NHTSA Complaint #747557 — 1997 GMC SONOMA

I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE WHEN IT BEGAN TO ACCELLERATE UNCONTROLLABLY. IT CONTINUED TO ACCELLERATE WITH MY FOOT COMPLETELY REMOVED FROM THE ACCELLERATOR. AT THE TIME THIS WAS HAPPENING I WAS IN SOME TRAFFIC AND BY BRAKING HEAVILY TO SLOW THE VEHICLE I WAS ABLE TO SLOW IT ENOUGH TO PREVENT BEING INVOLVED IN ANY KIND OF INCIDENT. I THEN PULLED OFF OF THE ROAD AND DEPRESSED THE CLUTCH. WITH THE CLUTCH DEPRESSED THE TRUCKS ACCELLERATOR CONTINUED TO ACCELLERATE UNCONTROLLABLY TOWARDS THE REDLINE SO I SHUT THE ENGINE OFF.I THEN RESTARTED THE ENGINE AND IT SEEMED TO HAVE BECOME UNSTUCK. I WAS ONLY ABOUT A QUARTER OF A MILE FROM A MECHANIC'S SHOP THAT I WAS FAMILIAR WITH AND TRIED TO GET THERE. AS I ACCELLERATED THROUGH THE GEARS THE THROTTLE AGAIN BECAME STUCK AND BEGAN TO ACCELLERATED UNCONTROLLABLY. I SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE AND COASTED TO THE SHOP. THE MECHANIC THERE FIRST CHECKED THE CABLES THE BE SURE THEY WERE NOT BINDING. HE THEN REMOVED THE BREATHER ASSEMBLY TO CHECK THE THROTTLE BODY TO SEE IF IT WAS BECOMING STUCK. WHEN HE OPENED IT HE SAW THAT A PIECE THAT WAS ATTACHED BY RIVETS TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE FRONT PORTION OF THE BUTTERFLY VALE HAD PARTIALLY BROKEN LOOSE. IT WAS THEN OBVIOUS THAT THIS WAS WHAT WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. I CONTACTED THE GMC CUSTOMER SERVICE(RELATIONS) DEPARTMENT . I WAS GIVEN A CASE NUMBER (C04730917)AND TOLD THAT A DEALER WOULD HAVE TO DO THE WORK IF I WERE TO HAVE ANY CHANCE OF BEING REIMBURSED FOR THE WORK. I TOLD THE PERSON I THE PHONE THAT I FELT THAT THIS WAS DEFINITELY A SAFETY CONCERN. SHE TOLD ME TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALER TO HAVE IT REPAIRED AND THEY WOULD DETERMINE IF THIS WAS A SAFETY CONCERN. I TRUELY BELEAVE THAT IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN AS THIS COULD HAPPEN AT ANY PLACE AT ANY TIME AND SOMEONE ELSE MAY NOT BE AS LUCK AS I WAS TO BE IN A GOOD PLACE TO GET OFF OF THE ROAD BEFORE SOMETHING HAPPENED AND CAUSED ME TO BE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. I WAS DRIVING IN THE MOUNTIANS SATURDAY WITH MY NEPHEW. *AK