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**OldHarleyRider** · April 1st 10, 02:54 AM posted to alt.autos.ford,alt.autos.bmw

wrote:
> On Wed, 31 Mar 2010 13:52:32 -0400, OldHarleyRider
> > wrote:
>
>> It is amazing how many people have posted in response to the Electronic
>> Throttle (drive by wire)problem, or sudden acceleration, or unintended
>> acceleration. I noticed that all the posters mention either their
>> educational background or the amount of research they have done. I am
>> surprised that Albert Einstein hasn't come out of his grave to respond.
>>
>> I have not read one post that mentioned a personal experience with the
>> problem.
>>
>> I have had a personal experience with unintended acceleration. My wife
>> and I purchased a 2006 Mustang GT coupe in October of 2006. Two months
>> later the Mustang went full throttle all by itself.
>>
>> We visited a friend the Saturday before Christmas to see his light
>> display. I pulled into his driveway and parked there for about 20
>> minutes (with the engine running) to look at all the lights. He did
>> have hoops stretched across the driveway with all kinds of flashing
>> lights. Upon leaving, put the car into reverse and backed out, then into
>> drive to go forward. When I put it into drive the throttle went wide
>> open all by itself (and yes my foot was on the brake, not thee
>> accelerator). He lives on a corner, so I had to make a left 100' from
>> his driveway, and a right turn at a corner 300' away. I was too busy
>> trying to stop the car, and steer the car to make any other moves. It
>> was the wildest 6-8 second ride in my life. I did in the process put my
>> other foot on the brake also, to no avail. Total damage was $20,000.00
>> across 2 lawns, hit a Cadillac and ran into a garage (moved the garage 6
>> inches off its foundation).
>>
>> I don't know why these malfunctions (crashes) of the drive by wire
>> system are a surprise. The engine controls are computer controlled, I
>> repeat, computer controlled. How many times in the past has your
>> computer crashed, or locked up, or malfunctioned.
>>
>> We did get rid of the Mustang, and I will not buy another vehicle
>> without checking under the hood. If the vehicle does not have a cable or
>> linkage controlling the throttle body I won't buy it....
>>
>>
> Be prepared to buy older used cars in the near future - DBW is going
> to be almost universal within a couple of years. You can bet on it.
>
I can believe it. The manufacturers don't learn from their mistakes.
Can you imagine Mercedes had a brake by wire system... It didn't last
long....