NHTSA Complaint #717116 — 1999 CADILLAC CATERA

UPON ARRIVING AT THE BANK, I ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE DOOR. USING QUITE A BIT OF FORCE, I MANAGED TO OPEN THE DOOR AND CLOSE IT. UPON RETURNING TO THE CAR, I WAS UNABLE TO CLOSE THE DOOR AGAIN. UPON INSPECTION, I NOTICED THE LATCH ASSEMBLY WAS STUCK IN THE CLOSED POSITION. I CONTACTED ON STAR AND WAS INFORMED THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. THE LADY FROM ON STAR THEN GOT A ROAD SIDE SERVICE TECHNICIAN ON THE PHONE WITH US. THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED ME THAT "THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM" AND IT HAPPENS TO HIM "AT LEAST TWO TIMES PER YEAR". THE TECHNICIAN THEN INSTRUCTED ME TO "USE A SCREWDRIVER TO TRY AND FORCE THE LATCH INTO THE PROPER POSITION". WHILE ATTEMPTING THIS, THE SCREWDRIVER SLIPPED AND SCRATCHED THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR. THE TECHNICIAN THEN TOLD ME HE WOULD COME OUT AND ATTEMPT TO REPAIR THE DOOR. AFTER AN HOUR, THE TECHNICIAN SHOWED UP AND TRIED TO OPEN THE DOOR LATCH ASSEMBLY WITH A SCREWDRIVER FOR THE NEXT HOUR. HE FINALLY REMOVED THE RUBBER MOLDING FROM AROUND THE LATCH ASSEMBLY AND WAS ABLE TO GET THE DOOR TO CLOSE. HE THEN INFORMED ME THAT I SHOULD "TAKE THE CAR IN TO THE DEALER AND HAVE THE DOOR LATCH ASSEMBLY REPLACED. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO RONALD MORAN CADILLAC AND EXPLAINED TO THEM WHAT HAPPENED. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN EXPLAINED THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM AND PLACED AN ORDER FOR THE NEW PART. WHEN ASKED ABOUT WETHER THERE WAS A RECALL FOR SUCH A SERIOUS PROBLEM, THE TECHNICIAN SAID NO. I THEN SPOKE TO THE SERVICE MANAGER, MR. DAVID BOYD, WHO INFORMED ME THERE WAS NO RECALL. I AM APPALLED AT THE FACT THAT SUCH A SERIOUS PROBLEM, WHICH COULD RESULT IN DEATH IN CASE OF A FIRE OR SUBMERSSION IN WATER, THAT NOTHING IS BEING DONE TO CORRECT THIS SITUATION. I HOPE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN SEE MY POINT OF VIEW AND RESOLVE THIS SERIOUS AND POTENTIALLY FATAL DEFECT. *AK