NHTSA Complaint #11120859 — 2005 FORD TAURUS

WHILE DRIVING HIS LOW MILE 2005 FORD TAURUS BOTH ON THE HIGHWAY AND ON CITY STREETS, MY SON HAS EXPERIENCED SEVERAL INCIDENTS OF UNINTENDED ACCELERATION OR STUCK THROTTLE WHILE LETTING OFF THE GAS PEDAL IN ORDER TO SLOW DOWN OR BRAKE. ADDITIONALLY, THE CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT WORK. DRIVING ON THE VERY BUSY HIGHWAYS OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA WITH ITS PREVALENT STOP AND GO DRIVING MAKE THIS CONDITION EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. AN INTERNET SEARCH OF THIS ISSUE SHOWS THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. AS I HAVE BEEN A MECHANIC SINCE 1973, I DECIDED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE THROTTLE CABLE / CRUISE CONTROL CABLE TO SEE IF THESE TWO ISSUES WERE RELATED. IMAGINE MY SURPRISE WHEN I DISCOVERED THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE WAS DECOUPLED FROM ITS POST MOUNT (SEE PICTURES). I HAVE SURMISED THAT THE DECOUPLED CABLE COULD BLOCK THE THROTTLE CABLE ROLL BACK TO THE IDLE STOP, AND IF THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS INITIATED, THE LOOSE CABLE COULD DRIVE FORWARD AND ARTICULATE THE THROTTLE FORWARD TO THE WIDE OPEN THROTTLE POSITION AS IT SEARCHES TO CONTROL THE DRIVE SPEED. AS BOTH THE THROTTLE ACTUATOR AND THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE INTERFACE ARE MADE OF PLASTIC, ONE OR BOTH HAVE WORN PAST THE POINT WHERE THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE WILL STAY SECURELY COUPLED TO ITS MOUNTING POST. WHY AREN'T BOTH OF THESE PARTS STEEL? WELL, PLASTIC IS CHEAP AND EASY TO MAKE. BUT PROFIT OVER SAFETY IS UNACCEPTABLE. NHTSA, PLEASE ADDRESS THIS. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT CAN OR WILL WRECK THE CAR, WHICH COULD INJURE OR KILL SOMEONE.