2012 Focus random acceleration - very scary!

[Northbound]

I had not one, but 3 instances of random acceleration with my 2012 Ford Focus happen to me yesterday while driving home. Each time was driving on an 80km/hr road using cruise control set at 80km/hr and approaching an intersection. I would tap on the brakes to disengage the cruise control and let the car drift as I was approaching the intersection. As I approached the intersection I applied brakes normally until I slowed to a stop at the intersection.

Just as the car stopped, the engine rev would jump to about 4000rpm and the Focus would attempt to jump into the intersection. I had to stand on the brakes with all my might to stop the car from leaping ahead. The engine continued to rev while I stood on the brakes until I put the transmission in Park and which point the engine revs dropped to idle. The third time it happened the passenger compartment filled with the smell of something burning badly.

Once I got home and shut down the engine and restarted, the problem appeared to go away.

Has this happened to anyone else? It was extremely scary and dangerous and I hesitate to let my wife or son drive the car now as I'm afraid this problem may come back at any time.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[Sponsor]

[Indy'sexclusiveZx3]

Bad clutches in your trans take it to the dealer

[valmundo]

I think its because you drive a 1012 Focus...That's a really old car! LOL.

[pjart]

Exact same thing happened to me on my birthday (luck). Revved up to 4500 rpm in Cruze Control and lurched and didn't want to stop revving. To Ford dealer and they said no problem after they looked it up in OASIS (some computer service program). Computer said no prob so they did too.

[erato]

You have a Cruze control in your Focus?

No wonder things go astray.

[chaimav]

This is a safety issue and should be reported https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/index.cfm or whatever the Canadian equivilent is

[suss6052]

Originally Posted by pjart

Exact same thing happened to me on my birthday (luck). Revved up to 4500 rpm in Cruze Control and lurched and didn't want to stop revving. To Ford dealer and they said no problem after they looked it up in OASIS (some computer service program). Computer said no prob so they did too.

OASIS is Fords database for warranty tracking and vehicle identification, its tied into the service documentation and records. If the car recorded no unusual spikes in activity or if the short term memory isn't long enough to document the issue except in the event of a crash and it doesn't record a DTC there wasn't much they could go on.

Most cases of unexpected/ unintended acceleration stem not from the car however so that also tends to make it less believable when brought up as a service item.

However the brakes should always easily overpower the engine so long as you don't panic and start pumping them and destroy the reserved engine vacuum by using it up in a panic. If something does happen shift to neutral and push the brake pedal down firmly until the car comes to a complete stop.

Or alternatively with the brake over accelerator feature depress the gas at the same time as the brakes and the car should kill the throttle when the brake is firmly applied at the same time. If not then something is wrong with the car.

[Elizabeth]

I use cruise all the time. I would never leave the system in cruise to come to a stop!!
Yeah if you just tap on the brakes in traffic.. and then resume. but a complete stop is over abuse of the cruise system IMO.
Maybe i am just less trusting of a cruise control system, but really.. a complete stop while the cruise is engaged is asking for trouble.

[dan50]

Originally Posted by Elizabeth

I use cruise all the time. I would never leave the system in cruise to come to a stop!!
Yeah if you just tap on the brakes in traffic.. and then resume. but a complete stop is over abuse of the cruise system IMO.
Maybe i am just less trusting of a cruise control system, but really.. a complete stop while the cruise is engaged is asking for trouble.

Cruise control is supposed to cancel as soon as your foot touches the brake pedal. Doesn't yours? This in no way should constitute abuse of the cruise control system.

[Kabigon]

Originally Posted by Elizabeth

I use cruise all the time. I would never leave the system in cruise to come to a stop!!
Yeah if you just tap on the brakes in traffic.. and then resume. but a complete stop is over abuse of the cruise system IMO.
Maybe i am just less trusting of a cruise control system, but really.. a complete stop while the cruise is engaged is asking for trouble.

Cruise control will not engage below a certain speed threshold (or shouldn't anyway).
If it does, that would constitute a serious safety issue.