NHTSA Complaint #10010150 — 1990 DODGE CARAVAN

I OWN A 1990 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN WITH THE MOTOR. ONE MORNING ON MY WAY TO WORK THE ACCELERATOR STUCK OPEN. I PULLED OVER TO INVESTIGATE AND REMOVED THE AIR CLEANER COVER AND MAP SENSOR TO SEE WHAT WHY THE THROTTLE WAS STUCK OPEN. I FOUND A SQUARE PIECE OF PLASTIC THAT LOOKS LIKE A LITTLE TABLE WITH A HOLE IN THE TOP. I WANTED TO FIND OUT HOW IT GOT THERE SO I TOOK THE AIR CLEANER OUT AND FOUND THAT IT IS SUPPOSED TO HOLD THE CRANKCASE VENTILATION FILTER IN THE BOTTOM OF THE CANISTER. THE BAD THING ABOUT THIS IS THAT I WAS ON ICY ROADS AND THE ONLY WAY I COULD CONTROL THE VEHICLE WAS TO SHUT THE ENGINE OFF AND COAST INTO A DRIVEWAY. I ALSO REMEMBERED THIS HAPPENING TO THE 1991 PLYMOUTH GRAND VOYAGER THAT I USED TO OWN. THESE VEHICLES WERE PURCHASED USED AND THEREFORE, I SUSPECT THAT AT ONE TIME SOMEONE HAS RAN THESE WITHOUT A FILTER IN PLACE. THE BIG QUESTION IS, OF ALL THESE VANS ON THE ROAD, HOW MANY HAVE BEEN RUN WITHOUT A FILTER. I HAD OWNED EACH OF THESE AT LEAST SIX MONTHS BEFORE THIS HAPPENED. I FEEL THAT ANYTHING IN THE AIRFLOW PATH ON A VEHICLE SHOULD BE SECURED SO THERE IS NO WAY IT CAN BE DRAWN INTO THE ENGINE. *NLM