NHTSA Complaint #10451861 — 2004 FORD TAURUS

WHILE IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA, MY CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN AND DID NOT GIVE WAY WHEN I HIT THE BREAKS. THE CAR STARTED ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN AT 40MPH, AND KEPT GOING TO 50 MPH, AND THEN AT 60 MPH I BEGAN TO PANIC. THE TRAFFIC ON THE ROAD I WAS TRAVELING ON WAS BUSY AND CARS WERE GOING IN AND OUT OF BUSINESSES. WHEN TRYING TO HIT THE BREAKS THE CAR SLIGHTLY JERKED AND DID NOT SLOW DOWN THE CAR. I WAS QUICKLY APPROACHING A LINE OF CARS WAITING AT A RED LIGHT AND THERE WAS NO BREAK DOWN LANE. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO MOVE INTO A SMALL PARKING AREA AND NEARLY HIT A STOREFRONT BY 3 FEET. I QUICKLY PUT THE CAR IN PARK, WHILE IT CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. THINKING I WOULD RESET SOMETHING, I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND STARTED IT AGAIN. THE CAR KEPT ACCELERATING AND CREATED A LOT OF SMOKE IN THE BACK. $500 TO FIX AT A FORD DEALERSHIP LATER AND I AM STILL ANXIOUS THAT THE SAME ISSUE WILL HAPPEN AGAIN BUT I WILL NOT BE SO LUCKY - WHAT IF IT HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY? WHEN A PEDESTRIAN WAS CROSSING THE ROAD? WHAT IF I HIT SOMEONE? FORD NEEDS TO RECALL THIS PART - AND I WANT MY MONEY BACK! *TR