NHTSA Complaint #10555548 — 2009 MERCURY MARINER

I WAS DRIVING MY 2009 MERCURY MARINER AND SUDDENLY LOST THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE. A WRENCH LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON MY DASH AND THE ONLY THING I COULD DO WAS COAST TO A STOP. PUSHING THE GAS PEDAL DID NOTHING. I WAS ABLE TO VERY SLOWLY GET THE CAR TO A PARKING LOT (IT MOVED AT AN IDLE SPEED, BUT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE OTHERWISE). WHEN I GOT TO THE PARKING LOT, I TURNED THE CAR OFF. AFTER WAITING A FEW MINUTES, I TURNED THE CAR BACK ON AND IT SEEMED FINE. I TOOK IT TO A FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY DIAGNOSED IT AS BEING A PROBLEM WITH THE THROTTLE BODY, WHICH THEY ENDED UP REPLACING. THIS ISSUE OCCURRED ON 12/10/2013 ON A 2009 MERCURY MARINER THAT I PURCHASED NEW IN NOVEMBER OF 2008. IT HAD APPROXIMATELY 69,000 MILES ON IT WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. I WAS DRIVING AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 40 MPH WHEN IT HAPPENED. IN SEARCHING THE INTERNET, I FOUND THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. THERE ARE NUMEROUS NEWS REPORTS, FORUM AND BLOG POSTINGS, AND YOUTUBE VIDEOS OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE THROTTLE BODY ON THEIR ESCAPES AND MARINERS. I ALSO FEEL THAT IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. HAD I BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THIS OCCURRED, I VERY LIKELY WOULD'VE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. (I WAS ACTUALLY JUST ABOUT TO ENTER THE HIGHWAY WHEN THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED.) *TR