NHTSA Complaint #10823262 — 2009 CADILLAC DTS

I PURCHASED MY 2009 DTS CADILLAC FOLEY IN NOV. OF 2008. PRESENTLY I HAVE ABOUT 35,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. I SERVICED MY BRAKES ABOUT A YEAR AGO. THERE HAS BEEN NO SIGN OF BRAKE FLUID LEAKING. IN DRIVING FROM CHICAGO NORTH TO HIGHLAND PARK ILLINOIS ON THE EXPRESSWAY, I HAD TO MAKE A SUDDEN STOP WHEN THE TRAFFIC SUDDENLY CAME TO A HALT IN FRONT MY VEHICLE. I WAS ABLE TO STOP WITHOUT AN INCIDENT. ON RESUMING DRIVING, THE BRAKE PEDAL NEEDED TO BE PUSHED TO THE FLOOR IN ORDER TO STOP THE CAR. I GOT OVER TO THE RIGHT LANE AND DROVE CAUTIOUSLY TO MY HOME AND THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE SERVICE STATION WHERE I HAD THE BRAKES SERVICED. I WAS INFORMED THE BRAKE FLUID LINES WERE CORRODED AND WERE LEAKING. THERE HAD BEEN NO SIGNS OF LEAKING IN MY CARPORT CONCRETE FLOOR. THE SERVICE MECHANIC TOLD ME ON REPLACING THE TWO LINES TO THE REAR BRAKES AND THAT ALL OF THE LINES WERE ORDINARY STEEL. APPARENTLY THE SUDDEN STOP I MADE BURST THE CORRODED BRAKE FLUID LINES. THE SERVICE MECHANIC REPLACED THE LINES TO THE REAR BRAKE WITH VINYL COATED LINES, PHOTO ATTACHED. MY DAUGHTER AND I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED IF I HADN'T ALLOWED ENOUGH SPACE TO THE VEHICLE AHEAD FOR JUST SORT OF AN INCIDENT. THIS IS THE THIRD CADI THAT I HAVE OWNED SINCE YOUR OLDSMOBILE DIVISION WAS ELIMINATED. I WOULD STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT GENERAL MOTORS ISSUE AN ALERT TO CADI OWNERS AND OTHER GENERAL MOTORS VEHICLE OWNERS, OF THE NEED TO EXAMINE THE BRAKE LINES FOR CORROSION. FURTHER, IF THE PRESENT GM CARS DON'T USE COATED BRAKE LINES, THE COATED LINES NEED TO BE USED. MY CONCERN IS THAT OTHER CADI OWNERS NEED TO BE MADE AWARE OF THIS SITUATION. IN MY OPINION, CADI NEEDS TO NOTIFY CADI OWNERS THAT BRAKE LINES NEED TO BE INSPECTED IF OTHER ARE SERVICING CADI, IF INDEED CADI DOES BRAKE LINE INSPECTIONS AND TO PROVIDE CORROSION PROTECTED BRAKE LINES. [XXX] , FELLOW ASCE INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR