NHTSA Complaint #10079125 — 1999 ACURA INTEGRA

WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE ON THE FREEWAY, A SMALL PLASTIC CLIP DESIGNED TO SECURE AN ENGINE HOSE WORKED ITS WAY LOSE. THE PIECE LANDED ON THE THROTTLE SWITCH WHILE THE SWITCH WAS IN THE OPEN POSITION AND WEDGED ITSELF IN A WAY THAT PREVENTED THE THROTTLE FROM CLOSING. THIS LEFT THE CAR IN PERMANENT ACCELERATION. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP IT WAS TO DROP THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL AND REMOVE THE KEY TO SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. DOING THIS THEN MAKES THE CAR DIFFICULT TO MANAGE BECAUSE OF THE LOSS OF STEERING AND BRAKES. THIS WAS AN EXTRAORDINARILY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE THROTTLE SHOULD BE SHROUDED SO THAT NO FOREIGN OBJECT HAS ANY CHANCE OF INTERFERING WITH ITS ABILITY TO CLOSE PROPERLY. *JB