The contact owns 2001 Mercury Sable. The contact stated that while driving 45 mph, the vehicle began to accelerate independently. The contact tried to slow the vehicle but the brakes failed. The contact had to repeatedly apply abrupt force to the brake pedal before the vehicle would respond. The contact shut the vehicle off and noticed that there was a piece of plastic broken and sitting on the accelerator throttle. The vehicle was not repaired. The cause of the failure was unknown. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 215,000.

- Goffstown, NH, USA

Driving on the hwy with my 3 yr old daughter @ approx 65 mph the veh started accelerating on its own. Even with pressing the brake veh would slow down but kept accelerated on its own ( and it kept climbing until I pressed on the brake) and got upto approx 80 mph. I was able to safely get veh off the hwy with depressing the brake extremely hard (and veh kept creeping forward, luckily the light turned green quickly) and a Ford dlrshp was right next to the hwy. Dlrshp performed repairs. They replaced the accelerator cable assembly for the throttle control. I was adv by dlrshp that the plastic piece on the cruise control throttle broke and got stuck on my regular accelerator cable. I cant begin to say how frightened I was for my daughters safety as well as my own. I seen there is an investigation for 2005 & 2006 tauruses...you need to also look @ the 2001 Sable for the same problem! someone is going to get killed if they don't do something about it.

- Palm Bay, FL, USA

Whenever I turn on the air conditioner or heater my car accelerates suddenly in a randomly manner for no reason by itself, when heater or air conditioner is turned off the problem stops, there's no check engine light on and an inspection yielded no problems, I am not sure if the problem is electrical or anything else and a local Ford dealer has refused to fix the issue.

- Springfield, MA, USA

I registered this complaint before via telephone. Now I see that the NHTSA is looking into Ford Taurus with the same acceleration problem. The problem is the E-ring on the end of the cruise control cable. Even though you're not using the cruise control, if the E-ring fails the cable gets caught and the car accelerates. This happened a few times and when I brought it in, the dealer couldn't find the problem. There's a cover over the cruise control cable where the E-ring is. I ripped off the cover and worked the accelerator by hand and saw the problem. I never replaced the E-ring and just tied off the cruise control cable and not use the cruise control. I haven't had any problems since. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Batavia, IL, USA

I was driving my 2001 Sable (24V DOHC) and the car began acting like the gas pedal was stuck. I could lift the pedal up with my toe and that did not stop the acceleration. I shifted into neutral and turned the car off and coasted into a parking lot. When I restarted the car the engine was racing. I opened the hood and found the problem to be "a broken (plastic) retainer ring at the end of the cruise control cable by the throttle body" as someone else described it better than I could in technical details. I could reset the cable and seemed to be fine unless I accelerated too quickly, because that seemed to what triggered it to get stuck. I could still go fast (interstate speed), but I could not go fast too quickly. I temporarily fixed the problem by taping the broken cable with duct tape or electrical tape which seemed to work for a couple months. I experienced the problem about 10 times in a four month period before trading the vehicle to a dealer. Due to the recent recall of the later models tauruses I thought I should report the issues I had. I never informed the manufacturer about this and I never took it to a professional for diagnosis.

- Virginia Beach, VA, USA

The contact owns a 2001 Mercury Sable. While merging onto a highway, the accelerator pedal began to stick. The contact pushed the brake pedal and then proceeded to tap on the accelerator which stopped the pedal from sticking again. The dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but did not diagnose the failure. The failure was not repaired. The failure mileage was 71,989 and the current mileage was 72,000.

- Mineola, NY, USA

My wife was driving her 2001 Mercury Sable and when she took her foot off of the accelerator the car continued to accelerate at a high rate of speed. She didn't drive the car for a year. I took the car to the dealer and a couple of garages and nobody could find the problem. I finnaly tried to fix it myself and found the problem to be a broken retainer ring at the end of the cruise control cable by the trottle body. I never replaced the retainer due to fear it would break again and maybe cause an accident. I tied the cable back with a tie wrap. I did call and report this incident, but never heard anything. Now with all the new recalls I wanted to report it again. Thank you.

