1999 CADILLAC SEVILLE Complaints

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

GETTING VIBRATION ON SMOOTH ROADS AT 60-68 MPH. PUT ON 4 NEW MICHELIN TIRES, REPLACED BRAKE ROTORS, BALANCED ALL TIRES, STILL EXPERIENCE VIBRATION. DEALER CAN'T FIX. WHAT ARE OTHER SOLUTIONS BESIDES SAYING TIRES ARE OUT OF ROUND? *AK

HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT UNEXPECTEDLY. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND DEALER INDICATED THAT RELAY SWITCH WAS CORRODED DUE TO WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUID GETTING DOWN INTO THE SWITCH. *AK THE CORROSION WAS CAUSED BY THE WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID SPILLING INTO THE RELAY. *LA

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITH OUT ANY WARNING. AFTER A FEW MINUTES THE VEHICLE WOULD START UP AS IF NOTHING HAD HAPPENED. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE DEALER FOR THIS PROBLEM TWICE ALREADY FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM AND NEEDED TO GO TO THE SHOP AGAIN. THE MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *JB

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

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, BUT MOSTLY WHEN SLOWING DOWN, VEHICLE DIED. WHEN THIS OCCURRED VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER, ALMOST RESULTED IN A REAR END COLLISION. ALTHOUGH DEALERSHIP SERVICED THE VEHICLE 6 TIMES IT WAS UNABLE TO RESOLE THE PROBLEM. *AK

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

THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW STARTER AND IGNITION SWITCH. *PH *SCC *JB

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEEDS VEHICLE WILL STALL OUT WITHOUT WARNING. HAD VEHICLE SERVICED SEVERAL TIMES BY DEALERSHIP, THEY COULD NOT LOCATE CAUSE OF PROBLEM.*AK

WHILE DRIVING HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE. TOOK VEHICLE INTO THE DEALER, AND DEALER STATED NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE PISTON RING, HOWEVER THEY COULDN'T FIX BECAUSE NO PART WAS AVAILABLE. *AK