NHTSA Complaint #10126291 — 1997 UNKNOWN UNKNOWN

I THIS IS A HAVE IN REGARDS TO ALL CARS IN GENERAL. I HAVE CIVIC 1997, WELL MAINTAINED BY OUR LOCAL DEALER. CAR HAD NOT BEEN FAILING BUT ALMOST GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THE CAR GOT STUCK AT FULL THROTTLE. PARKED MY CAR AT A GARAGE, DROVE FOR 10 MINUTES. PROCEEDING AFTER A GREEN LIGHT, MY CAR WAS ACELARATING AT FULL THROTTLE. TRIED TO CONTROL THE CAR BY PRESSING BREAK (GOING UPHILL). IF I LET THE BREAK GO THE CAR CONTINUED IN RAPID ACELARTION (SEE DESCRIPTION BELOW FROM WEBSITE, SIMILAR EXPERIENCE). MANAGED TO CONTROL CAR, MOVED SLOW LANE, PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND TURNED OFF. POLICEMAN SHOWED UP 40 MINUTES LATER AND TRIED TO MOVE CAR BUT HE COULDNT BECAUSE AS HE SAID "CAR WAS STUCK AT FULL THROTTLE". TESTED THE CAR NEXT DAY AND WORKED FINE. TOOK TO SAN FRANCISCO HONDA, THEY SEEN THIS PROBLEM BEFORE. SMALL ANIMAL MAY HAVE CRAWLED INTO THE ENGINE WHILE I WAS AT THE GARAGE AND GOT CAUGHT ON THE THROTTLE PLATE WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THAT IS WHY MY THROTTLE PLATE COULDN'T MOVE AND WAS STUCK. THEY CLEANED THE THROTTLE PLATE AND TESTED. CAR WAS FINE. MY CONCERN IS IF THIS IS SOMEWHAT A COMMON SITUATION BUT A VERY DANGEROUS ONE, WHY IS THE THROTTLE PLATE LEFT OPEN? I'M NOT A MECHANIC BUT I'M A MOTHER WHO ALMOST GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT WHILE DRIVING MY DAUGHTER. ISN'T THERE SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE TO PUT SOME TYPE OF MESH CAP OR SOMETHING TO PREVENT THIS TYPE OF SITUATION. SIMILAR TO MINE: HTTP://TOWNHALL-TALK.EDMUNDS.COM/DIRECT/VIEW/.EF2398D/1284 WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH UNDER IDLE POWER, MY CAR RAPIDLY ACCELERATED. I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE AND CAME TO A STOP, BUT THE ENGINE REVED TO 3000 RPM. I SLOWLY EASED OFF THE BRAKE BUT THE CAR WOULD HAVE TAKEN OFF. I RE-APPLIED THE BRAKE AND CAME TO A STOP, BUT THE CAR STILL WNATED TO TAKE OFF AS THE ENGINE WAS AT 300 RPM. WHAT DO YOU DO IN THIS SITUATION. SINCE I WAS AT A STOP, I SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL, THE ENGINE ALMOST RED-LINED, I QUICKLY SHIFTED INTO PARK AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE.