NHTSA Complaint #10449517 — 2003 CADILLAC CTS

WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK I HEARD A SLIGHT CRASH NOISE, LOOKED IN MY REAR VIEW MIRROR TO SEE THE BEZEL PIECE FLEW OFF MY CAR AND ATTACHED WERE THE BACK UP LIGHTS. THE PIECE SHATTERED AND WAS IRREPLACEABLE. UPON RESEARCH IN CADILLAC BLOGS I READ THAT THIS WAS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH 03-05 CTS CARS DUE TO GM USING A CHEAP GLUE TO HOLD THE PIECE ON. CADILLAC ONLY AGREED TO REPLACE THE PART IF THE CAR WAS STILL COVERED UNDER THEIR FACTORY WARRANTY, BUT I AM NOT. FURTHER RESEARCH SHOWED THAT THEY DON'T EVEN OFFER ATHE SAME REPLACEMENT PIECE, NOW A NEW PART ONLY AVAILABLE IN AN ASSEMBLY KIT RANGING BETWEEN 4-500 DOLLARS. I FIND IT UNETHICAL TO SELL A LUXURY CAR, AND BUILD IT WITH CHEAP PLASTIC PIECES THAT SIMPLY FALL OFF DUE TO CHEAP ADHESIVE, AND CAUSE DANGER TO DRIVERS BEHIND ME. THE FACT THAT THE PART WAS DISCONTINUED ONLY PROVES THAT CADILLAC ACKNOWLEDGES THE PIECE WAS CHEAPLY CONSTRUCTED, AND SHOULD OFFER REPLACEMENTS TO ALL EARLY CTS MODELS. WHEN ASSEMBLING AUTOMOBILE ONLY QUALITY PARTS SHOULD BE USED, NOT CHEAP PLASTIC WITH FAULTY GLUE, I FEEL THIS WARRANTS A RECALL, BUT ONE WASN'T ISSUED. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. *TR