2300.

I tell him no thank you, I will find another shop to perform the repair. Oh yeah...cost to diagnose: $237.36.

I tell them days ago what the problem is and I really only needed a confirmation and a price to replace. After 4 days and $237.36 I am having it towed it to a friends shop who is replacing it for $1200 including the part. I am going to replace the level sensor too since we are already in there. Fortunately he has a Tech2 and can reprogram the sensors...which is apparently a pain.

While Crest Cadillac in Birmingham AL has XLR techs, they are either brain dead or are indoctrinated into the Stealership logic. I am SO done with these guys. I was thinking about another CTS-V...but since this is my only Cadillac option in the area...I doubt I will own another one.

 

[Phil105]

Sorry to hear this Al, really sorry. This is the kind of story that makes me wonder just how much I really like these cars! Sort of takes the fun out of it. Went thru this already on a smaller scale with an '04 tbird.
Good luck with the repairs.

 

[GizmoQ]

I got in, turned on the accessory to allow the fuel pump to prime and then attempted to crank her up. She sputtered and stuttered and died....repeatably. She would crank...ish and stumble along and then die after 20-30 seconds of "running." Finally she got to where she would not crank at all...just spin over. No engine lights or codes.

I had something similar happen last month after my battery died a couple times. Replaced the battery, and a week later it cranks but won't start. Took it to my "Team Elwood" supporting dealership and they diagnosed and fixed it the next day.

From my invoice:

No fuel pressure;get in shop, check over - no power to fuel pump. Fuse good, swap relay with known good one - still no power to fuel pump. Start checking over, check connections starting at fuel pump. Found pin burned up in connector C184, circuit 128, position A4. Connector melted wire around connector. Replaced pin and connector. Getting power to fuel pump now starts and runs.

You might want to have your mechanic check this connector. Evidently its not too hard to fix.

Cheers,
Giz

 

[lextoy]

dealer thinks, hey this guy can afford an XLR, lets see if he goes for the exorbitant repair quote.
i am taking mine to a local shop for everything thats not XLR specific.
most of the work is similar to corvettes. plenty of shops can work on vettes.
XLR techs are probably so rusty by now, not worth going to the caddy dealer even if they say they have an XLR certified guy,
(which they probably dont) as they see them probably once or twice a year...
if i need a true XLR gremlin worked on i am going to come here first.

 

[AL_Jazz]

You might want to have your mechanic check this connector. Evidently its not too hard to fix.

I had a coming to Jesus meeting with the Dealership Service Director today (nice guy BTW) and was charged a $60 diagnostic fee vs the $237. Apparently the service writer had written down everything on the service request wrong and had the mechanic thinking I had replaced the gauge cluster and the car had not ran since.

Had the XLR towed to my friends shop, and as stated above they have done several Vettes and have seen the melted connector also. I will keep you guys posted on the repairs...

 

[Crimson Pearl]

XLR techs are probably so rusty by now, not worth going to the caddy dealer even if they say they have an XLR certified guy,
(which they probably dont) as they see them probably once or twice a year...

I am most fortunate to have a top-notch XLR tech at the dealership where I purchased mine. I have seen as many as 6 XLRs in the Service Department at one time, though that was an exceptional day. You might want to investigate some other dealers to see if one of them has a XLR tech that is a "XLR Magnet" due to his experience.