Just had an uncommanded acceleration '11 Ecoboost

[Cujet]

Wow, that was interesting. I drive a 2011 F150 Ecoboost 3.5L twin turbo, crew cab. It has 27,000 miles on it. It has experienced the dreaded intercooler condensation misfire in the distant past.

Anyway, I was stopped, waiting in line at Starbucks. My left foot on the brake, right foot tucked under by the seat base. The engine revved up to 2500 RPM and I instinctively stepped harder on the brake, as the truck started to move. I could hear the brakes groaning as it was fighting the engine. This lasted about 4 seconds and stopped. As it was happening, I looked at the accelerator and my foot was NOT NEAR the accelerator. It took very serious brake pedal pressure to stop the movement.

I love technology, am no luddite (I manage a flying network, a Gulfstream G550) and I trust electronics. But I also understand glitches can, and do, happen.

I'll be reporting this to Ford, to the NHTSA and online to F150 based forums. As I nearly hit the car in front of me.

 

[mrsilv04]

Ooops...

Do those have some sort of a throttle position sensor?

 

[SwampSurvivor]

You left foot brake? I've seen this happen unintentionally to people that left foot brake without knowing it.

 

[Clevy]

Was the floor mat anywhere near the pedal,bunched up maybe? That would concern me very much. If it happens again push the gear shift into neutral.
I don't know if they are a column shift but if the are you can push the shifter up unto neutral without pulling back on the lever,which eliminates the possibility of accidentally putting it into reverse. I had a chev with high idle years ago. It would almost do burn outs at stop lights. I got real good at jamming the lever into N when coming up to a stop so now it's almost habit when I feel my wheels lock up or need to make an emergency stop.

 

[Smoky14]

Different animal, but my 2012 Fusion seems to have a throttle body with a mind of its own also. It won't decelerate as commanded many times.
Let us know what Ford says.

Smoky

 

[The motor guy]

why do you put your left foot on the brake? You see this is why people have doubts about incidents like this happening because it's always someone doing something out of the norm that nobobdy else does. I'm left handed and guess what I still drive and brake with my right foot.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: Clevy
Was the floor mat anywhere near the pedal,bunched up maybe? That would concern me very much. If it happens again push the gear shift into neutral.
I don't know if they are a column shift but if the are you can push the shifter up unto neutral without pulling back on the lever,which eliminates the possibility of accidentally putting it into reverse. I had a chev with high idle years ago. It would almost do burn outs at stop lights. I got real good at jamming the lever into N when coming up to a stop so now it's almost habit when I feel my wheels lock up or need to make an emergency stop.


Our '13 escape seems to work normally. However, our 01F350 and my 11 Focus seem to have stupid high idle all the time.

Our 01 F350 idles around 1500RPM and ... that's normal apparently. If you let off the clutch in 5th gear (while rolling), it'll slow down but keep propelling itself. My focus always idles ridiculously fast when cold. I live on a hill and if I let it coast down in nuetral, it's idling at 3K at the bottom of the hill.

Electronic throttles are no good.

 

[Clevy]

Originally Posted By: Miller88
Originally Posted By: Clevy
Was the floor mat anywhere near the pedal,bunched up maybe? That would concern me very much. If it happens again push the gear shift into neutral.
I don't know if they are a column shift but if the are you can push the shifter up unto neutral without pulling back on the lever,which eliminates the possibility of accidentally putting it into reverse. I had a chev with high idle years ago. It would almost do burn outs at stop lights. I got real good at jamming the lever into N when coming up to a stop so now it's almost habit when I feel my wheels lock up or need to make an emergency stop.


Our '13 escape seems to work normally. However, our 01F350 and my 11 Focus seem to have stupid high idle all the time.

Our 01 F350 idles around 1500RPM and ... that's normal apparently. If you let off the clutch in 5th gear (while rolling), it'll slow down but keep propelling itself. My focus always idles ridiculously fast when cold. I live on a hill and if I let it coast down in nuetral, it's idling at 3K at the bottom of the hill.

Electronic throttles are no good.

Your truck isn't an electronic throttle. The throttle cable is attached to the throttle body. It isn't drive by wire. I don't know for sure about the focus.
I think there are way more pros than cons as far as this topic goes in favour of electronic fuel controls and would take it over a carb any day of the week.

 

[volk06]

I'll keep an eye on mine. I havent had the dreaded misfire yet when I've been driving through rain and high humidity. I'll be keep an eye out before my 3y/36k warranty is up.

