NHTSA Complaint #744179 — 1998 CADILLAC DEVILLE

CADILLAC ISSUED A SAFETY RECALL FOR 1998 & 1999 SEDAN DEVILLES IN SEPT. 2000 RELATING TO THE POSSIBLE UNINTENDED ACTIVIATION OF THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS AND THE RISK OF INJURY OR DEATH AS A RESULT. I PURCHASED A '98 SEDAN DEVILLE ON OCT. 6, 2000 AND THE ETTLESON CADILLAC SALESMAN AT NO TIME TOLD ME THE VEHICLE WAS SUBJECT TO A SAFETY RECALL AND THAT WE MIGHT BE IN DANGER DRIVING THE CAR. UNTIL THE SENSOR MODULES WERE REPLACED. I DROVE 1,200 MILES BACK TO COLORADO AND DID NOT LEARN OF THE DANGER UNTIL TWO WEEKS LATER THROUGH ARTICLES IN THE NEW YORK TIMES AND WALL STREET JOURNAL. WHEN I WROTE THE SALESMAN ASKING WHY HE DID NOT WARN ME HE DECLARED--HARD TO BELIEVE--THAT HE WAS UNAWARE OF ANY SAFETY RECALL. (I WOULD NOT HAVE BOUGHT THE CAR IN THAT CONDITION, OF COURSE, AND HE PROBABLY REALIZED THAT.) WHEN I WROTE ETTLESON'S GENERAL MANAGER, LARRY SMOLINSKI, TO COMPLAIN ABOUT HIS DEALERSHIP SELLING A DEFECTIVE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING ME OF THE POSSIBLE DANGER, SMOLINSKI DID NOT BOTHER TO REPLY TO MY LETTER. HOW WOULD A GOVERNMENT AGENCY RESPOND IF WALMART WERE TO SELL TOASTERS THAT WERE A KNOWN FIRE HAZARD AND NOT EVEN WARN ITS CUSTOMERS? IF A RECALL WERE ORDERED FOR A DANGEROUS TOY COULD TOYS R US CONTINUE TO SELL IT? THIS DEALERSHIP SHOULD BE REPRIMANDED BY YOUR AGENCY FOR THIS DANGEROUS PRACTICE. *AK