1998 Ford Taurus Speed Control & Cruise Problems

THIS IS THE SCARIEST THING I HAVE EVER SEEN WHILE DRIVING MY TEENAGE SON'S VEHICLE. HIS VEHICLE WOULD NOT DECREASE IN SPEED. WHILE TAKING OFF FROM A STOP, WITHOUT TOUCHING THE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. I HAVE NEVER SEEN A VEHICLE ACCELERATE WITHOUT HITTING THE GAS PEDAL. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN ESPECIALLY SINCE ITS A TEENAGERS VEHICLE. I SEE THAT NEWER TAURUSES HAD A RECALL FOR THE EXACT SAME ISSUE. MANY WERE REPORTING THE VEHICLE ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN, THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT MY SON'S DID TONIGHT. ALSO, WHEN I PLACED HIS VEHICLE IN PARK, THE VEHICLE REVVED UP TO 4000 RPM'S LIKE SOMEONE WAS HITTING THE GAS. I HAD TO SHUT THE CAR OFF BEFORE IT BLEW THE ENGINE. IT WAS NERVE RACKING. THIS IS LIKELY TO CAUSE A SERIOUS INJURY OF DEATH TO MY CHILD. *TR

WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKE TO STOP AT A LIGHT ON A HIGHWAY ACCESS ROAD, THE VEHICLE HAD TROUBLE STOPPING. IT STARTED VIOLENTLY JERKING AND VIBRATING AND THE BRAKES WERE ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. THE RPM'S READ IN THE 4'S. I PULLED OVER AND IN A PARKING LOT, THE VEHICLE RAPIDLY REACHED 45 MPH WITHOUT STEPPING ON THE GAS PEDAL. I WAS RELUCTANT TO HAVE IT REACH A GREATER SPEED SO I STOPPED THE VEHICLE. IT ONCE AGAIN DID NOT WANT TO RESPOND PROPERLY TO THE BRAKES. I CALLED FORD AND EPLAINED THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION AND THE VEHICLE DIFFICULTY IN STOPPING, THERE ARE NO RECALLS. I RESEARCHED ONLINE, AND IT APPEARS THAT THERE IS A FAULTY CRUISE CONTROL CABLE THAT STICKS TO THE THROTTLE AND LEAVES IT OPEN. I ONCE AGAIN CONTACTED FORD FOR AN ESTIMATE TO REPLACE THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE. THE SERVICE ADVISOR STATED THAT THERE WAS NO SUCH THING AS A CRUISE CONTROL CABLE. I CALLED THE PARTS DEPARTMENT AND THEY SAID THAT PART IS AFTERMARKET AND IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. I WAS READING THE AOL VEHICLE COMPLAINTS ON THIS AND ACCIDENTS HAVE OCCURED AND PEOPLE HAVE BEEN INJURED. I DON'T KNOW WHY FORD DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THIS SERIOUS SAFET ISSUE IN A TIMELY MANNER. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE AND THEN DECELERATE FOR APPROXIMATELY A QUARTER MILE. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO SAFELY DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME AT VERY LOW SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY A DEALER WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 112,000.

ON A COUPLE OF OCCASIONS, AFTER I BROUGHT MY 1998 FORD TAURUS TO FULL STOP, WITH THE GEAR IN PARK, THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE RAPIDLY, VERY RAPIDLY. I AM TAKING IT TO MY MECHANIC TO CHECK OUT. *TR

TWO SEPARATE TIMES BROUGHT VEHICLE TO NORMAL STOP AND ENGINE BEGAN TO RACE ON ITS OWN. HAD TO KEEP BRAKES APPLIED FULL STRENGTH. RPM WERE APPROX 2000 TO 2500. HAD TO SHUT THE ENGINE OFF BOTH TIMES TO STOP THE SURGING. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 10 MPH WHEN THE THROTTLE BECAME STUCK, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ABNORMALLY ACCELERATE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL AND APPLYING THE BRAKES. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER TO HAVE THE CRUISE AND THROTTLE CABLE REPLACED BUT THE DEALER DID NOT HAVE THE NECESSARY PARTS. THE DEALER LUBRICATED THE COMPONENTS BUT THAT DID NOT REMEDY THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT ALSO REPLACED THE CRUISE CONTROL MODULE BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE CONTACT HAD EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE NUMEROUS TIMES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. UPDATED 07/25/12*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. EACH TIME, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WOULD GO DOWN ON ITS OWN, AND THE CONSUMER HAD NO WAY OF CONTROLLING THE VEHICLE. AS THE CONSUMER STEPPED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO GO FASTER. THE DEALER FIXED THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, IT RETURNED MONTHS LATER. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER, PARTS WERE NO LONGER BEING MADE. THEY SPRAYED THE CABLES, BUT THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION RETURNED WEEKS LATER. UPDATED 07/25/12

