NHTSA Complaint #764571 — 1995 FORD EXPLORER

1ST INCIDENT: DEC.12TH 1998. CONCERN: SPEED JUMPS ON HIGHWAY AND SURGES ONLY WHEN SPEED CONTROL IS ON. CAUSE: SPEEDOMETER ASSEMBLY BINDING. CORRECTION: REPLACE SPEEDOMETER ASSEMBLY. COST TO ME $309.25 2ND INCIDENT: JAN.5TH 1999. CONCERN: SAME AS 1ST INCIDENT. SPEED JUMPS ON HIGHWAY AND SURGES ONLY WHEN SPEED CONTROL ON. CAUSE: 14401 LOOM, SENSOR & ASSEMBLY SHORTED. CORRECTION: REPAIR LOOM 14401 SPEED CONTROL DIAG. R&R SENSOR & ASSEMBLY. COST TO ME: $308.87. 3RD INCIDENT: TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY WITH SPEED CONTROL SET AT 70MPH. EXPLORER SPEED SLOWLY INCREASES TO 80 ON ITS OWN. I LOOK AT THE SPEEDOMETER, REALIZE THIS AND TAP THE BRAKE. THE EXPLORER IS STILL GOING 80MPH OR HIGHER. I PRESS THE OFF BUTTON TO THE SPEED CONTROL BUT IT WILL NOT DISENGAGE. I CANNOT STOP THE SUV. I DO NOT PANICK BUT I'M SCARED AS I PUT ON THE EMERGENCY LIGHTS, PRESS WITH ALL MY MIGHT ON THE BRAKES AND WITHIN A FEW MINUTES, GET THE EXPLORER OFF THE ROAD TO THE SHOULDER. I PUT THE SUV IN PARK, JUMP OUT OF THE CAR, LOOK BOTH WAYS, CROSS THE HIGHWAY, WAVE MY ARMS FOR HELP AND WATCH AS MY SUV IS PARKED WITH THE ENGINE STUCK AND RUNNING AT 80MPH OR MORE. SOME GOOD SAMARITANS STOP AND I EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED. ONE OF THEM APPROACHES THE EXPLORER WITH CAUTION AND TURNS THE IGNITION OFF AND BRINGS ME MY KEYS. THEY LOOK AT MY MANUAL AND UNHOOK THE SPEED CONTROL BOX UNDER THE HOOD. I DROVE HOME WITH THE EMERGENCY LIGHTS ON (ABOUT 8 MILES) GOING ABOUT 50MPH WITH NO PROBLEMS THEN PARKED IT. IF ANOTHER CAR HAD BEEN NEAR ME WHEN THE EXPLORER WENT OUT OF MY CONTROL, I COULD HAVE HIT THEM AND THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN INJURIES OR POSSIBLE LOSS OF LIFE AT 80MPH. THANK YOU.*AK