NHTSA Complaint #10488750 — 2002 MERCURY SABLE

WHILE I WAS DRIVING TO WORK, MY CAR SUDDENLY BEGAN TO ACCELERATE BY ITSELF. IT WAS FULL THROTTLE, AND I COULD NOT STOP IT FROM SPEEDING UP. THANK GOD I WAS ENTERING THE HIGHWAY WHEN THIS HAPPENED, BECAUSE I COULD NOT SLOW THE CAR DOWN. WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY, I HELD MY FOOT ALL THE WAY DOWN ON THE BRAKE, AND THE CAR WOULD STILL NOT GO BELOW 65 MPH. WITHOUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, IT GOT UP TO 95 MPH AND WOULD HAVE KEPT GETTING HIGHER. SO I DROVE WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AT 65 MPH, WEAVING IN AND OUT OF TRAFFIC. I TRIED SWITCHING INTO NEUTRAL, BUT THIS HAD NO EFFECT. I CALLED 911 AND THEY SENT A POLICE OFFICER OUT TO FOLLOW ME. I WAS DRIVING LIKE THIS FOR 10-15 MINUTES WITH MY LIFE CONSTANTLY FLASHING BEFORE MY EYES. EVENTUALLY, I WAS INSTRUCTED BY 911 TO TURN OFF THE IGNITION OFF WHILE IN NEUTRAL (WHICH I DID NOT KNOW COULD BE DONE UNTIL THEY TOLD ME). IF THERE HAD BEEN TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY AT ANY POINT, I WOULD HAVE GOTTEN INTO A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT AND COULD HAVE INJURED/KILLED MYSELF AND OTHERS. IT WAS A VERY TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE, AND I AM EXTREMELY SHAKEN UP. ACCORDING TO THE AUTO SHOP THAT IS WORKING ON MY CAR, THE INCIDENT OCCURRED BECAUSE THE CABLE THAT RUNS FROM THE CRUISE CONTROL TO THE THROTTLE BODY BROKE. *TR