Throttle sticking and scary

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2002 Ford Ranger Edge 3.0L 75k

Ok so another issue has risen with this truck.

About a week ago I was driving to work and when pulling on to the off ramp I started applying the brake for the yield sign ahead and noticed that the truck was fighting me to slow down. The Rpms stayed at a hair just above 2k but the speed was dropping just not the rpms and with a car rear end quickly approaching the front, I panicked and slammed the brakes. I felt a sharp jerk in the truck and everything returned to normal and the crisis was averted. My mechanic just recently replaced a bad MAF sensor and I replaced a cruddy IAC a couple days later. I DID NOT perform an idle relearn procedure....so im wondering if that may have something to do with the throttle issue? It is not constant in the sense that it does it every time I drive it,but it is becoming more common up to this point.

I did look over the throttle cable and did not see anything gunked up or restricting the cable. TPS maybe? I also replaced this about five months or so ago when the original failed. I replaced it with autozone duralast brand.
 
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what brand IAC valve did you use?


I had as similar issue with my f250 a few years ago when i replaced it with an aftermarket valve i noticed the RPMs were slow to come down to idle and would sometimes stay above 1000 rpms.

I replaced it again with a motorcraft IAC and never had an issue with it after that.
 
It was duralast brand. When I first start the truck cold, the rpms will go up to 2-2300 and then instantly drop back down to 1k and over a few minutes will settle down to 6-700. It seems to be working properly.
 
Check for the floor mat or anything else catching on the gas pedal.

You may want to just replace the throttle cable they're usually not expensive.
 
My 2011 3.5 ecoboost truck does something really odd every once in a while. It adds a bunch of throttle, when stopped at a light, with the brake pedal pressed.

It started groaning and moving forward one day, I immediately looked at my foot to make sure I was not on the gas, and I wasn't. RPM's went up to about 1700 or so, and I had to hold the brake with all my strength. Shut it off, re-started and all was well.

I've experienced this a few times now.
 
You'd think with the millions of cars having electronic throttles for over 30 years now, runaway engines would be more common. But I understand there are redundant safety systems built in to make that nearly impossible.
 
I'd do an idle relearn. The evos have the same problem and that's usually the fastest/easiest fix if the issue isn't mechanical.
 
What did your mechanic say when you consulted him? Surely he wouldn't want one of his customers to get into an accident???

Maybe he would want to do some diagnostics, relearn, or inspect the throttle cable and floor mats?
 
Originally Posted by bubbatime
What did your mechanic say when you consulted him? Surely he wouldn't want one of his customers to get into an accident???

Maybe he would want to do some diagnostics, relearn, or inspect the throttle cable and floor mats?


Haven't told him yet as I am troubleshooting myself for now.
 
we select a particular gear as a means of controlling road speed. If engine speed will not change you can use a different cog to change road speed.
in the event that you cant change gear, clutch or neutral or both can help.
swithching of the ignition can help.

dedicated circuits with switches on the dash can help - kill the fuel pump at the flick of a switch, or flick the battery isolator over with easy access and good visibility.

the trouble is thinking clearly in a moment of panic - best thing to do is just stay calm and consider your options.
 
The idle relearn had no effect on the throttle issue. Next is a new motorcraft TSP. I did take the cover off the throttle body and checked the cable and it looks brand new. no gunk nothing. I ordered a motorcraft TSP($25) from rockauto this morning.

I checked the floor mats and the pedal itself leading up into the dash area and there was no obstruction what so ever. I couldn't find anywhere where the cable would've been hanging up.
 
The only way the engine can develop power is for the throttle plate to let air in.

A sensor fault won't do this.

The throttle cable can get sticky inside. You can look at the outside all day.
 
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Talk to a toyota dealer, they have tons of experience in the field for sticking throttles. Dont just settle for a new set of floor mats.
 
I stopped and helped a family once on the side of the interstate who were driving an old for ranger pretty close to your year model. It turns out the throttle cable was sticking, though I cannot remember on what, and once I freed it from its stuck position, they were on their way.

Check your throttle cable and any possible slack it may have under deceleration conditions. Dollar's gotcha donuts it's catching something somehow.
 
We have throttle cables bind on our fleet which is basically 2001 explorers. I'd bet the part shares manufacturer being of the same era. Some are obvious and chaffed on the cable housing but many are not. Usually act up in the cold, which makes me believe it could have to do with moisture in the cable housing but I've never cut one open to really see what the cause was.

Also had rags or foreign objects stuck in the throttle plate from recent service (mistakes). May be worth your 2 minutes to pull the top of the air filter housing and air intake tube to ensure nothing is in. there.

I agree that the TPS is going to have no effect unless it is binding the throttle plate open, which I can't see being possible.

Fords of this era like to stick closed as well due to a dirty throttle body but I don't think this would be your issue.
 
Well guys I think I found the problem. In my earlier post I said I checked the floor mats....well I did and noticed nothing. As I jumped in the truck to head home from work I decided to look again and I found a huge piece of foam type mat right behind the foot pedal. I don't know how exactly this would cause the throttle to stick but I decided to cut it away and see if it made a difference. It seems to have made all the difference! All the way home(54 miles) with five or six stops it did not do it once. Hoping that got it.

I guess I'll be putting a new tps sensor on anyway.
 
Stuck throttle... that could be a bad situation. Don't let your family drive it till you figure it out. Bad deal
 
Originally Posted by 1978elcamino
Talk to a toyota dealer, they have tons of experience in the field for sticking throttles. Dont just settle for a new set of floor mats.

I got the pleasure of talking to a lady that her Camry took off on interstate. Not fun trying to calm someone down on the phone going 100 mph with police escort. After we got car she refused any work and only wanted a new one.
 
Please don't say that she was able to negotiate using her phone to call the police at 100 MPH but was unable to decipher turning off the ignition key or otherwise turning off the car. I don't have one, but don't you just hold down the start button to kill the engine?

Or put the gear selector in neutral... or park.
 
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