NHTSA Complaint #756834 — 1999 CADILLAC SEVILLE

PRACTICALLY EVERY DAY I HAVE DRIVEN MY CAR SINCE MAY 2001, I HAVE MY ENGINE SUDDENLY STOP WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF A FEW MILES PER HOUR UP TO 70 MPH. I HAVE ALSO HAVE EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY IN RESTARTING THE ENGINE WHEN THIS STALLING HAPPENS. I TAKEN IT TO THE CADILLAC DEALER WHO HAS SERVICED MY CAR SINCE THE DAY I BOUGHT IT. THE DEALER IS MARTIN CADILLAC, 12101 OLYMPIC BLVD., LOS ANGELES, CA 90064. SINCE THE MAY 2001 I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR IN TO MARTIN CADILLAC TO CURE THIS PROBLEM, THE LAST TIME WAS ON DEC. 17, 2001. THEY RETURNED IT TO ME ON DECEMBER 24 AND CLAIMED THEY HAD FOUND THE PROBLEM AND REPAIRED THE CAR. IT IS NOW WORSE THAN EVER. ON TWO OCCASIONS I NEARLY HAD AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE CAR STALLED WHILE TRAVELING ON A BUSY STREET. SHORTLY AFTER GETTING THE CAR IN DECEMBER WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR ON THE FREEWAY, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STOPPED WHILE I WAS A TRANSITION SECTION THAT CONNECTED ONE FREEWAY TO ANOTHER. I WAS FRANTICALLY TRYING TO RESTART THE ENGINE, BUT IT WOULDN'T START. TRAFFIC BACKED UP AND UNFORTUNATEDLY A REAREND COLLISION RESULTED SEVERAL CARS BEHIND ME. IT HAS NOW BECOME TOO DANGEROUS TO ME, MY PASSENGERS, AND TO THE CARS AROUND ME TO CONTINUE DRIVING THIS CAR. IN ITS PRESENT CONDITION I CANNOT SELL IT. I KNOW THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM UNIQUE TO MY CAR. RECENTLY I READ THAT THE SAME THING IS HAPPENING TO OTHER GM CARS. PROBABLY SOME OF WHICH ARE CADILLACS. MY CADILLAC DEALER IS UNABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THEY HAVE MADE AT LEAST 4 ATTEMPTS SINCE MAY, 2001. I AM NOW GOING TO ARBITRATION TO GET CADILLAC TO BUY BACK THIS DEFECTIVE CAR. THE HEARING SHOULD OCCUR SOMETIME IN THE NEXT 5 TO 6 WEEKS..