Runaway Ford Explorer - No mechanical faults

[GavL]

A police investigation into Melbourne's runaway cruise control vehicle is finished, but it hasn't provided the answers the terrified driver was looking for.

Chase Weir, 22, was given back his 2002 Ford Explorer this week after it was impounded at the end of his white-knuckle ride on December 15 down the EastLink freeway with the cruise control apparently locked in.

Police say mechanical experts in the force's major collision unit examined the car for several weeks but determined there was no need to investigate further.

One of the lead investigators in the incident, Detective Senior Constable Paul Baggott, said he was limited in what he could publicly say, but confirmed the case was now considered closed.

"There's no element of criminality," he said today. "There was damage that was consistent with the events of the day."

Mr Weir said he wasn't disappointed that the police told him they couldn't find a mechanical fault to blame for the terror ride.

"They tested everything and it appears OK, but that doesn't mean that it didn't happen," Mr Weir said.

"On that day, the car was in its own world."

Mr Weir has faced a storm of criticism since the ordeal, with some calling his tale of an out-of-control car a hoax.

But the driver says the police have backed up his claims by saying that it's not a criminal case.

"I'm happy they've come out and said that. Maybe now a few more people will believe it when they see that police believe nothing criminal has happened."

Officers have told Mr Weir they disconnected the car's battery during their testing procedures.

Mr Weir said he was worried that meant the car's so-called black box that records faults in the computer system, including errors in cruise control, had been wiped clean before police started testing it.

Ford Australia is hoping to gain access to the vehicle to perform its own round of testing as soon as possible.

But the car is now in the hands of Mr Weir's insurance company, which is refusing to hand it over until Ford agrees to provide it with a copy of all mechanical work and testing it will complete.

"I think it's up to Ford to give me the straight answer," Mr Weir said.

In a near-hysterical emergency call, Mr Weir told how his cruise control had become locked at 100km/h and slamming on the brakes only slowed it to 80km/h.

The gears were locked in drive and the ignition key wouldn't turn either, he said.

"Oh my God. Oh my God. I'm gonna die!" he screamed over the phone as he swerved into on-coming traffic.

The operator taking the call, Sgt Marnie Goldsmith, asked him to pull up hard on both the handbrake and the foot brake.

The car swerved to the right and came to a stop, ending a 30-minute and 54km journey.

The car model was part of Ford's largest ever recall for faulty cruise control devices but the company has denied the incident could be linked to the recall.

http://www.theage.com.au/national/no...ml?autostart=1

[jaydee]

Well then it must have been the gremlins.

Ford have had recalls for these before so there's obviously a problem. I don't doubt for one second the guy is telling the truth, he was fairly wetting himself.

I saw another video a few months ago with a Camry (I think it as a Camry from memory) doing the same thing in the US and when he ran out of road the driver and his 2 passengers were killed. The back seat passenger filmed it on his phone, in the end he filmed his own demise.

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by jaydee

Ford have had recalls for these before so there's obviously a problem.

Errm, no. The so-called Exploder cruise control recall was for rectifying a faulty switch in the system that could cause an in-dash fire, not causing the cruise control to lock on, not respond to commands and cause the systematic failure of 3 other completely unrelated vehicle systems.

And for this to have the gall to say

"I think it's up to Ford to give me the straight answer," Mr Weir said.

is outrageous.

[cosmo20btt]

Originally Posted by jaydee

I saw another video a few months ago with a Camry (I think it as a Camry from memory) doing the same thing in the US and when he ran out of road the driver and his 2 passengers were killed. The back seat passenger filmed it on his phone, in the end he filmed his own demise.

No offence to you but in the video clip did they set the cruise control to 220 kph or something like that as that just does not sound right.

[blueluvr]

I must have been living under a rock as this is the first time I have heard about it!

So he reckons the cruise was stuck on, the auto lever was stuck in drive, and the key wouldn't turn ??? yet he somehow managed to stop by using both the foot brake and the handbrake, and I'm assuming it was at this point that the key magically was able to be turned off, and the gear lever now became funcional once again. And after all that, the accident investigators (who are an exceptionally talented bunch) found nothing after weeks of tests.

Please......


Now can someone explain what he was doing on the wrong side of the road? Maybe the steering became autonomous too :

I might try that on next time I get pulled over. "not my fault officer, drive by wire did it, and the sound coming out of the speakers was the devil himself laughing at me"

[4Vman]

What a surprise...

[Swordsman88]

Would like to see what Ford find out of the ordinary when they get their hands on this car.....my bet: NOTHING.

