NHTSA Complaint #10404525 — 2001 FORD TAURUS

I HAVE BEEN A LICENSED DRIVE FOR 37 YEARS. AFTER MERGING MY 2001 FORD TAURUS ONTO AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AFTER I REMOVED MY FOOT FROM THE GAS PEDAL. I TAPPED THE BRAKES TO SEE IF CRUISE CONTROL WAS ON. IT WASN'T. I GLANCED AT THE GAS PEDAL TO SEE IS SOMETHING WAS ON IT. THERE WASN'T. I TAPPED THE GAS PEDAL TO SEE IF IT WAS STUCK. IT STAYED DEPRESSED. I BRAKED HARD AND THE VEHICLE SLOWED TO 60MPH. I RELEASED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE CAR BEGAN ACCELERATING AGAIN. TO KEEP FROM REAR-ENDING THE CAR AHEAD OF ME, I DOWNSHIFTED AND STOOD ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. I PULLED ONTO THE ROAD SHOULDER, SHIFTED THE TRANSMISSION TO NEUTRAL AND WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR WITH BRAKES SMOKING. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RACE. I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND HAD IT TOWED TO A FORD DEALER. THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE TOLD ME THE PLASTIC BRACKET THAT HOLDS THE THROTTLE CABLE IN PLACE HAD BROKEN AND THE CABLE HAD JAMMED IN WITH THE THROTTLE OPEN. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT REPLACED THE THROTTLE CABLE ASSEMBLY(YFIZ*9A825*CA ACTUATOR ASY). THEY KEPT THE OLD PART. I FEEL I WAS FORTUNATE NOT TO HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT AND BEEN INJURED OR KILLED. MY TEENAGERS ALSO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AND MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY STOP THE CAR AS I DID. *TR