Is there any way to convert to a cable operated throttle body? I don't like the idea of not being in control of the throttle. A friend of mine rear ended someone in his Dodge Magnum because the drive by wire system suddenly went into WOT.
yea you could if you got a correctly fitting t-b then then cable, and you would have to change the pcm to a unit that doesn't need the input from the drive by wire sensor along with the tp sensor to see how much air is coming in to see how much fuel the engine needs
IMO, I wouldn't waste your time or $ trying to convert to a cable. Today's drive by wire systems are very reliable in my own experience. Sorry to hear about your buddy's truck, but that's the first I've heard of that problem. I've been driving Peterbilts for quite a few years (which all have DBW) and they work great ... the throttle is very smooth and accurate.
You're not buying a Crapster Magnum, don't worry about it. He probably hit the wrong pedal and is trying to find someone else to blame for his accident.
Ford has been using ETC for over 2 years on other models. I have yet to hear of a WOT fault on a Ford ETC system.
There is supposed to be redundancy in the systems on the Ford throttle control to prevent such an occurrance. I wouldn't jump to any quick conclusions about the reliability of the system. Chevrolet uses a drive by wire system on the Corvette, and I've never heard of any issues with it. It would be a nightmare, not to mention costly, to remove it from the Mustang.