NHTSA Complaint #10088142 — 1997 AUDI A4

APPARENTLY RELATED TO CASE: EA04017 I WAS DRIVING A 1997 AUDI A4 2.8L V6 QUATTRO AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT: I WAS DRIVING 55-MPH ON THE TACONIC STATE PARKWAY IN NEW YORK, AROUND NOON (AMBIENT TEMPERATURE ~30F ABOVE ZERO). I HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR OVER AN HOUR WHEN I NOTICED THAT THE CAR WAS ACCELERATING TO NEARLY 70-MPH DOWN HILLS BUT MY FOOT WAS NOT ON THE ACCELERATOR. MY CRUISE CONTROL WAS ON AT THE TIME AND SET TO 55-MPH, SO I TURNED IT OFF BUT THE PROBLEM KEPT OCCURRING. I TRIED BRAKING AS I WENT DOWN HILLS AND THAT SLOWED ME DOWN ENOUGH TO KEEP THE CAR UNDER 55-MPH. I FOUND A REST AREA, SLOWED THE CAR DOWN WITH MY BRAKES AND CAME TO A SAFE STOP (FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NO ONE IN THE REST AREA). WHEN I CAME TO A STOP, THE ENGINE RPMS WERE AT ABOUT 3500 BUT IT USUALLY IDLES AT 1000. I SHIFTED INTO PARK AND THE RPMS SHOT UP TO 7000 BEFORE I TURNED THE KEY OFF AND THE ENGINE SHUT OFF. I TRIED PUMPING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WITH THE CAR OFF AND TRIED TURNING THE CAR BACK ON, BUT THE RPMS SHOT UP AGAIN QUICKLY SO, AGAIN, I TURNED OF THE IGNITION (I TRIED THIS 3 TIMES BEFORE GETTING OUT OF THE CAR). THEN I GOT OUT OF THE CAR, WAITED ABOUT 15 MINUTES, GOT BACK IN THE CAR AND TRIED STARTING IT AGAIN. IT STARTED UP FINE AND IDLED AT THE NORMAL 1000 LEVEL. I DROVE ANOTHER 30 MINUTES TO MY DESTINATION WITHOUT THE CRUISE CONTROL ON. THE FAILURE DID NOT OCCUR AGAIN, AND HAS NOT HAPPENED SINCE (I HAVE NOT USED THE CRUISE CONTROL SINCE, EITHER). I HAD A MECHANIC CHECK FOR FAILURE CODES WITH AN OBDII SCAN TOOL, BUT NO ERROR CODES CAME UP. HE ALSO COULD NOT SEE ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE THROTTLE CABLE, SO I HAVE BEEN DRIVING IT CAUTIOUSLY EVER SINCE. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP! LET'S GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS PROBLEM. *JB