2003 Ford F-150: adaptive cruise control problems

Filed Jun 15, 2017 · Acceleration, Airbags · NM

Horn cruise control not working started when driving down the road in town

Filed May 12, 2014 · Acceleration · 143,000 miles · IN

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford f150. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH with the cruise control activated, the vehicle accelerated without warning. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the failure was unable to be diagnosed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure and current mileage was 143,000.

Filed Oct 17, 2012 · Acceleration · 270,000 miles · AR · fire

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford f-150. The contact stated that according to the fire department the cruise control malfunctioned causing a short and the vehicle was completely burned. No injuries were reported. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure who filed a complaint and stated that they would contact him at a later date. The vehicle was destroyed. The failure and current mileage was 270,000.

Filed Mar 8, 2011 · Acceleration, Engine · 82,400 miles · NC

The vehicle began accelerating on its own (> 75 MPH). Cruise control was not on. The break was effective at mitigating increasing speed until the vehicle could be stopped safely on the side of hwy 85s. Distance traveled with uncontrollable acceleration was approximately 2.5 miles. Prior to stopping and turning the engine off, an attempt to put the engine in neutral while speeding was fruitless -- the engine raced to maximum RPM when put in neutral. For fear I would blow the engine, I put the transmission back into "drive" and continued tamping on my breaks to control my speed. Heavy breaking was utilized once I was in safe place to pull off the road and turn off the engine. I attempted to re-start the engine multiple times, each time with the same result - - the engine red-lined at maximum rpms. I contacted aaa for roadside service. The truck was towed to a raleigh ford dealer. The ford dealer started the vehicle and the engine red-lined at maximum rpms. They turned the engine off and inspected the engine. They found a plastic cover for the throttle assembly had come loose and lodged itself in such a way as to put tension on the throttle cable/lever. A safety clip that holds the cover in place was missing. They re-secured the cover with a different type of safety connector, and then re-started the vehicle. The vehicle's engine was normal. The ford dealer representative indicated he had seen this before on a mustang, but not of f-150. The ford dealer representative tried to down-play the significance of the incident -- as if it was "no big deal". They did not open a service work order to document the issue or repair. The told me there was "no charge" for the service.

Filed Aug 16, 2010 · Acceleration · 88,000 miles · FL · fire

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 ford f150 pickup. The contact stated the vehicle was parked with the engine off when it caught on fire. The contact had parked the vehicle five minutes prior to the failure. The fire department was called to assist and advised that the fire originated from the cruise control mechanism. A fire department report was available. The contact stated that part of the utility building, the carport that the vehicle was parked in, all of its contents and the vehicle was destroyed. The failure and current mileages were 88,000. Updated 11/15/10. *lj updated 11/19/10.*lj updated 11/26/10

Filed Jul 22, 2008 · Acceleration · SC

1.cruise control use. 2.occurs intermittantly while driving. 3. Ford refused. My symptom, model, and year of vehicle is included on ford recall update of 6/26/08 as fire hazard but because my VIN is not listed ford refuses even to examine my vehicle under the recall. Http://www.ford.com/dynamic/metatags/article-detail/223_important_notice_voluntary_recall_update.

Filed Oct 30, 2007 · Acceleration · OR

I received a notice in the mail that my vehicle has a recall on part of the cruise control mechanism. This can cause an under the hood fire and needs a replacement part/fuse installed. The part will not be in until march 2008!

Filed Aug 5, 2007 · Acceleration · 41,600 miles · WI

Faulty cruise control on 2003 ford f150. Situation: driving at steady state; press cruise-control 'on' switch; horn chirps; cruise control engages with-out pressing the 'set' button and begins to accelerate vehicle. Brake pedal de-activation switch dis-engages cruise control only temporarily. Cruise control re-activates on it's own when foot is removed from brake pedal, and begins to accelerate again. The 'off' switch on the steering wheel successfully disengages the cruise control. This problem first occurred ~march 2007, but was unable to duplicate at the dealer. Problem re-surfaced on 8/5/07, and seems to be consistent now. No accident occurred, but the potential is there. No parts have been replaced at this point; no repair has been done.

Filed Aug 1, 2007 · Airbags · 80,000 miles · OR · crash · 2 injuries

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 ford f-150. While driving 55 MPH with the cruise control activated, the contact was involved in a crash. The air bags failed to deploy. Ford agreed to test his air bags to determine if they were defective. The contacts wife sustained muscle trauma and bruising to her back, neck, sternum, and legs from the seat belts and impact of the crash. She also suffered hemorrhaging striking her legs below the instrument panel. The vehicle was destroyed. The doors and the entire front end of the vehicle were damaged and the engine was knocked completely off the motor mount. A police report was filed. The current and failure mileages were 80,000. The consumer provided multiple pictures of the vehicle. The consumer stated the manufacturer is investigation why the air bags did not deploy and test them at their own expense. The consumer stated wife received a phone call the would test the air bags but had to have the vehicle towed at their expense to a location and the consumer further stated is still waiting to hear from the manufacturer. Updated 08/23/07

Filed Oct 11, 2006 · Acceleration · TX

10/10/06 7:20 pm I was sitting at a red light with my daughter in my ford f150 2003 truck, when it began sudden acceleration. I placed both feet on the brake, and pushed the brake down as far as it would go to try and hold the truck in place. I could feel the brake pedal jumping under my feet as the truck was trying to move forward. I didn't think the brakes were going to hold the truck in place. I could hear the trucks motor racing louder and louder from inside the cab with all the windows up. The trucks RPM registered a 5. Keeping both feet on the brake I put the truck in park and turned the engine off. I feel very lucky no one was injured. I called the ford house in the nearest town and reported the incident to see if they could fix the problem. They advised me they have never had a report of this nature regarding ford vehicles. I have since done research regarding this matter and their vehicles appear to be in litigation in which ford has been required to disclose documents that reveal the breadth of the problem. (defects in the design of the electronic speed control ("cruise control"). "the report I read states almost no ford vehicle is exempt!" in addition there are prior consumer complaints with the 2003 ford f150 in regards to the same experience that I had. I do not know if this is the problem with my truck, but the experiences appear to be the same. I plan to follow up by taking my truck to the ford house I called with my complaint along with copies of the report I found, "ford: sudden unintended acceleration & stuck throttles, and recent filed consumer complaints. Hopeful someone will listen.

Filed Jul 21, 2005 · Electrical · 34,000 miles · FL · fire

My ford f150 truck caught fire today while parked outside a residential house. The fire department came and extinguished the fire. The truck is undrivable and will be towed tomorrow. The fire was from a faulty cruise control device.

Filed Jan 30, 2005 · Acceleration · 26,000 miles · TX

In light of the recall of the 2000 model of the ford f-150 pickups for engine fires associated with the cruise control switch, I would like to ask that the federal safety agency and ford to look at a possible simular problem with the 2003 model of f-150's. A few months ago I had my cruise control on and after about 15 min the brake light illuminated in the dash cluster. When I disengaged the cruise control with the off button the light went out. I had the ford dealership in conroe check it out and they could not duplicate it or find a problem. Now I am very concern that my f-150 may also catch on fire like the 2000 yr models.