NHTSA Complaint #10185259 — 2005 CADILLAC CTS

I LEASED A 2005 CADILLAC CTS IN JULY OF 2005 FOR A 3 YEAR LEASE AGREEMENT. SINCE I HAVE HAD THE CAR IT HAS BEEN IN THE DEALERSHIP 5+ TIMES FOR ISSUES. BATTERY HAS BEEN REPLACED, RECALL ON THE FUEL GAUGE, DRIVERS DOOR HANDLE PLASTIC PEELED AND WAS REPLACED, RADIO REPLACED DUE TO RADIO BUTTONS PEELING. DURING THE FIRST 9 MONTHS OF MY LEASE I NOTICED THAT THE RADIO BUTTONS (CHANNELS 1-6) BEGAN TO PEEL. THE SYNTHETIC MATERIAL IS VERY SOFT AND CHEAP (ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE DEALER). I ALERTED THE DEALER AND TOLD THEM WHAT WAS OCCURRING AND THEY SAID BRING THE CAR IN AND WE'LL FIX IT. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT COLONIAL CADILLAC ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE SYNTHETIC MATERIAL COULD BE EASILY RUBBED OFF WITH ANY TYPE OF OILS (HANDS, FINGERS, LOTIONS, ETC.), AND CADILLAC WOULD FIX THE ISSUES WHEN IT OCCURS. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE ENTIRE RADIO (EVEN THOUGH JUST A FEW BUTTONS WERE TORN) WITH NO COST TO ME. ON ANOTHER OCCASION THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR HANDLE WAS ALSO PEELING. THE PEELING WAS THE SAME ISSUE AS THE RADIO BUTTONS. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND BROUGHT THE CAR IN TO HAVE THE HANDLE REPLACED, AND THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED IT WITH NO COST TO ME. IN NOVEMBER 2006, THE SAME ISSUE RE-OCCURRED WITH MY RADIO BUTTONS (BUTTONS 1 & 2). I MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE CAR BE BROUGHT INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID THEY WOULD FIX THE RADIO BY REPLACING THE RADIO ONCE AGAIN. IN EARLY DECEMBER 2006 I PUT AN AIR FRESHENER IN THE VENT (ONE OF THOSE AIR FRESHENERS THAT ATTACH TO THE VENT WITH OILS). A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF THE OILS SPILLED ONTO THE VENT AND THE TOP OF THE RADIO CAUSING THE CHEAP SYNTHETIC MATERIALS TO PEEL. THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO FIX. I COULD NOT FIND ONE INSTANCE IN MY LEASE AGREEMENT THAT SAYS IF THE SYNTHETIC MATERIAL ON YOUR DASHBOARD, RADIO AND DOOR HANDLES IS NOT COVERED. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY ASSISTANCE AS I HAVE SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND FOUND MANY OTHER DRIVERS WITH THE SAME ISSUE. *JB