NHTSA Complaint #743315 — 1997 CADILLAC DEVILLE

MY 1997 CADILLAC DEVILLE WAS ONE MONTH OUT OF WARRANTY WHEN THE RIGHT HEADLIGHT COVER FELL OFF WHIL MY WIFE WAS ON THE HIGHWAY. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, I FOUND THAT THE LEFT HEADLIGHT COVER WAS ABOUT TO FALL OFF AS THE ADHESIVE HAD FAILED THAT HOLDS THE LENS TO THE HEADLIGHT BODY. NO REPLACEMENT COVERS ARE AVAILABLE. THE ONLY "FIX" IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY AT A COST OF $689.75 FOR THE TWO HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES. CADILLAC HAS REUECTED THIS AS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT OR AS A SAFETY ISSUE. I FEEL IT IS BOTH AND THAT THIS VINTAGE OF CADILLAC DEVILLE'S SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED FOR WHAT I AM FINDING OUT IS A SOMEWHAT COMMON PROBLEM. WHILE MY WIFE WAS IN THE SERVICE WAITING AREA TO HAVE THESE HEADLIGHTS REPLACED ONE OF THE CUSTOMERS ALSO STATED THAT SHE WAS IN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AND ANOTHER SAID THAT HE HAD RECENTLY HAD ONE OF HIS REPLACED IN BOTH INSTANCES THIS WAS DONE UNDER WARRANTY. ALSO, IF THIS WERE NOT A COMMON PROBLEM WHY WOULD A SMALL TOWN DEALERSHIP STOCK SUCH AN EXPENSIVE PART AND NOT HAVE TO ORDER IT FROM THE FACTORY? FURTHER, UNPON INQUIRY BY A FRIEND OF MINE OF A WEST PALM BEACH CADILLAC DEALER'S SERVICE REP, THE SERVICE REP MADE THE STATEMENT THAT "THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME AND WE USUALLY COVER IT UNDER THE NORMAL WARRANTY OR A SPECIAL WARRANTY THAT WE CAN UTILIZE." I FEEL THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND NOT JUST A PROBLEM OF GETTING SATISFACTION FROM CADILLAC. THE SAFETY ISSUE IS THAT WHEN THE HEADLIGHT COVER IS GONE OR FAILS TO BE WATERTIGHT, MOISTURE CAN REACH THE HALOGEN BULB WITHIN THE SEALED UNIT AND THE LEAST AMOUNT OF MOISTURE CAUSES THE BULB TO FAIL. NEEDLESS TO SAY, YOU ARE THEN UNEXPECTEDLY WITHOUT LIGHTS IF BOTH UNITS FAIL AND IF ONLY ONE FAILS YOU ARE STILL WITHOUT PROPER LIGHTING FOR NIGHTTIME DRIVING. CAN YOU INQUIRE OF CADILLAC AS TO THE FREQUENCY OF THIS HEADLIGHT LENS FAILURE AND ASK THEM WHY THEY HAVE NOT ESTABLISED A RECALL PROGRAM IF THIS FAILURE IS AS FREQUENT AS I AM HEARING?*AK