NHTSA complaint: 1999 FORD F-250 — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
ON FEBRUAARY 3, 2001 MY WIFE WAS PULLING INTO THE CUSTOMER PICKUP AREA OF SEARS IN AMARILLO, TEXAS AS SHE PULLED UP TO THE PICKUP AREA AND REMOVED HER FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR TO APPLY THE BRAKES, THE ACCELERATOR STUCK AND OUR PICKUP TRUCK RAMMED THE BACKEND OF ANOTHER PICKUP TRUCK IN FROM HER. SHE SHIFTED TO REVERS, THE ENGINE STILL RUNNING AT A RAPID SPEED, TO BACK AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE THAT SHE HAD RAMMED. SINCE THE ENGINE WS RUNNING AT A HIGH SPEED, OUR VEHICLE RACED BACKWARD. IN ORDER TO KEEP FROM BACKING TNTO SOMEONE BEHINDHER, SHE THEN SHIFTED INTO FORWARD GEAR AND RAMMED THE PICKUP IN FRONT OF HER AGAIN. ALL OF THIS TIME THE REAR TIRES WERE SPINNING AND SMOKING. AFTER SHE RAMMED THE PICKUP THE SECOND TIME, SHE TURNED THE IGNITION OFF TO STOP THE CRAZY SITUATION. HAD SHE KNOWN, OF COURSE, THAT THE THROTTLE WAS GOING TO STAY ENGAGED AT HIGH SPEED, SHE WOULD HAVE KILLED THE ENGINE EARLIER. THE COMBINATION OF ANTI-LOCK BRAKES AND AN UNCONTROLLABLE THROTTLE IS A RECIPE FOR DISASTOR.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation