2004 Cadillac CTS Lighting Problems

JANUARY 29, 2012, VEHICLE HEADLAMP WENT OUT. I OBSERVED CONDENSATION IN THE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY. IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED WATER HAD ENTERED ASSEMBLY AND SHORTED OUT BALLAST AND BULB ON HIGH INTENSITY DISCHARGE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY. REPAIR COST: $646. APPROXIMATELY MAY 5, 2012, DURING RAINY WEATHER, SAME HEADLAMP WENT OUT. AGAIN, CONDENSATION IN HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY. BULB AND BALLAST SHORTED OUT DUE TO WATER. REQUIRED REPLACEMENT HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY, REPAIR COST IN EXCESS OF $1200. COMPLAINED TO GM, AND THEY PROVIDED GOODWILL COST ADJUSTMENT, BUT STILL HAD TO PAY AN ADDITIONAL $671. I'M AFRAID THE RIGHT SIDE HEADLAMP WILL DO THE SAME THING EVENTUALLY. GM NEEDS TO REPLACE FAULTY HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES ON VEHICLES DUE TO CONDENSATION CAUSED BY MANUFACTURERS DEFECT IN SEALING THE ASSEMBLY DURING PRODUCTION. THERE APPEARS TO BE A LOT OF ISSUES WITH HIGH INTENSITY DISCHARGE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES ON GM VEHICLES. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, APPROACHING A STOP SIGN WHEN THE VEHICLE JERKED AND SURGED FORWARD UNEXPECTEDLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS AT STOP SIGN OR TRAFFIC LIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT HAD SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS REGARDING THE POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000. UPDATED 9/22/10 THE CONSUMER STATED HE EXPERIENCED A HESITATION AND SURGE WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. THE CONSUMER STATED HE WAS ABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM BY CLEANING THE AIR INTAKE THAT HAD AN OILY DIRTY FILM ON IT. UPDATED 09/24/10 UPDATED 04-14-14 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE LOW BEAMS ARE POORLY ILLUMINATED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CADILLAC CTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS FAILED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE HEADLIGHTS WERE VERY DIM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000.

ON MY 2004 CADILLAC CTS THE AREA WHERE THE BACKUP LIGHTS ARE LEAKS FROM RAIN, OR A CAR WASH. THIS CAUSES THE CONSTANT REPLACEMENT OF BULBS BECAUSE OF RAIN AND MOISTURE GETTING INTO THE AREA CAUSING THE SHORT CIRCUIT OF THE BULBS, AND CORROSION OF ELECTRICAL SOCKETS, LET ALONE THE RISK INVOLVED OF BACKING UP AND SOMEONE HITTING OUR CAR FROM THE REAR BECAUSE OF FAILURE OF THE BACK UP LIGHTS, (WE'VE HAD TO REPLACE THE BULBS FOUR TIMES IN 2 MONTHS). WE TOOK OUR CAR TODAY TO THE CADILLAC DEALERSHIP, ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT THEY DO NOT FIX THIS PROBLEM, THAT CADILLAC FOUND THE ERROR, AND THAT THE ENTIRE SECTION OF THE CAR HAS TO BE REPLACED. YET WE HAVE TO PAY BETWEEN 500.00 TO 700.00 FOR PARTS AND LABOR TO HAVE THE CORRECTION MADE. FOR THIS TO BE A 3 YEAR OLD VEHICLE, AND FOR THIS TO BE A PROBLEM, THAT CADILLAC KNOWS ABOUT, THIS SOUNDS MORE LIKE A RECALL ITEM THAT SHOULD BE COVERED BY CADILLAC AND GM. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTING IS TOO DIM. THIS INTERFERES WITH THE CONTACT READING THE GAUGES. THE MANUFACTURER DETERMINED THIS IS THE WAY THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED. *AK UPDATE 5/2/2006 - AT THE MAXIMUM SETTING THE LIGHT IS STILL NOT BRIGHT ENOUGH. *NM

HEADLIGHTS FLICKER, ABOUT AS QUICKLY AS THE BLINK OF YOUR EYE. HAVE RETRUNED THE CAR TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES BUT THEY HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO DUPLICATE OR REPAIR THE CONDITION.

THE DIMMER SWITCH STAYS ON, AND CONSUMER WOULD BE UNABLE TO SEE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DURING DAYTIME. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.*AK