2005 Ford Taurus Driver assistance Problems

I was on my way to work. When I came to the stop sign to turn on the main road. I felt my car jerk. I thought it was weird and kept driving anyways. Then I noticed the resistance was gone from the gas pedal and it went straight to the floor. So I came to the stop light and kept my foot on the brake. When the light turned green and I had let go of the brakes. My car was accelerating on its own. I had to keep pumping the brakes so I wouldn't crash or hurt anyone. I managed to pull into a mechanic's shop and asked for help. The mechanic told me that it was my cruise control and that it wasn't disengaging. So he had to disconnect it from my car.

NHTSA ID

11547998

Incident

Nov 4, 2022

For a while now I have noticed that intermittently when barely stepping on the accelerator pedal, the car will accelerate but continue to speed up even with my foot off of the accelerator. I have to step on the break extremely hard to come to a stop, and car will still be doing around 40mph when at a complete stop or light. The check engine light has been on, and I have taken it to a mechanic twice, one of the times he had it for a month trying to figure out what that light is about, checking everything possible, but I am not sure if that light has anything to do with the accelerator.

NHTSA ID

11487791

Incident

Oct 4, 2022

The contact owns a 2005 Ford Taurus. The contact stated while driving 45 mph, the vehicle accelerated independently from 45 mph to 65 mph. The contact stated the accelerator pedal was not being depressed during the failure. The brake pedal was depressed to slow the vehicle to a stop. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and inspected under the hood. The contact noticed that the cruise control cable was jammed up into the accelerator cable which caused the accelerator cable to open. The contact moved the cruise control cable back into the correct position and drove back to their residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 125,000.

NHTSA ID

11427597

Incident

Aug 3, 2021

Mileage

125,000 mi

RANDOM AND SPORADIC ACCELERATION WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET.

NHTSA ID

11403747

Incident

Mar 8, 2021

Mileage

94,685 mi

MY CAR WILL ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN WITHOUT ME PRESSING THE GAS. THIS HAPPENS AT LEAST 4 TIMES A WEEK WHILE I AM DRIVING AND HAPPENS WHEN I AM DRIVING BETWEEN 20 AND 50 MPH. I CAN MAKE THE ENGINE REV/ACCELERATION STOP BY QUICKLY TAPPING ON THE GAS PEDAL. I HAVE HAD THE CRUISE CONTROL DISCONNECTED BECAUSE MY MECHANIC THOUGHT THIS WAS PART OF THE PROBLEM BUT THE RANDOM SEF-ACCELERATION HAS CONTINUED AND SEEMS TO BE GETTING MORE FREQUENT. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON OFF AND ON FOR A FEW YEARS BUT HAS INCREASED IN FREQUENCY OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS.

NHTSA ID

11383695

Incident

Dec 16, 2020

Mileage

120,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FOR SERVICE AT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHILE IN SERVICE WITH THE CONTACT INSIDE THE VEHICLE, THE TECHNICIAN ASKED THE CONTACT TO SHIFT THE GEAR INTO REVERSED TO CHECK THE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHE SHIFTED INTO REVERSED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED IN REVERSED, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT THE BRAKE FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WENT THROUGH THE BUSINESS FRONT GLASS DOOR AND CAME TO A STOP ON A STREET. THE CONTACT DID NOT SUSTAINED INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACTS RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT SHE CONTACTED THE INSURANCE COMPANY FOR THE VEHICLE AND PROPERTY DAMAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TESTING NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 164,000.

NHTSA ID

11378424

Incident

Oct 5, 2020

Mileage

164,000 mi

[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

11298935

Incident

Dec 30, 2019

Mileage

71,000 mi

2 TIMES SINCE SEPT. 2018 THE CABLE UNDER HOOD TO ACCELERATOR CAME OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO STOP. THE FIRST TIME I WAS DRIVING ON A STATE HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH. THE MOST RECENT I WAS DRIVING IN A SUBDIVISION AT 10 MPH.THE RPM'S INCREASED DRASTICALLY. I FEEL THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE WITH THIS ISSUE AND FORD NEEDS TO FIX IT. I GOT THIS FROM MY ELDERLY MOTHER AND I AM JUST THANKFUL IT DID NOT HAPPEN WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING.

