2004 Ford Explorer vehicle speed control problems

“ENGINE DIES WHEN DRIVING WITH CRUISE CONTROL OPERATING AND HEADING DOWN SLIGHT HILL AT SPEED OF AROUND 35 MPH. CRUISE IS DESIGNED TO MAINTAIN DRIVING SPEED GOING DOWN THE HILL (UP OR DOWN HILL FOR THAT MATTER). THE TACHOMETER INDICATES A SLOWING OF ENGINE RPM. AT HIGHER SPEEDS, THE SLOWING OF RPM DOES NOT FALL TOO LOW. HOWEVER, AT THE SLOWER SPEED AROUND 35MPH, THE RPM DROPS BELOW 500 RPM AND THE ENGINE STALLS. I LOSE POWER STEERING AND BREAKS. I HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME STEERING AND BREAKING. THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM ON A CURVE OR IF A RED LIGHT IS AHEAD. I CAN'T STEER THE CAR ON THE CURVE. I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO STOP THE CAR AT THE TRAFFIC LIGHT AND END UP IN AN INTERSECTION AND BE HIT BY VEHICLES WITH A GREEN LIGHT. I MAY HIT A CAR IN FRONT OF ME THAT HAS STOPPED AT A LIGHT OR STOP SIGN. I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO STOP FOR A PEDESTRIAN CROSSING AT THE INTERSECTION (WITH THE LIGHT). I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO AVOID A CHILD ... WHO DARTS INTO THE ROADWAY. THIS IS A PROBLEM FOR MANY OWNERS OF THE 2004 EXPLORER. THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT IT ON THE WEB. IT IS A PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN NOTED FOR YEARS. I COMPLAINED ABOUT IT TO DEALERS SEVERAL TIMES. DEALERS DISMISSED IT AS…”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE REVERSING, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN AND CRASHED INTO A CHEVROLET COBALT. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES, RESULTING IN THE CONTACT CRASHING INTO A TREE AND OTHER UNKNOWN VEHICLES. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 175,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. *TT VIN IS NOT VALID *JB”

“IN 2004 FORD EXPLORER WITH V8, THE CRUISE CONTROL TURNS OFF ENGINE WHEN TRAVELING 35~45 MPH AND GOING DOWN A HILL OR DECLINE. THIS AFFECTS POWER STEERING AND BRAKES MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL AND SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE. THIS HAS HAPPENED REPEATEDLY FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS, SO I AM USED TO THIS DEFECT. MY WORKAROUND IS TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL AND RESTART THE VEHICLE AND THEN CONTINUE.”

“I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE ABOUT 70MPH. I WAS IN THE FAR LEFT LANE. MY EXPLORER SUDDENLY LOST PRESSURE TRIED HITTING THE GAS PEDAL TO THE FLOOR, RPMS, STILL DROPPING, NO FUEL PRESSURE AT ALL. I WAS TRYING DESPERATELY TO GET OVER AT THE SAME TIME TRYING TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE SPEED OF THE OTHER VEHICLES AND IF I WAS GOING FAST ENOUGH TO MAKE IT OVER TWO LANES OF TRAFFIC. BY THE TIME I MADE IT OVER TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER I WAS LITERALLY GOING ABOUT 5MPH. IT WAS THE MOST INTENSE MOMENT IN MY LIFE, CAR, TRUCKS, TRACTOR TRAILERS MOVING AT 70+MPH DON'T SEE YOU UNTIL THEY ARE UP ON YOU. I HAVE RESEARCHED AND FORD HAS KNOWN ISSUES WITH THEIR THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY. INSTEAD OF TAKING CARE THE ISSUE THEY WAIT UNTIL SOMETHING CATASTROPHIC HAPPENS TO TAKE CARE OF IT. THIS UNACCEPTABLE THEY KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS PART AND THEY WAIT AND WAIT UNTIL SOME MAGICAL NUMBER OR LORD FORBIDS SOMEONE DIES TRYING TO GET OFF THE ROAD. YOU CALL THEM AND THEY TELL YOU "NO RECALLS ON YOUR VEHICLE AT THIS TIME KEEP YOUR RECEIPT IF YOU GET IT REPAIRED INCASE A RECALL OCCURS IN THE FUTURE" WHAT THIS MEANS IS, "THEY PROBABLY KNOW THERE IS AN ISSUE BUT ENOUGH PEOPLE HAVEN'T…”

“I HAVE ALREADY PUT A COMPLAINT IN ABOUT MY THROTTLE BODY ISSUE. THIS EVENING I WENT ABOUT A MILE AND A HALF, AND MY WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON AND MY TRUCK STARTED TO NOT TO BE ABLE TO MOVE. I PULLED OVER, TURNED IT OFF. WAITED A BIT AND RESTARTED IT. THIS TIME IT TOOK A BIT TO GET IT TO START UP. I THEN PROCEEDED TO GO BACK HOME BECAUSE OF HOW IT WAS ACTING A MILE AND A HALF AFTER DRIVING, NOT OFTEN TWO MINUTES LATER IT HAPPENS AGAIN, AND THE ENGINE STARTED CHUGGING, I COULDN'T MOVE, AND I ALMOST GOT REAR ENDED AGAIN! I THEN AGAIN TURNED IT OFF AND WAITED AND THEN STARTED THE TRUCK UP. IT TOOK SOMETIME ONCE AGAIN TO START. I FINALLY MADE IT BACK HOME IN TEARS. I WAS ABLE TO GET CODES OFF, SINCE I PICKED A UP A CODE RAFFIA FEW DAYS PRIOR. I GOT CODE P2104, P2111, AND P2112. THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. I WILL BE CALLING FORD TOMORROW!”

“I WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY GOING 60MPG, OUT OF NO WHERE MY FORD EXPLORER STOPS MOVING AND DECREASES IN SPEED FAST. AT THAT SAME TIME A WRENCH SYMBOL POPPED UP ON MY DASH. I ALMOST GOT REAR ENDED DUE TO THE SPEED DROPPING SO FAST, I COULD NOT PULL OVER FAST ENOUGH. ONCE PULLED OVER, I TURNOFF MY FORD FOR A FEW MINUTES. AFTER A FEW MINUTES I STARTED IT BACK UP. THE WRENCH SYMBOL WAS GONE, I WAS ABLE TO THEN ACCELERATE AND GET TO THE CORRECT SPEED FOR THE SPEED LIMIT. ONCE I GOT HOME I STOPPED AT MY LOCAL SHOP AND THEY SCANNED THE COMPUTER TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS MY THROTTLE BODY. I WAS NOT GIVING ANY CODES AND THE SHOP OWNER CLEARED THE CODES OUT OF THE SYSTEM. HE TOLD ME THAT IF IT COMES BACK HE DID SAY THAT IF IT COMES BACK I WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE MY THROTTLE BODY. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS I KNOW THERE ARE RECALLS THAT ARE BEING PETITION ON OTHER FORD VEHICLES AND I HAVE READ MANY COMPLAINTS ON OTHER WEBSITES IN REGARDS TO THIS ISSUE FORD SHOULD REALLY REPLACE THESE BECAUSE THEY CAN CAUSE A VERY HAZARDOUS ACCIDENT WHEN IT THE THROTTLE BODY STOPS PERFORMING. I HOPE THIS CAN BE LOOKED INTO AND CORRECTED IN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME I KNOW…”