NHTSA Complaint #10451440 — 2002 FORD TAURUS

THIS IS MY SECOND COMPLAINT FOR A SECOND RELATED INCIDENT. AFTER TAKING MY CAR TO THE DEALER TO CHECK MY FORD TAURUS FOR SUDDEN ACCELERATION 5 WEEKS EARLIER, THE FOLLOWING OCCURRED. MY SEVENTEEN YEAR OLD SON CALLED ME FROM THE PARKING LOT OF HIS HIGH SCHOOL CLEARLY PANICKED THAT UPON PLACING THE CAR IN GEAR, THE GAS PEDAL WAS SUCKED TO THE FLOOR OF HIS FORD TAURUS AND ACCELERATED WILDLY OUT OF CONTROL. THIS WAS THE THIRD TIME THAT THIS HAD OCCURRED BUT THIS ONE WAS A NEAR MISS WITH A NUMBER OF OTHER VEHICLES. SURE ENOUGH, THE GAS PEDAL WAS STUCK TO THE FLOOR AND THERE WAS NO WAY TO FREE IT UP. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO VARSITY FORD IN ANN ARBOR, MI (INVOICE # [XXX]). THE FOLLOWING LANGUAGE IS TAKEN FROM THE SERVICE ORDER; "CUSTOMER STATES GAS PEDAL STUCK WIDE OPEN, HAD TO BE TOWED IN, CHECK AND ADVISE. FOUND THROTTLE CABLE BINDING AND HOLDING THE ACCELERATOR LEVER DOWN. ORDERED THE PART AND REPLACED THE CABLE. NOTE THE OLD CABLE HAD WATER IN IT AND FROZE (THIS WAS THE SERVICE GUY'S SPECULATION), THAT'S WHY IT WAS INTERMITTENT. RECOMMENDED NOT POWER WASHING THE CABLE END (WE HAD NEVER POWER WASHED THE CAR AND WE ARE THE ORIGINAL OWNERS)." I HAVE RETAINED THE REPLACED PARTS FOR YOUR OR ANY OTHER ENTITY'S INSPECTION. TOTAL COST OF THIS REPAIR: $125.25; TOTAL COST OF THE PREVIOUS EVALUATION 5 WEEKS EARLIER: $164.01; THE COST OF PEACE OF MIND THAT YOUR CAR IS NOT GOING TO ACCELERATE OUT OF CONTROL: PRICELESS. 1. HOW DO I GET MY MONEY BACK? 2. HOW DO I KNOW THAT THEY CORRECTED THE ISSUE? THE DISCUSSIONS I AM READING ARE INDICATING A CRUISE CONTROL ISSUE. VARSITY FORD REPLACED AN ACCELERATOR CABLE. *TR