2001 Cadillac Catera

THE PURPOSE OF THIS MEMO IS TO REQUEST NHTSA TO EVALUATE AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION TO HAVE THE MANUFACTURER CORRECT DESIGN DEFECT IN THE HOT WATER VALVE OF THE 2001 CADILLAC CATERA COOLING SYSTEM. *AK RECENTLY THE HOT WATER VALVE, FP NUMBER 90566947, IN THE COOLING SYSTEM OF MY 2001 CATERA FAILED FOR THE SECOND TIME. THE FIRST FAILURE OCCURRED IN 2005 WITH LESS THAN 50,000 MILES ON THE CAR AND WAS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. THE SECOND FAILURE OCCURRED LAST MONTH WITH LESS THAN 75,000 MILES ON THE CAR AND WAS REPAIRED AT MY EXPENSE. BOTH REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED BY VAL WARD CADILLAC, FORT MYERS, FLORIDA, WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. I HAVE OWNED MANY CARS, INCLUDING FOUR GENERAL MOTORS (GM) CARS, AND THIS COOLING SYSTEM PROBLEM HAS NEVER OCCURRED ON ANY OF THEM. ON JUNE 5, 2007 I SENT A LETTER TO GM ASKING THAT THEY ISSUE A RECALL OF THE 2001 CATERA TO CORRECT THIS DESIGN DEFECT. I WAS ADVISED, VIA A TELEPHONE CALL FROM MS. JOLENE BLAZUKIEWICZ, IN THEIR EXECUTIVE OFFICE, THAT GM DOES NOT BELIEVE THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT OR SAFETY HAZARD AND NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED. SHE WENT ON TO SAY THE FAILED PART IS MADE OF PLASTIC, AS THOUGH THIS WAS A REASON FOR THE FAILURE. I SUGGESTED THEY MAY WANT TO CONSIDER MAKING THE PART FROM A STRONGER MATERIAL, SHE SAID SHE WOULD FORWARD MY LETTER TO THE DESIGN DEPARTMENT. I LIVE IN A RELATIVELY RURAL PART OF CENTRAL FLORIDA AND SUDDEN LOSS OF COOLING FLUID ON A ROAD FAR FROM A TOWN OR SERVICE STATION, COULD PRESENT A VERY REAL AND SIGNIFICANT SAFETY HAZARD AND RESULT IN SEVERE ENGINE DAMAGE. THE FACT THAT THIS VALVE HAS NOW FAILED TWICE INDICATES IT IS A DESIGN DEFECT. IT WOULD SEEM APPROPRIATE FOR GENERAL MOTORS TO ISSUE A RECALL AND REPLACE THE VALVE WITH A MORE ROBUST PART. I THEREFORE REQUEST THE NHTSA TO EVALUATE THE PROBLEM AND, IF APPROPRIATE, DIRECT GM TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE DEFECTIVE PART. SINCERELY, TORSTEN ROTHMAN

TL*- WHILE DRIVING THE 2001 CADILLAC CATERA WITH 76000 MILES FAILURE FOR 15 MILES HE TURNED THE SEAT HEATER ON. THE CONTACT HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR A HALF HOUR WHEN HE TURNED THE SEAT HEATER OFF BECAUSE IT FELT HOT AND HE SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THE BACK OF THE PASSENGER'S COAT WAS BURNED, AND THAT THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE BACK. THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT HAD A BLACK BURN MARK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SEAT, NEAR THE DOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT IT HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 76882. *AK

PURCHASED 2001 CATERA NEW FROM SIOUX FALLS CAD., SIOUX FALLS, SD. WITH LESS THAN 12,000 MILES ON CAR, TIRES WERE COMPLETELY WORN. CAD. REPLACED TIRES, ALIGNED THE WHEELS WHICH WERE WITHIN CAD. GUIDE. WITH LESS THAN 15,000 MILES ON THE REPLACED TIRES, TIRES WERE IRREGULARLY WORN OUT, REPLACED AT HAMIL MOTORS OF SHELDON, IA. WHICH I PAID FOR. CAR ALIGNED AND ALIGNMENT WAS WITHIN CAD. GUIDE. BOTH ALIGNMENTS WERE COMPLETED BY CAD. DEALERS. REPLACED TIRES WORE OUT WITHIN 15,000 MILES AND WERE REPLACED BY ME FROM OK ONE STOP IN HOSPERS, IA. CAR TAKEN TO SIOUX FALLS CAD FOR ANOTHER ALIGNMENT WHICH WAS WITHIN CAD. GUIDE. WITH LESS THAN 10,000 MILES TIRES WERE AGAIN IRREGULARLY WORN, REPLACED AT MORGAN TIRE CO. AND WITH LESS THAN 15,000 MILES BLOWOUT WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING CAUSING MUCH EMOTIONAL STRESS FOR MY WIFE. TIRES REPLACED AT MORGAN TIRE, ALIGNMENT COMPLETED WITH MORGAN CALLING CAD FOR CORRECTION. STATED THAT IT WAS A DESIGN FLAW IN THE CATERA AND NOTHING COULD BE DONE TO CORRECT THIS SITUATION. FILED A COMPLAINT WITH GMAC - 800-458-8006 4 WEEKS AGO, WAS ASSIGNED FILE #1-431277521, WAS INSTRUCTED TO HAVE TIRES BROUGHT TO CAD DEALER WHICH WAS COMPLETED BY MORGAN TIRE CO. TO HAMILL MOTORS OF SHELDON. DEALER WAS TO CALL CAD. WITH RESULT OF TIRE INSPECTION AND I HAVE HEARD NOTHING FROM CAD. SINCE.*JB

