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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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!

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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)

[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.

[ZDI-970]

good to see im not the only one who doesnt believe him!

[SSD-85]

I know this is difficult to prove, But honestly it seems to me that various media are hell bent on making Ford look bad in the public eye. It makes me sick. Especially since the brake recall for VE's flew quietly under the radar. Usually when something similiar in topic happens soon after a particular event, the media keep the ball rolling. Holden must be exempt from this...

[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"

[Mr Hardware]

Mr Weir... more like Mr Weird...

[pottery beige]

He sound's like the same sort of nitwit that would go flying through a shopfront/ cafe/ crowd of people etc.. "Oh my god the car just took off and i couldn't stop it!!.." yes that was the go pedal you just stomped on and stayed stomped on nitwit!!..

[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!

[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...

[mik]

perhaps there is another possibility, probably a 100,000 to one chance but these things happen, one of my trucky mate was cruiseing down the freeway one night in his bronco as he usually did, he gave it some curry to get position for the off ramp,when he took his foot off the throttle it stayed flat to the boards, the 351 resisted all attempts to pull it up, he said at this stage it was time for clean underwear, but he kept a cool head moved to the emergency lane and switched off the ignition to acc it came to a gentle stop, upon investigation a pea size pebble had bounced up from the road somehow and landed between the throttle linkage and carburetor , he could`nt believe it, the chances of this happening would be miniscule, he removed it and all was well.

[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.

[blueluvr]

Maybe Mr Weir, is really just a new incarnation of the legendary if not fictional Mr Grazinski

[Copie]

The driver was full of crap, he only did it i think to get his 15min of fame, and to make a few bucks out of it.

[gtxb67]

Chk-Chk Boom