1988 Ford Mustang

ABOUT A MONTH AGO, WHILE RETURNING FROM A LONG TRIP, THE CRUISE CONTROL ON MY MUSTANG JUST STOPPED WORKING. SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE HOLLOW PLASTIC HEAD PIECE ON THE ACTUATOR CABLE HAD BROKEN AND THE CONTROL CABLE WAS NO LONGER ABLE TO PULL ON THE THROTTLE. THE STEEL CABLE IS TERMINATED A COUPLE OF INCHES BACK OF THE THROTTLE ARM AND SLIDES FREELY INSIDE THE PLASTIC HEAD PIECE WHICH IS ATTACHED THE THROTTLE ARM ITSELF. I ASSUME IT BUILT LIKE THIS TO PREVENT BINDING WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL IS NOT IN USE. FAST FORWARD TO YESTERDAY, WHILE COMING HOME ON THE FREEWAY, I WAS ACCELERATING AROUND SOME SLOWER MOVING CARS WHEN THE THROTTLE JAMMED WIDE OPEN. NO AMOUNT OF MANIPULATION OF THE PEDDLE COULD GET PROBLEM TO CLEAR SO I HAD TO KILL THE IGNITION AND COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I GOT OUT AND INSPECTED THE LINKAGE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE END OF THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE HAD SLID PAST THE END OF THE PLASTIC HEAD PIECE AND HAD JAMMED THE THROTTLE WIDE OPEN. THE NATURE OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CABLE AND THE PLASTIC END PIECE MAKES THIS TYPE OF FAILURE ONLY POSSIBLE IF THE THROTTLE IS WIDE OPEN. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS IS THE KIND OF PROBLEM THAT RECALLS ARE MADE OF. HAS ANYBODY ELSE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM? *NLM