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<title>Cadillac SSS light and strut problem. The only way to travel is
cadillac style Mark Giammalvo</title>
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<center><big><big><b><i><font color="#3333ff">Giammalvo Files</font></i></b></big></big></center>
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<p><i><font color="#000000">Mark Giammalvo specializes in driveability
diagnostics </font><font color="#000000">at his family business,
Sam Giammalvo's Auto Sales & Service, Inc. in New</font>
<font color="#000000">Bedford, MA. </font> </i>
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<i><font
color="#000000">Mark, who has been with the business for
over 20 years, is an ASE Master Technician and Parts Specialist.
He also holds the ASE L1 certification, and has
an associates degree in business</font> <font
color="#000000">management. <br>
Mark is also a writer for Motor Age Magazine and is the past secretary
of the Alliance of Automotive Service Professionals, (AASP).</font></i>
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<big><b><big> The Only Way To Travel - Is Cadillac Style</big></b></big>
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<p><small><i><font color="#000000">(Printed in the Journal of The Alliance
of Automotive Service Providers, AASP) </font></i></small></p>
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The only way to travel is Cadillac Style. I don't know if that
rings a bell with you but it does for me. That line has been in Cadillac's
advertising campaign for years. I have to wonder about it sometimes. This
week we had a customer with a 1993 DeVille report that the SSS light came
on and stayed on. I had an idea that this light was a similar warning like
we see so often on Caddy's with Computer Command Ride, (CCR). You know,
that system where the car has 4 electrically controlled struts. Looking
in Alldata revealed nothing about the system. Time to relax for 30 min.
while we wait for Alldata's fax service. After receiving the fax we realized
it was CCR except that on a 1993 the light is called SSS. The Cadillac service
manual data that Alldata sent was very helpful. I have diagnosed this system
on Caddy's before but no one has ever returned for us to actually perform
the repairs. Why? Because the diagnostic tests always point to failed struts.
The struts are only made by GM and have a suggested list price of close
to $500.00 each. After you figure labor and the alignment in, it gets to
be a pretty scary dollar figure. Then again, I didn't build it, buy it, or
break it. Usually on this system, the ECM commands a motor in the strut to
turn to either firm mode or soft mode. A feed back position wire is monitored
at each strut to make sure the commanded position was carried out. When
a command is made and the feed back wire reports the strut never moved, a
code is set in the controller. <br>
<br>
Anyway, I looked in the trunk between the radio speakers for the
control module (brain) so I could count out the led flashes for the code.
Guess what? The brain is not mounted in that nice easy to get to location
anymore. On this year it's mounted in a better location. Much easier to
get to. (Read: Remove drivers seat, roll back rug, remove brain). I guess
some engineer complained that opening the trunk and looking at the
module was too easy so they wanted it mounted to the floor pan. Thanks!
<br>
<br>
On a 1993 you have to ground a pin in the ALDL connector and then
the SSS light on the dash will flash. But since you can't read the letters
on the ALDL connector in it's mounted location, you have to remove
the lower hush panels and remove the ALDL connector so you can find the
corresponding pin letter and ground that pin. The brain threw a code
25 for "L/R strut position error". Now we called Alldata again and asked
them to send us the Flow Chart for code 25. After relaxing another 30
min., the fax arrived. Now you have to get to the brain under the seat
and OHM test the wires from the brain to the L/R strut. I seem to remember
doing that in the past very easily when the brain was in the trunk! The
flow chart states that "If the Ohms resistance is between 9 and 19 to replace
the strut." (I love the use of OHM's testing, it's so reliable. What ever
happened to voltage drops? Shhhh... that would mean a better repair.
The manufacturers can't put that in the service manual. OHM's testing and
incorrect wiring diagram colors are much better). Well, the customer paid
our diagnostic but he decided not to replace the strut. Well, after all,
no one else has! Can't really blame him. Who wants to spend $500+ on an
older car? The other caution we give to the customers on these cars comes
from the first one we did several years ago. At that time our technical
hotline warned us to advise the customer that at this time only one strut
has failed, and at any time in the future the other struts could fail and
may have to be replaced. We have always passed on that warning to the customer.
Otherwise you could replace a strut one week, and the next week have the
light on again with a code for another strut. You and I would know that a
different code would point to another strut, but the customer seeing the
same light on may get the false impression that you never cured the problem
in the first place. <br>
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The only way to travel is Cadillac Style.<br>
<br>
<br>
<b>UPDATE:</b> In August of 2003 I received an phone
call from Dale Whiles, a Cadillac owner in Oregon. Dale used to be in
the automotive repair industry and even financed an Oregon shop owner
in the past. Dale wanted to thank me for posting this informative article
as his Caddy also has the SSS light on. Dale even wanted to conference
me with his friend and shop owner that, he claims, refuses to work on Cadillac's
any more. Well, Dale could not reach the shop owner so we did not get to
3 way chat. Anyway, I told Dale that since this article was written, Cadillac
has come up with a less expensive, alternative repair, for the SSS light
problem. Basically, it requires installing 4 regular "passive" struts and
disabling the SSS system so the control module will no longer command the
strut motors and will not illuminate the SSS light. It basically eliminates
the SSS feature from the car. The Cadillac bulletin # is 00-03-11-001A.
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