NHTSA ID

11292052

Incident

Dec 29, 2019

Mileage

61,000 mi

UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION AND CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING THE SAME DAY. ENGINE ACCELERATES WITH RPM CLIMBING WITHOUT ANY PRESSURE BEING APPLIED TO THE GAS PEDAL. THE FIX FOR ME IS TO PUT INTO NEUTRAL AND TAP THE GAS PEDAL WHICH GETS THE ENGINE TO BRING THE RPM'S BACK DOWN. THIS HAPPENS WHEN DRIVING AND IN GEAR USUALLY AT LESS THAN 50 MPH. THIS HAS HAPPENED EVERYDAY FOR A FEW WEEKS. GOING TO BRING IT IN TO BE REPAIRED AT A FORD DEALERSHIP.

NHTSA ID

11286933

Incident

Nov 18, 2019

Mileage

146,000 mi

THE ACCELERATOR IS STICKING. WHEN YOU HIT THE PEDAL TO SPEED UP, IT STICKS SOMETIMES. IT WILL NOT DISENGAGE UNLESS YOU HOLD THE BRAKES AT THE SAME TIME YOU TAP THE GAS PEDAL. IT HAS TO BE PUT IN PARK SOMETIMES TO DISENGAGE. THIS IS THE SECOND 05 TAURUS I'VE HAD AND THE FIRST ONE DID THE SAME EXACT THING. WE JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR FOR A USPS MAIL ROUTE. IT IS NOT SAFE TO HAVE THIS HAPPEN ON THE ROUTE. IT HAS OVER 216000 MILES ON IT. THE FIRST TAURUS HAD THIS PROBLEM WELL BEFORE THE 200,000 MARK. I WILL HAVE TO PAY TO GET IT FIXED, BUT CONSIDERING BOTH OF MY TAURUSES DID THE SAME EXACT THING, IT COULD BE A PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

11270602

Incident

Oct 9, 2019

Mileage

216,000 mi

AS I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON THE HIGHWAY THE CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE BY ITSELF THE BRAKES WERE NOT ABLE TO SLOW THE CAR DOWN THE BRAKES WERE GRINDING IT AGAINST THE ACCELERATOR THE ACCELERATOR OR THE GRPM WAS OVER 3000 I MANAGED TO GET THE CAR OFF OF THE HIGHWAY WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO A PARKING LOT BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP AND SO I WOUND UP HAVING TO HIT A POLE TO STOP THE CAR

NHTSA ID

11258745

Incident

Sep 28, 2019

Mileage

180,000 mi

THE RPM GAUGE REVS AND SPEEDOMETER GAUGE NEEDLE BOTH BEGIN TO RISE BY THEMSELVES. THIS HAPPENS EITHER IMMEDIATELY AS THE VEHICLE IS STARTED OR 1-5 MILES AFTER SHIFTED INTO 'DRIVE'. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES BY ITSELF. THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO ACCELERATE, CLIMBING TO HIGHER AND HIGHER SPEEDS WHILE THE CAR'S IGNITION IS ON. THE DRIVER JUST STARTS THE CAR AND WITHOUT PUSHING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE CAR BEGINS TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. YOU MUST KEEP YOUR FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND THE CAR IN PARK WHILE THE CAR IS ON. TO KEEP THE CAR FROM DRIVING ON ITS OWN WHEN IT IS SHIFTED INTO 'DRIVE' OR 'REVERSE', DRIVER MUST KEEP BRAKE PEDAL FIRMLY PRESSED. CAR IS NOT DRIVABLE IN IT'S CURRENT CONDITION BECAUSE IT IS NOT SAFE.

NHTSA ID

11231373

Incident

Dec 30, 2018

Mileage

100,000 mi

I WAS LEAVING THE GROCERY STORE AND DRIVING DOWN A LOCAL ROAD WHEN I REALIZED THAT I WAS ACCELERATING WITHOUT HAVING MY FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL. THIS HAD HAPPENED TWICE BEFORE IN THE PREVIOUS FEW WEEKS BUT FAR LESS SEVERE. THIS TIME I HAD TO KEEP MY FOOT HEAVY ON THE BRAKES TO MAINTAIN CONTROL. FORTUNATELY I WAS NEAR HOME AND MANAGED TO GET MY CAR HOME WITHOUT INCIDENT, ALTHOUGH I SAW THAT I HAD SUDDENLY DEVELOPED A FLAT ON MY FRONT LEFT TIRE. THIS HAD BEEN A PROBLEM THE PREVIOUS YEAR AND WHEN I TOOK IT INTO THE SHOP I WAS TOLD THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. I HAD THE CAR TAKEN IN (MAY 20, 2019) AFTER THE TWO MINOR INCIDENTS THE PREVIOUS WEEK BUT THE REPAIR SHOP COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM SO I TOOK THE CAR BACK PROMISING TO COME BACK IF IT ACTED UP AGAIN.

