PDA

View Full Version : Unintended Acceleration



JTBusfield
01-15-2003, 04:39 PM
Is this unique with my MM?

On two consequtive mornings, my MM has decided to rev on on its on. The first time I hit the brakes to make a turn (not going fast) onto an expressway access and noticed the engine was revving as I passed the access road. The second time I was stopped in a McDonald's line, waiting for my order, left foot on brake, and all of the sudden the engine revs dragging me toward the SUV in front of me!! Both feet on brake, rear tire squealing, I finally took it out of gear and turned off the ignition since the engine was still racing. Stopped about 6" from the SUV in front of me.

Went straight to dealer. No reported incidents from Ford, no codes. "The pedals are close together. Did you press on the wrong one?" NOT STOPPED IN A McDONALD"S LANE!!!

So no solution is forthcoming apparently (they still have the car and say they have spoken to Ford with no results.) My only suggestion was the speed control, but that was pooh-poohed. Since there is no culprit, my only safe reaction is to get rid of my 4 month old car! A big financial hit, but better that an accident, injury, or loss of life.

Any other episodes - or suggestions? May be leaving this group soon, unfortunately. (BTW, I am a mechanical engineer and ASE certifed mechanic - who does not work on cars much anymore - not given to hysteria and understand something about cars - though not as much as some folks here!)

Joe B.

Larry Vogel
01-15-2003, 04:45 PM
Check out www.blueovalnews.com , they just had the lincoln on a cruise control issue, yours sounds like a bad fuel regulator.

Topher
01-15-2003, 04:53 PM
A while back there was a post by Fourth Horseman that had a similar experience, only his engine kept revving after shutting down/starting up again. Turned out to be a problem with the throttle cable getting out of its track and keeping the throttle partially open. The thread title was "Marauder road trip: stuck throttle" posted back in October. May be worth checking that on your car.....

Chris

Murader03
01-16-2003, 12:06 AM
Not discounting anything here, but I had the pedal problem with my '02 CV Sport. Twice while setting at a light, with my foot on the brake, I inadvertently also hit the accellerator. It drove me into a minivan, with just a bump as I really kinda caught it in time. The more I pushed the brake, the more the engine reved. I have yet to do this with the MM as I'm more careful as to where my foot is on the brake pedal. The pedals being close together are a problem. My previous car was a '99 Cobra before the CV and MM. I'm not some old fart that don't know what he's doing......

Tailgate
01-17-2003, 09:33 PM
Most definitely it's Idle Air Control valve, IAC. Do a search for IAC on crownvic.net, I think we have a post or an article on how to clean the IAC. The new one should cost around $30 from PepBoys, $50+ from the dealer.

Tailgate
01-17-2003, 09:38 PM
I'm sorry, I must have confused a bit in my previous post.

The valve is called Bypass air valve and idle speed, BPA-ISC.

RCSignals
01-17-2003, 11:50 PM
Tailgate, he doesn't have to clean or replace anything himself. We are talking about a brand new car

Colin
01-19-2003, 06:32 PM
Keep taking it back until the car qualifies for the lemon law.

Colin

CRUZTAKER
02-12-2003, 04:36 PM
What ever became of this post?????
No one else had a similar issue?

On the way home from picking up my son, 3 times on the interstate
(60 mph ave.) the car revved up to nearly 3000 rpm as if the O/D was being turned off. The 1st time was just after I entered the highway and it was like actually stuck for a few seconds....I popped the gas pedal quickly and it settled down into driving gear.

This incedent was not cool. Child, Heavy traffic, A MM with...I don't know what.

Will hotdogging shortly beforehand cause issues? Hotdogging in general?
That's why I bought it.....

Calling all motorheads

RF Overlord
02-12-2003, 05:19 PM
CRUZ:

I think it was Fourth Horseman that had a similar issue a few months ago...the throttle cable was stuck on a mis-aligned piece of plastic at the TB...or something like that...I know he got it fixed OK...maybe PM him and he can give you more info...it's not common...

CRUZTAKER
02-12-2003, 07:14 PM
Thank-you.
I hate to be a bore bringing up all these old issues. I am still playing catchup. If I am here next year it'll probably be the same, just new people-same old problems. I'll be patient as well.

mtnh
02-12-2003, 07:42 PM
Cruz,

your incident almost sounds like shifter positioning. These cars, on first series, had alot of incidence of the shifter cable being out of position just a slight amount, with the end result being that reveerse doesn't quite engage, and also, missing out on the optimum positioning of the transmission's lever, which needs to be just right in order to qualify for O/D (4th gear) engagement. If it happens again, you can verify this by shifting up into neutral, (don't push the button to enable the shifter while running, just bump it past drive into neutral, then back into drive. If that makes the problem go away, just schedule a service to have the shift cable adjusted at your convenience (oxymoron time!). If you end up with the problem again before yoru appointment, just repeat the above.

hth,

Mike



00 LS
03 MM

Fourth Horseman
02-13-2003, 05:23 PM
As others have said above, in my case it was a throttle cable that had a natural kink in it. If you took the cable out of the throttle assembly and just let it hang it would bend right over, like a 90 degree bend. This kink caused it to get stuck once and hold the throttle about 1/3 open, or so.

Ford took care of it for me through my local dealer. They were prompt and very professional about the whole thing, even collecting digital photographs of the part and such for their records.

Not sure if this is the same thing we're seeing here, I suspect not, but if it is get it fixed immediately. It's not worth risking it, especially if anybody drives the car that might be inclined to panic and not handle the situation correctly.

CRUZTAKER
02-13-2003, 05:37 PM
Thanks all...I find out tomorrow

CRUZTAKER
02-15-2003, 06:19 AM
All the tech did in regards to this was update the software and re-boot the EEC.

Fourth Horseman
02-15-2003, 02:36 PM
Hmmm. Wish we could get version numbers or something for the revision of firmware we have loaded. Wonder if it'd be worthwhile to have the dealer update it even if I haven't seen any problems.

CRUZTAKER
02-16-2003, 07:46 AM
Originally posted by Fourth Horseman
Hmmm. Wish we could get version numbers or something for the revision of firmware we have loaded........

If I am wrong, flame on me. If I am right, kudos;

Iwas under the hood preparing to silence the silencer and saw a sticker on the inside of the hood to the right of the latch that wasn't there before my visit to the dealer.
It was their sticker, labled "....the following updates were made to this vehicle..."
It only had one entry on the several available lines:

3U7A-12A650-AMA

Maybe this is the software update. If not, what is it?