NHTSA Complaint #10907982 — 2014 CADILLAC ATS

IT WAS 5:30 PM ON 7-29-16, MY WIFE AND I WENT TO CHECK ON THE HOUSE WHILE OUR DAUGHTER & SON-IN-LAW WERE AWAY. AS ALWAYS, I HAD SLOWED THE CAR TO A CRAWL IN ORDER TO PARK BEHIND MY SON-IN-LAW'S CAR PARKED ON THE STREET IN FRONT OF THEIR HOUSE. I GOT THE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL ALMOST ON TOP OF THE CURB AND LET IT ROLL DOWN. WHEN THE WHEEL TOUCHED THE STREET THIS TIME, WE HEARD A LOUD SOUND (LIKE GEARS SHIFTING) AND THE CAR SUDDENLY REVVED UP AND SURGED FORWARD. I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES BUT COULD NOT AVOID HITTING THE FRONT CAR'S REAR FENDER. THE CAR BOUNCED BACKWARD BUT IT SURGED FORWARD AGAIN; IT WAS ALL I COULD DO TO STEER AND AVOID HITTING CARS PARKED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET. THAT NIGHT, WE EMAILED CADILLAC DETAILING WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND ASKED CADILLAC TO LOOK INTO THE CAR'S "DATA BANK." WE DID THIS BECAUSE A CAR EXPERT HAD TOLD US THAT EVERY ACTION OF THE DRIVER AND THE CAR WOULD BE INDELIBLY RECORDED IN THE 'DATA BANK.' WE WANTED CADILLAC TO EXAMINE THE 'DATA BANK' TO FIND OUT IF SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION (SUA) HAD TAKEN PLACE. PER THEIR INSTRUCTION, WE LEFT THE CAR AT A CADILLAC DEALER AND WAITED AND WAITED. FINALLY, ON 9/12/2016, 38 DAYS WE WERE COMPLETELY DEVASTATED TO RECEIVE A CALL FROM GM SAYING THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH OUR CAR. DEVASTATED BECAUSE WE HAD NO DOUBT WHATSOEVER THAT SUA HAD OCCURRED AND YET WERE TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEMS. FURTHER GM DENIED OUR REQUEST FOR A COPY OF THE REPORT, WHICH IS PUZZLING. AFTER ALL, GM HAS NOTHING TO HIDE SINCE THEY CLAIMED THAT NO DEFECT WAS FOUND IN THE CAR. WITHOUT THE REPORT, WE HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING WHETHER ANYTHING WAS RECORDED IN THE DATA BANK TO EXPLAIN THE SUDDEN SURGE. CLEARLY, IN THIS UNEQUAL ENCOUNTER, THE GIANT CORPORATION HOLDS ALL THE CARDS AND THE CONSUMER NONE. I SUPPOSE THAT THE UNSPOKEN MESSAGE IS THAT MY WIFE AND I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL THAT WE WERE NOT CRIPPLED, OR KILLED EVEN.