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

MY VEHICLE'S SPORT SHIFTING INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON ABOUT A WEEK BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. MY CAR WOULD REFUSE TO SHIFT OUT OF FIRST GEAR UNTIL I DROVE IT FOR A FEW MILES AND/OR TURNED THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTED IT. I WAS IN A LOCAL TOWN WHEN THE FRONT END STARTED TO SHUDDER AND MAKE NOISE. I TOOK IT TO A AUTO TRANSMISSION SHOP WHO STATED THE SENDING UNIT FOR THE FLUID FAILED AND IT HAD BURNED OUT THE FIRST GEAR. HE STATED THAT THIS WAS MOST LIKELY A MANUFACTURE DEFECT. I CONTACTED GM HEADQUARTERS AND WAS REFUSED ANY HELP IN FIXING THE ISSUE OR RESOLVING THE ISSUE. THEY STATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS BECAUSE IT HAD NOT HAD A SUFFICIENT HISTORY WITH GM DEALERSHIPS GETTING MAINTENANCE, AND THAT I WAS THE THIRD OWNER. KEEP IN MIND, THIS TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AFTER MY OWNING THE VEHICLE FOR ONLY 9 MOS, PAID 14,000.00 FOR THE CAR AND ONLY HAS 73,000 MILES ON IT. I NOW AM UNABLE TO DRIVE MY CAR UNTIL IT IS FIXED, WHICH I AM QUOTED 1500.00 FOR A REBUILD AND A YEAR WARRANTY THAT I CANNOT AFFORD AT THIS TIME AND HAVING TO DRIVE A VERY UNRELIABLE AND VERY UNSAFE VEHICLE IN THE MEANTIME. I JUST WANT MY CAR BACK.

NO MONEY HAS CHANGED HANDS YET. 2001 CADILLAC CATERRA IS UNDER WARANTY. FUEL LINE RUPTURED FROM HIGHWAY DEBRIS. PARTS WERE DIFFICULT TO GET. I AM A MECHANICAL ENGINEER BY SCHOOLING AND PROFESSION. THE LOCATION OF THE FUEL LINE IS OF A BAD DESIGN, EXPOSED TO HIGHWAY DEBRIS. IT IS NOT COMPLETELY ARMORED OR SHIELDED. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING, I WAS OUT OF TOWN ON BUSINESS. SHE WAS NOT SURE WHAT SHE HIT, BUT SMELLED GASOLINE IMMEDIATELY, PULLED OVER AND STOPPED. APPROX. 1/2 TANK FULL OF GAS WAS QUICKLY PUMPED TO ATMOSPHERE AND TO THE GROUND, DUE TO THE TUBING FAILURE. I HAVE ALSO CONTACTED THE CADILLAC CORPORATION, SPOKE WITH A MS. STACY ADAMS, MANAGER CUSTOMER RELATIONS, SHE STATED THAT THE WARANTY WILL NOT COVER THIS DAMAGE. I DISAGREE. THE CADILLAC FILE NUMBER IS 1-255444062. THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE DAMAGE WAS DUE TO FAULTY DESIGN PLACEMENT OF THE GASOLINE SUPPLY LINES, 3-LINES, SUPPLY, RETURN AND VAPOR. THE SUPPLY LINE RUPTURED. I AM REPORTING THIS DUE TO THE SAFETY IMPLICATIONS INVOLVED. HAD MY WIFE NOT BEEN AWARE OF THE GASOLINE SMELL, THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE BURST INTO FLAMES IF IT CONTINUED RUNNING. THIS WAS ALSO EVIDENCED BY THE MECHANIC WHO CAME TO TOW THE VEHICLE TO DEMONTROND CADILLAC. I AM ALSO REPORTING THIS INCIDENT TO THE TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT DEMONTROND CADILLAC, 888 I-45 SOUTH, CONROE, TX 77304. AS OF THIS DATE IT IS STILL NOT REPAIRED. THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW ON 9/8/01. MY WIFE IS THE PRIMARY DRIVER, I DRIVE IT SOMETIMES. I REVIEWED THE INCIDENTS / COMPLAINTS YOU HAVE LISTED ON THIS MAKE/MODEL VEHICLE. MY WIFE'S VEHICLE HAS SUFFERED MOST OF THE PROBLEMS LISTED, THE MAJORITY.*AK

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