A Wild Ride

[04 Quicksilver]

Yesterday I was moving the '04 MM around in the driveway so I could get another car out of the garage. I was going to put it front of my son's car but I decided there wasn't enough room so I stopped and pulled forward a bit and then put it in reverse so I could continue to swing around his car.

The next thing I know, the throttle is wide open in reverse leaving rubber across the driveway and tearing ruts in my yard as I careened across it and across the street where the car hopped a large landscape rock, knocked over this neighbor's mailbox and then ended up laying across his front steps against the foundation of his house having swiped his two week old camper in the process. It is heavily damaged in the left rear near the bathroom and might be totaled. There is also damage to his lawn and front steps.

My car has a toasted right rear taillight and bumper cover, scratched and sc***** rear quarters that are shifted over, deformed left rocker panel and broken molding, deformed driver's side door, a crease on the right front door and a ruined rear tire. I had to climb out of the driver's window to get out as the car was up against the camper on the passenger side and the left doors were blocked by the steps. It took two tow trucks to move the camper and then get the car out from the front steps. The body shop estimate is about $6K. Insurance hasn't looked at the car yet.

Are you familiar with the first Die Hard movie where the patrol car is dispatched to Nokatomi Plaza to check on terrorist activity? The patrolman decides nothing is going on and begins to leave. Bruce Willis has to do something to get the police involved so he throws a dead body out the window and it lands on the patrol car's windshield. All hell then breaks loose and the cop throws it in reverse and peels out in haste, backing off a low structure and landing on the bumper. Well, that's just what I experienced except I was trying to stop. Several people suggested "why didn't you turn the key off?" This happened in about 5 seconds and going in reverse at wide open throttle, there just wasn't time.

Any suggestions or comments about what might have caused this would be appreciated.

Rust Never Sleeps
B Dub

[RacerX]

Omg! :eek: At least no one got hurt! I learned not to wear my Timberland boots in my car. Too easy to hit the brake and gas at the same time. Check for sticking cables??

[slickster]

did you try to use the brake at all. or turn another way

[04 Quicksilver]

The brake was applied as hard as I could. On the ruined tire you can see where the rubber was burned. If the car hadn't turned as it had, I would have ended up in their picture window and living room. I'm sure you know that all motions in reverse are exaggerated. I had no opportunity to try to aim for any certain direction. As I said before, this all happened in a few seconds.

Rust Never Sleeps
B Dub

[SC Cheesehead]

Omg! :eek: At least no one got hurt! I learned not to wear my Timberland boots in my car. Too easy to hit the brake and gas at the same time. Check for sticking cables??

I've had this happen a couple times to me, scary when it happens.

[SID210SA]

Hope you are okay and that no one was hurt. Have never heard of a WOT sticking in a Marauder....With that said....I hope you have enough insurance coverage.....that really sucks....

Every one seems to have that opinion....why didnt you do this or that....but in reality it just all happens so fast that you dont have enough time to think about what is going on and what to do in a split second becuse you certainly dont expect something to go so wrong just backing up in your driveway.

[tbone]

If it was a stuck cable, how did it get to the wide open position? Must be something else.

[slickster]

ok so theres a defect where the cable gets stuck and the car just takes off?. umm im just thinking here but maybe this should be a sticky if someone or me and my ford tech try to figure this out so that no one will die. just a thought :confused:

[Bluerauder]

Any suggestions or comments about what might have caused this would be appreciated.

Toyota floormats??? :jk:

Sorry to hear about the damage to your MM but glad no one was hurt.

Mike Poore used to complain about the gas-brake pedal alignment on his '04 Silver Birch MM. He said that it was very easy to hit both gas and brake at the same time. Anyone else have this issue on an SB??

I suspect "big feet, wide shoes, and/or operator error" is more likely than a mechanical/electrical issue. JHMO.

[Mr. Man]

Toyota floormats??? :jk:

Sorry to hear about the damage to your MM but glad no one was hurt.

Mike Poore used to complain about the gas-brake pedal alignment on his '04 Silver Birch MM. He said that it was very easy to hit both gas and brake at the same time. Anyone else have this issue on an SB??

I suspect "big feet, wide shoes,.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PmnKOkt7fI


I think Mike is a left foot braker like myself. Us lefties tend to think all roads are road courses that must be challenged. He just needed to slow down:D

[Bluerauder]

I think Mike is a left foot braker like myself.

Remind me not to line up behind you in a convoy. :P My experience is that left foot brakers tend to constantly ride the brakes lights. I suspect that they are at a higher risk of being rear-ended because of this.

[fastblackmerc]

Never heard of a MM going WOT.

Glad you or anyone else wasn't injured or worse!

[04 Quicksilver]

[QUOTE=SC Cheesehead;1040066]I've had this happen a couple times to me, scary when it happens.[/QUOTE

[04 Quicksilver]

[QUOTE=Bluerauder;1040134]Toyota floormats??? :jk:

Sorry to hear about the damage to your MM but glad no one was hurt.

Mike Poore used to complain about the gas-brake pedal alignment on his '04 Silver Birch MM. He said that it was very easy to hit both gas and brake at the same time. Anyone else have this issue on an SB??

I suspect "big feet, wide shoes, and/or operator error" is more likely than a mechanical/electrical issue. JHMO.[/QUO

************

[Vortex]

Shoe was on brake and gas pedal at the same time.

[RacerX]

Shoe was on brake and gas pedal at the same time.
It would make sense. As you press harder on the brake to stop, you're also opening the throttle more and as said, happens in seconds.

[SC Cheesehead]

It would make sense. As you press harder on the brake to stop, you're also opening the throttle more and as said, happens in seconds.

Yup, VERY disconcerting...

[rayjay]

Wow, glad you or no one else was injured. I have not heard of this happening before either. The ECU may have data logged what happened, if you really want to know. I just posted about that in another thread. If our ECUs do data log, it should be able to tell what was going on with the brake, accelerator pedals just before the MVA. I know for fact that 04 Whimppys had this feature, but that was PP car. As someone else said, when it goes bad it happens in a hurry and you react on instinct and training. I went for a wild ride on black ice in my 04 a few years ago. The only thing I remember for sure was all the screaming my women folk were doing while I tried everything I know not to wreck.

[slickster]

i dont like this lefty braker judgement. i am and ive never did any of theses bad things yous are talking about. i all ways leave my left foot next to the brake for faster reaction

[Pat]

I had a related issue of accel and brake pedals being applied at the same time when I bought new tennis shoes with a "wide" sole. Scared me, but luckily nothing was in the way. Went about 10 feet in reverse before I stopped.

[justbob]

Every time someone drives or parks my car I feel the need to warn them about the closeness of the pedals, because of SO MANY times I have witnessed that happen!

One time we stood there and watched as a valet did a well executed brake stand LOL. He came back all full of apologies, I still tipped and laughed.. I replied "Didn't beat her up any more than I do, were all good here :)....."

[tbone]

Never noticed the issue before.

[slickster]

:burnout: fail

[Stick]

If you have the Ford ajustable pedals i seen this happen when the floor mat slips between the brake and gas pedal. If you ajust the pedals to low. When you step on the brake you push the gas to the floor.

[Mr. Man]

Remind me not to line up behind you in a convoy. :P My experience is that left foot brakers tend to constantly ride the brakes lights. I suspect that they are at a higher risk of being rear-ended because of this.
I'm to young to ride the brake pedal oldman:P Anyways there is a space next to the brake pedal for your foot.:P:P

[CBT]

I had a CAI gasket shred and jam my throttle body damn near wide open. Stabbing the pedal to try and get it to kick down only opened it up more. Pretty hair raising ride.

[LeoVampire]

So sorry to hear about what happened and all the damage but @ least no one was hurt!

I have not heard of this on a Marauder but I have seen plenty of aluminum throttle body's on Ford's get stuck but usually in the closed position from lack of use and always being out in the elements.

I hope you manage to get all the repairs done for no or little out of the pocket cash!

[04 Quicksilver]

So sorry to hear about what happened and all the damage but @ least no one was hurt!

I have not heard of this on a Marauder but I have seen plenty of aluminum throttle body's on Ford's get stuck but usually in the closed position from lack of use and always being out in the elements.

I hope you manage to get all the repairs done for no or little out of the pocket cash!

Is there a reproduction source for the VIN sticker on the rear of the driver's side front door?

Rust Never Sleeps
B Dub

[LeoVampire]

Is there a reproduction source for the VIN sticker on the rear of the driver's side front door?

Rust Never Sleeps
B Dub

As far as I know it is a dealer item only and you have to prove ownership of the car and proof that it is for replacement due to accident repair.

Progressive got one for my Marauder when they had to replace the drivers side door.