Explorer cruise control jams open in Victoria - Page 2

mik · 16-12-2009, 12:26 AM

this story sounds more than a bit sus,

:.

JC260 · 16-12-2009, 12:29 AM

hmm this screams BS doesn't it?

My old EF has cruise control, one day the brake switch failed when trying to brake from 80kp/h. It kicked down a gear trying to maintain speed so i just switched off the cruise - problem solved. I don't believe that so many failures could occur right after the other on the same car.
Hopefully the police and ford find nothing wrong with it.

rodderz · 16-12-2009, 08:24 AM

The bloke was just on sunrise too. I think his handbag got caught over the gearknob or something causing him to not be able to disable the cruise control

Jack91 · 16-12-2009, 08:40 AM

Thats utter crap. How do brakes just not work? Fair enough they are very extremely hard if your booster splits (which has happened to me while driving before). Turning the car off and removing the keys was pretty stupid, what if the steering locked? Theres a lot that needs answering here.

LTDHO · 16-12-2009, 08:49 AM

Is Chase Weir the dumbest Ford driver ever?

We all know there are many ways to stop a vehicle in the event the cruise gets stuck on. Chase Weir jusy screamed like a little girl for 54 klms. That's half an hour to think

"Put it in Neutral"
"Turn of engine"
"use foot and hand brake"

LTDterri · 16-12-2009, 09:26 AM

Oh thank god, I thought it was only me thinking this dude had the lights on but nobody was home.

Brazen · 16-12-2009, 09:37 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eGTq...eature=related

Runaway Ford Explorers. Nothing new.

RG · 16-12-2009, 09:38 AM

You guys are just a big bunch of meanies.

It was really really scary.

jonk · 16-12-2009, 09:40 AM

In the Fairlane I've experienced the cruise racing the engine when the trans has been knocked into neutral. Also prob's with the throttle body being cleaned and then the butterfly valve getting stuck, after releasing the foot from the accelerator. Tool mechanics... what are they cleaning the damn thing in, acid !?

smally289 · 16-12-2009, 09:51 AM

That would be the Explorer's 'Self Destruct Function' which really is a great idea and should be engaged more often.

AWD Chaser · 16-12-2009, 09:54 AM

CRUISE CONTROL FAIL!

WHEN NATURE CANT CONTROL NATURAL SELECTION, MACHINES WILL...

AWD Chaser · 16-12-2009, 09:55 AM

hahaha - damn media just made it even more exciting - its now 100kph!

http://www.news.com.au/national/driv...-1225810814610

Quote:

THE driver of a runaway car stuck on cruise control hurtling along Melbourne's Eastern Freeway at 100km/h said last night he was convinced he was going to die.

Den76 · 16-12-2009, 09:56 AM

Sounds like total BS
Way too many items to fail one after the other
Maybe he was late to see his dealer,
Chick Chick Boom lol

Brazen · 16-12-2009, 09:59 AM

Yeah yeah yeah Fords are perfect, must of been the driver, whatever.

If this was a Holden you would be yelling from the rooftops that a recall is needed and they are killing machines.

Wally · 16-12-2009, 10:11 AM

Chase sounds like one of those guys you want beside you in a pinch. Probably find out he was jumping up and down on the footrest. Meanwhile poor old Texas Instruments will be getting a faxstream of please explains for it's SCDS.

Charliewool is correct, after extensive forensic investigation, the AFF debating team members could find no bone fide evidence Chase actually exists.

Pinch · 16-12-2009, 10:56 AM

Will check tonight, but pretty sure the Mini locks out manual over a certain RPM - and it must be in Park to remove the key. Not sure about simply turning it off in drive, but I suspect not either.

And it has cruise control.

A DSG Golf is the same from memory, as was the Mrs old Hyundai Lantra.

Hmmm....

Anyone with an auto Explorer able to advise rather than speculate?

4Vman · 16-12-2009, 10:58 AM

Brings new meaning to the police being involved in a car "chase" doesn't it.....

winkle · 16-12-2009, 10:58 AM

This guy is a total tosspot. And camp as a row of tents - not that there's anything wrong with that. Surely standing on the brake pedal and reefing the handbrake would be the first thing you would do, not the last. He was hysterical by his own admission. I reckon he was chasing his 15 minutes so he could host the next screening of Brokeback Mountain.

UNR8D · 16-12-2009, 10:58 AM

so cancel on cruise button didnt work?
brake switch failed?
Auto got mechanicaly stuck in Drive?
and the ignition failed to allow the car to be turned off?

Yea and courtney cox just phoned me for a date.

Mr Hardware · 16-12-2009, 11:12 AM

HAY GUISE I FOUND SOMETHING STRONGER THAN AN EXPLODER MOTOR!

RedHotGT · 16-12-2009, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SVTVNM

I've got 2 comments firstly, For those that caught the interview on the news would agree, he didn't seem all that bright and also I hope they booked him for using his mobile while driving!

Good point - he was obviously on the phone...

I'd like to know how he managed to get a FORD Tech on the phone so quickly.... I reckon anytime that i've rung up Ford in general, i'm on hold for AGES....

Surely this will be investigated and the 'real' cause established...

