Need your Collective Help!

[shrps74]

I posted on the possible "engine problem" a few days ago. My wife had a close call when the 'Bird's engine didn't kick down when she put her foot on the brake for a changing light. Almost put her into the intersection. Took it to the dealer who obviously could not replicate the situation. We got it back tonite with nothing done to any system. She now almost feels like getting rid of it as she doesn't trust it. I need to know if anyone out there has had this problem, if you did, what the dealer said, and most of all, the individual who had the part replaced by his/her dealer; which dealer and phone # Please!! I want to keep this car, but if she does doesn't, it goes down the hill. Again, all help is appreciated!! 02 Whisper White. Thanks, Shrps74

 

[FUN X 3]

I've been driving my bird since July 24th, 3,400 miles, no such problem.

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PK- Blue/Full Blue/Blue Top #16336

 

[LON O'CONNELL]

I worked for a Ford dealer for 5 1/2 years. We ran into this problem three times during my time of employment. A customer came in with a 97 Explorer complaining of the exact same thing. Also another customer had come in with a 96 Taurus and complained of the exact same thing. Both customers said the car just accelerated from a stop for no reason. On both vehicles we performed every diagnostic test possible and could not find nor duplicate the problem. We started to think maybe the customers were dreaming up this accelerating thing. Then one day one of our tech's was in a 97 Explorer in the shop. It was pointed toward one of the exit doors. The tech started the Explore and just as he shifted it into drive it shot off like a rocket. Now we knew the customers were not crazy. We had the Explorer on the diagnostic equipment less than 2 minutes after the incident and nothing was to be found. No codes, nothing. Now for the strange part. The dealer has kept tabs with the owners of these three vehicles the last 5 years. All 3 report that this happened that one time and has never happened again. I know this does not answer your question, but I hope it shows that it is a fluke thing to happen and it appears that once it happens that one time it seems to get the gremlin out of the computer and never happen again.

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Yellow/Yellow Prem. 02 Bird w/full accent
1999 F150 Super Cab 4x4 Off Road
1998 Taurus SE Sport 24V

 

[RT42]

FYI - I experienced acceleration while braking. The cause was my foot too far right on the brake pedal and it hit the gas at same time.

 

[Bmcn]

Sorry about the earlier post screwup!
I have had this problem repeated several times. It is not a computer thing. It's a design "flaw?" problem.
The gas pedal is higher than the brake pedal when pressed to stop. The ABS thing allows the brake pedal to drop past the gas pedal level. This allows the foot to press harder on the gas than on the brake and the event scares the hell out of the driver and any thing or one nearby. I try to remember to carefully place my foot as far to the left of the brake pedal as possible, but sometimes forget and it happens again.

Surely would like a "fix",but don't know what or how.
Bmcn

 

[txktom]

Ditto Bmcn concerning the design flaw. The brake and gas pedals are too close and too near the same height. The result, in my case at least, was the scariest five seconds I ever spent on a supermarket parking lot. Since then I've been very careful when I get in the bird with stiff, heavy boots like the ones I was wearing when it happened to me. I was pressing hard--and then even harder--on the brake, but my foot was tilted a bit to the right and my toe was hitting the accelerator pedal at the same time. I cut the ignition just as it dawned on me what was happening. Now that I know what was going on, I don't think it will be a problem for me in the future.

shrps74--I doubt if there is a known "fix." And I understand why dealers can't duplicate the problem. It is probably very rare and involves a badly designed "human interface"--not something that will show up on the dealer's scope, but something that is still a potential problem with the car.

The Thunderbird is still a great car, shrps74. I really love the beast. I hope your wife will change her shoes and drive on, like I did. But I do understand why she was frightened!

 

[shrps74]

Originally posted by shrps74:

Thanks for so many replies. I'm hoping that we can overcome this issue. This is truely the neetest car I've driven/riden in since the 60's. Keep them responses comin' if anyone has encountered this problem. If its a design problem, maybe Ford will read and heed??!!. Shrps74 in VA

 

[FUN X 3]

Well, almost as soon as I said this never happened to me, it did. I was tying my right shoe during a red light this morning, and when I put my right foot back on the brake pedal, it hit the accelerator pedal at the same time. Fortunately, it was only for a split second and I knew what was happening having read the comments in the forum on this.

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PK- Blue/Full Blue/Blue Top #16336

 

[JFred]

I've never had this to happen with a Ford product, but I had a similar experience with a Camaro a few years ago. Turned out to be a faulty throttle position sensor that was sending erroneous messages to the control module. The result was sudden surges like you are describing because the module was trying to compensate for what it was interpreting as a wide open throttle.