NHTSA Complaint #10208960 — 2006 CADILLAC STS

I LEASE A 2006 CADILLAC STS WITH 35,000 MILES DRIVEN. FOR THE PAST 6,000 MILES, AN INCREASING THUMPING NOISE HAS BEEN EMANATING FROM THE FRONT WHEELS. I BROUGHT IT TO THE CADILLAC DEALER I GOT IT FROM (COUNTRY CADILLAC GMC BUICK, HUNTINGTON, NY) AND THEIR BRIEF SYNOPSIS INDICATED THAT THE TIRES WERE WORN OUT, BECAUSE THERE ARE FLAT SPOTS ON THEM CAUSING THE THUMPING. THE PROBLEM IS, CADILLAC EXPLICITLY WARRANTY?S THE TIRES FROM DEFECTS FOR FULL REPLACEMENT DURING THE BUMPER TO BUMPER COVERAGE OF 5 YEAR/50,000 MILES. I CONTACTED MICHELIN TO DISCUSS WARRANTY COVERAGE AND THEY INSTRUCTED ME TO BRING THE CAR INTO A SERVICE CENTER TO ANALYZE FOR WARRANTY. THEIR ANALYSIS INDICATES THAT ANY WEAR OF THIS TYPE IS MECHANICAL IN NATURE, AND IT IS A ROOT CAUSE WITHIN THE FRONT END OF THE CAR. I CONTACTED CADILLAC CUSTOMER SERVICE SPECIFICALLY (AND ADAMANTLY) REQUESTED THAT A REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE FROM CADILLAC COME TO THE DEALERSHIP TO REVIEW THE CAR WITH ME & THE DEALERS SERVICE MANAGER. AFTER FULLY DISCLOSING ALL THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE TREAD LIFE (WHICH MICHELIN CLEARLY CLAIMS THAT THERE IS A MINIMUM OF 3/32" ACTIVE LIFE LEFT BEFORE THE LOW LEVEL INDICATOR BANDS ARE BREACHED) AND THAT THE "FLAT SPOTS" ARE NOT NORMAL TREAD WEAR, AND THAT I REQUIRE A MEETING TO REVIEW THE SITUATION. I RECEIVED A CALL BACK FROM THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE INFORMING ME THAT THIS IS ALSO NOT A WARRANTY ISSUE. THIS IS THE PROBLEM. I KNOW THAT MY CAR HAS AN INHERENT PROBLEM. THIS WEAR IRREGULARITY IS CURRENTLY A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE, AND I NEED NEW TIRES BEFORE AN INCIDENT HAPPENS. MY CONTENTION IS THIS; CADILLAC IS IGNORING THE UNDERLYING PROBLEM, BLAMING IT ON "WORN OUT" TIRES, WHEN IN FACT THERE IS A MAJOR PROBLEM. I WILL REPLACE THESE TIRES, BUT THE POINT IS CADILLAC REALLY SHOULD, AND ALSO SHOULD ACTIVELY BE REVIEWING THE CAR FRONT END FOR DEFECTS; ONE WHICH DETERIORATES CRITICAL SAFETY COMPONENTS ON MY CAR. *TR