NHTSA Complaint #10466203 — 2005 CADILLAC CTS

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY UNDER NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS, MY PROPERLY MAINTAINED AND UNMODIFIED 2005 CADILLAC CTS CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE DRIVE TRAIN AND FUEL TANK WITH THE PLASTIC FUEL TANK SECONDS AWAY FROM BEING TOTALLY BREACHED BY FLAMES AND LIKELY SIGNIFICANT INJURIES INCLUDING DEATH. THE FIRE BURNED FOR 30-40 MINUTES UNTIL THE RESPONDING FIREFIGHTERS WERE ABLE TO JACK UP THE VEHICLE AND EXTINGUISH THE FIRE WITH WATER FROM UNDERNEATH. FORTUNATELY, THE FIREFIGHTERS WERE ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE VEHICLE FIRE PRIOR TO THE FUEL TANK BREACH WITH NO APPARENT RELATED INJURIES. PURSUANT TO AN EXPERT ANALYSIS AND REPORT, THE FOLLOWING MANUFACTURING AND/OR DESIGN DEFECTS SEQUENTIALLY CAUSED SAID FIRE: 1. WHILE DRIVING, THE REAR CARRIER PINION BEARING FAILED; 2. FAILED CARRIER PINION CAUSED EXCESSIVE PLAY IN THE PINION GEAR; 3. EXCESSIVE PLAY IN THE PINION GEAR CAUSED FAILURE OF THE PINION GEAR SEAL IN THE RING AND PINION HOUSING; 4. FAILED PINION GEAR SEAL ALLOWED THE REAR CARRIER LUBRICANT TO LEAK; 5. WITH VEHICLE IN MOTION, REAR CARRIER LUBRICANT CONTACTED ROTATING DRIVESHAFT ASSEMBLY; 6. ROTATING DRIVESHAFT AND PINION YOKE "SPRAYED" LUBRICANT IN THE REAR AXLE HOUSING AREA INCLUDING ONTO EXHAUST, PLASTIC FUEL TANK, RUBBER DRIVESHAFT COUPLER AND FLOOR PAN; 7. HEAT FROM EXHAUST OR PINION GEAR IGNITED LUBRICANT & SUBSEQUENT FIRE QUICKLY SPREAD ACROSS THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE. EXPERT REPORT CONCLUDED THAT MANUFACTURING AND / OR DESIGN DEFECTS WERE PREVIOUSLY WELL-DOCUMENTED BY NHSA 2005 CADILLAC CTS NHSA OWNER COMPLAINTS AND SAID FIRE COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BY VEHICLE MANUFACTURER THROUGH RECALL NOTICES AND USE OF NON-COMBUSTIBLE MATERIALS.