2001 Cadillac Catera

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT APPROX. 55 MPH, CAME UPON DRIVER MOVING SLOW, HAD TO BRAKE, THEN BEGAN TO PASS, FRONT END MADE A LOUD, HORRIBLE NOISE, AND WITHIN SECONDS THE FRONT WHEEL FLEW OFF THE VEHICLE, CATERA STRUCK ANOTHER PERSON'S TRAILER AND THE CATERA WAS A TOTAL LOSS. DEALER HAD CAR FOR REPAIRS ABOUT 3 OF THE 5 MONTHS I'VE OWNED THE CAR. *TR

ON 8/20/05, I HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT (FILE # 1-357-445-124) WITH CADILLAC CUSTOMER RELATIONS, IN ORDER TO REQUEST FULL REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPAIR OF TWO SAFETY-RELATED ISSUES AND ONE SERVICE-RELATED ISSUE THAT HAVE COME TO MY KNOWLEDGE RECENTLY. I BELIEVE THESE ISSUES DID NOT HAPPENED OVERNIGHT AND HAVE BEEN DEVELOPING PRIOR TO THE EXPIRING OF THE WARRANTY IN DECEMBER 2004. CAR HAS ONLY 35K MILES AND IS DRIVEN AVG OF 4K MILES PER YEAR. COMPLAINT IS AS FOLLOWS: 1) DEFECTIVE ORIGINAL FACTORY CHROME RIMS: AS PER TIRES PLUS AND LINDSAY CADILLAC SERVICE SHOP TECHNICIANS, THE CHROME IS PEELING FROM INSIDE RIM, CAUSING TIRES TO CONSTANTLY LOSE AIR (DEFLATE), WHICH AT ANY TIME MAY BE A HAZARD TO MY SAFETY, AS WELL AS FOR OTHER PASSENGERS). I HAVE ASKED CADILLAC TO REPAIR/REPLACE 4 RIMS; 2) DEFECTIVE CAR JACK: ALTHOUGH NOT PREVIOUSLY USED, ON 8/19/05 THE NEW JACK SLID AND BENDED WHEN I USED IT ACCORDING TO INSTRUCTIONS TO REPLACE A FLAT TIRE, ALMOST CAUSING PERSONAL INJURY AND CAR DAMAGE). I HAVE ASKED CADILLAC TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE JACK; AND, 3) LEAKING ENGINE COOLANT: ACCORDING TO LINDSAY'S CADILLAC DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSIS, ENGINE COOLANT IS LEAKING THROUGH WATER HEATER CONTROL VALVE (AS PER ARCHIVES FROM WWW.CADILLACFORUMS.COM, THIS SEEMS TO BE A KNOWN AND RECURRING ISSUE REPORTED BY CADILLAC CATERA OWNERS, AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED UNDER CADILLAC'S WARRANTY AND THEY SHOULD ASSUME THE COST OF REPAIRS). CADILLAC PRESSURED ME OVER THE PHONE TO TAKE 50% COST ASSISTANCE ON REPAIRS (APPROX $3,500.00 ESTIMATED), AND WHEN I REFUSED, OFFER WAS WITHDRAWN FROM THE TABLE. I COMPLAINED THAT PROCESS WAS NOT TRANSPARENT, AND WHEN I REQUESTED THAT CADILLAC'S OFFER AND CLAIM INFORMATION BE IN WRITING, REPRESENTATIVE REFUSED TO PROVIDE ME WITH COPIES OF CASE FILE. *JB

THE DESIGN OF THE FRONT WHEELS WAS CAUSING PREMATURE WEAR OF THE TIRES BECAUSE THE TIRES CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE ROAD AT AN ANGLE WHILE DRIVING. *AK BASED FROM INVOICE FROM DEALER, THE FRONT WHEELS OF THE CATERA ARE DESIGNED TO PITCHED SLIGHTLY INWARD, WHICH MAY CAUSE THE FRONT TIRES TO WEAR FASTER. ALSO, IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT TIRES HAVE TO BE ROTATED REGULARLY. *LA