1996 Cadillac Seville Complaints

MY 1996 CADILLAC SEDAN DEVILLE CAUGHT ON FIRE ON 3-20-10 AFTER I STARTED THE ENGINE. I HAD IT TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHICH INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS AN OPEN RECALL ON THE ENGINE FUEL RAIL WHICH I WAS NOT AWARE OF. I CONTACTED GENERAL MOTORS AND INFORMED THEM OF THE DAMAGES TO MY CAR AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE STATUE OF LIMITATION HAD EXPIRED ON MY CAR. MY PROBLEM IS HOW COULD THEY HAVE FORSEEN THAT THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN UNLESS THEY KNEW THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE STATUE OF LIMITATION EXPIRED ON 2-13-02 AND THE RECALL WAS ISSUED UNTIL 4-16-04 WHICH DOES NOT MAKE SENSE UNLESS THEY KNEW THERE WAS A PROBLEM AND JUST DIDNT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. MY QUESTION IS DID I HAVE TO GET BURNT OR LOSE MY LIFE IN THAT CAR FOR GENERAL MOTORS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILTY FOR WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CAR. NOW I HAVE NO TRANSPORTATION AND GENERAL MOTORS WONT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT HAPPENED. AN EMPLOYEE FROM GERALDS TIRES HAD TO RUN AND GET A FIRE EXTINGUSHER TO PUT THE FIRE OUT B...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CADILLAC SEVILLE STS. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL FAILED. HIS VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS EXCLUDED FROM RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 95V224000 (EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL). HE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AT HIS EXPENSE. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE IN THE PAST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 94000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 CADILLAC SEVILLE. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE DROVE OVER A SLIGHT BUMP IN THE ROAD AND THE AIR BAGS SUDDENLY DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE AIR BAGS. THE VEHICLE BECAME ENGULFED WITH SMOKE AND WAS VERY HOT. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN BACK TO HIS RESIDENCE AND THE AUTO CLUB CAME OUT TO CUT THE AIR BAGS. THE DEALER DENIED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE VEHICLE. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE, BUT ONLY FOR THE 1995 SEVILLE (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 98V115000 (AIR BAGS)). ANOTHER DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY ALSO DENIED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A SPRAINED THUMB AND BRUISES ON BOTH HANDS. THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WAS ONLY SMOKE INHALATION FROM THE AIR BAGS. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED, ALTHOUGH IT WAS INSPECTED AND APPEARS TO HAVE A DEFECT. T...

NORTHSTAR ENGINE PROBLEM - THE HEAD BOLTS PULLED LOOSE CAUSING ENGINE COOLANT TO LEAK INTO THE EXHAUST. HAD INSERTS PUT IN BY LOCAL MECHANIC WHO HAD PREVIOUSLY DONE TWO SUCH REPAIRS (CADILLAC ADVISED THAT IT ONLY HAD A 60% CHANCE OF FIXING THE PROBLEM IF THEY DID THE WORK AND THE COST WOULD BE $3,000 - $4,000). CAR HAD ABOUT 70,000 MILES ON IT AT TIME OF FAILURE. CAR RAN WELL UNTIL OCTOBER 2008 WHEN COOLANT LOSS STARTED AGAIN. HAVE TRIED VARIOUS SEALANT BUT IT IS LIKELY THE HEAD BOLTS AGAIN. AN ALUMINUM BLOCK WITH ALUMINUM HEADS AND HIGH COMPRESSION APPEARS TO BE COMBINE WITH A WEAK DESIGN OF THE HEAD BOLTS. FROM WHAT I HEAR ALL NORTHSTAR'S OF THIS ERA WILL HAVE THIS PROBLEM AT SOME POINT AND THE PROBLEM WAS NOT FIXED UNTIL 2001 OR SO. IT IS SAID THAT A JEG'S MOTOR HAS ADDRESSED THIS PROBLEM BUT AT A COST OF WHAT, $3,000 PLUS INSTALLATION? I LIKE THE CAR BUT IT IS HARD TO WORK ON AND HAS ITS SHARE OF ISSUES. *TR

I JUST RECENTLY NOTICED A FUEL ODOR FROM CAR. WHEN FILLING UP WITH GAS I NOTICED A SMALL AMOUNT OF FUEL ON THE FILLER TUBE. UPON INSPECTION THE TUBE IS RUSTED AND NEEDS REPLACEMENT FOR ABOUT $400.00. I AM SURPRISED THAT THE FILLER TUBE WOULD RUST THROUGH. IS THERE A POSSIBLE DEFECT IN THE DESIGN OR THICKNESS OF THE FILLER TUBE? *TR