NHTSA Complaint #10340186 — 2001 FORD FOCUS

STICKING ACCELERATOR PEDAL 2001 FORD FOCUS SE. 2.0L L4 DOHC DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE HEADING TO WORK AND WAS GOING TO SET THE CRUISE. I COULDN'T GET IT TO ACTIVATE TRIED SPEEDING UP AND SLOWING DOWN AND SETTING - DIDN'T OPERATE. A FEW MOMENTS LATER A CAR MERGED IN FRONT OF ME FROM THE ON RAMP. I SLOWED DOWN LET TRAFFIC ON THE LEFT GO BY. I THEN MERGED TO LEFT LANE AND DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR AND IT STUCK AT/NEAR FULL THROTTLE. I TAPPED THE BRAKES TO SEE IF THE CRUISE HAD ENGAGED - NO CHANGE, LOOKED TO SEE IF THERE WAS AN OBSTRUCTION BY THE PEDAL - NONE FOUND, TRIED PULLING PEDAL BACK WITH MY FOOT - NO EFFECT, TRIED STOMPING ON ACCELERATOR TO SEE IF IT WOULD UNSTICK - NO CHANGE. I WAS NOW GOING OVER 80 MPH AND CLOSE TO REAR ENDING A CAR IN FRONT OF ME I STEPPED ON THE BRAKES HARD, IT DIDN'T SLOW DOWN. AT THIS POINT I TURNED THE IGNITION OFF AND MERGED TO THE RIGHT AND OFF TO THE EMERGENCY LANE. I OPENED THE HOOD AND INSPECTED THE ACCELERATOR LINKAGE AT THE THROTTLE PLATE. FOUND THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE HAD DISCONNECTED AND GOT LODGED BETWEEN THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE MOUNTING BRACKET AND THE THROTTLE PLATE ACTUATOR KEEPING THE THROTTLE PLATE AT OR NEAR FULL THROTTLE. I RECONNECTED THE CRUISE CABLE WENT TO WORK RETURNED HOME AND HAVE SET THE CAR ASIDE FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. *TR