Component

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES

832 NHTSA complaints about vehicle speed control:cables issues across 38 makes and 225 models.

The vehicle speed control:cables is one of the standardized component categories NHTSA uses to classify consumer safety complaints. Across the public complaint database, it accounts for 832 filings from 38 manufacturers and 225 distinct vehicle models, a footprint large enough that defect engineers can isolate part-family patterns across different platforms that share the same supplier or the same federal motor vehicle safety standard.

Among filings citing this component, owners have reported 88 crashes, 10 fires, 51 injuries, and 5 fatalities. The most complained-about vehicle in this category is the FORD ESCAPE with 47 filings, followed by FORD TAURUS and FORD EXPLORER. These severity counters are what separates a nuisance complaint trend from a pattern NHTSA is likely to escalate into a Preliminary Evaluation.

Component-level analysis is how the Office of Defects Investigation spots cross-manufacturer supplier issues — the same airbag inflator, the same takata-style ignition switch, the same brake hose material — before they become industry-wide recalls. When you see a single component accumulating large complaint volume across several unrelated nameplates, that is usually a signature of a shared supplier or a shared federal standard being stressed by real-world conditions. Use the affected-vehicles table below to see whether the pattern is concentrated on a handful of models or distributed evenly, and cross-reference each model's full recall and investigation history before drawing conclusions about any one nameplate.

832
Complaints
225
Models Affected
88
Crashes
10
Fires
5
Deaths

Most Affected Vehicles

# Vehicle Complaints
1 FORD ESCAPE 47
2 FORD TAURUS 37
3 FORD EXPLORER 32
4 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA 28
5 MAZDA TRIBUTE 27
6 FORD FOCUS 26
7 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX 21
8 DODGE RAM 21
9 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS 19
10 DODGE RAM 2500 17
11 MERCURY SABLE 16
12 HONDA CIVIC 16
13 FREIGHTLINER FL-70 16
14 FORD CONTOUR 15
15 FORD RANGER 13
16 FORD F-150 12
17 NISSAN ALTIMA 11
18 KIA SEDONA 11
19 CHRYSLER SEBRING 10
20 FORD WINDSTAR 9
21 JEEP CHEROKEE 8
22 FORD CROWN VICTORIA 8
23 CHEVROLET ASTRO 8
24 PLYMOUTH VOYAGER 7
25 MERCURY COUGAR 7
26 CHRYSLER SEBRING CONVERTIBLE 7
27 CHEVROLET S10 7
28 CHEVROLET CAVALIER 7
29 MERCURY MYSTIQUE 6
30 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS 6

Recent Complaints

2018 HYUNDAI TUCSON

The contact owns a 2018 Hyundai Tuscan. The contact stated that while her daughter was operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle inadvertently decelerated to 3

2019 JAGUAR F-PACE Crash

The contact owns a 2019 Jaguar F-Pace. The contact stated that while driving forward into a parking space and depressing the brake pedal to stop, the vehicle suddenly experienced unintended accelerati

2001 FORD F-150

The contact's associate owns a 2001 Ford F-150. The contact stated while his associate was driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle experienced a braking failure. The ABS warning light was illuminate

2018 MAZDA CX-5

The contact owns a 2018 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds with the cruise control and the auto distance features activated, the vehicle would not accelerate while dep

2008 MAZDA TRIBUTE

CABLE TO GAS PEDAL BROKEN -- CANNOT BE DRIVEN.

2002 FORD ESCAPE

THE ACCELERATOR CABLE APPEARS TO HAVE GONE OUT. THE GAS PEDAL GOES DIRECTLY TO THE FLOOR AND THE ENGINE IS AT 6RPM'S. CALLED FORD AND EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD NEARLY 500K CARS RECALLED DURING THE EXACT

2003 SUZUKI XL-7

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUZUKI XL-7. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO ACCELERATE INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ACCEL

2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE

ON JUNE 25, 2013 @ 11:00AM I CALLED MAZDA CORPORATION (REFERENCE CALL NUMBER:[XXX]) ABOUT RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH MY MAZDA TRIBUTE 2003 AND WAS TOLD THAT THE RECALLS WERE NOT ASSIGNED TO THE VIN NUMBE

