1997 Ford Explorer VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN BECAUSE THE ACCELERATOR LINKAGE WAS FROZEN. YH

THROTTLE STICKING AT ACCLERATION ESPECIALLY WHEN ENGINE IS COLD. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH CRUISE CONTROL, DEALERSHIP DID NOT NOTIFY CONSUMER OF RECALL (99V-062). MJS

VEHICLE REVVED AND SPEEDED UP ON ITS OWN .THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIMES, RESULTING IN A REAR END ACCIDENT. *AK

THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHSED NEW WITH 7 MILES ON ODOMETER FROM CHARLES GABUS FORD IN DES MOINES, IA. A FEW DAYS AFTER PURCHASE, I NOTICED AND REPORTED TO DEALER THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WOULD STICK AT THE TOP, MEANING THAT IT REQUIRED EXTRA PRESSURE TO PUSH IT DOWN. INITIALLY THE CABLE WAS LOOKED AT AND LUBRICATION APPLIED, BUT DID NOT ALLEVIATE THE PROBLEM. CHARLES GABUS FORD THEN SUGGESTED REPLACEMENT OF THE THROTTLE BODY. THIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITHIN 2 MONTHS OF PURCHASE AND ALLEVIATED THE PROBLEM FOR A FEW MONTHS. WHEN THE PROBLEM REOCCURED, CHARLES GABUS KEPT THE VEHICLE FOR 3-4 DAYS TO FURTHER INSPECT THE PROBLEM TO SEE WHETHER DISCONNECTING THE CRUISE CONTROL HAD ANY EFFECT. IT DID NOT, SO THE THROTTLE BODY WAS CHANGED AGAIN. THIS WAS AROUND FEBRUARY 1998. THE PROBLEM ONCE AGAIN STARTED OCCURING IN AUGUST 1998. AT THAT TIME, I HAD JUST MOVED TO ST. LOUIS, BUT WAS STILL WORKING WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER AT CHARLES GABUS FORD IN DES MOINES. I WAS TOLD THAT FORD HAD NOW REDESIGNED THE THROTTLE BODY AND I WAS GIVEN THAT NEW PART NUMBER, WHICH WAS ORDERED AND REPLACED BY A DEALERSHIP IN ST. LOUIS (MCMAHON FORD) IN SEPTEMBER 1998. THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AT THAT TIME. IN MAY 1999, I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM FORD THAT IT WAS PROVIDING ADDITIONAL WARRANTY COVERGE FOR THE THROTTLE BODY FOR 6 YEARS OR 72,000 MILES UNDER SERVICE PROGRAM NUMBER 99M02. IN SEPTEMBER 1999, THE PROBLEM RESURFACED AND THE THROTTLE BODY IS SCHEDULED TO BE REPLACED THIS WEEK. THE CONCERN IS THAT I HAVE JUST VERIFIED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY TOUTED AS THE SOLUTION IN THE LETTER IS THE SAME THROTTLE BODY PART NUMBER REPLACED A YEAR AGO. THEREFORE, IT SEEMS PROBABLE FORD HAS NOT FOUND THE FIX, AND WHY SHOULD OWNERS PAY FOR THIS DEFECT (AND THE RESULTING DIMINSHED VALUE OF THE VEHICLE) REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE? A YEAR FROM NOW, WHEN THE ACCELERATOR STARTS STICKING AGAIN, I WILL HAVE MORE THAN 72,000 MILES. ANY SUGGESTIONS?

VEHICLE HAD CONTINUAL PROBLEMS WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL, NOT ABLE TO BE RECTIFIED, 2 ACCIDENTS OCCURRED DUE TO FAULTY CRUISE CONTROL WHICH DID NOT SIGNAL ONE WHEEL TO ACTIVATE PROPERLY AND LOCKED UP INSTEAD CAUSING COMPLETE LOSS OF CONTROL. MJS

POOR DESIGN OF THROTTLE LINKAGE CABLE STICKS CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LURCH FORWARD OR BACKWARD AND CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO CONTINUE TO ACCELERATE WHEN FOOT IS REMOVED FROM GAS PEDAL. NLM

VEHICLE RECALL DENIED (97V-074) DUE TO LOCATION OF STATE. MJS

WHILE SITTING AT A LIGHT VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITH BRAKES BEING APPLIED, AND WITHOUT DRIVER STEPPING ON THE ACCELERATOR. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

ACCELERATOR STICKS AT VARIOUS TIMES. MJS

CONSUMER WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP WITH HER FOOT ON TH BRAKES, ALL OF A SUDDEN THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD, RESULTING IN A COLLISION. *AK

VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE RAPIDLY AND COULD NOT BE CONTROLLED BY DRIVER. THE GAS PEDAL WAS NOT BEING PRESSED. THE ONLY WAY THE CAR COULD BE CONTROLLED WAS BY TURNING THE ENGINE OFF AND COASTING TO THE SIDE. THIS WAS A VERY SCARY INCIDENT AND COULD HAVE CAUSED A CRASH AND FATALITIES. *AK

THE THROTTLE BODY DESIGN ON 1997 AND 1998 FORD EXPLORERS WITH THE 4.0 LITRE SOHC ENGINE STICKS OR BINDS IN A CLOSED POSITION AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN PARKED WITH THE ENGINE OFF. WHEN THE ACCELERATOR IS DEPRESSED, THE BIND WILL RESULT IN NO GAS TO THE ENGINE. THEN THE BINDING STOPS AND THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD OFTEN AT SPEEDS HIGH ENOUGH TO CHIRP THE TIRES. THIS CAN BE A DANGERIOUS SITUATION IN TRAFFIC. *AK

COMING TO STOP, APPLYING FOOT ON BRAKES, VEHICLE WILL LUNGE FOWARD, ENGINE WILL REV UP. CONSUMER MUST REAPPLY THE BRAKES IN ORDER TO STOP VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP UNABLE TO CORRECT PROBLEM. *AK

THROTTLE BODY PREVENTS THE DRIVER FROM DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR. A SERVICE RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED . DEALER HAS REPAIRED THE VEHICLE UNDER THE SERVICE RECALL; HOWEVER IT HAS ALSO BEEN REPAIRED 2 TIMES SINCE THE RECALL, AND 3 TIMES PRIOR TO THE RECALL. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

RECALL NOTICE SENT TO CONSUMER (97V074/98R03), HOWEVER DEALERSHIP REFUSES REPAIR DUE TO STATE IN WHICH CONSUMER LIVES DOES NOT MATCH DESCRIPTION ON RECALL. MJS

UPON PURCHASE IN JUNE 1997, THROTTLE STUCK IN CLOSED POSITION, ESPECIALLY WHEN FIRST STARTING UP. FORD REPLACED THE THROTTLE PLATE ONCE IN APPROXIMATELY AUGUST 1997. THE REPLACEMENT THROTTLE PLATE FAILED AND WAS REPLACED BY FORD IN APPROXIMATELY NOVEMBER 1998. IN JUNE 1999, THE THROTTLE HAS AGAIN BEGUN TO STICK AND WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO BE REPLACED FOR THE 3RD TIME. FORD HAS RECOGNIZED THE PROBLEM AND EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THIS PART TO 72,000 MILES, BUT IT SEEMS THAT THEY ARE STILL JUST REPLACING THE PART WITH ANOTHER DEFECTIVE PART. *AK

UPON TOUCHING GAS PEDAL VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATRED, CAUSING A COLLISION. DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, AND VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. MANUFACTURER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK

ACCELERATOR IS STICKING. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED TWO CAR CRASHES DUE TO POSSIBLE FAILURE OF THE SPEED CONTROL (RECALL COMPONENT) PRIOR TO NOTICE, ALSO SPEED CONTROL REPAIRED FOUR TIMES PRIOR TO ACCIDENTS. MJS (99V-062)

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION DUE TO FAILURE OF A BROKEN THROTTLE RETURN SPRING. (ATTORNEY FOR CONSUMER). MJS

THE THROTTLE IS STICKING IN THE CLOSED POSITION. CONSUMER MUST PRESS HARD ON PEDAL IN ORDER FOR IT TO UNSTICK WHICH THEN CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO LUNGE FORWARD. *AK

THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE SPEED CONTROL ON '97 EXPLORERS (NHTSA #9054 & 9047). FORD HAS NOT INCLUDED MY VEHICLE; HOWEVER, MY CAR SUFFERS FROM THE SPEED CONTROL PROBLEM DESCRIBED IN THE RECALLS. HOW DO I MAKE FORD FIX THIS PROBLEM. (99V-062001) DENIED REPAIR.

ACCELERATOR STICKS TO THE POINT WHERE CONSUMER HAS TO PUT FOOT BEHIND THE PEDAL TO RELEASE IT FROM THE FLOOR. EVEN BY APPLYING THE BRAKES, IT WILL NOT DECREASE SPEED. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER REGARDING RECALLNUMBER 97V074000/MFR RECALL 98R03 REGARDING THROTTLE LINKAGES AND CONTROL. DEALER STATED PARTS DID NOT NEED REPLACING. *AK