NHTSA Complaint #10669550 — 2007 CADILLAC ESCALADE ESV

PASSENGER SIDE FRONT EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLE BROKE LOOSE FROM THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE. I CONTACTED THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS AND WAS QUOTED $300+ FOR THE REPAIR. I LOOKED ONLINE AND WAS SURPRISED THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE FOR NUMEROUS OWNERS. SO I CONTACTED CADILLAC, AND WAS INITIALLY TOLD IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY, AND TO TAKE IT IN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS AT NO COST TO ME. AFTER TAKING OFF WORK, WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THIS WAS NOT TRUE, WHEN ACTUALITY THE INTERIOR HANDLES ARE THE ACTUAL HANDLES UNDER WARRANTY FOR THE CHROME PEALING. AT THIS POINT THE CHROME ON THE INTERIOR HANDLES WERE NOT A CONCERN OF MINE. AFTER GOING BACK AND FORTH WITH GM/CADILLAC AND MY LOCAL DEALER FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS, I BOUGHT A REPLACEMENT HANDLE AND DID THE REPAIR MYSELF. ABOUT A YEAR LATER THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLE SEPARATED FROM THE BODY, I CONTACT CADILLAC TO MAKE A COMPLAINT, I DO GET A CALL BACK, THE REP ASK ME WHAT DO I WANT THEM TO DO, I SAY " IT WOULD BE GREAT IF THEY KNOWING THIS IS A ONGOING ISSUE THAT THEY PAY FOR THE REPAIRS", I WAS TOLD " THIS IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE AND DOESN'T FIT THE CATEGORY OF HAVING A RECALL ISSUED", I STATED WELL IF I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT, AND SOMEONE NEEDED TO OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE, IS THIS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE? I WAS BASICALLY TOLD NO. AGAIN THEY ASK WHAT DO YOU WANT US TO DO? I SAID WELL, THIS IS MY SECOND HANDLE THAT HAS BROKEN, AT LEAST PAY SOME PORTION OF IT, I WAS TOLD THAT IS LEFT UP TO THE DEALER TO DECIDE. WHEN MY FIRST HANDLE BROKE, I TRIED TO NEGOTIATE WITH THE DEALER TO BRING THE COST DOWN, WITH NO SUCCESS. SO I LET THE REP., KNOW JUST ANNOTATE THIS AS A COMPLAINT. I AGAIN WENT ON THE INTERNET AND PURCHASED A HANDLE AND DID THE REPAIR MYSELF. THE HANDLES CAN BE FOUND FOR LESS THAN $50 (WITH A WARRANTY) AND TAKE ABOUT 30 MIN. TO INSTALL. MY INTERIOR HANDLE WERE NEVER REPLACED, GO FIGURE, NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. *TR