1999 Cadillac Seville

ON JUNE 17, AT OR ABOUT 7:30 PM, MY WIFE ENTERED HER VEHICLE, A 1999 CADILLAC SEVILLE STS, SHE TURNED THE KEY TO START THE CAR, AND THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON DRY PAVEMENT, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT IN GEAR, AND HAD SUSTAINED NO PREVIOUS DAMAGE. WE CONTACTED THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP, AND SUBSEQUENTLY, THE MANUFACTURER, TO NO AVAIL. TO DATE, THEY HAVE REFUSED TO ASSIST US WITH THIS PROBLEM. UPON CONTACTING THE DEALERSHIP, ON FRIDAY, JUNE 18, FIVE DIFFERENT MECHANICS TOLD US THAT THIS TYPE OF DEPLOYMENT IS "NOT SUPPOSED TO OCCUR." THAT, IN FACT, THE AIRBAG SHOULD NOT DEPLOY IF THE CAR IS NOT IN GEAR. FURTHER, UPON CONTACTING THE MANUFACTURER, I WAS TOLD AGAIN THAT THIS SITUATION SHOULD NOT OCCUR. THE MANUFACTURER TOLD ME THAT THE ONLY CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH THE AIRBAG WILL DEPLOY INADVERTENTLY IS IF MOISTURE OR CORROSION BUILDS UP. UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, A WARNING LIGHT WILL DISPLAY TO SIGNAL THE DRIVER THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT THERE WAS A MOISTURE OR CORROSION BUILDUP IN THE SYSTEM. SINCE THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED UNDER CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH IT IS NOT SUPPOSED TO, AND SINCE THERE WAS NO INDICATION BY VIRTUE OF A DISPLAYED WARNING LIGHT, THERE IS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECT IN THE DESIGN OR MANUFACTURE OF THIS SYSTEM, ON THIS PARTICULAR MODEL VEHICLE. FORTUNATELY, MY WIFE WAS NOT DRIVING THE CAR WHEN THE DEPLOYMENT OCCURRED. HOWEVER, WITH THOUSANDS OF 1999 CADILLAC SEVILLE'S ON THE ROAD, IT MAY SIMPLY BE A MATTER OF TIME WHEN AN INADVERTENT DEPLOYMENT OCCURS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS MOVING. OBVIOUSLY, DEPLOYMENT UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, RATHER THAN SAVE LIVES, MAY RESULT IN THE LOSS OF LIFE; AND CONSIDERING THAT THE MANUFACTURER IS UNWILLING TO ACKNOWLEDGE OR ASSIST TO REPAIR SUCH DEFECT, GOVERNMENT OR REGULATORY INTERVENTION IS IMPERATIVE TO AVOID THE POTENTIAL LOSS OF LIFE. *NM

PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE'S ENGINE AND DASHBOARD LIGHTS.*MR THE DEALERSHIP NEVER DID CORRECT THE DASHBOARD LIGHT PROBLEM. THE ENGINE WOULD DIE WITH OUT WARNING AND AT TIMES WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS MAKING A TURN. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TOOK ANOTHER DEALERSHIP, WHO FIXED ALL THE PROBLEMS, HOWEVER THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO STALL, THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSIS THE ENGINE STALLING BECAUSE THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE CODING, WHICH MEANT THE COMPUTER DID NOT RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM. *JB *NM

FROM ABOUT SEPTMBER 2003 ON WE'VE HAD ISSUES W/ OUR 1999 SEVILLE SLS SHUTTING DOWN. IT SHUTS DOWN WHILE IN PROGRESS AT 55+ MILES PER HOUR AND AT A STANDSTILL. EVERYTHING GOES, THE ENGINE, LIGHTS, BRAKES, STEERING, ETC. IT IS IN THE REPAIR SHOP FOR THE FOURTH TIME AND THEY ARE STILL NOT SURE THEY KNOW WHAT IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. THE CADILLAC CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE SUGGESTS THAT I LET THE REPAIR CENTER FIX THE CAR AGAIN AND TAKE IT HOME TO SEE IF THE PROBLEM OCCURS AGAIN. HOWEVER, I AM CONCERNED FROM A PUBLIC AND PERSONAL SAFTEY PERSPECTIVE THAT THIS IS NOT ADVISABLE AND THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE CAR. IT'S IS DARK HERE VERY EARLY, TRAFFIC IS HEAVY AND THE DEER ARE ON THE MOVE B/C HUNTING SEASON JUST STARTED. IF I NEED LIGHTS, BRAKES OR STEERING TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT OR GUIDE ME HOME IN THE EVENING I AM NOT CONFIDENT THAT I CAN RELY ON THIS VEHICLE. LOOKING TO CADILLAC TO SEE IF A MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL RESULT CAN BE OBTAINED. *AK