2000 Ford Explorer Sport: adaptive cruise control problems

Filed Apr 3, 2012 · Acceleration, Transmission · 136,998 miles · OH

This was a terrible event... My car was aimed down my 300 ft driveway. I don't believe at that point or if it was stuck I didn't know the accelerator was stuck but I soon realized something was wrong. As I headed to new albany high school for water class the explorer went faster and faster on rt 161... The clutch would not allow a down shift at all after the first time or two... I may have blown it out... The SUV went faster and faster and in 3rd gear it was revving so hard... When I could I pulled into a parking lot and turned the engine off... I let it cool and attempted to start the explorer but it would have red warning lights when I started it in neutral as it revved so high... I pushed it into gear and when I got to the two red lights I turned the key off... Once I stopped in the intersection and about 8 cars were honking at me. I had to deal with five traffic intersections. When I got home I turned the key off and fought the wheel to get turned into the downswing of my driveway... I raced around my house to face out and turned off the key... The explorer was smoking and "laid rubber" and tore out grass in my house... It almost skidded into my pond. I think the clutch is burned out and the brake ABS light was on as I had to brake all the way home... I tried to disengage the cruise control if that was it during my terror ride but it had no effect... The brakes could not stop the speeding vehicle, the gears were locked while the speed accelerated so there was no downshifting, the pedal was pushed to the floor and would not change speed when I pulled it up with my hand or toe of my shoe...

Filed Dec 22, 2006 · Acceleration · 83,237 miles · FL · fire

My car break lights were not working. I just so happenned to tell my uncle and he got worried since I have a 1 year old. We went to a car shop to go fix it. They told me it was simply the break fuse. When they went to replace the fuse, the car started smoking to the point where I could not even see. I thought the car was going to explode so I took my son and started running. Everyone in the parking lot started running also. They lifted the hood, and noticed that the brake cut off switch for cruise control was burning and he put it out. This has been a huge recall for many other years for ford, but not for mine. Now ford wants to charge me because my vehicles year is not included in the recall. This is a manufacturer error and it is wrong for me to have to pay for this myself. If my son and I would have died, ford would be looking at a major lawsuit. I am willing to take this as far as I have to because I honestly believe ford is trying to get away with this. This was a very frightening incidence.

Filed Mar 28, 2005 · Acceleration · VA · fire · 1 injury

On easter sunday march 27 2005, my family (3 young boys and my wife) left my moms house at about 10:20 am to head to church, my wife was driving, and as we got out onto the main highway road route 360 hull st. My wife set on the cruise control and about 60. Speed limit is 55 after about 20 seconds she needed to take off the cruise due to another car upcoming, when she went to get off the cruise it would not come out of cruise control and the speed went back up to like 80...at this point my wife and I tried to press on brakes, and press the off buttons, and nothing.... We could not stop!!!! I finally told my wife to put both off her feet as hard as they could on the brakes.... The car finally got down to about 30 and we got over on the shoulder, and I quickly jerked it into neutral, and we stopped....as I got out, the freakin tires were on fire!!!!! Seriously flames were coming out of the brakes and tires....oh did I mention we had 3 young children in the vehicle..... Come to find out the cruise switch got stuck....thank the good lord jesus we were on a stretch of road with no stop lights or heavy traffic.... 2000 ford explorer sport ford sucks!!!! Could have killed myself and my whole family.

Filed Mar 8, 2005 · Acceleration · MI · fire

About three years ago my garage burned to the ground.a police investigation found a hot spot where my 2000 explorer was parked but had no reasonable cause for the fire.the same cruise control switch on on other models has been recalled but for some reason I didn`t get one for this vehicle.I can find out the exact dates but at this time the dates are estimated.

Filed Oct 25, 2001 · Acceleration, Suspension · PA

Vehicle accelerates on its own, this has happened 3 times, twice with cruise control activated. Consumer thinks it may have to do with the recall on powertrain calibration that was done in april. Prior to recall repairs vehicle did not have this problem. Vehicle taken to dealer 3 times, could not find a problem.*ak customer states that there was a squeaking noise in the right front wheel intermittently at low speeds. The vehicle had an accident due to the surging, there were no injuries.