VEHICLE HAS HAD TWO INCIDENTS THAT MAY BE RELATED TO FAULTY ACCELERATION. PERHAPS YOU NEED TO INVESTIGATE OLDER FORD TAURUS FOR PROBLEMS CURRENTLY UNDER REVIEW ON 2006, ETC. DATES AND MILEAGE ARE APPROX. I DO NOT HAVE REPORTS AVAILABLE. VEHICLE HAD SPEED CONTROL. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE ACCELERATOR SUDDENLY REVVED UP WHEN I HIT THE BRAKES. HAPPENED SO SUDDENLY THE CAR WENT OUT OF CONTROL BOUNCED OVER PARKING LOT BUMP AND HIT OTHER VEHICLES CAUSING DAMAGES TO THOSE AS WELL AS MY VEHICLE AND INJURY TO ME AS WELL AS COST ME A TICKET. THAT WAS IN 2006 AS I RECALL. IN JANUARY, 2009 OR DECEMBER, 2008 THE ACCELERATOR SUDDENLY REVVED UP AGAIN WHEN I WAS PULLING INTO TRAFFIC FROM A PARKING LOT ON TO THE HIGHWAY. I SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AND VOLUNTEERS HELPED PUSH THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD. I HAD IT TOWED AND HAVE HAD IT STORED IN MY DRIVEWAY SINCE. NO ONE HAS EVER SCANNED, ETC. TO DETERMINE WHAT WAS WRONG. IS IT SAFE TO EVEN SELL TO ANYONE? MILEAGE FOR THE SECOND INCIDENT WAS APPROX. 147000. I HAVE A MANDATE FROM THE CITY TO REMOVE THE VEHICLE BY MAY, 2012 OR FACE FINES THEREFORE IF YOU NEED ANYTHING TEST NEEDS DONE BEFORE THEN. MESSAGE PHONE ONLY INCLUDED. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY TO 20 MPH WHILE IN REVERSE WHICH RESULTED IN A COLLISION. THE VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION WAS PUT IN REVERSE TO BACK INTO A PARKING SPOT WHEN FULL ACCELERATION ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE WENT OVER AN EMBANKMENT AND COLLIDED WITH A TREE. THE VEHICLE KEPT ACCELERATING AFTER THE COLLISION UNTIL THE CONTACT SHUT THE IGNITION OFF. THE THROTTLE CONTROL WAS NOT CONTROLLABLE WITH BRAKING. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED AND EXTRACTED THE 3 INJURED PASSENGERS FROM THE REAR WINDOW. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. UPDATED 09/15/06. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP DETERMINED THE THROTTLE SENSOR CONTROL NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.

UNCONTROLLED RAPID ACCELERATION EXPERIENCED WHILE BACKING UP. DUE TO SLOW SPEED AT TIME OF INCIDENT WAS ABLE TO ENGAGE BRAKES FULLY TO SLOW VEHICLE, SHIFT TO NEUTRAL AND TURN OFF ENGINE AVOIDING ACCIDENT. THROTTLE HAD RETURNED TO NORMAL UPON RESTART.

