NHTSA Complaint #10074691 — 2001 FORD EXPLORER

ON JANUARY 25,2004 I WAS APPROACHING A TRAFIC SIGNAL IN MY 2001 FORD EXPLORER I SLOWED TO APPROXIMATELY 5MPH. MY FOOT WAS NOT ON THE ACCELERATOR, BUT WHEN I HIT THE BRAKE THE CAR LUNGED FORWARD ,AND HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I HIT THE BRAKE AS HARD AS I COULD BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP. THE ENGINE MADE A REVING SOUND AS IT LUNGED FORWARD. THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME SUSTAINED DAMAGE TOTALING $ 1237 AND THE PASSENGER COMPLAINED OF A NECK AGGRIVATION. MY CAR SUSTAINED MINIMAL DAMAGE TO THE BUMPER. THIS WAS THE 1ST ACCIDENT I HAVE EVER BEEN IN WHERE IT WAS ALLEGED THAT I MAY BE AT FAULT, CLEARLY I WAS NOT. THIS SURGE WHEN DECELERATING HAS HAPPENED 2 TIMES AFTER THIS ACCIDENT, BOTH OF WHICH WERE WITNESSED BY A PASSENGER IN MY CAR. LUCKILY NOBODY WAS INJURED ON THESE OCCASIONS. I HAVE SINCE TAKEN THE CAR INTO THE DEALER WHEREUPON I WAS INFORMED THAT THE DEALER HAD RECEIVED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULETIN (TSB) FROM FORD REGARDING AN IDLE AIR CONTROL (IAC) VALVE FOR THIS MAKE AND MODEL DATED 2/5/03. THE DEALER REPLACED THIS VALVE ON 5/20/04.*AK