[s-cars] help with an A4 1.8t problem

[smarinello at entouch.net]

So, it's the wee hours of Sunday morning and my phone rings. Son was
driving his '04 A4q 1.8t back down to San Diego after visiting my
parents in L.A. Nine miles from home, "the gas pedal stopped working",
as in, the engine was running, but he lost power and throttle control.
As he made is way to the side of I 5, the lights stayed on, although he
may have lost power steering just as he made it to the side. Car will
crank, but not start. He just had new plugs and a new cat put on the car
during the past week. Hadn't got the flashlight out yet to look under
the hood; waiting for AAA and a tow home, as he drove up at 4 a.m., so
it's been a long day. Gotta be on Saturday night, of course. 

Any ideas? Trying to help from Houston is frustrating. 

He had commented after the drive up that, with the new cat, acceleration
didn't seem as sharp, which seems rather weird in hindsight. 

TIA, 

Steve