Table 1 shows three common vehicle speed control related problems of the 2001 Cadillac Catera.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control problems | |
| Accelerator Stuck problems | |
| Accelerator Pedal problems |
My husband was driving home from work when the accelerator "took over" and went all the way to the floor. He applied the brakes but they did not work. At some point the front wheel of the vehicle sheared off and flew off the car causing complete loss of control. My husband, a former navy seal, managed to "manhandle" the steering wheel enough to avoid a long line of oncoming traffic, but clipped the tail end of a trailer being pulled by a truck. He survived. We had only bought the car 5 months prior to this incident where it was totaled. It had been in the shop for 3 of the 5 months of ownership for computer problems. No one would take responsibility. Geico paid off the loan and we got nothing.
Gas pedal stuck and vehicle continued to accelerate.
While driving gas pedal got stuck twice. When it happened the first time pedal was hard. Second time gas pedal would not come back up, and car continued to gain speed. Consumer tried pressing brake at same time, vehicle finally slowed down, and consumer was able to put car in neutral and turn it off. Also, stated engine was racing out of control. Took to dealer, and they were not able to duplicate problem. Consumer felt they were forced back into an unsafe car.