NHTSA Complaint #10327015 — 2005 FORD FOCUS

I NOTICED THE GAS PEDAL OF MY CAR (FORD FOCUS 2005) WAS HARD TO PRESS WHEN THE WEATHER IS FREEZING COLD. AT TIMES, I FORCED IT THROUGH. A COUPLE OF TIMES, WE LUBRICATE THE CABLE AND IT WORKED FINE. YESTERDAY, I SPEEDED UP TO PASS THE CAR WHICH WAS TOO SLOW IN FRONT OF ME. THEN, MY CAR ACCELERATED ITSELF AND I COULD HARDLY STOP. I ALMOST WRECKED INTO A CAR IN FRONT OF ME AT A STOP LIGHT. I MANAGED TO STOP THE CAR BUT THE BREAK WAS BATTLING WITH THE ENGINE. WHEN I LET GO OF THE BREAK, THE CAR ACCELERATED ITSELF. SO, I HAD TO USE MY BREAK A LOT TO REACH A LOCAL MECHANICS. HE LUBRICATED THE CABLE AND TOLD ME THAT THE CABLE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. I WENT TO FORD DEALERSHIP TODAY AND THEY TOLD ME THE SAME THAT THE CABLE HAD TO BEEN REPLACED. IT WOULD COST ME AROUND $300.00 INCLUDING LABOR. LATER, THE MECHANIC AT FORD SHOWED ME THE CABLE. PART OF THE CABLE WAS CONCEALED INSIDE A PLASTIC TUBE AND THIS PART WAS ALL MESSED UP AND KEEP BREAKING OFF. BECAUSE OF THE INCREASE IN THE DIAMETER OF THE CABLE AFTER I PRESSED ON THE GAS PEDAL, THE CABLE WOULD NOT GO BACK ONCE IT WAS OUT. THEREFORE, MY CAR KEPT ACCELERATING YESTERDAY. I AGREED WITH FORD TO FIX IT AT MY COST BUT I AM ANXIOUS ABOUT THE CAR QUALITY AS WELL OTHER PEOPLE'S SAFETY. I COULD HAVE A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT IF I WAS NOT CALM ENOUGH. *TR