Hey Jim, have you ever heard of this problem?

Question

since we purchased this vehicle new (in May 2001), during the hottest summer days, it seems to have a severe hesitation when trying to take off, or merge into traffic. if you do a google search, i'll bet you'll find me posting in here about this problem back in 2001 or 2002. well the dealers i've taken it to have done all (or said they've done all) of the tsb's available and it has not helped. this summer, about 3-4 weeks ago, i felt the hesitation again. when i asked my wife how long it had been doing this she said; "it never stopped," i asked her why she hadn't told me before and .....well nevermind, needless to say, i'm having a hard time getting the dealer to duplicate the problem.

the best way i can describe it is: on a real hot day (98 or above) when you place it in drive (i don't recall it ever happening in reverse), it just will not go...i mean it is rolling forward slowly, but the engine is not responding the the accelerator pedal being mashed to the ground. (no rpm's, no vibration, nothing) finally after about 2-4 seconds it takes off. i don't know what else to do. right now the dealer has a "vehicle black box" attached to it, and we're supposed to press a button whenever the problem occurs again. this computer/black box will take a picture of the computer codes, 30 seconds before and after the event.

what do you think?

robert

Jim Warman · Accepted Answer

Seems to me that I've seen similar posts to your citing a lack of throttle response when temps are hot.... a hot day where I live is 80°F (this is about my melting temp and I don't know how you guys can live in an oven...). Naturally, I haven't experienced this nor heard of any locals having the trouble since our climates sound quite disparate.

Checking driveability concerns TSBs from my end didn't reveal anything that stuck out. When the problem occurs, does the motor give any indication that conditions have changed.... starts to run rough, 'coughs' or another symptom or is it just as if the throttle hadn't yet been depressed? My first guess would be something affecting fuel delivery to the cylinders but we need to know exactly what happens when the throttle is depressed.... I can't see it being air delivery since we haven't seen "fly by wire" on the gas motors yet.

Hopefully, the VDR (Vehicle Data Recorder) will give your tech something he can work with... when you think it's going to happen, be sure to have the "pen" in your hand and push the button as soon as you feel it.... it is the info prior to and during the 'event' that is important. The setup on the VDR is equally important, if the tech has selected too many PIDs (Parameter Indicator Data), we can lose the information to extended scan times (the more PIDs we monitor, the longer it takes the VDR to go through the list meaning that brief events can be lost between scans).

Let us know what your tech finds....

-- Jim Warman snipped-for-privacy@telusplanet.net

wth · Answer

Had a '98 4L V6 mountianeer that would do just about the same thing, warm with a/c on pull up to a stop sign and then about 4-6 times a year you would step on the gas and nothing.....even a couple of times it would die. That was a big problem when you pull out into an intersection and it dies with an

18 wheeler comming at you at 60 mph (happened to me once up in northern minn). Had to shift into n, restart the motor, put in drive, and get out of the way. Last thing the dealer did was replace the fuel pump. Then never had the problem the next summer and then traded it in. Make sure the dealer/ford replace the pump...and have ford pay the bill, or explain to the dealer his cost of a lawsuit. wth

Bob · Answer

well my wife experienced the event twice on Tuesday (29th), pushed the button, the "pen" beeped but the number on it did not change. when it did it the second time, she pushed the button again, and once more with the beep and no number change. took it to the dealer that afternoon, and they said it didn't record anything.

to answer a few of your questions Jim...when the hesitation occurs, the engine won't do anything...the vehicle is moving forward alright, but the rpm's will not rev, and there is NO response from the truck at all. what's weird is there are no indications that it wants to turn off, or any shaking at all. it just keeps rolling for about 2-3 seconds before it "coughs" a little and then takes off. the dealer has had it since last wednesday, and the service manager himself has been driving it everyday...as of this morning, no luck on duplicating the "event." i'm getting pretty disappointed in this Expy. i wish they'd just find the problem. what's worse is; they probably don't believe me.

bob

SASCHOCH · Answer

Bob:I wonder if this occurance is similar to reports in the past about thetransmission NOT downshifting?  You hit the gas after a stop and it seems thatnothing happens? I believe that the thought at the time was that the trannystuck in hi gear+OD and just  seemed to sit there.-steve

Sy Cohen · Answer

I have a 2003, so I don't know if my experience is relevent.  After about4 - 5K miles I noticed that the engine wanted to stall when I started it inthe morning.  Outside temp didn't seem to matter. The system was acting likean engine with a carb. with a misajusted choke.  I needed to go in forservice anyway, so I reported the problem to the service manager at my localFord dealer.  They did all of the service stuff and then told me that therewas a bulletin and the computer needed to be reprogramed.  This took about20 minutes.  After that the problem totally disappeared.  Not only that, thewhole range of shift patterns while driving changed for the better - no morehunting between OD on and OD off going up hills.  The tranny is now sosmooth, you would think that there is a little man inside "just doing theright thing".Sy Cohen

Hey Jim, have you ever heard of this problem?

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