NHTSA Complaint #10263288 — 1994 FORD F-150

WHEN ACCELERATING TO MERGE ONTO THE FREEWAY, THE THROTTLE (PEDAL) SUDDENLY MOVED OF ITS OWN ACCORD TO A COMPLETELY FULL THROTTLE POSITION. THE PEDAL MOVED ON ITS OWN FROM BENEATH MY FOOT, JUST AS IT WOULD IF THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ENGAGED. IT STAYED IN THIS STUCK POSITION WHILE MEANWHILE, TO KEEP THE VEHICLE UNDER CONTROL, I STOOD ON THE BRAKE TO AVOID ACCELERATING TO TOP SPEED. BY CONSTANT APPLICATION OF THE BRAKE I WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE VEHICLE SPEED AT AROUND 85 MPH, BUT NOT WITHOUT EXTREME EFFORT. MEANWHILE I TRIED PUSHING ALL OF THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCHES, WITH NO EFFECT. I ALSO TRIED PUMPING THE BRAKE IN AN ATTEMPT TO GET THE CRUISE CONTROL RELEASE SWITCH TO ACTIVATE, BUT IT DIDN'T HELP. I ALSO TRIED SHIFTING TO NEUTRAL BUT THE ENGINE WAS OBVIOUSLY GOING TO REDLINE SO I PUT IT BACK IN DRIVE. I CONTINUED THIS WAY FOR SEVERAL MILES. TRAFFIC WAS LUCKILY LIGHT ENOUGH THAT I WAS ABLE TO AVOID OTHER VEHICLES. I WAS AT THE POINT OF HAVING TO PULL OVER AND SWITCH THE IGNITION OFF WHEN THERE WAS A LOUD "POPPING" SOUND FROM UNDER THE DASH (STRAIGHT IN FRONT OF THE DRIVER). WHEN THE "POP" OCCURRED THE THROTTLE RELEASED AND I WAS ABLE TO CONTROL IT NORMALLY. BY THEN MY BRAKES WERE SMOKING AND ALMOST ON-FIRE. THIS OCCURRED TWICE. THE FIRST TIME WAS ON MARCH 17, 2009 AND THE SECOND WAS ON MARCH 27. THE FIRST TIME IT CLEARED ITSELF AFTER A COUPLE OF MILES. THE SECOND TIME WAS MUCH WORSE AND LASTED FOR AT LEAST FIVE OR SIX MILES. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO THE DEALER (LA POINT FORD, SALT LAKE CITY) AFTER IT OCCURRED ON THE 27TH. THE MECHANIC COULD FIND NO PROBLEM WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL TESTS THAT HE RAN. THEY SUGGESTED DISCONNECTING THE CRUISE CONTROL TO SEE IF THE PROBLEM WOULD STILL OCCUR, JUST IN CASE IT WAS THE ENGINE COMPUTER RATHER THAN THE CRUISE CONTROL. HOPEFULLY I WILL SURVIVE THE TEST. LUCKILY BOTH TIMES IT HAPPENED I WASN'T NEAR ANOTHER CAR. HAD I BEEN, I WOULD HAVE RUN INTO THEM BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO REACT. IF THIS OCCURS TO OTHERS SOMEONE WILL BE KILLED. *TR