2003 Ford Taurus vehicle speed control problems

“At times the vehicle accelerates by itself albeit I am not touching the gas pedal. While driving the vehicle at 45 mph, I take my foot off of the accelerator and the vehicle maintains the 45 mph speed or increases speed if I am driving down a hill or any downward gradient regardless of the angle of decent. When I try to stop the vehicle using the foot brake it continues to maintain speed and if I put the shift lever in neutral, while trying to stop, the RPM's increase from approximately 1500 rpm's to 3200 rpm's until the vehicle comes to a complete stop, and then, only after approximately five seconds do the RPM's begin to drop to 1000 rpm's. If I am driving the vehicle with cruise control and cancel the cruise control, the vehicle maintains the cruise control speed indefinitely, literally for miles thereafter. I wanted to give this vehicle to my daughter who has multiple sclerosis but it's too dangerous for her to drive with this acceleration problem. Do you have any recommendations for me???”

“WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, IF I RELEASE THE GAS PEDAL, THE VEHICLE WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE IN SPEED. WHEN I AM COMPLETELY STOPPED AT STOP SIGN OR STOP LIGHT, I HAVE TO PRESSED ON THE BRAKES REALLY HARD TO KEEP THE VEHICLE FROM SURGING FORWARD”

“THE ACCELERATOR CABLE GETS STUCK. WHICH CAUSES THE CAR TO REV AT 2000 RPMS EVEN WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE CAR IS TRYING TO TAKE OFF WHEN WAITING AT A RED LIGHT OR IN MOTION.”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD TAURUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE THROTTLE CONTROL CABLE BECAME STUCK. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE DRIVER PLACED EXCESSIVE PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT ASSISTED THE DRIVER WITH RELEASING THE STUCK CABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED. THE CONTACT CALLED AVIS FORD INC AT 248-355-7500 (29200 TELEGRAPH RD, SOUTHFIELD, MICHIGAN 48034) AND WAS INFORMED THAT AN UNKNOWN RECALL REPAIR WAS PREVIOUSLY PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE AND WOULD NOT BE DONE AGAIN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 115,000.”

“DRIVING IN INTERMITTENT RAIN SHOWERS AT 60-70MPH I HAD THE ENGINE CUT OUT AND DROPPED OUT OF CRUISE CONTROL. SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER BOUNCING UP AND DOWN. THEFT AND ENGINE LIGHT WERE FLASHING ON AND OFF AT THE SAME TIME AS ENGINE WAS STALLING. THEN THE ENGINE REENGAGED AT 50-55 MPH AND CONTINUED ON NOW RESPONSIVE TO GAS PEDAL AND ACCELERATION. THIS REPEATED 5 - 8X IN THE SPAN OF 15 MILES AND SEVERAL TIMES PULLING OVER. WEATHER CLEARED AND DROVE ANOTHER 100 MILES WITH NO EVENTS. NEXT MORNING DRIVING KIDS TO SCHOOL AFTER 10 MINUTES OF RUNNING 25-40MPH THE SAME PROBLEM RECURRED BUT ENGINE DID NOT RECOVER AND COMPLETELY STALLED 3X IN 1 MILE. RESTARTED IMMEDIATELY EACH TIME. READING THROUGH POTENTIAL CAUSES THERE WERE NO LESS THAN 30 OTHER INDIVIDUALS DESCRIBING THE EXACT SAME ISSUE. THEFT LIGHT ON AND ENGINE STALLING WHILE DRIVING. VARIOUS SOLUTIONS PROPOSED FROM ELECTRICAL GROUNDS, BATTERY, ALTERNATOR, FUSE. MEGA FUSE, DPFE (DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE FUEL EXHAUST?) SENSOR, EGR (EXHAUST GAS RECIRCULATION) SYSTEM, PCM, ICR, AND SEVERAL OTHERS. NOT SURE WHICH IT MIGHT BE. GIVEN THERE ARE SO MANY AND THAT IT OCCURS IN POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATIONS - AT HIGH SPEED…”

“I WAS DRIVING AND THE CAR REVVED THE ENGINE WHICH MADE IT FEEL LIKE THE CAR WAS GOING TO TAKE OFF.THE CAR DID JERK FORWARD. AND ANOTHER TIME, I WAS AT A STOP LIGHT AND THE CAR REVVED LIKE IT WAS TRYING TO GO, EVEN THOUGH THE BRAKE WAS BEING HELD DOWN. THE GRAY CAP THAT HOLDS THE THROTTLE CABLE IN HAS BROKEN ON ONE SIDE AND THE CABLE IS SLIPPING OUT. IS THIS A RECALL PART?”