ENGINE HOOD INSULATOR MATERIAL BEGAN TO SMOLDER AND SMOKE. NEEDED TO REMOVE BEFORE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. BURNED TWO FINGERS. *TR
2005
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
2005 FORD EXPEDITION EDDIE BAUER, 90,000 MILES. (VEHICLE MANUFACTURED IN 2004.) WHILE BEING DRIVEN AT HIGHWAY SPEED THROTTLE STUCK IN FULLY DEPRESSED POSITION AFTER BEING ENGAGED FOR A ROUTINE PASS OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS NOTED TO ACCELERATE. ACCELERATOR PEDAL COULD NOT BE RETURNED TO NON-DEPRESSED STATE WHEN FORCE APPLIED. BRAKES APPLIED FORCEFULLY, VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE SLOWED OR BROUGHT TO A STOP. STRONG SMELL OF "BURNING" BRAKE PADS WAS NOTED. ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT VEHICLE INTO AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION POSITION OF NEUTRAL. NO CHANGE IN ENGINE SPEED NOTED. TRANSMISSION THEN SHIFTED INTO REVERSE. VEHICLE WHEELS LOCKED UP AND VEHICLE SKIDDED APPROXIMATELY 100 - 150 FEET BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. ANTILOCK SYSTEM AND OTHER SYSTEMS DID NOT ACTIVATE. AFTER COMING TO A STOP, THROTTLE PEDAL WAS INSPECTED. NO INTERIOR INTERFERENCE FROM FLOOR MATS OR OTHER MATERIALS NOTED. OPERATOR IS 100% CERTAIN AS A RESULT OF "REAL-TIME" VISUAL CONFIRMATION, THAT ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE PEDALS WERE NOT MISTAKENLY ENGAGED OR DUALLY ENGAGED. CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT ENGAGED. VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED AND MAINTAINED REGULARLY AND WITH PRECISION AND DETAIL. VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC IMMEDIATELY POST THE INCIDENT. THROTTLE BODY FOUND TO BE FOULED AND DIRTY. INDEPENDENT MECHANIC IS REASONABLY CERTAIN THAT DIRTY THROTTLE BODY IS MOST LIKELY CAUSE OF THIS EVENT. INDEPENDENT MECHANIC HAS PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE OF SIMILAR THROTTLE BODY FAILURES PRODUCING SIMILAR EVENTS AS HAS BEEN DESCRIBED ABOVE. THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD OTHER PREMATURE FAILURES, INCLUDING (1) NEED FOR TRANSMISSION AND TRANSFER CASE TO BE REBUILT AT 28,000 MILES; (2) FAILURE OF POWER DRIVER'S SEAT TO MOVE ON ITS TRACK AT 25,000 MILES; (3) PREMATURE CAM PHASER FAILURE AND REBUILD AT APPROXIMATELY 35,000 MILES. *TR
