Investigations
ACCELERATOR PEDAL SENSOR (ETC)
NHTSA Engineering Analysis EA04006 - closed, opened 2004-02-23 and involving the FORD FORD.
NHTSA investigation EA04006 is a Engineering Analysis opened on 2004-02-23 and currently closed. The subject of record is FORD FORD, which places this file inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue for FORD. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2005-02-10 - NHTSA updates that field whenever an Information Request goes out, a supplement is filed, or a status change is recorded in the public docket.
An Engineering Analysis like EA04006 is the deeper technical phase that follows a PE. NHTSA requests design, warranty, and field-failure data from the manufacturer, conducts its own testing when needed, and determines whether the evidence supports a safety defect finding that would compel a recall.
Investigators summarized the matter as follows: "FAILURE COUNTS FROM ODI¿S ANALYSIS ARE STATED ABOVE; SEE THE ADDITIONAL PROBLEM EXPERIENCE DISCUSSION IN THE SUMMARY REPORT. FORD DATA CONTAINED DUPLICATIVE REPORTS FOR 4 ODI COMPLAINTS AND 1 CRASH. THREE CRASHES WERE AL..." Investigations are the early-warning layer of the federal auto-safety system, sitting upstream of formal recalls and defect orders. Whether this one closes without action or escalates into an Engineering Analysis, the full history stays in the ODI archive so researchers, litigators, and buyers can pull the paper trail at any time. Related FORD files, listed below, give context on whether this is an isolated concern or part of a broader pattern across the brand.
Investigation Summary
FAILURE COUNTS FROM ODI¿S ANALYSIS ARE STATED ABOVE; SEE THE ADDITIONAL PROBLEM EXPERIENCE DISCUSSION IN THE SUMMARY REPORT. FORD DATA CONTAINED DUPLICATIVE REPORTS FOR 4 ODI COMPLAINTS AND 1 CRASH. THREE CRASHES WERE ALLEGEDLY DUE TO INTERMITTENT OPERATION OF THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL (ETC) PEDAL, ONE CRASH OCCURRED WHEN AN ETC DISABLED VEHICLE WAS STRUCK BY ANOTHER MOTORIST, ONE REPORT CONTAINED NO DETAIL. THE INJURIES WERE MINOR. AN ISSUE INVOLVING FIXED ETC PEDALS WAS INVESTIGATED ALSO, HOWEVER FAILURE REPORTS AND POPULATIONS ARE NOT SHOWN ABOVE; SEE SUMMARY REPORT FOR DETAIL. ALTHOUGH FORD HAS USED ETC BASED THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR MANY YEARS, THE PAP FEATURE WAS NEW FOR MY 2002. THE SUBJECT ETC SENSOR PRODUCES TWO OUTPUT SIGNALS WHICH THE ENGINE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (EMS) UTILIZES TO: 1) DETERMINE FUELING REQUIREMENTS; AND 2) PERFORM SENSOR DIAGNOSTICS. ONE SIGNAL IS LINEARLY PROPORTIONAL TO THROTTLE PEDAL POSITION; THE SECOND IS A DIGITAL SIGNAL. BY DESIGN, THE DETECTION OF A SENSOR FAULT RESULTS IN THE ENGINE RETURNING TO (OR REMAINING AT) THE IDLE STATE. FORD IDENTIFIED A DEFECT IN THE PAP ETC SENSOR WHICH PREMATURELY AFFECTED AN OUTPUT SIGNAL; THE MIGRATION OF INTERNAL SENSOR LUBRICANT CAUSED A LOSS OF PROPORTIONAL SIGNAL. THE FAILURE MECHANISM IS PROGRESSIVE AND AS THE SENSOR DETERIORATES, THE EMS WILL DETECT A FAULT, STORE A FAULT CODE, ILLUMINATE A WARNING LAMP, AND THE ENGINE MAY REMAIN AT/RETURN TO IDLE. IN THE EARLY STAGES, NORMAL OPERATION CAN BE REGAINED BY PEDAL RE-APPLICATION. THE FAILURE PROGRESSES UNTIL THE ENGINE REMAINS AT IDLE. THE ENGINE DOES NOT STALL, POWER ASSISTED STEERING AND BRAKING SYSTEMS ARE UNAFFECTED. FORD CORRECTED THE ETC SENSOR DEFECT AND CONDUCTED FIELD SERVICE ACTION (FSA) 03B03 TO REPLACE ETC PEDALS, ADDRESSING 50% OF VEHICLES. AT AGENCY REQUEST TO IMPROVE COMPLETION RATE, FORD EXTENDED FSA 03B03 FOR 6 MONTHS. BASED ON ODI'S ANALYSIS OF AVAILABLE DATA, FORD'S ACTION HAS APPROPRIATELY RESOLVED THE ETC SENSOR PROPLEM
About This Investigation Type
An Engineering Analysis (EA) is the in-depth phase following a Preliminary Evaluation. NHTSA engineers conduct testing, collect data from manufacturers, and perform detailed technical analysis to determine whether a safety defect exists. An EA may lead to a voluntary recall by the manufacturer or, in rare cases, a mandatory recall order.
Other FORD Investigations
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
Timing Belt Failure
Underbody shields detachment
B-Pillar Trim Detachment
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
Data from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Cross-references: NHTSA recall campaign API and NHTSA FARS where fatality records overlap. PlainCars does not rate or recommend vehicles. about how PlainCars sources NHTSA data.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.