My car revs up when it should be slowing down?

[frazerd]

I own a Ford Focus Automatic 2006 1.6. Just lately, as I reach a junction, I notice that when I take my foot off the accellerator, expecting it to slow down it speeds up and I suddenly have to apply the brake hard. Any body know what it might be? If it's only a simple job I can probably do it myself, but not being sure I don't want to put the car into a garage and get a shock at what they 'diagnose' is the problem. I haven't had time to check it out myself but it has been suggested it could be the throttle sticking? Is this easy to fix?

[tamborine]

Known as kangaroo hopping. Does it have a summer/winter setting, in the engine ?

[sddsddean]

We used to have a Granada Automatic that did the same sort of thing. I can't remember how we found out, but all we had to do was open up the air filter housing, take out the filter and wipe round all the housing and as far up the air intake pipe as you could reach with a couple of bits of kitchen roll. Then it was fine again for 6 months or more. I must stress that I have no idea why this worked!! It doesn't seem logical at all, but it worked for us!

[sddsddean]

Forgot to say, I had a mate who also had a Granada Auto and his did the same and the 'wiping out' worked on his too. Really weird!

[Hopkirk]

On my Fiesta it was a faulty throttle position sensor.

[TWR]

Check the matting on the cars floor, check the throttle cable & WD 40 it.