NHTSA Complaint #10826140 — 2002 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL

THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, WAS BEING ACCELERATED TO ENTER A HIGHWAY. DUE TO TRAFFIC, THERE WAS A LET OFF ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO ALLOW ANOTHER DRIVER TO MERGE, AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND, INSTEAD IT CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE WITHOUT HAVING ANY DRIVER INPUT. BRAKES WERE APPLIED, AND THE VEHICLE REMAINED AT NEAR FULL POWER, AND THE DRIVER HAD TO APPLY BREAKS HARD TO SLOW, AND PULL OFF HIGHWAY. ATTEMPTS TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL RESULTED IN THE TRANSMISSION WANTING TO GO INTO REVERSE INSTEAD OF NEUTRAL. ONCE OFF THE ROAD, THE ENGINE WAS SHUT DOWN. WHEN RESTARTED, IT WAS STILL STUCK AT WIDE OPEN THROTTLE. SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO UNSTICK FAILED. AFTER IT REMAINED OFF A SHORT TIME, AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL OPERATED, IT RETURNED TO NORMAL. A SHORT TIME LATER WHILE TESTING IN THE PARKING LOT, THE PROBLEM RECURRED. FURTHER INVESTIGATION LEADS ME TO BELIEVE IT MAY BE RELATED TO THE CRUISE CONTROL, AS THE ISSUE APPEARED TO BE ELECTRONIC IN NATURE, AS THE OPERATION OF THE THROTTLE CABLE WITH THE VEHICLE OFF SHOWED NO EVIDENCE OF ANY SORT OF STICKINESS OR UNUSUAL RESISTANCE. CRUISE CONTROL UNIT WAS UNPLUGGED, AND THE VEHICLE TESTED. THE PROBLEM DID NOT RECUR AT THIS TIME. I DROVE IT HOME LATER THAT NIGHT IN LIGHT TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE WILL BE TAKEN TO A SHOP TO EVALUATE DAMAGE CAUSED WHEN TRYING TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL TO AVOID ACCIDENT, AND SEE IF A ROOT CAUSE CAN BE DETERMINED. AS THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER SIMILAR INCIDENTS OF THIS TYPE I BELEIVE IT MAY BE A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. THIS IS A LOW MILEAGE VEHICLE WITH APPROXIMATELY 75,000 MILES. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CONDITION THAT SHOULD BE THOROUGHLY INVESTIGATED AND A RECALL ISSUED, REGARDLESS OF AGE, AS THIS COULD CAUSE ADDITIONAL INJURIES OR FATALITIES.