Unintended Acceleration - really happens

[Jim Jordan]

Hi,

I drive in freeway traffic with left foot braking because my reaction time
is faster that way.  I was really down on the brake to get the car slowed
enough to make the turns and stop in the parking place.  I'm sure the TC
went into stall.  Based on the brief high rev between shifting out of D and
cutting the ignition, that sucker seemed to be wide open.

It goes without saying that I was more concerned about controlling the car
and avoiding the inevitable embarrassment of people seeing something
untoward with an old Audi than I was with observing to see what was going
on.  One thing for certain:  I was not applying throttle with the right foot
and braking with the left.  And, just for grins, I sure as heck didn't want
to get a ticket.  

In my brief analysis the only way the UA could have happened was that
something held the throttle open, possibly the tranny to throttle rod, but
when I checked it just after, it moved freely over its entire excursion.  

HST, I recall the tests that showed that the brakes would hold "cars with
UA", but I'm thinking that I should have been a little more meticulous about
keeping my rotors flat and polished. 

I've made lots of jokes about how I had tried to get my Audi to "run away
with me";  maybe the cosmos was just giving me a little payback.

Cheers!

Jim Jordan