93 Escort keeps accelerating! Help!

I just moved to California and I took my car into the local smog check garage to get the required check. My 1993 Ford Escort passed fine on idle, but they could not get it to maintain 2500 RPM for the second check. I checked this myself later and found that it was true. When I put my foot lightly on the pedal, the engine slowly revs up and up and never settles. It will go all the way to redline if I hold it long enough. when I release the pedal it hesitates for a second, then drops to idle. I can punch the pedal and it will respond normally, I just cannot get it to hold ANY specific RPM, it just slowly accelerates. If anyone has had this problem, or has any idea how to fix it, your help would be great. I need this to get my car liscenced in California. Thanks.

I just moved to California and I took my car into the local smog check garage to get the required check. My 1993 Ford Escort passed fine on idle, but they could not get it to maintain 2500 RPM for the second check. I checked this myself later and found that it was true. When I put my foot lightly on the pedal, the engine slowly revs up and up and never settles. It will go all the way to redline if I hold it long enough. when I release the pedal it hesitates for a second, then drops to idle. I can punch the pedal and it will respond normally, I just cannot get it to hold ANY specific RPM, it just slowly accelerates. If anyone has had this problem, or has any idea how to fix it, your help would be great. I need this to get my car liscenced in California. Thanks.

I can almost garantee you its the IAC (Idle air control) sensor. This sits on top of the Throttle body and is held in by 2 bolts and a plug. This costs around $30 at a parts store. Mine had the same issue and this fixed the problem. Its just throwing codes at the ecu thats all.

thanks tturnpaw, ill stop by the parts store tomorrow to try it out. ill keep up with my situation.