IDLE CONTROL MODULE MALFUNCTIONED. *AK

FORD TAURUS THROTTLE STUCK OPEN. I STARTED THE ENGINE AND PLACED THE TRANSMISSION INTO REVERSE. PRESSING ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO BACK OUT, THE PEDAL WOULDNT BUDGE. WHILE APPLYING MORE AND MORE FORCE, THE PEDAL FINALLY GAVE IN, COLLAPSING TO THE FLOOR AND CAUSING THE ENGINE TO BE STUCK AT FULL THROTTLE. BEING IN REVERSE, THE TAURUS TOOK OFF AT FULL SPEED OUT OF THE CARPORT TO THE SIDE OF A HILL. RAMMING THE CAR INTO DRIVE CAUSED ME TO GO FORWARD AT FULL SPEED. UNTIL I SLAMMED THE TRANSMISSION INTO PARK AND CUT OFF THE ENGINE, DID I FINALLY COME TO A STOP ABOUT 100 FEET DOWN THE DRIVEWAY. THE VEHICLE IS NOW SITTING AT THE PHIL LONG DEALERSHIP IN COLORADO SPRINGS, WAITING TO BE ANALYZED. I CALLED FORD CUSTOMER RELATIONS CENTER AND REPORTED THE PROBLEM. THEY SAID THEY CAN NOT DO ANYTHING. I HAVE MADE A VIDEO DEPICTING THIS PROBLEM. I WILL BE CAPTURING THIS TO A VIDEO FILE SHOULD ANYONE CARE TO DOWNLOAD IT. PLEASE ADVISE ME AS TO WHAT I SHOULD DO. BEST REGARDS DAVID L. POWELL. *AK

I HAVE A 1998 FORD TAURUS STATION WAGON. ON 5 OCCASIONS THE CAR WENT INTO A SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHILE I WAS STOPPED WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE OR WHILE I WAS SLOWING DOWN TO STOP. IN EACH CASE I WOULD PRESS HARD ON THE BRAKE IN ORDER TO HOLD THE CAR AND IMMEDIATELY SHIFT OUT OF GEAR. IN THE FIRST TWO INCIDENTS, BRAKE PRESSURE WOULD HOLD THE CAR UNTIL I GOT IT OUT OF GEAR. IN THE LATER INCIDENTS BRAKE PRESSURE WOULD ONLY SLOW THE FORWARD MOTION. THE ENGINE RUSH WAS SO GREAT THAT THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP UNTIL IT WAS OUT OF GEAR. ON 2 OF THESE 5 OCCASIONS I NARROWLY AVOIDED AN ACCIDENT. THE DEALER HAS BEEN LOOKING INTO THIS AND HAS BEEN TRYING TO FIND THE CAUSE, SO FAR WITHOUT SUCCESS. THE DATE GIVEN BELOW IS AN ESTIMATE OF THE FIRST TIME THAT THIS OCCURRED. *JB

WHEN VEHICLE IS PUT INTO REVERSE THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATES.*MR *TS. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN REVERSE, IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL AND CRASHED. *JB

WHEN THE CONSUMER REMOVED HIS FOOT FROM THE GAS PEDAL, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED MORE. VEHICLE SEEMED TO "RUN" FROM DRIVER WHICH CAUSED HIM TO BRAKE MORE OFTEN THAN NECESSARY, ESPECIALLY WHEN GOING DOWN HILL. *AK *PH *JB

CONSUMER EXPERIENCED A PERIOD OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION, WHICH OVERPOWERED THE VEHICLES BRAKES. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE INTO A PARKING LOT WHERE HE LOST CONTROL AND HIT A BRICK, AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED AND THE CONSUMER SUSTAINING MULTIPLE BRUISES TO BODY. *SCC

WHILE DRIVING, DRIVER REMOVED FEET FROM GAS PEDAL, ENGINE STARTED RUNNING AT A FULL THROTTLE, CAUSING SUDDEN ACCELERATION AT A HIGH SPEED, VEHICLE TURNED AT A 360 DEGREE ANGLE. VEHICLE STOPPED WHEN IT HIT A WALL.*AK

WHWN I REMOVED MY OOT FROM THE GAS PEDAL THE CAR SUDDENDLY ACCELERATED (FULL THROTLE). I COULD NOT STOP THE CAR BY APPLYING BRAKES. THE CAR GOT OUT OF CONTROL AND RAN INTO AWALL.*AK

WHILE IN MOTION, CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES TO STOP AT AN INTERSECTION, AT THE SAME TIME VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO FULL THROTTLE CAUSING A NEAR COLLISION. *JG MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. *TT

VEHICLE IN PARK, ENGINE RUNNING, VEHICLE IDLING NORMALLY AT ABOUT 1000 RPM. ALL OF A SUDDEN ENGINE IDLE WILL GO UP TO ABOUT 3500 RPM, CANNOT KICK DOWN. THE ONLY THING I COULD DO WAS TO SHUT ENGINE OFF AND RESTART.*AK