Cadillac XLR Owner Gets Trapped in Car After Key FOB Battery Fails

Peter Pyros of Cleveland, Ohio decided to take his rarely driven 2006 Cadillac XLR for a short drive to prep it before winter set in.

Unfortunately, when Pyros got in the car, and shut the door, the door locked, but the key fob battery was dead and wouldn’t unlock the door.

For nearly 14 hours, Pyros struggled to stay alive in the car in the 70 degree plus weather, passing out a couple times, but coming to only to continue struggling to get out of the car.

Punching and kicking the windows out didn’t work.  Luckily, a next door neighbor heard him pounding on the car, jumped the fence and called 911.  The emergency personnel tried several times to open the doors, but failed.  They finally popped the hood and jumped the car, thus freeing Pyros from his prison.

“It was the most horrifying experience you can imagine,” he said Monday in a phone interview with The Washington Post. “I accepted, at some point, that this is how I’m going to die.”

GM issued a statement Monday stating that “any vehicle or key fob can lose power” and “that risk can increase as the vehicle ages.”

“Manufacturers provide a way to manually unlock the doors if the vehicle or fob loses power,” it said. “Because this varies by make and model, drivers should review the Door Lock section of their owner’s manual so they will know what to do.”

“In the case of the XLR, there is a door release handle located on the floor, next to each seat.”

Pyros said that he wasn’t aware there was an emergency release lever on the floor, and even if he had read the owner’s manual, it was too steamy in the car from the heat and moisture from his screaming inside.

I agree with General Motors 100% on this issue.

When you buy a new or used automobile, it is your responsibility to obtain and read the owners manual prior to operation of the vehicle.  It’s relatively common knowledge that the Corvette, and the Cadillac XLR, which is based off of the C6 Corvette platform, are highly technological vehicles.

Unfortunately, this same situation happened a while ago when the owner of a C6 Corvette, got locked in his car and ended up dying inside due to excessive heat exposure.  Again, the owner of the Corvette failed to read his owner’s manual.

Related:  Family Sues General Motors for Father’s Death Due to Corvette Door Locks

 

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Roof Delamination Still Haunts Some Cadillac XLR Owners

On June 3rd, a 2005 Cadillac XLR owner was driving down a back road in First Coast, Florida, when suddenly, the roof panel flew off her XLR.

Francesca Giannini, the XLR’s owner, bought her 2005 Cadillac XLR new and never showed any structural issues during routine maintenance checks.

A witness who was driving behind Giannini, said the roof panel went airborne and narrowly missed other cars, flying off to the right and coming to rest flat on the grass.

Witnesses in one of the cars behind Giannini said the airborne roof narrowly missed other cars.

This isn’t the first time we’ve heard of this issue with the Cadillac XLR.

One of our forum members, nicholas.brady had the same thing happen to his 2005 Cadillac XLR.   He writes:

“I’m posting this because after a long search online, I found nobody who had this issue, despite the Cadillac dealer telling me that this is a “common” problem.

This is my 05 XLR, it started to get some wind noise and I figured a seal had started to wear. Dealer looked at it and said the same and recommended a silicon product for the roof seal.

Then while driving down the highway at around 70mph, the roof panel flew off the car. Thankfully it didn’t hit anyone or cause an accident.

So, make sure you get your wind noise checked. Apparently this was an issue with Corvettes around that time, but I’ve seen nothing on the XLR. “

The 2005 – 2007 Corvette had a similar issue with roof delamination and as a result, GM issued a recall notice for those models as outlined below:

Report Date : December 28, 2009 at 06:58 PM
NHTSA Campaign ID number : 09V491000

Vehicle Make / Model: Model Year(s):
CHEVROLET / CORVETTE 2005-2007
CHEVROLET / CORVETTE Z06 2005-2006
Manufacturer: GENERAL MOTORS CORP. Mfr’s Report Date: DEC 18, 2009
NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 09V491000

Component: STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
Potential Number of Units Affected: 22090

Summary:
GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005 THROUGH 2007 CORVETTE AND MODEL YEAR 2006-2007 CORVETTE Z06 EQUIPPED WITH A REMOVABLE ROOF. THE ADHESIVE BETWEEN THE ROOF PANEL AND THE FRAME MAY SEPARATE.
IF THERE IS A PARTIAL SEPARATION, THE DRIVER MAY NOTICE ONE OR MORE SYMPTOMS, SUCH AS A SNAPPING NOISE WHEN DRIVING OVER BUMPS, WIND NOISE, POOR ROOF PANEL FIT, ROOF PANEL MOVEMENT/BOUNCE WHEN A DOOR OR HATCH IS CLOSED, OR A WATER LEAK IN THE HEADLINER.

Consequence:
IF THERE IS A COMPLETE SEPARATION, THE ROOF PANEL MAY DETACH FROM THE VEHICLE. IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN, IT COULD STRIKE A FOLLOWING VEHICLE AND CAUSE INJURY AND/OR PROPERTY DAMAGE.