[Melz]

Does mechanical mean electrical also?

[xdc351]

Ford didn't have a recall for brakes, cruise control, ignition, transmission and ECU failing simultaionsly!

This guy is a peanut and should be thankful that he didn't kill someone with his incompetence.

[GT290]

Originally Posted by xdc351

Ford didn't have a recall for brakes, cruise control, ignition, transmission and ECU failing simultaionsly!

This guy is a peanut and should be thankful that he didn't kill someone with his incompetence.

I second that! 30 minutes and had to be told to pull on hand break and put foot hard on brake! to many people like this on the roads I think.

[platinumXR]

Originally Posted by xdc351

Ford didn't have a recall for brakes, cruise control, ignition, transmission and ECU failing simultaionsly!

This guy is a peanut and should be thankful that he didn't kill someone with his incompetence.

Here here.

[tommyd]

This is the first step in the truth being revealed - this fella was and is talking bull$hit.

Not one part of his story made sense, especially so if you knew how these cruise systems work, particularly the multiple redundant safety systems. Can't wait for FOA's analysis...

If they couldn't find any fault with the car, I wonder why the cops aren't chasing costs from this moron?

[g220ba]

Never have and never will believe a word this idiot says. The media seem intent on somehow connecting this with a completely unrelated recall, why?

[Swordsman88]

Originally Posted by tommyd

This is the first step in the truth being revealed - this fella was and is talking bull$hit.

Not one part of his story made sense, especially so if you knew how these cruise systems work, particularly the multiple redundant safety systems. Can't wait for FOA's analysis...

If they couldn't find any fault with the car, I wonder why the cops aren't chasing costs from this moron?

Will look bad in the press im' sure. ALOT of people have a suspicion of technology...espeically cruise systems on cars. I have ladies in particualr telling me they feel 'out of control' with cruise systems on and often wonder what would happen if the system went crazy and '...i can't turn it off...'. I tell them the redudancies make this virtually impossible and you can always take it out of gear and then shut the car down. PLus the brakes will be able to overpower the car in virtually all situations (eventually).

If the cops charged this guy (and it would he hard to prove it since all they have done is demonstrate the car is not AT PRESENT defective...there was no one else in the car to say otherwise at the time....) there would be alot of 'armchair experts' who would take a dim view.

[Full Noise]

Originally Posted by tommyd

This is the first step in the truth being revealed - this fella was and is talking bull$hit.

Here’s my take on it

Metrosexual buys an Explorer, why?

Cruise control gets stuck on around the Burke Road exit on the Eastern Freeway. This is one of the longest uninterrupted stretches of freeway in Melbourne and without a doubt, the only place you could maintain 100 kph for 54 kilometres this close to the city without killing anyone at this time of day.

Panicking and ringing a Ford dealer to discuss the problem.

Failing to disengage ‘drive’ by pushing the shifter into neutral.

Failing to turn the ignition off by turning the key.

Ringing 000 and ‘panicking’ knowing full well there’s umpteen dozen live surveillance cameras capturing every ‘terrifying’ second.

Suddenly being able to stop the ‘runaway’ vehicle at the end of the freeway knowing that there would most likely be a camera crew there waiting for him, which there was. There was also a reporter from 3AW getting the audio as he was being assisted out of the vehicle by the paramedics. Funny that.

Then came the media appearances…
Nine news.
Seven news.
Ten news.
SBS news.
ABC news.
The 7:30 project.
Radio 3AW, again.
CNN, that’s right. This story even made CNN.
The BBC
A current affair, twice?

He certainly got his fifteen minutes of fame, didn’t he.

[Gaz]

"Officers have told Mr Weir they disconnected the car's battery during their testing procedures.

Mr Weir said he was worried that meant the car's so-called black box that records faults in the computer system, including errors in cruise control, had been wiped clean before police started testing it."


Sorry mate - not how it works. Ford invested good money so you couldn't clear your own faults by disconnecting the battery to ensure your business ;)

Wonder if the reason why it wouldn't go into neutral is because he wasn't pressing the selector button in? (not sure if you need to on explorers? or is it an ADR that you don't have to?).

Either way I hope the Insurance hand it over to ford... I'd think they would want to, if ford doesn't find anything they could reject the claim!

[UNR8D]

the guy is a twat, Im unsure as to why he wasnt charged because of the offence, if its proven that there is no mechanical fault its driver fault... driver fault = the guy is incapable of driving a motorvehicle and shouldnt be in charge of one untill retaught how to do so... though in his case he appears to be more daft than my dog.. and dogs cant drive.

