NHTSA Complaint #706005 — 1998 CADILLAC DEVILLE

WHEN ENGINE IS STARTED, BOTH WHEN COLD AND HOT, IN ALL GEAR SELECTOR POSITIONS, AND AN ATTEMPT IS MADE TO DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE PEDAL WILL NOR DEPRESS NORMALLY. TO DEPRESS THE PEDAL, A MODERATE FORCE IS REQUIRED. WHEN THIS IS DONE, THE PEDAL LINKAGE THEN MAKES A "SNAPPING SOUND" AND THE PEDAL THEN ADVANCES SUDDENLY, CAUSING THE ENGINE RPM TO RACE. IF THE CAR IS IN ANY GEAR WHEN THIS IS DONE (DRIVE OR REVERSE), THE VEHICLE WILL THEN EITHER LURCH FORWARD OR IN REVERSE. THE DEALER SERVICED THIS PROBLEM FOR THE FIRST TIME ON FEB 6, 1999, AT WHICH TIME THEY DIAGNOSED THE CAUSE AS FOREIGN MATERIAL AND REPLACED THE J5490 BODY UNIT, THROTTLE. THIS SOLVED THE PROBLEM FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH. IN MARCH 1999, THE CONDITION REAPPEARED, AND THE DEALER REPLACED THE J5330 CABLE, ACCELERATOR CONTROL. THIS REPAIR SOLVED THE PROBLEM FOR SIX WEEKS. DURING THE WEEK OF 19 APRIL 1999, THE CONDITION REAPPEARED. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. I TALKED TO THE DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO SCHEDULE FOLLOW-ON MAINTENANCE ON APRIL 29. I ASKED THEMIF THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM, AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT IT APPEARED TO BE, BASED ON THE NUMBERS OF 1996-1998 CARS THEY WERE SEEING WITH SIMILAR CONDITIONS.