Remedy:
DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW DESIGN ROOF PANEL FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING JANUARY 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438

Since the 2005 – 2009 Cadillac XLR was built off of the C6 Corvette chassis and on a separate line at the same assembly plant as the Corvette, it’s quite possible that the same adhesive used to bond the roof panels together on the C6 Corvette was also used on the Cadillac XLR.

To view the entire thread and comments in the forums, visit:  Roof panel detached while driving

Are any other Cadillac XLR owners having this issue?

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National Corvette Museum Seeks to Expand Collection with Cadillac XLR

In a recent news post, the National Corvette Museum has announced that they are seeking to expand their collection by adding the 2004 – 2009 Cadillac XLR.

The Cadillac XLR was built from 2004 to 2009 and is the only other automobile to have been built along side the Corvette at the Bowling Green Corvette Assembly Plant.

If you are the owner of a 2004 – 2009 Cadillac XLr or XLR-V and would consider donating it to the Museum, please contact the National Corvette Museum’s Curator Derek E. Moore at 270-777-4516 or derek@corvettemuseum.org.

Below is the official press release from the museum:

The National Corvette Museum exhibits the history of Corvette from its inception to the current year models that leave the GM Bowling Green Assembly Plant daily. To tell the Corvette’s story, the Museum utilizes their artifact and archive collections in the galleries through various model years, significant milestones, technological upgrades and its impact on the automotive world. These goals are accomplished with the help and support of enthusiasts.

One of the many great ways enthusiasts can support the National Corvette Museum’s mission is by donating a vehicle to the collection. Although one might think that the Museum only accepts Corvettes, that is not the case!  Currently the Museum is looking for several Corvettes to for our collection, as well as other vehicles that have a significant tie to the Corvette story.

Below is a ‘wish list’ of vehicles that the National Corvette Museum would like to add to its collection. If you have one of these vehicles and would consider donating it to the Museum, please contact our Curator Derek E. Moore at 270-777-4516 or derek@corvettemuseum.org.

Corvettes

  • Complete the collection of one factory produced Corvette of every year: 1955, 60, 61, 64, 65, 70, 72, 73, 75, 76, 77, 82, 91, 97, 98, 99, 2001, 04, 05, 06, 09, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19…
  • Experimental Corvettes: any prototype or experimental Corvette

Other Vehicles

  • 2004-2009 Cadillac XLR, the only car produced in tandem with Corvette and the story of the Corvette platform turned Cadillac sports car.
  • Other GM built vehicles with Corvette engines, e.g., 2006-2009 Chevrolet TrailBlazer SS, 2004-2006 Pontiac GTO, 2004-present Cadillac CTS-V, etc.
  • 1964 Cheetah
  • Corvette powered Iso Grifo or Iso Rivolta
  • Corvette powered Bizzarrini

Pioneers and Inspirations

  • Pre-Corvette fiberglass sports car, e.g., Glaspar G2, Lancer, Woodill Wildfire, Kaiser-Darrin, etc.
  • Pre-Corvette American sports cars, e.g., Mercer Raceabout, Stutz Bearcat, Nash-Healey, Crosley HotShot, etc.
  • MGTA, MGTB, or MGTC.
  • Jaguar XJ120

Competitors

  • Any Dodge Viper
  • 1955, 56, or 57 Ford Thunderbird

The National Corvette Museum is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit foundation dedicated to preserving Corvette’s past, present and future heritage. As a member-driven organization, the Museum relies heavily on donations. Learn more about donating your automobile online at https://www.corvettemuseum.org/support/donate-your-automobile/.

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Cadillac XLR Registry Continues to Grow and Improve

The official Cadillac XLR Registry here at the XLR Net continues to grow and improve with more XLRs entered and more features to help you search the Registry.

All 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2009 Cadillac XLR entered in the Registry have been verified through GM’s system for options, build dates and invoicing/selling dealerships.

Every 2006 Cadillac XLR ever built is listed in the Registry, however, we’re slowly adding option and build date information to each one.

We’re currently running through the 2004 XLRs and adding all of the build information to those.

The Search features will continue to grow and will include the options to search for “Show Vehicles”, “Stock Units”, “Sold Orders” and more.

If you have a Cadillac XLR that is not in the Registry, please feel free to register your car.  Our goal with the Registry is to document every single XLR built!

Link:  Cadillac XLR Registry

Chime in with your thoughts in the forums >>>

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Authorities Searching for Cadillac XLR Involved in a Hit and Run in Michigan

Kalamazoo, Michigan – A Kalamazoo public safety announcement was issued yesterday with surveillance footage of a Cadillac XLR that was involved in a hit and run accident in downtown Kalamazoo.

Authorities are searching for the driver of the XLR who they believe hit a man downtown early in the day and took off.

