NHTSA Complaint #10088757 — 1998 CADILLAC CATERA

ON JULY 24, 2004 WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 65-70 MPH IN THE LEFT LANE ON I-81, I COULD FEEL THAT THE POWER STEERING WAS GONE IN THE VEHICLE,THERE WAS NO INDICATION IN THE IDIOT LIGHTS OR THE GAUGES THAT THE VEHICLE WAS IN DISTRESS. AS I GOT TO THE RIGHT THE BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON, THEN THE RADIATOR LIGHT CAME ON, I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE VEHICLE. THE REPAIR SHOP HAD THE CAR FOR 2 DAYS AND FINISHED THE REPAIR OF THE WATER PUMP. WHEN I STARTED THE CAR THE IDIOT LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN I GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND NOTICED THAT THERE WAS WHITE SMOKE EMANATING FROM THE EXHAUST TAIL PIPE. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO CADILLAC FOR REPAIR THE NEXT DAY. THEY TOLD THE HEAD GASKETS WERE GONE AND IT WOULD BE $ 1800.00 FOR THE LEFT ONE AND $1900.00 FOR THE RIGHT ONE IN ADDITION TO THE GASKET AND THE LABOR FOR THE REPAIR. I FOUND OUT FROM THE DEALER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS RECALLED FOR THE WATER PUMP ND 2 OTHER PULLEYS. THE RECORD SHOWED THAT THE RECALL WORK WAS PERFORMED BY KRISTAL CADILLAC THE DEALER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM. THEY NEVER INFORMED ME THAT THE VEHICLE WAS RECALLED FOR ANY REASON WHEN THEY SOLD ME THE VEHICLE. MY TOTAL OUT OF POCKET EXPENSE FOR REPAIR $2314.38. I GOT MY VEHICLE BACK ON AUGUST 6, 2004. THE CAR NOW BROKE DOWN COMPLETELY AND HAD TO BE TOWED INTO KRISTAL CADILLAC. THE DEALER HAS HAD THE CAR FOR 2 WEEKS AND HAVE STILL NOT LOOKED AT IT FURTHERMORE THEY ARE CLAIMING THAT IT IS NOW AN IGNITION PROBLEM AND NOT AN ENGINE/WATER PUMP PROBLEM. I BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE TRYING TO DISTANCE THEMSELVES FROM ANY LIABILITY IN THIS ISSUE WITH THIS FALSE DIAGNOSTIC OF THE VEHICLE. THIS PROBLEM IS DEFINITELY RELATED TO THE RECALL AND SHOULD BE PAID FOR BY GM TOTALLY. *JB