NHTSA Complaint #10495316 — 2005 FORD TAURUS

ON THE MORNING OF JANUARY 30, 2013; I WAS DRIVING TO WORK APPROXIMATELY AT 8 AM AND NOTICED MY CAR BECAME DIFFICULT TO STOP. IT APPEARED TO BE ACCELERATING WHEN I WAS NOT TOUCHING THE GAS AND HAD TO APPLY EXCESSIVE FORCE ON THE BRAKE TO ALLOW THE CAR TO STOP. IMMEDIATELY UPON RELEASING THE BRAKE PEDAL THE CAR WOULD QUICKLY ACCELERATE TO 15-20 MPH. THIS CONTINUED ON AND OFF FOR MY ENTIRE 15 MILE COMMUTE TO THE OFFICE. STEPPING HEAVILY ON THE GAS PEDAL SEEMED TO STOP THE PROBLEM (SEEMED AS IF THE PEDAL WAS STUCK DOWN). PLACING THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL WAS THE ONLY SURE WAY TO STOP THE ACCELERATION. ON JANUARY 31, 2013; THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN. HOWEVER, THIS TIME IT HAPPENED AT HIGHER SPEEDS. I WAS DRIVING AT 65 MPH WITHOUT HAVING TO TOUCH THE GAS AS IF THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS SET TO 65. HOWEVER, THE CRUISE WAS OFF. AGAIN...HEAVILY PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL STOPPED THE ACCELERATION. AGAIN, PLACING THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL WAS THE ONLY SURE WAY TO STOP THE PROBLEM. BOTH MORNINGS WERE FOGGY/RAINY AND VERY HUMID. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT, BUT I BELIEVE FORD NEEDS TO IMMEDIATELY CORRECT THIS ISSUE WITH RECALLS AS A PERSON WHO IS LESS COMFORTABLE DRIVING OR JUST NOT VERY CALM COULD DEFINITELY HAVE AN ACCIDENT IF THEY PANIC. *TR