1999 Cadillac Catera

WHEN DRIVING ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS REAR DOORS WERE NOT FULLY CLOSED AT A TIME WHEN CHILDREN WERE REAR OF VEHICLE. CONSUMER PROVIDED NO INDICATION THAT THE DOORS WERE OPEN. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. *AK THERE ARE NO INDICATIONS OF THE DOORS BEING OPENED, THE DOORS ARE SUPPOSED TO AUTOMATICALLY LOCK ONCE THE VEHICLE IS SHIFTED INTO DRIVE, HOWEVER THE DOORS REMAIN OPEN AND UNLOCKED. CONSUMER HEARS A CLICKING NOISE FROM THE CENTER DASH. THE SUNROOF STAYS STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION AND MAKES A LOUD CRACKING NOISE, IT'S TAKEN 3 TIMES TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. WHEN VEHICLE IS FIRST DRIVEN, IT STICKS IN FIRST GEAR. THE STEERING WHEEL IS HARD TO KEEP UNDER CONTROL ALLOWING THE VEHICLE TO WANDER WHILE DRIVING. THE FRONT DOOR HANDLE STICKS, THE DEALER CAN NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORE OUT PREMATURELY. THE ENGINE RACES WHILE COASTING DOWNHILL, THE DEALER STATED THAT THIS WAS NORMAL. THE INTERIOR FLOODED, THE DEALER STATED THE THE HOOD DRAINS ARE CLOGGED WITH DEBRIS. *SLC

THE STEERING SYSTEM LACKS EQUILIBRIUM, LACKS ON-CENTER FEEL AND HAS A TENDENCY TO WANDER. A LACK OF A STABLE STEERING SYSTEM CAUSES THE DRIVER TO HAVE TO APPLY TORQUE TO THE STEERING SHEEL TO KEEP THE CAR ON THE ROAD. THE CAR DOES NOT STEER IN A STRAIGHT LINE, A NEUTRAL STEER CONDITION DOES NOT EXIST. THE VEHICLE ROOLS IN A CIRCLE UNLESS THE DRIVER STEERS THE FRONT WHEELS BY APPLYING A TORQUE TO THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE PULLS TO THE LEFT AND WILL LEAVE THE LANE WITHIN FIVE - EIGHT SECONDS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH. THE ALIGNMENT IS WITHIN THE GM SPECIFICATION AND THE TIRES AND WHEELS HAVE BEEN CHECKED FOR DEFECTS. THREE OTHER BRAND NEW 1999 CATERAS FROM OTHER DEALER INVENTORIES DO THE SAME OR WORSE. GM HAS SAID THAT THIS IS THE WAY THE CAR IS EXPECTED TO OPERATE, IT IS A TWO HANDED STEERED CAR. *AK

UPON ARRIVING AT THE BANK, I ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE DOOR. USING QUITE A BIT OF FORCE, I MANAGED TO OPEN THE DOOR AND CLOSE IT. UPON RETURNING TO THE CAR, I WAS UNABLE TO CLOSE THE DOOR AGAIN. UPON INSPECTION, I NOTICED THE LATCH ASSEMBLY WAS STUCK IN THE CLOSED POSITION. I CONTACTED ON STAR AND WAS INFORMED THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. THE LADY FROM ON STAR THEN GOT A ROAD SIDE SERVICE TECHNICIAN ON THE PHONE WITH US. THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED ME THAT "THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM" AND IT HAPPENS TO HIM "AT LEAST TWO TIMES PER YEAR". THE TECHNICIAN THEN INSTRUCTED ME TO "USE A SCREWDRIVER TO TRY AND FORCE THE LATCH INTO THE PROPER POSITION". WHILE ATTEMPTING THIS, THE SCREWDRIVER SLIPPED AND SCRATCHED THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR. THE TECHNICIAN THEN TOLD ME HE WOULD COME OUT AND ATTEMPT TO REPAIR THE DOOR. AFTER AN HOUR, THE TECHNICIAN SHOWED UP AND TRIED TO OPEN THE DOOR LATCH ASSEMBLY WITH A SCREWDRIVER FOR THE NEXT HOUR. HE FINALLY REMOVED THE RUBBER MOLDING FROM AROUND THE LATCH ASSEMBLY AND WAS ABLE TO GET THE DOOR TO CLOSE. HE THEN INFORMED ME THAT I SHOULD "TAKE THE CAR IN TO THE DEALER AND HAVE THE DOOR LATCH ASSEMBLY REPLACED. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO RONALD MORAN CADILLAC AND EXPLAINED TO THEM WHAT HAPPENED. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN EXPLAINED THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM AND PLACED AN ORDER FOR THE NEW PART. WHEN ASKED ABOUT WETHER THERE WAS A RECALL FOR SUCH A SERIOUS PROBLEM, THE TECHNICIAN SAID NO. I THEN SPOKE TO THE SERVICE MANAGER, MR. DAVID BOYD, WHO INFORMED ME THERE WAS NO RECALL. I AM APPALLED AT THE FACT THAT SUCH A SERIOUS PROBLEM, WHICH COULD RESULT IN DEATH IN CASE OF A FIRE OR SUBMERSSION IN WATER, THAT NOTHING IS BEING DONE TO CORRECT THIS SITUATION. I HOPE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN SEE MY POINT OF VIEW AND RESOLVE THIS SERIOUS AND POTENTIALLY FATAL DEFECT. *AK