2002 MAZDA TRIBUTE Crash

2002 MAZDA TRIBUTE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ACCIDENT SHE HAD IN 2004 DUE TO SUDDEN ACCELERATION. *TGW NOT KNOWING THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE, SHE PUT THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE, AND CONSE

2001 MAZDA TRIBUTE Crash Fire

EMAIL REFERRAL FROM CENTER FOR AUTO SAFETY ON BEHALF OF CONSUMER RE: NHTSA RECALL 12V357 / PE12-09. REFERRAL ASSOCIATED AN APRIL 2011 INCIDENT WITH THE RECALL AND INCLUDED A POLICE ACCIDENT REPORT AND

2001 FORD ESCAPE

2001 FORD ESCAPE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO SAFETY RECALL NOTICE. RECALL # 12V353000. *TGW THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER, THE PARTS WERE STILL NOT AVAILABLE, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO

2005 FORD TAURUS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME WITH THE BRAKES DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT INSPE

2001 MAZDA TRIBUTE Crash Fire

2001 MAZDA TRIBUTE. CONSUMER STATES BRAKE FAILURE WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING A CRASH AND VEHICLE FIRE *TGW RECALL # 12V357000 WAS REFERENCED.

2001 MERCURY SABLE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED ACCELERATING INDEPENDENTLY UP TO 50 MPH. THE CONTACT HAD NOT ENGAGED THE ACCELERATOR PED

2003 MAZDA TRIBUTE

THE FIRST 2 TO 4 TIMES THE ACCELERATOR IS USED (NOT PUSHED HARD), THE CABLE STICKS. WE HAVE TO PUSH HARDER ON THE PEDAL, THEN IT SUDDENLY RELEASES. THIS CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO JUMP IN THE DIRECTION C

2001 MAZDA TRIBUTE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MAZDA TRIBUTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS ABNORMALLY DEPRESSED INTO THE FLOORBOARD AND BECAME STUCK, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ACCE

2004 FORD TAURUS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD TAURUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE CONTACT REMOVED HIS FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE ERRONEOUSLY ACCELERATED. THE FAILURE R

2003 FORD TAURUS

DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT AROUND 65 MILES PER HOUR THE CAR STARTED TO ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. I WAS UNABLE TO BRAKE, SO I PULLED THE CAR OVER TO THE SIDE AND PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL. IN NEUTRAL THE C

2005 FORD MUSTANG

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD MUSTANG. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED. THE FUEL GAUGE WOULD READ EMPTY WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS FULL OF GASOLINE. IN ADDITION, THE SPEEDOMETER AND T

2005 FORD TAURUS

ABSOLUTELY FRIGHTENING! THIS AFTERNOON A PASSENGER AND I PULLED OUT ONTO THE MAIN THOROUGHFARE WHEN MY CAR (2005 TAURUS) INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED AND BEGAN RUNNING/SPINNING AT A HIGH RPM. THE EXPER

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints involve vehicle speed control:cables issues?
The NHTSA has received 832 complaints about vehicle speed control:cables problems across 225 vehicle models from 38 manufacturers.
How dangerous are vehicle speed control:cables defects?
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES issues have been linked to 88 crashes, 10 fires, 51 injuries, and 5 deaths according to NHTSA complaint data.
Which vehicles have the most vehicle speed control:cables problems?
The most complained-about vehicle for vehicle speed control:cables issues is the FORD ESCAPE with 47 complaints.
Where does PlainCars get its safety data?
All vehicle safety data comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints database, which collects reports from vehicle owners about safety-related defects.

Data Sources

Vehicle complaint data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints database. Includes consumer-reported safety issues filed with NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Severity counts cross-reference NHTSA FARS (Fatality Analysis Reporting System) for fatal incidents where a corresponding FARS record exists.

Component categories are standardized by NHTSA. Crash-test ratings where shown are drawn from the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Complaint counts, crash reports, fire reports, and fatality data reflect consumer-submitted reports and may not represent all incidents.

Disclaimer: This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for vehicle purchase decisions. NHTSA complaint data is self-reported by consumers and has not been verified or investigated. A high complaint count does not necessarily indicate a defect. Always consult a qualified mechanic and check official NHTSA recall notices before making safety-related decisions.

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