NHTSA ID

11210739

Incident

May 29, 2019

Mileage

177,000 mi

THE 2005 FORD TAURUS HAS REPEATEDLY ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN - 6 EXPERIENCES WITH THIS TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE - EACH TIME, MY DAUGHTER'S FOOT WAS NOT ON THE ACCELERATOR BUT THE CAR WAS INCREASING IN SPEED. SHE HAD TO APPLY A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE TO SLOW THEN STOP THE VEHICLE. ONCE THE TAURUS WAS PLACED IN "PARK", THE ENGINE ROARED HORRIBLY - EACH TIME EXACTLY THE SAME ROAR.. AGAIN, THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED TO THE VEHICLE 6 TIMES - WITH NO ANSWERS PROVIDED FOR THIS PROBLEM. EACH TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED, THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING BETWEEN 35 - 40 MPH. THIS IS MY THIRD TIME REPORTING THE PROBLEM. I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY ANSWERS REGARDING THE PROBLEM. THERE HASN'T BEEN FURTHER INVESTIGATION INTO THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM. I HAVE FOUND ON LINE THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN PRESENTED TO OTHER FORD TAURUS OWNERS FOR THEIR 2005 FORD TAURUS, YET THE ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN INVESTIGATED. WHY ISN'T THIS PROBLEM BEING INVESTIGATED?

NHTSA ID

11209621

Incident

May 23, 2019

Mileage

83,000 mi

SEEMS AS IF THE CAR ACCELERATOR GET STUCK. CAR SLOWLY BEGINS TO INCREASE IN SPEED. WHEN FOOT IS TAKEN OFF OF THE PEDAL CAR CONTINUES TO INCREASE IN SPEED, EVEN WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKE. I TAKE A LOOK UNDER THE HOOD AND FROM WHAT I CAN SEE THERE IS A PLASTIC PIECE CONNECTED TO THE ACCELERATOR CABLE THE BECOMES DETACHED FROM THE ACTUAL ACCELERATOR BRACKET SO TO SPEAK. IDK WHAT ACTUAL TERMINOLOGY IS. IT IS VERY HARD TO AND GET THE ACCELERATOR OUT OF THE STUCK POSITION. ONLY WAY I HAVE HAD SUCCESS WITH GETTING THE ACCELERATOR OUT OF THE STUCK POSITION IS TO VERY RAPIDLY PRESS PEDAL TO FLOOR AND RELEASE. ONLY THEN IT RELEASES FROM THE STUCK POSITION.

NHTSA ID

11206382

Incident

Mar 16, 2019

Mileage

63,000 mi

"TAKARA RECALL" MY THROTTLE HAS BEEN STICKING AND NOT RELEASING AND WHEN I THROW IT IN NEUTRAL IT IDLES AT 4000RPMS AND ONLY SOMETIMES WILL IT KICK DOWN MOST OF THE TIME IT KILLS THE ENGINE WHEN IT KICKS DOWN EVEN WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD GOING 45MPH.

NHTSA ID

11195318

Incident

Jan 5, 2016

Mileage

224,000 mi

AFTER DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN WHILE TRYING TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP OFF THE EXIT. THE CAR BEGAN TO ACCELERATE EVEN MORE PULLING FORWARD ALTHOUGH I WAS PUSHING DOWN THE BRAKES AS HARD AS I COULD AND THE CAR STILL DROVE FORWARD NOT ALLOWING ME TO STOP UNTIL I PULLED THE GEAR INTO NEUTRAL TO ALLOW ME TO SLOW DOWN. I ALMOST CRASHED RIGHT INTO ANOTHER CAR BECAUSE THE ACCELERATOR WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO BRAKE (WITH MY CHILD IN THE CAR AS WELL). IT HAPPENED AGAIN THE NEXT DAY, AND IS STILL A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE. I FEAR FOR MY LIFE AND REFUSE TO DRIVE THIS CAR WITH MY CHILDREN IN IT AS WELL AS THE SAFETY OF OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS PROBLEM AND IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND RECALLED IMMEDIATELY. SOMEONE IS GOING TO END UP SERIOUSLY HURT OR DEAD BECAUSE OF THIS SEVERELY DANGEROUS ISSUE. PLEASE DO SOMETHING! ALSO, WHEN PUTTING THE CAR IN PARK THE RPM REV'S UP TO 3000/4000 EVEN AFTER TURN OFF THE CAR AND RESTARTING IT. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY AT 95,280 MILES.

