2003 Ford Ranger VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD: VEHICLE THROTTLE ACTUATES INDEPENDENTLY WHEN BRAKE IS APPLIED. I PURCHASED A USED 2003 FORD RANGER 2 WHEEL DRIVE EXTENDED CAB 4 DOOR MODEL WITH A 3.0 L ENGINE WITH 21123 MILES 3 WEEKS AGO. THREE TIMES I HAVE COME TO A STOP, APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE THROTTLE HAS INDEPENDENTLY ACTUATED. THIS DEFECT OCCURS WHEN I APPLY THE BRAKE TO MAKE A COMPLETE STOP. SPECIFICALLY AT THE EXACT TIME MY FOOT DEPRESSES THE BRAKE PEDAL THE THROTTLE ACTUATES BY ITSELF TO INCREASE THE ENGINE RPM. ( I DID NOT HAVE MY FOOT ON THE THROTTLE PEDAL) YESTERDAY, THE THIRD TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED. I KEPT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND THE RPM INCREASED TO APPROXIMATELY 3000. SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE RIGHT WHEEL BRAKE BECAUSE OF THE ROTATION OF THE TIRE IN OPPOSITION TO MY APPLICATION OF THE BRAKE. I HAD NOT BEEN USING THE CRUISE CONTROL AND WAS STOPPING FROM A RELATIVELY LOW SPEED OF 5 MPH EITHER AT A STOP SIGN OR IN FRONT OF MY OFFICE IN ALL THREE INCIDENTS. YESTERDAY WHEN PARKING IN FRONT OF MY OFFICE THE ENGINE RPM STAYED CONSTANT AND DID NOT DROP TO IDLE.( DURING THE PREVIOUS TWO TIMES THE ENGINE RPM SURGED AND THEN RETURNED TO IDLE WITHIN 1 SECOND.) HOWEVER YESTERDAY AFTER APPROXIMATELY 5 SECONDS OF CONSTANT HIGH ENGINE RPM I MOVED THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER OF THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FROM THE DRIVE POSITION TO THE NEUTRAL POSITION. THE RPM THEN RETURNED TO IDLE SPEED AND THE TRANSMISSION NO LONGER ATTEMPTED TO INVOLUNTARILY PROPEL THE VEHICLE IN THE FORWARD POSITION. I THEN IMMEDIATELY DROVE THE TRUCK TO THE CONWAY-HEATON FORD DEALER IN BARDSTOWN KENTUCKY FOR A WARRANTY REPAIR. *LA

WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. *JB

NON INJURY MOMENTARY LOSS OF ENGINE CONTROL WHILE DRIVING UP A MODERATE INCLINE WITH MY NEW FORD RANGER IN CRUISE CONTROL & OVER DRIVE ON AT ABOUT 65 MPH & 2500 RPM'S. THE ENGINE KICKED DOWN TWICE IN IMMEDIATE SUCCESSION AND THE ENGINE RAN AWAY TO 6000 RPM'S+ AND STAYED THERE. ENGINE TACH LIMIT IS 6000RPM'S SO I DO NOT KNOW THE EXTENT OF THE OVER REV. I TOOK IMMEDIATE ACTION TO DISENGAGE CRUISE CONTROL WHICH LOWERED THE RPM'S AND TURNED THE OVER DRIVE OFF WHICH RESULTED IN A NORMAL RPM OF ABOUT 3000 @ 65 MPH. I HAVE TRAVELED THE SAME AREA BEFORE WITHOUT ANY SUCH OCCURRANCE. ALSO THE ENGINE HAS A ERRATIC TYPE MISFIRE AT IDLE WHICH MAY CONTRIBUTE TO THE PROBLEM. THIS SITUATION WAS VERY UNSAFE AS WHEN THE ENGINE "RANAWAY" I ONLY GLANCED AT THE TACK TWICE AND DO NOT KNOW HOW FAST IT ENDED UP BEFORE I DISENGAGED THE CRUISE CONTROL.*AK

THE THROTTLE CABLE DIDN'T SAY IN PLACE. AS A RESULT THE THROTTLE BECAME STUCK AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. *NLM

2003 FORD RANGER XLT DOES NOT EXCEED 80 MPH.*MR (TRANSFERRED TO RULE MAKING). *CB