Driving at night to the airport, the car suddenly started making a horrible screeching noise, which was intermittent, starting for several seconds then stopping for a second, then restarting. I,The noise was so loud you could hardly talk over it. didn't feel anything while driving or steering the car. We thought it was the car speakers, as it sounded like severe static. We turned around and went home, after stopping four times to take the fuses out which controlled the radio and speakers, etc, to no avail.

Took it to our local garage, who reported that 5 out of the six bolts which connect the rear drive shaft to the transmission transfer case were missing. The rear drive shaft was being held on by one remaining bolt. I later found on of these bolts in our driveway.

If the last bolt had failed, the rear drive shaft would have fallen down at the center position of the car, and would have either dragged on the road, or hit an obstruction and caused an accident, or swung sideways to be run over by the rear wheels or who knows what.

For some time I've heard a light "clunk" when I accelerate coming from below the center console between the front and rear compartments, which is precisely this area. At one point that night I did hear both the "clunk" and the screeching starting simultaneously, so I suspect the "clunk" was somehow related to this.

I called Ingersoll Cadillac in CT, and asked how this could have happened. They had no information on it.

I was lucky to be out only $125 for repairs, and out several hundred dollars in airline change ticket fees, and to escape the car breaking down, or an accident. But its unacceptable. Sounds identical to the previous report of the bolts never being properly torqued.