NHTSA complaint: 2009 CADILLAC STS — EQUIPMENT
ON SEPT 17, 2009 AS I ROLLED TO A STOP IN A PARKING LOT, I APPLIED THE BRAKE AND THE CAR, WHICH WAS FOUR FEET FROM A BRICK BUILDING, SUDDENLY LURCHED AHEAD. THE CAR HIT THE BRICK WALL, AND THE ENGINE DID NOT RETURN TO IDLE UNTIL I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL. WHAT HAD HAPPENED IS THIS: THE FLOOR MAT WHICH HAS NO RESTRAINTS, HAD CREPT UP CAUSING A LOWER FOLDOVER, AND PUSHED UP SUFFICIENTLY TO CAUSE A FOLDOVER OF THE UPPER PART OF THE MAT . THIS CREATED A THREE LAYER THICKNESS OF THE FLOOR MAT ENTRAPPED BETWEEN THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. MY CORRECTION OF THIS FAILURE HAS BEEN TO STORE THE FLOOR MATS IN THE TRUNK II.E., NOT USE THEM. THE MANUFACTURER'S REMEDY HAS BEEN TO ISSUE REPLACEMENT MATS, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE NO RESTRAINTS AND ARE IDENTICAL IN FORM, TEXTURE, AND PLIABILITY AS THE ORIGINAL MATS. ALL OTHER REMEDIES HAVE BEEN DENIED BY THE MANUFACTURER AND THE MANUFACTURER'S SELLING AGENT (DEALER). INCIDENTALLY, THE FLOOR MATS FOR THIS CAR (CADILLAC STS) ARE IDENTICAL IN FORM, TEXTURE, AND PLIABILITY AS THOSE IN THE CADILLAC DTS. THE DTS HAS OEM RESTRAINTS, THE STS HAS NONE. I BELIEVE THE STS IS THE ONLY CAR IN THE 2009/2010 GM STABLE THAT LACKS RESTRAINTS. MY REQUEST TO INSTALL RESTRAINTS BY GM AND/OR THE GM SELLING AGAIN HAS BEEN DENIED BY GM AND GM SELLING AGENT. . WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE FOREGOING, ALL OF THE VARIOUS COMMUNICATIONS WITH GM AND GM SELLING AGENT(S) HAS BEEN UNPRODUCTIVE. I BELIEVE AN ADVISORY OF THIS FLOOR MAT ISSUE NEE
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation