NHTSA Complaint #10252064 — 2004 FORD EXPLORER

ON DECEMBER 17, 2008 AT AROUND 6:50 A.M., I WAS DRIVING MY WIFE TO WORK. WE LIVE IN A QUIET VILLAGE TYPE RESIDENTIAL AREA. AFTER TWO MINUTES OR SO AFTER I PULLED OUT OF OUR DRIVEWAY, MY 2004 FORD EXPLORER SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AT A VERY HIGH SPEED, WITHOUT MY STEPPING ON THE GAS PEDAL. I ESTIMATE THE VEHICLE REACHED 45 MPH OR MORE IN A VERY SHORT SPAN OF TIME, AND APPARENTLY INCREASING. THE VEHICLE SPEED WAS OUT OF MY CONTROL FOR 3 SECONDS OR MORE, DESPITE MY FOOT BEING AWAY FROM THE ACCELERATOR. AT FIRST I THOUGHT I WAS SKIDDING ON BLACK ICE, BUT I REALIZED THIS COULDN'T BE BECAUSE THE ENGINE WAS INCREASINGLY ROARING AND GETTING LOUDER AS I GAINED SPEED. IT REMINDED ME OF THE SENSATION WHEN CRUISE CONTROL PICKS UP SPEED ON THE FREEWAY. BESIDES, I WASN'T LOSING CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL. IT FELT LIKE MY GAS PEDAL WAS NOT ONLY STUCK, BUT WAS BEING PRESSED EVEN FURTHER MORE. WHEN I REALIZED I WASN'T SKIDDING, I QUICKLY APPLIED THE BRAKES AND VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN. GOOD THING, THE STREET WAS DESERTED. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT MEMORY WAS THE SUDDEN ROARING OF THE ENGINE AND THE RAPID ACCELERATION DESPITE MY FOOT BEING OFF THE GAS PEDAL. THE TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE WAS 38F, WITH A SLIGHT DRIZZLE. *TR