NHTSA Complaint #10775435 — 2006 SUBARU LEGACY

I EXPERIENCED TWO ISSUES WITH THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR IN MY 2006 SUBARU LEGACY. THE FIRST TIME I WAS TRAVELING AT APPROX. 35 MPH AND THE RPM'S BEGAN INCREASING RAPIDLY. I WAS IN TRAFFIC AND UNABLE TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE SAFELY WHEN THE ENGINE COMPLETELY STALLED. I SAT THERE THINKING THAT THE MOTOR WAS GOING TO BLOW UP IF I ATTEMPTED TO START IT AGAIN. I CALLED MY MECHANIC AND HE THOUGHT THAT IT COULD BE THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR, AS HE HAS REPLACED MANY OF THEM ON SUBARUS. I WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR AND MOVE OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS NOT GOING TO DO IT AGAIN. THE CAR WAS THEN TAKEN TO THE MECHANIC WHERE HE CLEANED THE SENSOR AND SAID IF I HAVE A PROBLEM AGAIN THEN I SHOULD REPLACE IT. FAST FORWARD 4 MONTHS LATER AND I EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM ON A BUSY STREET WHERE THE CAR LOST POWER AND COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN AFTER RPMS SKYROCKETED AND I WAS LEFT WITH NO CONTROL. UPON START UP, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, OBVIOUSLY TRIGGERING A CODE THAT SAYS THE CAR IS A DEATH TRAP WITH A REALLY POORLY DESIGNED THROTTLE. I PLAN TO HAVE THE PART REPLACED IMMEDIATELY, BUT THIS COULD BE A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE FOR SOMEONE NOT IN A POSITION TO MOVE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AS IT JUST HAPPENS RANDOMLY WITH NO WARNING SIGNS.