NHTSA Complaint #10610845 — 2008 FORD TAURUS

HAD CRUISE CONTROL SET TO ON POSITION, I ACCELERATED TO PASS A CAR, THEN THE ACCELERATION CONTINUED ON EVEN THOUGH MY FOOT WAS OFF OF ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE CAR CONTINUED TO SPEED RAPIDLY WITH THE ENGINE REVVING EVEN THOUGH MY FOOT WAS PRESSED HARD ON THE BRAKE. I WAS ABLE TO SLOW THE CAR DOWN TO 60 WITH MY FOOT PRESSED HARD ON THE BRAKE. UNFORTUNATELY THERE WAS TRAFFIC AROUND ME AND I DID NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO CONTROL THE SPEED OF THE CAR. I HAD TO MOVE ONTO THE ROAD SHOULDER TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR AHEAD OF ME. LUCKILY THE PAVED SHOULDER OF THE ROAD WAS GRATED AND SOMEHOW CAUSED THE CAR TO STOP (INTERMITTENT ACCELERATION 3X), AND THEN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. UPON EXPLAINING THIS TO MY FATHER, HE WONDERS IF THE ACCELERATION CABLE STUCK WHEN I INITIALLY ATTEMPTED TO PASS A CAR AND THEN SHOOK LOOSE AND BECAME UNSTUCK WHEN DRIVING OVER THE GRATED ROAD - NOT SURE. I WAS GLAD TO MAKE IT OUT OF THAT SITUATION ALIVE BUT NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE IN HOW TO PROCEED WITH THIS PROBLEM. MY FATHER CALLED A FORD DEALER MECHANIC AND THEY WANT TO CHARGE FOR A DIAGNOSTIC AND REPAIR. I FEEL THAT THIS SHOULD NOT BE OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS THIS IS POSSIBLY A MANUFACTURER DEFECT THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF BY FORD. PLEASE ADVISE ME. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *TR