NHTSA Complaint #10631362 — 2004 CHRYSLER PACIFICA

WHILE LEAVING A ON RAMP TO US ROUTE 15 S. I ACCELERATED TO WOT(WIDE OPEN THROTTLE) IN ORDER TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC. ONCE I REACHED 60 MPH I PUSHED THE SET BUTTON ON THE CRUISE CONTROL AS I LEFT OFF OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE INSTEAD OF HOLDING THE 60 MPH SPEED. I SLOWED DOWN BY PUSHING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT ONCE I LEFT OFF OF THE BRAKE PEDAL THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. I TRIED THE CANCEL BUTTON FOR THE CRUISE CONTROL AND ALSO THE ON/OFF BUTTON, BUT NOTHING WORKED. MY WIFE REACHED OVER AND PULLED THE FLOOR MAT BACK TO MAKE SURE IT WAS NOT THE MAT AND IT CONTINUED. I PLACED THE SHIFTER IN NEUTRAL AND THE RPM'S WERE AT 3500. I TURNED THE IGNITION SWITCH OFF AND I COASTED. I THEN RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE RPMS IMMEDIATELY WENT TO 3500 AND THEN DROPPED TO 750. I AM AN ASE CERTIFIED MASTER TECHNICIAN AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS IN A VEHICLE. I AM GLAD I WAS DRIVING AND NOT MY WIFE. ONCE I REACHED MY DESTINATION I DISCONNECTED THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE AT THE THROTTLE BODY. SINCE THIS VEHICLE IS A CABLE OPERATED THROTTLE BODY MY ONLY CONCLUSION IS THAT EITHER THE THROTTLE PLATE STUCK, WHICH IT IS CURRENTLY MOVING SMOOTH, OR THE CRUISE CONTROL IS HAVING ISSUES. I AM PLANNING ON TAKING IT TO WORK IN THE MORNING AND TRYING TO DIAGNOSE IT. I HAVE BEEN REPAIRING CARS PROFESSIONALLY SINCE 1992. STARTING IN A FORD DEALERSHIP FOR 8 YEARS, THEN BEING SELF EMPLOYED WITH MY OWN AUTO REPAIR BUSINESS UNTIL MY CURRENT POSITION IN AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR FACILITY (AC DELCO TSS SHOP) FOR THE PAST 11 YEARS. *TR