NHTSA Complaint #10078467 — 1996 CADILLAC DEVILLE

ON A 3000 CROSS COUNTRY TRIP THE CAR ACCELERATES UNCONTROLLABLY WHILE TURNING THE A/C OFF, GIVING IT MORE HORSEPOWER. I ORIGINALLY THOUGHT IT WAS A CRUISE CONTROL PROBLEM UNTIL I DISCOVERED THAT THE CAR WILL IDLE BETEEN 3000 AND 4000 RPM WHEN THIS CONDITION EXISTS. I HAVE SEEN IT ACCELERTE THROUGH 80MPH. TURNING THE CAR OFF THEN RECRANKING IT CAUSES THE PROBLEM TO GO AWAY TEMPORARILY. THE LOCAL CADILLAC DEALER HAS REFUSED TO REPAIR IT OR EVEN DIAGONSE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE CALLED THE CADILLAC NATIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY HAVE ALSO REFUSED TO HELP ME GET THE NEEDED REPAIRS. NO ONE BUT A CADILLAC DEALER CAN SERVICE THESE CARS. THEY VERY RUDELY SUGGESTED THAT I JUNK THE CAR. THIS IS THE FIRST PROBLEM THAT I HAVE HAD IN THE PAST 110,000 MILES. THE CAR HAS 180,000 MILES AND IS IN EXCELLENT SHAPE OTHER THAN THIS PROBLEM. WHILE I WAS IN THE CADILLAC SERVICE CHECK-IN AREA, THE ENGINE ACCELERATED WILDLY OUT OF CONTROL AND CAUSED THE RADIATOR TO BURST WHILE THE MECHANIC WAS CHECKING IT INTO THE SHOP. THEY REPAIRED THE RADIATOR THEN DEMANDED THAT I DRIVE THE CAR AWAY WITHOUT THE UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION PROBLEM BEING REPAIRED, GROSSLY NEGLECTING THE DANGERS INHERENT TO MYSELF AND OTHERS IN DOING SO. *AK