NHTSA Complaint #10334965 — 2008 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER

FOLLOWING AN OIL CHANGE AND AIR FILTER REPLACEMENT AT A VALVOLINE EXPRESS SHOP, THE TECHNICIAN USED AN AIR HOSE TO BLOW OUT DEBRIS (SEEDS, NUTS, ETC.) FROM THE AIR FILTER BOX. APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE AFTER LEAVING THE SHOP, THE GAS PEDAL ON THE CAR WENT LOOSE, AND THE ENGINE KEPT REVVING, STEADILY INCREASING THE SPEED OF THE CAR. I WAS ABLE TO SLOW THE CAR BY BRAKING HARD AND EVENTUALLY SWITCHING TO NEUTRAL, AND PULLED THE CAR SAFELY TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV AS THOUGH I HAD THE GAS PEDAL TO THE FLOOR. WHEN I CONTACTED THE VALVOLINE SHOP, THEY SENT OUT A MANAGER AND TECHNICIAN TO CHECK THE CAR. THEY QUICKLY FOUND THAT ONE OF THE "NUTS" FROM THE AIR FILTER BOX HAD BECOME STUCK IN THE THROTTLE ASSEMBLY, CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE CARS ACCELERATION. AFTER REMOVING THE OBSTRUCTION, THERE HAVE BEEN NO FURTHER PROBLEMS. ALTHOUGH I WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR AND BRING IT SAFELY TO A STOP, THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT UNDER OTHER CONDITIONS (HEAVY TRAFFIC, HIGHER SPEEDS, ETC.). IT SEEMS THAT THERE SHOULD BE A SAFETY MECHANISM THAT RECOGNIZES WHEN THE BRAKE IS BEING APPLIED WHILE THE THROTTLE IS WIDE OPEN, AND ALLOWS THE DRIVER TO REGAIN CONTROL. ALSO, I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT REMOVING DEBRIS FROM THE AIR FILTER BOX SHOULD BE DONE WITH A VACUUM RATHER THAN A HIGH PRESSURE AIR HOSE WHICH ESSENTIALLY BLOWS THE DEBRIS THROUGHOUT THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, POTENTIALLY CAUSING PROBLEMS LIKE THIS ONE. THE AFFECTED VEHICLE WAS A 2008 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER TOURING WITH 50,000 MILES , AND WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH WHEN THE ACCELERATOR FAILED. *TR