 

[cchase]

I know you said you made sure no foot was on the accelerator, but why add the variable of pedaling with two feet?

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: Clevy
Originally Posted By: Miller88
Originally Posted By: Clevy
Was the floor mat anywhere near the pedal,bunched up maybe? That would concern me very much. If it happens again push the gear shift into neutral.
I don't know if they are a column shift but if the are you can push the shifter up unto neutral without pulling back on the lever,which eliminates the possibility of accidentally putting it into reverse. I had a chev with high idle years ago. It would almost do burn outs at stop lights. I got real good at jamming the lever into N when coming up to a stop so now it's almost habit when I feel my wheels lock up or need to make an emergency stop.


Our '13 escape seems to work normally. However, our 01F350 and my 11 Focus seem to have stupid high idle all the time.

Our 01 F350 idles around 1500RPM and ... that's normal apparently. If you let off the clutch in 5th gear (while rolling), it'll slow down but keep propelling itself. My focus always idles ridiculously fast when cold. I live on a hill and if I let it coast down in nuetral, it's idling at 3K at the bottom of the hill.

Electronic throttles are no good.

Your truck isn't an electronic throttle. The throttle cable is attached to the throttle body. It isn't drive by wire. I don't know for sure about the focus.
I think there are way more pros than cons as far as this topic goes in favour of electronic fuel controls and would take it over a carb any day of the week.


Well ... that would explain why it always had great throttle response for DBW! Just looked up throttle bodies for it and it really is cable actuated. Neat ... didn't know that.

The focus definitely is, and has the complete lack of response to prove it.

 

[Roadkingnc]

I have a hard time believing this one, the system will go into failure mode if it attempts an uncommanded throttle plate opening. Just doesnt happen, Toyota on the otherhand didnt have that written into thier software with thier problem. If it did happen take it to a dealer and have them pull the freeze frame data from the etc, if there was a fault it will show up in that test. I recordes desired throttle angle and actual throttle angle if anything abnormal happens. I have never seen one rev up uncommanded.

 

[coolbird101]

ummmm, from what I have read, op has always been credible.
Originally Posted By: Roadkingnc
I have a hard time believing this one, the system will go into failure mode if it attempts an uncommanded throttle plate opening. Just doesnt happen, Toyota on the otherhand didnt have that written into thier software with thier problem. If it did happen take it to a dealer and have them pull the freeze frame data from the etc, if there was a fault it will show up in that test. I recordes desired throttle angle and actual throttle angle if anything abnormal happens. I have never seen one rev up uncommanded.

 

[97f150]

The safety rep at my job has a 12 Eco Boost that he just got back from the dealer after 2 months in the shop. At idle, with him not even in the truck the RPMs started climbing until it sounded like a jet plane trying to take off. It steadily got worse and worse and after it did it 3 times in a week he took it in. They changed the intercooler to the updated one and re flashed the computer.

 

[Roadkingnc]

Not trying to flame anyone, just too many safety features built in multiple pedal and throttle position sensors that the readings have to correlate or it goes into failure mode and refuses to work, to prevent this from happening. I have been working with fords electronic throttle control since it came out and have never seen it, take it to a dealer that has the software to retrieve the freeze frame data and take it from there. There is a fix for the intercooler condensation if that is still a problem.

 

[jeepman3071]

I like technology and the amazing tool it can be. I do think drive by wire is a stupid idea though. It doesn't get any simpler than a cable connected from the gas pedal to the throttle body. Why over think it?

 

[LineArrayNut]

...at least you have the big ecoboost that doesn't catch on fire as much...

spread the love: my hyundai "with better paint than mercedes" is already flaking off and rusting. dealer says it's because the hail damage (bought it that way) caused it. No dents on vertical surfaces.

 

[apwillard1986]

It may be more accurate (and more diplomatic) to say it is unlikely rather than to say it doesn’t happen. It does and has happened across multiple makes and while failure may not be common these systems are designed and built by humans. They most certainly can fail or malfunction.

 

[cptbarkey]

the original "unintended" acceleration issues with toyota were easily explained by user age. as the age goes up on the graph, so did the instances of "unintended" acceleration. sorry but OP is pure B.S.

 

[apwillard1986]

I hope after these attacks on his driving ability, age, and perceptual ability that the OP will keep us posted. I also hope that when some of you have problems with your cars that you meet someone a bit more open than yourselves.