NHTSA Complaint #10452403 — 2002 FORD TAURUS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD TAURUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE SPEED INCREASED ABNORMALLY AS THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT ENGAGED THE BRAKE PEDAL REPEATEDLY YET, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. THE SPEED RATE EVENTUALLY REDUCED WHICH ALLOWED THE VEHICLE TO BE MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE GEAR WAS THEN SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO ROAR LOUDLY WITH A DRASTIC INCREASE IN ENGINE RPMS. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND THEN INSPECTED THE ENGINE AREA WHERE HE DETECTED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE WAS PARTIALLY FRAYED AND STUCK TO THE ACCELERATOR LINKAGE. THE CONTACT DISCONNECTED THE CRUISE CONTROL TO PREVENT THE ACCELERATION FAILURE FROM RECURRING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.