NHTSA ID

11192346

Incident

Mar 28, 2019

Mileage

95,280 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD TAURUS. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.

NHTSA ID

11176282

Incident

Nov 21, 2018

Mileage

98,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD TAURUS. WHILE THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING 35 MPH, SHE REMOVED HER FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN UP A HILL. THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER APPLIED EXTRA PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL IN AN ATTEMPT TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE SLID INTO A PARKING LOT AND THE DRIVER SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND A NEW BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR WERE INSTALLED. TWO DAYS AFTER THE REPAIR, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81,000.

NHTSA ID

11170727

Incident

Jan 14, 2019

Mileage

81,000 mi

FIRST TIME (OCT 2018): WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY CAR KEPT ACCELERATING WITHOUT MY FOOT ON ACCELERATOR. I HAD TO BRAKE TO SLOW WITHIN ACCEPTABLE SPEED. WITHIN 10 MINUTES THE PROBLEM STOPPED OCCURRING. I TOOK IT TO MECHANIC & HE COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM OR REPLICAT THE PROBLEM. 2ND TIME (OCT 12, 2018, 4 DAYS AFTER BEING ST MECHANIC) & 400 MILES AWAY FROM HOME-- I WAS DRIVING ON SURFACE STREET IN THE CITY, ACCELERATION HAPPENED AGAIN WITHOUT ANY USE OF ACCELERATOR. I HAD TO BRAKE & GET TO SIDE OF STREET, PUT IN PARK & TURN OFF ENGINE. WAITED 10 MINUTES & TRIED AGAIN. PROBLEM REMEDIED. WE LOOKED ON INTERNET & FOUND "UNINTENDED ACCELERATION" PROBLEM WITH SAME MAKE & YEAR DUE TO CRUISE CONTROL CABLE COMING OFF THE THROTTLE CONTROL & GETTING IN THE WAY OF THROTTLE TRYING TO CLOSE. TOOK IT TO MECHANIC, TOLD THEM TO LOOK FOR THIS PROBLEM WITH CRUISE & THROTTLE, & THEY SAID THEY WOULD CHECK. THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE UI BUT ASCRIBED IT TO SOMETHING ELSE & CHARGED ME OVER $400, SO I COULD DRIVE BACK 400 MILES TO HOME SAFELY. 3RD TIME- WITHIN 7 DAYS, SAME ACCELERATION HAPPENED AFTER JUST LEAVING HOME, DRIVING IN CITY. HAPPENED RIGHT WAY, THROTTLED REALLY HIGH RPM'S & SO I SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL TO STOP. TRIED IT AGAIN OVER NEXT 24 HOURS & PROBLEM CONTINUED. TRIED IT 2 DAYS LATER WHEN TAKING IT TO MECHANIC & IT HAD RESOLVED SO I COULD DRIVE IT THERE. TOLD FORD MECHANIC ABOUT THE INTERNET EXPLANATION. INDEED, THAT IS WHAT THEY FOUND: THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE WAS OFF THE THROTTLE CONTROL. WAS PINCHING AGAINST THE THROTTLE, CAUSING IT TO STAY OPEN. THEY TRI ED TO GET THE PART, BUT WERE UNABLE. SO THEY USED A CABLE TIE TO SECURE IT IN PLACE. THAT HAS BEEN ALMOST A MONTH AGO, & I HAVE NOT HAD THE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION OCCUR SINCE.