As above has mentioned... it is amazing that SO many failures of the vehicle happened at once...
1. Couldn't operate brakes
2. Couldn't deactivate Cruise Control
3. Couldn't change gears from Drive into Neutral
4. Couldn't turn off car
Me thinks user error as well...

I'm sure it will come out in the wash... I also heard the 3AW interview... Maybe he's a distant cousin of that USA family with the weather balloon/floating kid drama.... /???

greens_tuf · 16-12-2009, 11:16 AM

I've heard about it before for Explorers in the States... He may have been trying to get some publicity and using this as an excuse, he might also be a weirdo but I'm pretty sure it has happened before...

4Vman · 16-12-2009, 11:17 AM

he dialed 13CHASE..

"hello thankyou for dialing Ford chase,
for cruise control failures dial 1
For brake failures dial 2
For locked gear selector dial 3
For all of the above dial 4.....
If you're stuck on a freeway with all of the above and need to speak with an operator please hold the line....."

JC260 · 16-12-2009, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brazen

Yeah yeah yeah Fords are perfect, must of been the driver, whatever.

If this was a Holden you would be yelling from the rooftops that a recall is needed and they are killing machines.

The brand of the car means jack. Even if it was a Holden (toyota, mitsu or whatever) it wouldn't matter and besides, do you seriously believe that this fairy's car had a catastrophic failure of the brakes, transmission and ignition all at once?

:

It's got more to do with his complete inability to handle the situation with some basic thinking.

AndrewR_AUII · 16-12-2009, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by My poor XF

The report says he removed the keys to no effect.

REMOVING the keys or just turning the ignition off ?

I am also sceptical on this one, what they are saying is a simultaneous multiple system failure:
a) Cruise control failure
b) Transmission (gear selector) jam
c) Brake Failure
d) Electrical system (ignition switch) failure.

Its either that or:
e) a Loose wheel nut

Look up Occam's razor to see in which direction I'm thinking...

It does raise the issue though of driver training - most people don't know how to deal with a stuck throttle, blown tyre etc etc.

Pinch · 16-12-2009, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pinch

Will check tonight, but pretty sure the Mini locks out manual over a certain RPM

Meant neutral. Most car makers now do this to avoid inadvertant engine damage by shifting to neutral accidently at speed. Most auto's also require the car to be in Park (or in some cases could be neutral as well) before allowing engine shut down.

Only solution would be the handbrake if the service brakes were not up to the task - burning them out after repeatedly trying to stop engine power delivering 100km/h is not impossible. And if its a Ford handbrake, see ya, wouldn't want to be ya. The handbrake on my BA XR6 wouldn't hold the thing on a 5% incline, let alone stop it from 100km/h with a 6 cyl trying to do the opposite.

Might be a tool, but might have some merit in the claims too.

Chopped · 16-12-2009, 12:06 PM

Wow listen to all the experts who would know what to do.

Toyota (US) have had massive issues with their vehicle's throttles becoming jammed, people have died and guess what the BRAKES DIDN'T WORK either.

"The problem received national attention in August 2009 when four family members travelling in a Lexus ES 350 soared off an embankment, rolled several times, and burned. All four of the occupants were killed, including Mark Saylor, an off-duty California Highway Patrol officer. Saylor called 911 right before the crash and frantically reported that the Lexus was accelerating uncontrollably and that the brakes were unresponsive. Eyewitnesses say the car topped speeds of 120 mph before it crashed."

"when the throttle is in the open position it requires a brake pedal force of 150 pounds to stop the vehicle, five times more than the 30 pounds required when the vehicle is operating normally."

Obviously it didn't happen because you guys said it can't.

MAD · 16-12-2009, 12:12 PM

I'm not passing judgement yet, but it does sound suss.

If it turns out that it was a cruise control failure and a list of "features*" that caused this problem, I certainly hope that ALL cars will have these "features" removed.

*Features include:-
1. Not being able to turn off the ignition while unless transmission is in Park
2. Not being able to move gear selector to Neutral while car is in motion

I would have thought that these were the most important fail-safe's of any cruise control system. If the cruise module itself does not respond to the 'cancel' instruction, no matter if its from the brakes or the cancel button, then what options are left?

Jack91 · 16-12-2009, 12:15 PM

I dont think any of us are saying throttles dont jam open, we are saying that the throttle, brake and clutch cruise disengage, entire ingition/electrical system, ALL brakes and full gearbox control is next to impossible to all fail at once. As has been said why did he wait till the last minute to jump on the brakes and reef the handbrake on, one would have thought he'd have done that BEFORE calling police, seconds after noticing the problem.

Jack91 · 16-12-2009, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MAD

I'm not passing judgement yet, but it does sound suss.

If it turns out that it was a cruise control failure and a list of "features*" that caused this problem, I certainly hope that ALL cars will have these "features" removed.

*Features include:-
1. Not being able to turn off the ignition while unless transmission is in Park
2. Not being able to move gear selector to Neutral while car is in motion

I would have thought that these were the most important fail-safe's of any cruise control system. If the cruise module itself does not respond to the 'cancel' instruction, no matter if its from the brakes or the cancel button, then what options are left?

Pushing harder on the brakes (even with dodgy brake disengage switch pushing harder can unstick it) or you can hold the SET- button in which reduces the speed of the car, hold it for long enough the car will come to a stop.