I wonder if anyone could get their money back on lemon law type failures. I know of people who have been through 3 or more, so the lemon law would apply to them.

I am in the process of purchasing a '05 V, but all the talk of sever wheel hop and differential failures has me a bit spooked. I saw a referece a few posts back to GM locking rings that were supposed to help resolve the problem. Has anyone actually installed them yet, and if so, what was the result?

If anyone has found a solid fix for this problem, please let me know. I love the car, but don't what to spend big bucks on a vehicle that will have chronic problems.

Thanks for any input you can offer.

GM has just released info to their dealers about fixing the wheel hop by installing supplemental bushings in the rear - THey are also supposed to improve the handling a bit.

I already contacted my dealer and they ordered the parts to do the fix - It is covered under warranty. I'll post when it is done and let you know the outcome. To be honest, though, I haven't noticed wheel hop much on my car - I have an '05 with the sport shocks option - They supposedly help with the wheel hop - I am doing it more for the handling improvement.

THere is also a KARS cradle kit that was made by a V owner - I ordered that as well and it should be in in a few weeks. I have heard that this is the only kit to get for the hop problem. Check out Karsxtremeperf.com
I'll keep you posted on that as well - Car is awesome!!! Bad on gas - a few squeaks and rattles with only 2K miles - Other than that it's BAD ASS!!!!!

Do you have any more info on what GM released to the dealers? Is this a service bulletin? I'm going to try and get in touch with my dealer next week and see if they have anything about fixing wheel hop issues.

Anyone that hasn't already done so, contact your dealer and refer to Document ID# 1684809. They will order the replacement bushings that should eliminate wheel hop under "most circumstances" (from the TSB document) and install them under warrenty for you. The dealer might give you a little hassle about this proceedure as it is a TSB and not a recall but if you incist they must do the work. This is an excerpt from the TSB:

EVERYONE should object to ANY wheel hop. The $160 bushings are a lot cheaper than replacing the rear differential... then again, the TSB refers to the action causing the wheel hop as being abusive and that's probably how GM would try to get out of fixing the rear differential under warrenty.

Give them a call and get your wheel hop issues fixed on GM!

My wife and I have had our 2005 CTS-V since february 05, and we recently had to have the rear end replaced, at 10000 miles. noticed the problem on our honeymoon. I have raised issues on the wheel hop, and we are having other issues as well. The radio unit has some software issues that make it display the wrong track, and stick on that track until the user pushes a button. the radio displays the wrong station number while you are listening to it. the dealer service department cannot recreate the problems, but we have the problems on video and have shown this to the head mechanic. the rear end 2000 miles after being replaced needed a new pinion seal.

the tranny makes a clunking noise when dissengaging.

the wheels really hop badly under hard acceleration.

there is now a vibration from 75-85 mph, that they claim is due to worn out tires. the tires should have a few thousand miles left on them, and look to be fine.

the user settings flip flop from one to the other, ie key fob 1 gets key fob 2's settings, and vice versa.

our dash lights flicker at night, while the car is not moving, and while going down the road at highway speeds.


Charles S.
2005 Burgundy CTS-V

I have been lucky that my rear diff hasnt had any problems. It whines, but hasnt gone out.

My dash lights do flicker at random times and has done so since day one.

My tranny does clunk very often and has done so since day one.

The other issues I havent had.

the whining in the rear end is a sign that it is going... it should not have a whine at all. it should be quiet. a whine means that I believe the pinion gear is out of adjustment or damaged.

have you brought the lights flickering to your dealer's attention?

they say there is not a problem, and they can't repeat our issues. but if enough people complain about it, they will have to do something...

Charlie S.

Hi everyone Im new to this site. I love my cts-v but I also have had rear dif problems. Its a great looking car lots of power but lots of problems. I think Gm rushed to make the V's. I have gone through 4 rear diffs in the past year. So far this last rear diff is holding up pretty well and the wheel hop was reduced a little bit. GM replaced my rear diff and used race bushings that are used on there race prepped cts v which I had to pay for but so far I havent had problems. I also found that turning the traction completly off when launching is the only way to prevent rear diff failures. To turn the traction control off go into the glove box and press the traction control button once then press it again and hold it for 5 seconds until a messege comes up on the screen that says STABILITRAK DISABLED. IT will reduce the wheel-hop. I hope this rear diff holds up cuse I purschased the anti-wheel hop kit and I want install it as soon as Im sure this rear diff holds up.

Oh man, the diff broke. GM will not fix it, they said go pound on sand.

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