Police said they found Micha Mechling, lying in the middle of the street around 2:40 a.m. with a severe head injury.  Detectives believe the driver was in a Cadillac XLR and knew he hit someone on E. Michigan Ave. around 2:40 a.m. but didn’t stop to help.

Police said Mechling suffered severe head trauma.

Detectives found various scattered pieces from the car on the scene.  Based upon a part number found from an inner fender well as well as video surveillance footage, the car is a 2004 – 2009 Cadillac XLR.

Police are urging the driver, who could face up to five years in prison for not stopping and helping, to turn themselves in.

If you have information regarding this incident, or think that the Cadillac XLR looks familiar, please contact Kalamazoo Public Safety (269) 337-8120 or Silent Observer at (269) 343-2100.

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Cadillac XLR Knowledge Base Updated

The Cadillac XLR Knowledge Base has been upgraded to a new mobile-compliant software platform that makes all service bulletins, recall notices and technical articles viewable on all hand-held devices and tablets.

The Knowledge Base also includes new features such as subscribing to categories, advanced search capability, popular article highlights, top rated articles and more.

We have much more content to add to the new Knowledge Base so check it out!

Cadillac XLR Net Knowledge Base

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Cadillac XLR: One of the Worst Sports Cars?

Motor1 out of Canada, a part of the Motorsport Network, recently published an interesting article on the 2004 – 2009 Cadillac XLR being one of the worst sports cars.

While the article does state some some good qualities of the Cadillac XLR, I’m not entirely sure I agree with the negatives they outlined.

Basically, they chastised the car for being too heavy, coming in at 3,840 pounds versus 3,241 lbs for the C6 Corvette which it was based off of, and a poor performer when compared to the C6 Corvette.  While this may be true, the Cadillac XLR was never meant to be an exact replica of the C6 Corvette with a Cadillac body.  It wasn’t built to take on European competition like Ferrari and Porsche, or meant for the track.  It was a luxury cruiser.

While the aluminum retractable roof may have contributed to much of the excessive weight of the XLR, again, making the XLR as lightweight as possible wasn’t high up on Cadillac’s priority list.

Luxury comes at a price – both in the wallet and in the weight.

While final production numbers fell much shorter than GM’s 5,000- 7,000 per year projections, it’s our opinion here at the XLR Net, that the Cadillac XLR failed in the market because GM’s Marketing Team failed at marketing the car.  In the waning years of production, the XLR was rarely ever seen in magazines or TV ads.  Combine the lack of marketing with a much higher than necessary entry price, the Cadillac XLR died a slow, agonizing death thanks to GM’s short-sightedness.

Putting all that aside, we appreciate GM being brave enough to bring such a revolutionary Cadillac to the market for the time.  While the automotive media may not appreciate the Cadillac XLR, we do appreciate what the car is and what it was built for.

It’s a comfortable, fun to drive, convertible sports car that was meant to draw new customers into the Cadillac fold by showcasing a sporty, luxurious edge to a brand that was always associated with gray-haired grandparents.  A light weight, track attack, Porsche eating sports car was never in the equation for the XLR.

In any case, enjoy the article linked below:

Worst Sports Cars:  Cadillac XLR

Chime in with your thoughts in the forums >>>

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Cadillac XLR Net Releases Major Site Upgrade and Enhancements

I’m really pleased to announce that the XLR Net has undergone a major site upgrade and redesign!

The entire web site (excluding the gallery section) is completely mobile compliant now. All major sections of the site including the XLR Registry, Tech Section and Knowledgebase can be viewed from any computer or hand-held device.

As part of the redesign, the Cadillac XLR Registry has been completely revamped with a slightly different layout that is not only mobile-friendly, but the layout of information has been refined. Information on each Cadillac XLR in the Registry is now laid out in a more orderly fashion.

Cadillac XLR Registry

I’m continuing to work on the Cadillac XLR Registry by validating all XLRs entered with accurate data from GM in terms of options, etc. The 2007 – 2009 Cadillac XLRs have been completed. 70% of the 2005 Cadillac XLRs have been completed followed by 50% of the 2004 Cadillac XLRs.

Every single 2006 Cadillac XLR that was ever built is now entered in the Registry, however, only 20% of them have been validated with GM data. I’ll be working on them as soon as I wrap up the 2004 – 2005 XLRs.

Knowledgebase

The revamp of the Knowledgebase is a major bonus to the XLR Net. The old system was extremely outdated and the software used no longer supported by the company that originally programmed it many years ago. The new system is completely responsive to mobile devices and make it easy to enter and edit data in the system.

Over the next month, keep your eye on the Knowledgebase, because I’ll be entering many more service bulletins and tech articles that were not previously available to us.

Gallery

The Gallery section of the site is the last remaining section of the site that is awaiting a revamp. The software that runs that section is extremely outdated, poorly programmed, and the company that built it years ago, no longer in business. I have a new system picked out that will be totally responsive for mobile devices and offer much more capability.

Much more to come! Stay tuned!!

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