NHTSA Complaint #10469448 — 2002 FORD TAURUS

I PUSHED THE ACCELERATOR INTO PASSING GEAR TO GO AROUND A VEHICLE IN THE PASSING ZONE ON A HILL. WHEN I RELEASED THE ACCELERATOR THE CAR CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AND ON TOPPING THE HILL WE WERE TRAVELING OVER 70 MPH. I TAPPED THE ACCELERATOR BUT ACCELERATION CONTINUED. COMING DOWN THE HILL I SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND THE ENGINE ACCELERATED TO OVER 6000 RPM. I STOPPED ON LEVEL GROUND AND SHUT THE ENGINE OFF. ON RESTART, THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY REVVED TO OVER 6000 RPM AND A TRANSAXLE WARNING ICON APPEARED. BY ALTERNATELY SHIFTING IN AND OUT OF GEAR I JERKED TO AN AUTO BODY SHOP. THE MECHANICS KNEW THE PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY; BROKEN PLASTIC TABS HAD ALLOWED THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE SHEATH TO SLIP OUT OF THE THROTTLE CONNECTOR. THE CABLE SHEATH WAS JAMMED AGAINST THE EDGE OF THE CONNECTOR, HOLDING THE THROTTLE OPEN. WHEN THE SHEATH WAS REINSERTED INTO THE CONNECTOR, RPM RETURNED TO NORMAL. THE MECHANICS WIRED THE CABLE TO THE CONNECTOR SO WE COULD CONTINUE OUR TRIP. FUNCTION IS NORMAL 3K MILES LATER. THE DEALER INDICATED NO RECALLS OR TSB'S RELATED TO THE PROBLEM AND WANTS $34. FOR A NEW CABLE. *TR