[Airmon]

The gears were locked in drive and the ignition key wouldn't turn either, he said.

"Oh my God. Oh my God. I'm gonna die!" he screamed over the phone as he swerved into on-coming traffic.

Is this an explorer thing To lock the key/gearstick?
And why did he swerve onto the other side of the road??

[S3SR]

Originally Posted by Airmon

And why did he swerve onto the other side of the road??

take as many with him as possible??? he goes down they all come with him


the cruise control bit isnt hard to believe a friends AU Fairlane V8's cruise control sticks ON, the only way to get it off is to jam on the brakes very hard.... its no longer used anymore ....... next time i see him ill try and get some video footage of it just to show the sceptics.......

but for the guy to get as far as he did and onto the other side of the road...... comeon im pretty sure with all your body weight on the brakes that it would slow down more than the vehicle could accelerate away coming to a complete hault..... and in an auto its not even IMpossible to shove it straight into Park = INSTANT stop .... done that also (work car by accident)

[Swordsman88]

Originally Posted by S3SR

the cruise control bit isnt hard to believe a friends AU Fairlane V8's cruise control sticks ON, the only way to get it off is to jam on the brakes very hard.... its no longer used anymore ....... next time i see him ill try and get some video footage of it just to show the sceptics.......

)

Oh things like this can happen alrigth...but that is not the same thing as a total cruise 'failure' so bad the system refuses to disengage AND you are unable to stop/render the vehicle stationary. Two very different things.

As for the AU, well i suspect that the jammed on bit is to do with the RES button not turning it off. i.e. the RES button may be interittant....so it is possible for it to set the cruise but not turn it off later.

So, you can turn off the master switch, OR hit the brakes (brake circuit should kill it immediately....if it doesn't then brake sensor may be buggered which should render the system totally inactive. Though there have been cases of systems still working so....) which witih enough pressure will eventualy activate the master cylinder switch. This kills the cruise sytem too.

The number of members on here with 'dead' cruise systems because a minor part failed which renders the entire system dead is numerous. Car manufacturerrs wire them up that way on purpose to avoid this very problem in the first place. Often the brake master cylinder pressure sensor is the prime suspect...and that feature is only a back up!!! That is why just about anyone who has every installed/fixed/dealt with cruise systems in cars called BS on this one as soon as it happened. Too many safeguards and too many options to stop the car long before he had travelled 20k or whatever it was...

[Whitey Ford]

The "camry" that had this issue in the USA was a Lexus which had the gas pedal get stuck under the floormat. It was unfortunate for all involved as the driver correctly diagnosed that the accelerator was stuck to the floor but was not of sound mind enough to adjust the floormat that was causing the issue.

Originally Posted by S3SR

the cruise control bit isnt hard to believe a friends AU Fairlane V8's cruise control sticks ON, the only way to get it off is to jam on the brakes very hard.... its no longer used anymore ....... next time i see him ill try and get some video footage of it just to show the sceptics.......

That's because the switch under his brake pedal is faulty or needs adjusting. Your friend could do the following to disable his cruise control
- Touch the accelerator
- Set the cruise to 'coast'
- Switch off cruise control manually
- Engage neutral
- Switch off ignition

[silvergsvan]

Originally Posted by S3SR

the cruise control bit isnt hard to believe a friends AU Fairlane V8's cruise control sticks ON, the only way to get it off is to jam on the brakes very hard.... its no longer used anymore ....... next time i see him ill try and get some video footage of it just to show the sceptics.......

We've had that problem on both our ELs, there is a module under the brake pedal that requires replacement.

The kindest view I can take of this guy is that he simply panicked and couldn't help himself. I accept that he was genuinely scared and has no idea ewhat happened.

[xdc351]

Originally Posted by Airmon

Is this an explorer thing To lock the key/gearstick?
And why did he swerve onto the other side of the road??

Actually I saw a post somewhere where a guy took his 2002 auto explorer out, put the cruise control on and there is *nothing* factory that locks either the transmission or the ignition.

Its an ADR that all vehicles must be able to be placed into neutral at any time... so unless he has some freak, illegal grey import there is no excuse!

[Airmon]

Milk I've heard this happen a few times, mainly with car mats creeping under the pedal and jamming it open. This happened to a member on here, and if I recall correctly, he simply put his car into Neutral and pulled over.

Originally Posted by xdc351

Actually I saw a post somewhere where a guy took his 2002 auto explorer out, put the cruise control on and there is *nothing* factory that locks either the transmission or the ignition.

