Summary
The Cadillac Fleetwood has 6 recalls spanning 1977 to 1994, with the most serious being a fuel tank mounting defect on 1994 models where loose attachment strap fasteners can allow the tank to sag, strike the road surface, rupture, and start a fire under the vehicle.
The 1994 model year also has an accelerator concern where low-temperature friction in the pedal assembly can prevent the throttle from returning to idle if a return spring fails, leaving the engine running faster than the driver expects after lifting off the pedal. On the 1993 model, the front passenger airbag inflator can experience a delayed ignition during a crash, causing the bag to deploy late and raise the risk of injury to the front passenger. Going back to the 1991 model year, the rear wheel brake cylinders are undersized and cannot provide adequate stopping distances if the power brake assist fails, meaning a vacuum loss or booster failure would leave the driver with significantly longer stops than expected. The 1986 model has an emissions compliance issue with no associated safety consequence. The oldest recall covers the 1977 model year, where combustible material placed in the instrument panel ashtray could be ignited and allow flames to spread into the dashboard cavity where they would be difficult to extinguish.