- Batavia, IL, USA

My wife purchased a 2001 Mercury Sable ls on 1/31/01, I drove the auto for 2 days, when I put the auto in gear the gas pedal reacted as though the pedal was pushed to the floor board. I called port motors and told them about the situation and told them I refused to drive the auto. The next day they came and towed the auto away. When I went to the dealer they gave me another auto, for which I still have the old VIN #. after driving the new auto they gave I began having the same problems. Over the past 8 years the accelerator problem has occurred about 9 or 10 times. When I put the car in gear I always make sure my foot is always on the brake as I fear the auto will accelerate as though the pedal goes to the floor, my wife refuses to drive this auto and I will not let anyone drive as I don't know when this racing will occur. I have reported this to Ford motor but got know positive response, I also reported this to national safety board and they gave me a complaint #.

- East Meadow, NY, USA

The contact owns a 2001 Mercury Sable. The contact stated that when putting the vehicle in gear, the vehicle would start to "race" and the engine would rev as if someone put the pedal to the floor board; if he did not have his foot on the brake pedal, the vehicle would lunge forward. He depressed the brake pedal, shifted into neutral and turned off the vehicle. When he re-started it, the problem seemed to correct itself. The failure has occurred approximately 12 times since the vehicle was purchased. He previously owned the identical failure which had the same problem. When he towed the vehicle to the dealership, the dealer gave him this vehicle (same year, make and model). He had not taken this vehicle to the dealership and had not called the manufacturer to-date. The vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. The current mileage was approximately 37,000. The failure mileage was approximately 1,000. Updated 03/26/10. Updated 05/17/10.

- East Meadow, NY, USA

: the contact stated while driving 15 mph under normal road conditions, the vehicle suddenly accelerated. There were no warnings prior to the incident. The vehicle was taken to the service dealer, who could not duplicate the problem.

- Batavia, IL, USA

The contact states on occasion when he puts on the brakes instead of braking the car will accelerate and the engine will rev. Has to stomp on the brakes, turn off the ignition and/or put the car in neutral to get it to stop. The contact noticed this just after purchasing the car in June. It has gotten progressively worse. Vehicle is a 2001 Mercury Sable. The dealer cannot duplicate the problem. He has not talked to the manufacturer. The cigarette lighter was inoperative, the fuse was replaced.

- Champaign, IL, USA

Car accelerated without warning three different times while driving, once to consumer, and twice to her sister. When she hit the brakes they did not hold. Her sister had to throw the car into reverse to get the car to stop. They almost had a crash all three times, she never knew when it was going to happen until it happened. Dealer said they could not help unless it happened while they were driving the car. Manufacturer said the same thing.

- West Warrick, RI, USA

When the gear was switched from park to reverse, the vehicle lurched forward and almost caused an accident...

- Fort Worth, TX, USA

The steering wheel vibrated while in idle, the structure of the vehicle rocked back and forth or from side to side. Vehicle also picked up speed on its own without pressing the accelerator.

- Camden, NJ, USA

When applying brakes vehicle accelerated forward resulting in a collision. Dealer has been notified.

- Pembroke Pine, FL, USA

Electrical system shut down, loses all power. The auto has accelerated on numerous occasions while stopped in traffic. Teh air conditioner shut down while traveling, twice the vehicle experienced complete electrical shut down, on one occasion requiring the vehicle to be towed. Consumer is requesting a vehicle replacement and for the failures to be recalled.

- Farmington Hills, MI, USA

When at a complete stop vehicle will suddenly accelerate without applying gas. A/C shut down while traveling. Consumer unable to start the vehicle, the wipers, A/C and blinkers failed due to electrical system failure.

- Farmington Hills, MI, USA

While at stop brakes applied, vehicle surged forward. Consumer shifted to park to stop vehicle. Dealer reprogrammed power module. Vehicle surged again at a stop on 20 Mar 2002, dealer found no problem.ak

- Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

Vehicle would accelerate on its own at slow speeds, this happened 5 times. Vehicle taken to dealer 2 or 3 times. Dealer could not find a problem. Then on September 15, 2001 while parking vehicle accelerated. Consumer applied brakes, but was not able to stop vehicle, resulting in vehicle running into building. Consumer suffered headaches, amount of damage was $ 7000.

- Wingo, KY, USA

Before consumer's wife could take foot off the brake, and after shifting from park to drive, vehicle suddenly accelerated and went 30 feet before hitting a building. Consumer bruised, but otherwise not seriously injured. Manufacturer is stating that accident was caused not caused by a defect in the vehicle.

- Huntington Woods, MI, USA