Its an ADR that all vehicles must be able to be placed into neutral at any time... so unless he has some freak, illegal grey import there is no excuse!

Well with that in mind I move my opinion to this bloke being a complete Wally. He probably panicked and just didn't think to try the gearstick or the key. Can't say I blame him for that, but to lie about it.

[GTpilot]

Originally Posted by Airmon

Milk I've heard this happen a few times, mainly with car mats creeping under the pedal and jamming it open. This happened to a member on here, and if I recall correctly, he simply put his car into Neutral and pulled over.


Well with that in mind I move my opinion to this bloke being a complete Wally. He probably panicked and just didn't think to try the gearstick or the key. Can't say I blame him for that, but to lie about it.

Bingo Airmon, you hit the nail on the head in one single word.
Why do people panick? Because they don't know what to do.
It never ceass to amaze me the number of people driving vehicles on the road that lack the basic knowledge of what to do in case of emergency.

Does it not scare you people, that here is one half witted metro sexual idiot driving a two tonne bohemouth, on our streets, without a single clue? I wonder how many times this "cough, cough....Bloke", has driven this thing on a dirt road, let alone a beaten track. how many more of these posing tossers are out there?
My other question is why the hell was he using cruise control on the eastern freeway in busy weekday traffic to begin with? I bet this is the kind of tool that drives down a well lit surburban street at night.....with his high beams on. :

Now I'm not sure with this thing originally being a yank tank,(perhaps some other explorer owning members can confirm) but wouldn't the fuse panel be accessable from the drivers seat??? open it up and start pulling fuses, one or some of them is bound to stop the car.

[xdc351]

Originally Posted by Airmon

Well with that in mind I move my opinion to this bloke being a complete Wally. He probably panicked and just didn't think to try the gearstick or the key. Can't say I blame him for that, but to lie about it.

Lol, thats the funniest bit... he was on the phone first to the Ford Customer Service Centre (just happened to have the number handy while he was "out of control") and after they suggested he turn it off and put it into neutral which apparently made "no difference".... though I'd love to know what his opinion of "no difference" is. He apparently hung up in disgust after the operator wanted to put him on hold... no doubt the rep wanted to question the mechanical design engineer specialising in American SUV's that Ford have hanging out in their customer service centre, just in case an out of control driver happens to call them instead of emergency services while driving into oblivion on the freeway.

After that he called 000 and they guided him for a further 30 minutes down the freeway before he pulled away from the police escort and in a fit of screaming "I'm gonna die" while driving across the median into oncoming traffic the cop on the phone helpfully suggested to hit the brakes and pull the hand brake at the same time.... which stopped the car.

Like I said earlier.. just a miracle this moron didn't kill an innocent driver with his semi-hysterical driving equivelant of dumb and dumber and the media should be ashamed of promoting this tool as some kind of victim.

[dannyhilton]

Originally Posted by xdc351

Lol, thats the funniest bit... he was on the phone first to the Ford Customer Service Centre (just happened to have the number handy while he was "out of control"

13FORD. I remember the number from numerous phone calls I've made to them. But surely, if he remembered the number he would know from previous experience they are as useless as tits on a bull! HAHA

[mik]

Originally Posted by Airmon

Milk I've heard this happen a few times, mainly with car mats creeping under the pedal and jamming it open. This happened to a member on here, and if I recall correctly, he simply put his car into Neutral and pulled over.


Well with that in mind I move my opinion to this bloke being a complete Wally. He probably panicked and just didn't think to try the gearstick or the key. Can't say I blame him for that, but to lie about it.

it does seem more likely that he made a mistake and panicked to me too.

[zetec]

Originally Posted by Airmon

Milk I've heard this happen a few times, mainly with car mats creeping under the pedal and jamming it open. This happened to a member on here, and if I recall correctly, he simply put his car into Neutral and pulled over.


Well with that in mind I move my opinion to this bloke being a complete Wally. He probably panicked and just didn't think to try the gearstick or the key. Can't say I blame him for that, but to lie about it.

Happened to me on an FG XR6 Turbo ute with BF mats (incorrect size).

WOT got stuck on a highway onramp....

Let's just say the carpet mat very suddenly disappeared from view....

[Silver Ghia]

Strange how he managed to stop the car (albeit on the wrong side of the road), as soon as the freeway fiinally ended after travelling the many kilometers along it (mostly very wide and open with hardly any traffic on it), in panic mode.

And then others that come out of the woodwork stating they have problems with their Ford cruise control locking on. If its faulty DONT USE IT AND GET IT FIXED. Silly people, and the media encourages it.