NHTSA Complaint #768076 — 1997 FORD EXPLORER

MY VEHICLE SUDDENLY STARTED ACCELERATING WHEN I WAS PROCEEDING DOWN THE INTERSTATE. I COULD SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN SOMEWHAT BY AGGRESSIVELY APPLYING THE BRAKES. HOWEVER, THIS WOULD JUST GET ME SLOWED DOWN A LITTLE UNTIL I WOULD RELEASE THE BRAKE. THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY SPEED UP AGAIN. I WAS TRAVELING ON A FAIRLY BUSY STRETCH OF INTERSTATE AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. I LUCKILY DID NOT HAVE A NEED TO STOP QUICKLY WHILE THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED. I TRIED HITTING THE ACCELERATOR A FEW TIMES TO GET IT TO STOP STICKING IN THE "WIDE OPEN" POSITION. I EVEN TRIED MANIPULATING THE CRUISE CONTROL (WHICH WAS OFF). AFTER SEVERAL FAILED ATTEMPTS TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM, I STARTED TRYING TO THINK OF A QUICK GAME PLAN TO GET OUT OF THIS POTENTIAL DISASTER. I AM VERY THANKFUL THAT MY WIFE WAS NOT DRIVING AT THE TIME AND THAT I DID NOT HAVE OTHERS IN THE CAR DURING THIS NIGHTMARE. I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO FIND A SHOULDER WHERE I COULD PULL OFF THE ROAD. AS I SAID, THE ROAD WAS EXTREMELY BUSY AND I WAS VERY WORRIED ABOUT GETTING OFF THE ROAD SAFELY WITH A SEMI-TRUCK NOT FAR BEHIND ME. I PULLED TOWARD THE SHOULDER AND PUT THE CAR INTO "NEUTRAL". THE RPM'S, WHICH HAD BEEN RUNNING EXTREMELY HIGH FOR ABOUT 3 MINUTES, MOVED EVEN HIGHER AT THIS POINT. THE RPM'S WERE PEGGED TO THE TOP OF THE GAUGE FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS. AS SOON AS I FELT I WAS OFF OF THE ROADWAY ENOUGH, I TURNED THE KEY TO THE "OFF" POSITION. WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE CAR THERE WAS A HORRIBLE BURNING ODOR COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR. I AM NOT ONLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE PROBLEM THAT MAY HAVE TRIGGERED THIS INCIDENT, BUT I AM ALSO VERY WORRIED ABOUT COLLATERAL DAMAGE THAT THIS UNDOUBTEDLY CAUSED. I FEEL THAT THIS CAUSED AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF WEAR AND TEAR TO THE ENGINE AND THE BRAKING SYSTEM. ON TOP OF ALL OF THE PHYSICAL DAMAGE DONE TO THE CAR, THE EXPERIENCE WAS SCARY TO SAY THE LEAST. MY WIFE REFUSES TO EVEN GET IN THE CAR AT THIS POINT. NEEDLESS TO SAY, SHE DOESN'T WANT MY KIDS TO RIDE IN IT EITHER.