This is not uncommon in all vanagons. The problems is caused
by mashing your foot to the floor. This pulls the cable tight,
and out of the tubing, just ahead of the front transmission mount.
Then rain/water gets in and freezes. The whole cable IMHO needs to be
rerouted up next to the boby. If you drive with snow packed under your
van, as the snow melts, it will end up with a large chunk hanging from the
cable, causing the motor to accelerate on every bump. This ends up
being a wild and unpredictable ride. The solution? good question?

            Eric                   86-VW4x4
            vw4x4@fyi.net          72-240z
            Pittsburgh, PA USA     1936-Chrysler

On Tue, 9 Mar 1999, Rob Lebo wrote:

> '91 Carat has a frozen accelerator cable.  Drove to Philadelphia last Wed night
> in rainstorm.  Driving to work Thursday in the snow and throttle stuck.  Tapped
> the pedal and it stuck in place!.  Through it in Neutral and turned off the engine.
>  Unstuck with a pull back on the pedal.  Scary.  Next few days it was ok.
> Sunday, frozen again with sub freezing weather and wind. Checked out the
> linkage under the front of the van and at the throttle body in the rear.  All looked
> well.  The problem is at he pivot point on the automatic trans.  Didn't want to
> risk crawling under it with only the factory jack.  Waiting to make arrangements
> with a friend who has a garage with a pit.  Easier access.  So...any of you
> listees ever had this problem??  How did you get the water out of the cable
> jacket?  Since I haven't see the linkage, I can only surmise that the accordian
> boot is shot at the trans linkage.  Have any of you ever pulled the cable out of
> the jacket?  What grease/oil did you use to re-lube.  Any tips on reinstalling?
> All advise welcome.  Thanks.
> Rob Lebo
> '91 Carat
> York, PA
>