NHTSA ID

11162600

Incident

Oct 4, 2018

Mileage

111,000 mi

MY CAR ACCELERATES RAPIDLY EVEN WHEN MY FOOT IS OFF THE GAS PEDAL; I NOTICE THIS BEGINS TO HAPPEN WHEN I GO ABOVE 50MPH. FOR EXAMPLE, TONIGHT I WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 55MPH WHEN I HAD TO BRAKE TO GO AROUND A CURVE; I WOULD SAY I SLOWED TO AROUND 35/40MPH. AS SOON AS I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE, THE CAR BEGAN ACCELERATING AND WENT ALL THE WAY UP TO 65MPH WITHIN A FEW SECONDS. MY FOOT WAS NOT ON THE GAS PEDAL WHEN THIS HAPPENED, AND I HAD TO APPLY A LOT OF PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES FOR AN EXTENDED AMOUNT OF TIME TO GET MY CAR TO SLOW BACK DOWN. THIS ALSO HAPPENED LAST NIGHT, DRIVING AT THE SAME SPEED, EXCEPT INSTEAD OF BRAKING FOR A CURVE I HAD TO SLOW FOR TRAFFIC. ONCE AGAIN, AS SOON AS I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE IT ACCELERATED. SOMETIMES IT SEEMS AS IF THE GAS PEDAL IS STUCK, AND IF I GENTLY TAP IT A CERTAIN WAY THE ACCELERATION ISSUE IS RESOLVED, BUT OTHER TIMES THIS SOLUTION DOESN'T WORK. I RESEARCHED THE ISSUE AND SEE THAT YOU BEGAN AN INVESTIGATION REGARDING THE PROBLEM IN 2012, BUT I DO NOT SEE ANY CURRENT UPDATES. I HAVEN'T HAD THE CAR VERY LONG AND DON'T DRIVE IT OFTEN, SO I JUST BEGAN TO NOTICE THE ISSUE WITHIN THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS. I HAVE NOT TAKEN IT TO A MECHANIC YET, BUT BASED ON SIMILAR COMPLAINTS I'M ASSUMING IT'S THE CRUISE CONTROL ISSUE YOU ARE INVESTIGATING. WHILE I HAVE MANAGED TO GET THE SPEED UNDER CONTROL SOMEWHAT EASILY SO FAR, I'M EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUT LOSING CONTROL ENTIRELY.

NHTSA ID

11156904

Incident

Dec 7, 2018

Mileage

60,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD TAURUS. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED AND THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS ENGAGED IN PARK; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. IN ADDITION, THE REVOLUTIONS PER MINUTE INCREASED TO HIGH AND THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO OPERATE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE LOCAL DEALER (ROWE WESTBROOK, 91 MAIN STREET, WESTBROOK, ME 04092, (207) 854-2555) AND WAS REFERRED TO THE MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE LOCAL DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 127,000.

NHTSA ID

11131807

Incident

Sep 25, 2018

Mileage

127,000 mi

DRIVING ON A HIGH-SPEED HIGHWAY, WHEN WITHOUT WARNING (NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OR ANY OTHER NOTIFICATION), THE TRANSMISSION QUIT WORKING. I WAS LEFT UNABLE TO ACCELERATE OR EVEN MAINTAIN MY SPEED; AND I HAD TO COAST TO A STOP ON AN EXIT RAMP AS THE PORTION OF HIGHWAY THAT I WAS ON DID NOT HAVE SHOULDERS ON EITHER SIDE. IT WAS VERY DANGEROUS. THE TRAFFIC BEHIND ME WAS JUST AS ILL-PREPARED FOR THIS SUDDEN DECELERATION, AND I WAS POWERLESS TO DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN STEER TO RELATIVE SAFETY. IT APPEARS THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER'S SPLINES ARE NOT PROPERLY DESIGNED AND THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE ON THIS SPECIFIC MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR. THIS DEFECT SHOULD BE ATTENDED TO, ESPECIALLY SO THAT THERE IS NO INJURY OR LOSS OF LIFE IN THE FUTURE.

NHTSA ID

11121174

Incident

Jul 29, 2018

Mileage

100,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

11120859

Incident

Aug 18, 2018

Mileage

58,000 mi

THE CAR WILL START ACCELERATING WHILE PARKED GOING UP TO 4000 RPM, IT WILL ALSO WHILE DRIVING ACCELERATE WITHOUT FOOT BEING ON PEDAL. PLEASE CALL ME IF YOU CAN HELP [XXX]. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ID

11120555

Incident

Jun 1, 2018

Mileage

102,000 mi